With the positive reception given to the very compact MINI Rocketman concept at this year’s Geneva Auto Show, MINI execs have given indications that the car will be produced sometime in the near future.

For those of you how really want the luxe treatment when you’re playing video games, do we have a seat for you – David Gawthorpe’s Mini Cooper gaming chair.

Looking to return to its roots in a high-tech way, the brand famous for thinking small has unveiled a new more-mini MINI at the Geneva Auto Show.

Diesel hot hatches have always been a bit of an oddity – one would think that a big, heavy diesel engine would throw off the superb balance and lightweight that are the hallmarks of most front-wheel-drive hot hatchbacks, but the MINI Cooper SD is one diesel hot hatch that deserves the benefit of the doubt after seeing it at the Geneva Auto Show.

If you’ve ever seen an original Mini (which may be unlikely if you live in North America) you might find it hard to wrap your head around just how small the car really is. The current MINI Cooper, while small by our standards, absolutely dwarfs the original car, but MINI’s new Rocketman concept should set things straight for the brand.

As part of MINI‘s 2011 Cooper lineup and debuts at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, an announcement has been made that a John Cooper Works Tuning Kit will be available for the MINI Cooper S, MINI Cooper S Clubman and MINI Cooper S Convertible. The tuning kit will raise horsepower to 200-hp and torque to 186 ft-lbs, with an overboost function that increases torque even more to 199 ft-lbs.

When the new MINI Cooper debuted back in 2001, it was impossible not to note how much larger the car was than its classic predecessor. The less-than-mini size of the vehicle is even more obvious in Europe, where the majority of cars on the road share roughly the same dimensions. It comes as little surprise then that the brand famous for thinking small is preparing to unveil a new more-mini MINI at the Geneva Auto Show next week.

MINI‘s rumored city car, set to debut at the Geneva Auto Show, now has a name. According to reports, the more mini MINI will be called the Rocketman and will make use of parent company BMW’s carbon fiber investments to showcase an entirely carbon fiber spaceframe chassis. This should give it an incredibly low curb weight.

MINI will unveil a new city-car concept at the Geneva Auto Show next week as it continues to study the possibility of a smaller model to sit below the Cooper hard-top in the current lineup.

Despite rumors to the contrary, MINIs aren’t about to get any more or less mini. In a sit down interview with MINI USA boss Jim McDowell, at the Chicago Auto Show he dispelled rumors of a MINI-minor, as well as the possibility that the Countryman could get an even larger sibling.

If you still think that matte black paint jobs are just a fad, think again. MINI has decided to release a limited edition factory package that can be added onto any Cooper variant, turning it from a hip, trendy little car to a stealthy and sleek trendy little car. Dubbed the Mat Edition, MINI will be limiting the package to 250 vehicles – except they’ll only be available in France.

Have you ever said to yourself: “Gee, I wish my MINI matched my super cute Louis Vuitton hand bag”? And because too much of a good thing is never a bad idea, there’s a MINI that looks like the designer brand just puked all over it.

MINI USA boss Jim McDowell sat down with AutoGuide at the Chicago Auto Show to talk about what might just be the most carefree car brand out there, complete with its own lexicon that includes things like bootgating – that’s tailgating in a Countryman, if you must know.

After teasing us with a hopped-up version at the Paris Auto Show, MINI has now revealed the official race-prepped Countryman WRC machine. Unveiled in Monte Carlo, MINI brought out drivers Dani Sordo and Kris Meeke, as well as the 1967 Monte Carlo Rally winning Mini Cooper and drivers Rauno Aaltonen and Paddy Hopkirk to celebrate.

MINI has revealed the Clubman Hampton edition ahead of its planned debut at the Geneva Auto Show, announcing the special trim will be available on all four Clubman models – including the new Clubman SD.

MINI has confirmed the launch of a new SD line of performance diesels for all of its models. Using a new 2.0-liter turbodiesel engine, the oil burner will deliver 143-hp and a significant 225 ft-lbs of torque at from 1750 rpm. This new diesel engine sits above the current Cooper D with 112-hp.

Don’t believe everything you read. Or at least that’s what Andreas Muller might tell his lady friends after having ‘ MINI‘ tattooed on his penis in order to win one of the fun British cars.

With a huge gulf existing between the road-going version of the MINI Countryman and the WRC-ready version, a halo version that could bridge the gap between urban crossover and full-blown race car could be an asset for MINI, and help them leverage some of the image boost that their rally program will provide, especially in parts of the world where WRC is a popular motorsport.

You still get the regular Cooper, but add to that the Convertible, the Clubman, the Countryman, the recently announced Paceman, plus the Coupe and Speedster versions planned for 2012, you’d think MINI has enough on its plate already. But you’d be wrong, or at least you would be if the latest rumors prove to be true.

As gas prices to rise and automakers develop more fuel efficient vehicles, spurred on by CAFE requirements, all kinds of new developments are underway.

The next generation of the MINI Cooper will be the most dramatic change from the past since the new MINI was introduced in 2001.

You want to take more road trips in your RV, but the thought of leaving your MINI behind is distressing. All alone in the garage, no one to drive it – sure, a neighbor can come over twice a day to let it out and feed it, but it’s not the same as having your sweet ride with you so you can enjoy the vacation as a family. Thanks to VARIOmobil motorhomes, no MINI left behind!

Rumored for some time now, MINI is set to introduce a rival to the Golf GTD in Europe at the Geneva Auto Show.

Having just been unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show, the MINI Paceman Concept is production ready, according to a MINI source, who told AutoGuide that 2013 is the target date for the Paceman’s launch. Before the new two-door crossover, MINI will launch the upcoming Coupe and Roadster, sportier, stripped down versions of the base car with distinctive styling.

There has been much debate inside MINI as to what direction that automaker would go with its next crossover model. Executives, designers and engineers were reportedly stuck between a production version of the Beachcomber Concept, or a two-door version of the Countryman, initially referred to as the Canyon.

Arguably the best looking MINI yet, the new Paceman (not Pacman) concept is what the fun British brand refers to as a Sports Activity Coupe. Along the lines of the BMW X6, the Paceman takes MINI’s new Countryman crossover and lops-off two of the doors.

If you’re in Toronto and wanted to get into the holiday spirit, MINI Canada and their happy elves made the trip downtown to let people know they were in the giving mood. In fact, they still are, and want to give you one of three all-new gift-wrapped MINI Countryman models.

German firm X-Raid is already preparing a MINI Countryman, a vehicle that’s been on sale for less than a month, for competition in the upcoming Dakar rally.

MINI will return to its roots at the Geneva Auto Show next year, showcasing a new entry level model that will compete with cars like the Smart fortwo and Toyota iQ.

One recent discussion taking place at Autoguide HQ was how long it’s been since we’ve driven a car that was truly worth a bad review. Most cars these days are pretty good, and the true stinkers are few and far between.

The Ghost, which went on sale in early 2010, will soon spawn three new models, a convertible, a coupe and a long wheelbase sedan.

While MINI‘s WRC aspirations have garnered a lot of attention among fans of the automaker and racing enthusiasts, the British brand’s off-road ambitions won’t be limited to just one series. The German off-road X-raid Team has just announced it will run the new MINI All4 Racing car in the annual Dakar Rally, which now runs in South America, rather than on the traditional continent of Africa, due to security concerns.

Two years after it’s debut as a concept at the Frankfurt Auto Show, MINI is set to unveil the production version of its Coupe model at the same venue.

Here’s one cool offer you can’t refuse. MINI and Paul “The Modfather” Weller have join forces to bring you a special art car, with proceeds going to charity.

Each year J.D. Power ranks numerous categories in the automotive sector, the latest being customer satisfaction with their purchase experience. In other words, the results of the Sales Satisfaction Index Study show how consumers rank their dealerships.

Tops on the list of “Mass Market Brands” for 2010 is MINI, followed by Mercury in 2nd place and GMC in 3rd. Falling below the average are big names like Honda and Toyota with Nissan ranking the lowest with just 707 points out of a possible 1,000.

In the Luxury Brand category, Jaguar took the top spot (for the 3rd year in a row), followed by Cadillac and then Mercedes-Benz, while Volvo ranked lowest, just below Audi.

Of note, Honda luxury brand Acura fell below the average in the luxury class, as did Nissan’s Infiniti brand.

The annual survey conducted by J.D. Power ranks the new-vehicle purchase experience based on customer satisfaction, which is calculated based on four factors: working out a deal (33 percent), the salesperson (25 percent), the delivery process (21 percent), and the dealership facility (20 percent).

Dealer satisfaction is more important that you might expect, with the J.D. Power survey showing that 52 percent of people cited how they re treated by their dealeras a reason to purchase a vehicle there, while just 38 percent said vehicle price was the reason for the dealer.

[Source: Edmunds]

See after the jump for the complete lists of dealers by automaker and how they ranked:

German automaker BMW is currently under investigation by Swiss government authorities over allegations it prevented Swiss citizens living in other parts of Europe from buying its vehicles. According to the Swiss Competition Commission, it has information that BMW distributors in the 27 European Union countries are preventing Swiss citizens from purchasing BMW or MINI vehicles outside of Switzerland (which is not a part of the EU).

In a recent interview with Auto Motor und Sport, BMW’s product development boss, Dr. Klaus Draeger, hinted that 2-cylinder engines may wind up under the hood of some BMW and MINI models in the future. According to Draeger, the company would look at 500cc engines with a target of roughly 50 to 80-hp.

“This cooperation will deliver a major contribution towards a competitive cost structure in the field of electrification. It also represents another important step on the road to sustainable mobility,” said Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG.

Official release after the jump:

MINI has decided to move ahead with production plans for the Beachcomber Concept, but the new model could take one of two very different directions. According to a report by AutoCar, company product planners are currently debating between two different models: a two-door Countryman, called the Canyon; and a 4-door rendition of the classic Moke.

After being given only the base price information for the upcoming MINI Countryman, we finally have our full breakdown of the various Countryman models and their respective MSRPs, including a $700 destination charge.

Good news for MINI diehards who feel uneasy about the MINI Countryman and its ballooning size; there won’t be any MINIs larger than this, says Jim McDowell, MINI USA’s President. Even though it’s smaller than a Volkswagen Golf, the MINI Countryman is being pitched as a MINI for those who need more space and utility.

Do you even notice that the music that you’re listening to affects how you drive? Now, MINI has taken infotainment systems to the next level with the MINI Connected system – a cool feature that adjusts the music based on your driving style.

Just one part of the MINI infotainment systems (there’s radio MINI Visual Boost and MINI Navigation too), the MINI Connected plays music that have been exclusively composed for MINI and then adjusts the rhythm depending on how you’re driving.  All of these functions are integrated via an app for the iPhone and can be operated using the car’s joystick, steering wheel buttons and on-board monitor.

Another cool feature included in the package is the iPod Out. This lets the MINI Connected system display the iPod navigation menu in the vehicle’s main center speedo display, and control the music playback features in the iPhone, the iPod touch and the latest generation iPod nano, using the vehicle’s controls.

Also added to the MINI Connected system is a web radio function lets drivers listen to local radio stations independent of their location, and the “Minimalism Analyzer” provides advice on how to drive more efficiently. The app can be programmed to read RSS news feeds, supply Google local searches and send information from your browser to the Cooper’s display. And no infotainment system would be complete without Facebook and Twitter integration.

No word on when this system will be available, but you can check out all of the details in the press release after the jump.

The new MINI Countryman, the first crossover for the fun British brand will start at $22,350. That price puts it at just $550 more than the Clubman model. Those looking for more power, extra equipment and the grip of MINI’s new All4 all-wheel drive system will have to shell out just under $30,000 for the Cooper S Countryman model.

It’s been announced that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recently opened an investigation into possible power steering failures in MINI Cooper cars.

MINI’s Scooter E Concept is the polar opposite from the brand’s other Pairs debut, the Countryman WRC, but it represents an important new direction, with MINI focusing on “mobility” as well as cars.

MINI‘s long awaited WRC entry debuted at the Paris Auto Show Thursday as the MINI Countryman WRC, flanked by rally heroes such as David Richards (founder of Prodrive) and Jean Todt, president of the FIA, flanked the car as it revved its engine for all to hear.

MINI will officially debut the new Countryman WRC rally car at the Paris Auto Show later this week. A selection of spy photos and videos of the car have already surfaced online, but MINI has been quick to clarify that the car was not wearing its official WRC bodywork.

Joining the WRC car will be a selection of Euro-market MINIs including the world premiere of the Cooper D Convertible and the One D Clubman. The Cooper D Convertible is the first diesel MINI to get the drop-top option, while the entry-level One D Clubman adds a new budget level to the Clubman range with an impressive 60-mpg rating (On the EU test cycle).

These MINI models will be joined on stage by the new MINI Scooter E Concept models.

For complete coverage of the MINI debuts and all the new models, check back for live updates from the Paris Auto Show starting Thursday, September 30th.

Official release after the jump:

MINI has just officially revealed not one, but two of its MINI Scooter E Concepts that will officially debut at the Paris Auto Show next week. Created to bring together a youth-oriented lifestyle element and sustainable mobility, the scooters take significant design cues from the MINI lineup of cars while using a lithium-ion battery pack to deliver guilt-free mobility.

MINI‘s Scooter E concept is getting closer and closer to its Paris debut, and now another rendering has surfaced, this time with a photorealistic image of a green scooter and a female rider.

Last week we reported that MINI’s new Countryman WRC had completed its initial shakedown, and now we’ve got a trio of videos to prove it. The Prodrive-developed WRC car has been testing out in Portugal with Markko Märtin behind the wheel.

As we mentioned before, the aerodynamics seen on the MINI Countryman WRC currently won’t be the final components used as the final WRC bodywork is under construction. We’ll see limited competition out of MINI for 2011 as they’ll only be participating in select WRC rounds. But their plans is to be full on competition for 2012 and beyond.

As for our initial impressions of the MINI Countryman WRC in these videos, it looks to be a very formidable opponent and it sounds just awesome.

Check out all three videos after the break.

[Source: German Car Scene]

Love your MINI Cooper and its awesome British heritage. Your MINI might be sporting the stylish Union Jack on the roof but perhaps you need something to complement it in the interior. It’s a good thing Recaro is one step ahead of you, releasing their Union Jack seats that would most certainly meet with the approval of Austin Powers.

MINI is set to debut a new electric scooter concept at the Paris Auto Show, under the auspices of the MINI E brand. With an integrated electric motor and MINI design cues (like the rear-view mirrors and oval headlamp), the MINI Scooter should provide consumers with a hip alternative to the trendy gasoline scooters populating urban centers, as well as cheaper models from China.

More importantly, however, we’ve been provided with the first glimpse at the rally version of the MINI crossover, with a massive rear spoiler, big off-road tires and a significantly lowered suspension. MINI has confirmed, however, that the aerodynamics on the car are not the ones that will be used when it makes its WRC debut.

Despite previous rumors to the contrary, MINI will be offering the John Cooper Works kit for the 2011 MINI Cooper S. Initial fears that the JCW kit would be killed off for being too close in power to the factory John Cooper Works car seem to be unfounded, as the kit retains the same power upgrades as the previous iterations.

MINI is apparently starting work on a two-door variation of the Countryman SUV, with a vehicle that would be similar in concept to the just announced Range Rover Evoque.

MINI has plenty of expansion plans for its range of fun-to-drive cars, with the latest rumor suggesting an up-market model. Inspired by the Riley Elf and Wolseley Hornet, luxury versions of the original Mini built from 1961 to 1969, this new car could run under the Riley name.

In advance of the Los Angeles Auto Show, where the U.S.-spec Fiat 500 will make its North American debut, the company held a dealer meeting for 400 of its franchise holders.

Diesel and performance don’t really go hand-in-hand – at least not on this side of the Atlantic. But over in Europe there’s a strong believe that you can have fuel economy and plenty of torque. With two diesel offerings in MINI‘s lineup since 2007 (the One D and Cooper D), we’ve heard several rumors of a Cooper S D model, mixing high-performance with diesel technology the way VW does with the GTD.

The MINI brand has always been synonymous with an uber-cool British fast-paced lifestyle. And now, even if you aren’t British, you can steal the look with MINI’s Rooftop Collection.