To get people excited about the new, topless Roadster, MINI has opened up a live peep show on Hollywood Blvd, just a block away from the Kodak and Chinese Theatres.

It says a lot about the creations that come from MINI, when the British automaker presents their “Cowley Caravan and Swindon Roof Top Tent” and we’re not sure if it’s an elaborate April Fools Joke or if it’s serious, as it was released on April 1st.

It turns out that the results are pretty interesting when you combine a  MINI Countryman JCW and a man in a flying squirrel suit. 

To show off the capabilities of the John Cooper Works Edition MINI Countryman, the creative ad people over at MINI attached a man in a wing suit to the roof, and we all get to enjoy the heart racing stunts that ensue.

Watching a man double up as a flying squirrel is pretty impressive, even more so when he releases his tow and shoots out over a cliff to fly.

Crazy ads are nothing new for the British marque , but that doesn’t seemed to have stemmed enthusiasm to shoot more.

Watch the MINI Countryman JCW commercial below. It’s a re-hashed version of something we ran earlier this month, but there’s a lot more flying squirrel suit footage in this version.

This year marks Queen Elizabeth’s diamond jubilee, and to celebrate, a gathering of sixty rare and beautiful cars will be brought together at the quadrangle in Windsor Castle in England. 

Only cars of the highest caliber have been invited to the event, and will be arriving at the castle from all over the world. One car from every year starting from 1952 will be featured, representing every year since the Queen was inaugurated. The earliest car featured is a 1952 Bentley R Type(54′ R Type Shown Above), and the newest car will be a 2011 Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari FF or a Porsche 991.

Most of the cars have already been selected, but an open casting call is out right now for owners of specific cars to volunteer to bring their fine machines to the Castle to be displayed for the Queen.

We have to wonder how much the Queen really likes cars? Hopefully she appreciates what she is getting, as this will undoubtedly be one of the nicest gatherings of rare luxury cars ever.

Below is a list of the cars that will be featured at the event. Some of them have been found already, and some haven’t. If you are the owner of one of the cars on the list and would like to participate, click here for more information.

The newest generation MINI Cooper is getting a boost with the addition of the John Cooper Works GP edition. Our photographers grabbed some spy photo‘s of the almost completely uncamouflaged car, giving a great look at how the production JCW MINI will look. 

MINI has announced yet another special edition model, this time paying tribute to 1967 Monte Carlo Rally winner Rauno Aaltonen. Available on both Cooper or Cooper S models, the Rauno Aaltonen model is set off by its Chili Red exterior.

American motorists’ mentalities were very different a decade ago. Gas was selling at $1.25 a gallon, and thirsty SUVs like the Hummer H2 were popular.

The MINI Countryman aims to incorporate the classic MINI look and style and take it off road, and what better way to show off the cars capabilitites than getting out on a frozen lake for some sideways fun. 

MINI and Red Bull have a history of marketing campaigns together, and in this newest video, the guys from the Red Bull Crashed Ice downhill skate racing series decide to practice some techniques while in tow behind the Countryman.

The Countryman looks great going sideways, and there are even some good wipe outs in the video, what more can you ask for?

Watch the MINI Countryman with the Red Bull Crashed Ice skaters in the video below.

Earlier this year, we alluded to the fact that the MINI Paceman Concept would hit dealerships as the Countryman Coupe and it looks like that will be made official when the vehicle debuts at this year’s Paris Auto Show.

The John Cooper Works (JCW) variant of the MINI Countryman had its world premiere at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, packing a 1.6L, turbo-four with 211-hp.

And now the MINI JCW Countryman has been placed into the British automaker’s ad-churning machine, spitting out an “Expect the Unexpected” video that showcases the Countryman’s versatility as it tears through desert and snow. Watching the JWC Countryman in action through contrasting weather conditions proves that it won’t be a one-trick pony with its ALL4 all-wheel drive system.

The JCW Countryman can have either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, 18- or 19-inch wheels while sporting special front and rear bumpers.

The JCW Countryman will hit the European market in the first half of this year and will approach American shores after the summer. Pricing on the sporty model still hasn’t been announced, but we expect it to be in the mid-$30,000 range.

Watch the “expect the unexpected” video for the MINI John Cooper Works Countryman below.

As these words are typed, the John Cooper Works (JCW) MINI Countryman has yet to be officially unveiled, though in an effort to bring you bang up-to-date, AutoGuide managed to capture these actual pictures (not press images) of it during set up day at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

Back in 2006,  MINI released a special edition Cooper John Cooper Works GP model. Limited to just 2,000 vehicles, the JCW GP Cooper S blended the best out of the John Cooper Works catalog with some GP-specific parts. 

Not only does it feel good to recycle, it looks good too, thanks to the launch of MINI‘s Carmina Campus bags.

MINI is announcing their special John Cooper Works (JCW) edition Countryman ahead of its upcoming Geneva debut, touting it as a fun vehicle on any terrain.

MINI was set to announce later today that their Clubvan concept will debut on March 6 at the Geneva Auto Show, showcasing a marriage between fun and functionality, which is something this car employs at its core. (Photos and info have, however, leaked ahead of a scheduled embargo.)

Someone spilled the beans on a MINI concept car coming to Geneva. They released a story that doesn’t actually have specifications, but confirms the Clubvan name and March 6 Geneva Auto Show premier.

Following an investment from Abu Dhabi Motors, BMW has opened its largest showroom in the world in the Middle East.

MINI might be changing the way we think of minivans by the year 2020. The British automaker is considering expanding its lineup to include a five-door station wagon, a van, and possibly even a notchback sedan.

Another week, another special edition announcement from British automaker, MINI. This time around it’s the MINI Convertible Highgate, a special edition variant of their soft-top, four-seater named after one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in London.

Here’s an idea: sponsor a blizzard and name it after a line of cars. That way when it snows, the weather man will be forced to advertise them, how could it possibly go wrong?

MINI was proud to announce today that a John Cooper Works Super Production Car (SPC) captured its first FIA International event win this past weekend. Driver Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari took the checkered flag home at the Qatar International Rally, the first found in the 2012 Middle East Rally Championship (MERC).

Pricing for the 2012 MINI Roadster has finally been announced, with the standard Cooper Roadster starting at $24,350 in the US. Those seeking a little more thrill in their droptop can opt for the Cooper S Roadster which starts at $27,350.

MINI has been experiencing tremendous success in America and it appears that the cute British brand has no plans to slow down. There are now reports that MINI is strongly considering bringing its diesel powerplants to the U.S. and could be turning John Cooper Works into a sub-brand tuning division, similar to BMW‘s M models.

Oh how quickly things can change. Just last month we were teased with the thought that MINI would be producing its Rocketman Concept and now new reports are suggesting that the Rocketman has been canceled, at least for now.

The eternal struggle of parent versus child will never go away, even in the business world. BMW, the parent company to MINI, has ordered that MINI USA conduct a review of it’s advertising agency for the US. Rather than quietly obey, MINI has decided to make a scene, going so far as to release a statement that it is quite pleased with its current advertising supplier.

Named after an extremely vibrant area of London, the MINI Bayswater special edition is vibrant in its own right, focusing primarily on “the sporting verge and agile handling for which MINI is renowned.”

With the London Olympics just months away, MINI is celebrating the history of the famous city with two special edition models, the MINI Baker Street (above) and the MINI Bayswater ( see here). The Baker Street MINI features new exterior and interior design details developed exclusively for the special edition model.

MINI‘s boss in the United States recently confirmed in an interview that the Countryman Coupe will be available on the US market in the first quarter of 2013.

With the launch of its new Roadster model MINI is seeking to rejuvenate the struggling segment says U.S. brand boss Jim McDowell.

Stéphane Peterhansel has achieved his tenth Dakar victory, this time in a MINI All4 Racing. A seasoned veteran of the two-week long race, Peterhansel won his first Dakar at the age of 21.

BMW is currently cooperating with NHTSA to recall 88,911 MINI Cooper models that were sold between 2007 to 2011 for fire risk. Affected models include the 2007-2011 MINI Cooper S, 2008-2011 MINI Cooper S Clubman, 2009-2011 MINI Cooper S Convertible and additional variants manufactured between November 2006 to January 2011.

MINI is bringing a race inspired convertible into the market with the unveiling of the Roadster at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. This is the first two seater open topped vehicle in the English brand’s history and makes the MINI lineup six vehicles strong after the recent introduction of the Coupe (read our review here).

With the luxury car and mid-size car market growing rapidly, it makes sense that the BMW group has introduced its MINI brand to India.

MINI finally confirms their entry into the 2012 World Rally Championship after missing the official entry deadline of December the 19th. MINI has had issues with coverage of the event in the past and it seems has tried to make a statement about their dilemma.

The launch of the next generation MINI Cooper has been reportedly been pushed back, but according to reports, it will be well worth the wait. Sharing a platform with the next-generation 1 Series, the BMW will arrive first with the MINI (code named F56) being revealed in late 2013.

MINI will make its way into the commercial vehicle market soon when it releases a cargo-oriented version of the Clubman.

Earlier this week we reported rumors that MINI will be heading to production with their Rocketman, and now we have reason to believe that Toyota may play a role in co-developing the vehicle.

MINI‘s Head of Design, Anders Warming, was recently reported to say that a production version of the Rocketman Concept is “on my Christmas list.” Perhaps a hint of things to come, Warming continued to praise the Rocketman Concept by saying that it’s “a clear leap forwards” and is a car to “claim the true heritage of the brand.”

Yesterday we announced the winner of MINI‘s Ultimate Test Drive Ever contest was Mathew Foster with his entry of Stewardess, Salt Flats, Paratroopers, Sushi and Falconer. Our imagination went wild wondering how the video turned out and now we know – and it’s pretty much everything we expected, and more.

A round of applause to MINI for making Foster’s vision come to life, and with production value rivaling some Hollywood films. MINI intends to make the most of the spot by running the ad on its Facebook page, Youtube channel and in 2,707 theaters this Holiday season.

Check out the MINI Best Test Drive Ever after the break.

Mathew Foster, a resident of Portland Oregon, found himself roaring across the salt flats in a MINI Coupe being fed sushi by a stewardess while paratroopers flew by overhead. Was this some kind of bizarre dream or hallucinogenic episode? In fact this was a reality for the Portland man after winning a contest held by MINI offering the best test drive ever. Period.

The Mini rally car, which is based on the Countryman model is prepared by Prodrive in Banbury, U.K. Now Prodrive, Mini and its parent company BMW are in talks with the FIA to seek an extension to the deadline.

The 2012 Detroit Auto Show will be home for the world premiere of MINI‘s Roadster, a two-seating, soft-top model looking to innovate the small car segment. The MINI Roadster will become the sixth model in MINI’s line-up and will launch in the North American market with three variants to choose from.

MINI‘s JCW Countryman took a bow in Austria, revealing the next generation of high-performance John Cooper Works variants. No specific details have been released on the new JCW Countryman, but rumor has it the 1.6-liter turbocharged powerplant will have at least 215-hp, while the suspension has been tuned with stiffer spring rates and lower the vehicle 0.40-inch.

MINI continues to use technology and connectivity to enhance the Mini driving experience with the release of a new app, called Driving Excitement, for its Mini Connected infotainment system. This new app allows the driver to do more than record their vehicle’s diagnostics.

MINI wanted to celebrate its return to the world of rallying with the MINI WRC Team in the FIA World Rally Championship by offering a new accessories package for Cooper S and SD Countryman owners. The MINI John Cooper Works Championship tuning package pays homage to MINI’s new rally star and gives owners a nice rally theme to their vehicles.

The rally started back in 1978 and was originally called the Paris-Dakar rally due to its geographic location. However, due to safety concerns, the event was moved to South America in 2009, where it has remained to this day. The event is now simply called the Dakar rally, and for the 2012 event will cover 8000-kilometers (4968-miles). The route for the 2012 event will start from the Atlantic coast in Argentina to across South America and ending the event in Peru.

Over a year ago Honda and Mazda got the ball rolling, announcing new B-Spec race cars based on their sub-compact Fit and Mazda2 models. Since then numerous other automakers have signed on, ranging from Fiat with the 500, to Kia with the Rio. The latest automaker to toss its tires into the ring is MINI, with a B-Spec race version of the Cooper Hardtop.

MINI has announced that they will be entering the B-Spec racing class in 2012, with MINI of Charleston, a franchise owned by Hendrick Automotive Group.

MINI is finally offering Recaro seats as an option for their various models, but only in one configuration. The Recaro seat option will come in black Dinamica and leather only, but they are heated.

MINI does social networking right. Introducing the MINI Motoring smartphone app, available for both Android and iPhone, it allows fellow drivers to share their favorite driving roads with each other.

Hot on the heels of MINI’s Coupe release is the announcement of the 2012 MINI Roadster and the various versions it’ll be offered in. The new MINI Roadster will be the company’s first manually-opening drop-top two-seater and will be North American showrooms in mid-2012. Compared to the MINI Cooper Cabriolet, the MINI Roadster will be 0.1-inch shorter, 1.9-inches narrower and 1-inch lower.

If you’re a fan of the Mini Cooper, you’ll want to pick yourself up one of the Mini Cooper flash drives. Available in 11 historic versions of the iconic car, this flash drive will impress with its accurate attention to detail.

Now Prodrive is turning its attention to making a special version of a Countryman for those who don’t have a race seat in the FIA Rally Championship.

The British hot hatch just got hotter. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 12 complaints were received in regards to MINI Cooper S engine fires, 5 of them resulted to total vehicle loss. Concerned that this is not an isolated incident, NHTSA has announced an investigation on 36,000 2007-2008 Mini Cooper S, Mini Cooper S, and 2008 Mini Clubman models.

The annual North American Car and Truck of the Year awards has just released its short list for 2012, selecting 17 cars and seven trucks that will compete for the prestigious prize.

In the running for the 2012 North American Car of the Year are three from Hyundai (the Accent, Elantra and Veloster), two from Audi (A6 and A7), two from Volkswagen (Passat and Beetle) and two from Toyota ( Camry and Prius v). Others on the list include two GM models, the Buick Verano and Chevrolet Sonic, while two Chrysler group nominees include the Chrysler 300 and Fiat 500. Rounding out the list is the Ford Focus, Kia Rio, Scion iQ and Subaru Impreza. Notably absent from the list is the all-new Honda Civic.

The 2012 North American Truck of the Year short list includes just one vehicle from seven different automakers: the BMW X3, Honda CR-V, Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Mercedes M-Class, MINI Countryman, Nissan Quest and Saab 9-4X.

The three finalists in each category will be announced later this year with the winners being announced at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Last year the Chevrolet Volt took home 2011 Car of the Year, with the Ford Explorer as 2011 Truck of the Year.

See the full list of nominees after the jump:

September is now over and with it we saw the launch of the all-new MINI Coupe, while the AutoGuide team spent some time at the track putting together a shootout between the all-new 2012 Honda Civic Si and the MazdaSpeed3. The result might not surprise you, but a good look at the numbers shows that it wasn’t as far-fetched a comparison as you might think.

The past month also saw the start of the auto show season with the Frankfurt Motor Show. AutoGuide’s video crew made the trip across the pond to deliver a first look at all the new debuts, w hich can be viewed here.

Watch both reviews after the jump and keep up to date on the latest new car reviews here:

England long jump champion J.J. Jegede is warming up for the 2012 Olympics in London by jumping over three new 2012 MINI London Edition cars.

Sadly, manual transmissions are a dying breed. For many, the convenience of an automatic far outweighs the many advantages of driving stick, from the lower cost of the car, to improved driving enjoyment and vehicle control, to better fuel economy (although those pesky dual-clutch units are starting to make this argument obsolete).

After a day spent at the autocross with the new MINI Coupe, we’re having dinner at Immogine+Willy, a boutique Jeans store in Nashville, Tennessee. Once a gas station, it’s retained much of that old charm but now features some seriously retro looking equipment for making custom fitted jeans right on site. There’s a scoreboard over the door, a motorcycle in the front window and a manikin wearing a tweed vest and a bowtie. In short, it’s an urban hipster’s paradise.

With the launch of its new Coupe model, MINI is continuing to push ahead with its “ Manualhood” marketing campaign, releasing a campy new video styled after a 1950s public service announcement. Titled “Becoming a Manual” the PSA outlines that this important stage in growing up. “Manualhood is when your body is craving more exhilaration than an automatic can provide,” explains the gym teacher.

Plus, the video highlights the many advantages to driving stick, like improved fuel economy, heightened driving enjoyment and a lower price. It even explains just how easy operating a clutch-and-paddle transmission is. And of course, there’s plenty of humor tossed in.

Still not sure you’re ready to drive stick? Thankfully MINI has also provided a “Becoming a Manual” handbook, which you can download from the brand’s Facebook page here.

Watch the video after the jump: