Ton’s view on the 2011 MINI Clubman
Ton Dumans, PetrolBlog’s Dutch correspondent, is back with some thoughts on his MINI Clubman. Over to you, Ton.
As luck would have it, I found myself sooner than expected in the position to replace my Honda Civic Hybrid as a daily driver. After having driven a sensible, cheap car for nearly three years, I wanted something a little less dull. A bit more me, rather than another dime-a-dozen chickenbox. Where do you start with this in mind? Honestly, I had no clue. Until a year ago, I had never considered a MINI. It simply had not occurred to me. This was until I had the opportunity to drive a colleague’s MINI Cooper that was being used on loan from a BMW dealer when his 116i was in repair. I was pleasantly surprised by a car that, until then, I had only seen as a nice shopping trolley. The car felt like a go-kart, and perhaps even more importantly, it put a smile on my face. Read more 
Brief encounter: MINI John Cooper Works Coupé
Social media has revolutionised the business of new car launches. When I were a lad, I had to turn to Autocar & Motor to read all about forthcoming new cars or spy shots. Alternatively, I’d flick through the pages of the local rag or rely on a certain TV programme that used to air at 8.30 on a Thursday night. Well, as Robert Allen Zimmerman may have said, the times they are a changin’. Read more
The greatest car movie of all time?
According to a recent survey by Honda, The Italian Job is the greatest car movie of all time. I find it hard to disagree with the result as I’ve been a fan of the film since I was a child. Every Christmas I’d sit down to watch what some folk refer to as a ‘comedy caper’, but in truth there was one stand out moment. The sequence starting with the three Minis escaping with the gold and ending with the coach perched perilously on the edge of the mountain road is the stuff of cinematic genius. Read more
SMMT Day: Speed dating with cars
This week I was invited to the annual SMMT Day at the Millbrook proving ground in Bedfordshire. Put simply, the SMMT Day involves automotive journalists and bloggers getting together in a central place with the primary aim of driving as many cars as possible. Or as I like to call it, speed dating with cars. OK, there’s also the opportunity to mingle with the good folk of the UK press offices, but in truth, the real attraction is the vast selection of cars available to drive. Think ‘kid in a sweet shop’ and you’d have some idea as to how it felt to be there. Read more
Rust in pieces: Austin Minivan
Ever wondered what would happen if you leave an Austin Minivan exposed to the elements on Dartmoor for the best part of 25 years? Well wonder no more as I’ve recently discovered this circa 1970 Minivan near my home. Surrounding evidence suggests that it has been laid up since 1986 and it is in such a bad way that pretty much every single part is unsalvageable. Read more
Real World Reviews: Mini Clubman
In the first of the new series of Real World Reviews, Rob Griggs-Taylor (@robgt2 on twitter), takes a reflective look back at his first car – a Mini Clubman.
Your first car is a rite of passage. You choose something that projects an image, carefully cultivated within the limits of a tight budget and ludicrous insurance quotes. It will be an extension of your personality, the first impression when you arrive. No matter what the car is, or in what condition, many people fall in love with their first car and often go the extra mile when fiscal restraint and common sense are screaming logic, but the heart is committed to insane and costly action. Read more
