All-Time Sales Record for BMW Group in the First Half of 2011

There’s a lot to be happy about in Munich these days. That’s because the BMW Group has had not only its best month ever as far as sales are concerned, but has also achieved an all-time sales record for the first half of the year.

This June, a total of 165,855 BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce cars were delivered, an increase of 15.9% compared to the same month in 2010 (143,156 units) and also a new record for the Group. BMW sold 134,432 cars (+12.3%) and Mini 31,111 (+34.1%).

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U.K.’s Auto Industry to Young People: Be an Engineer!

Twenty-three of the U.K.’s car and component factories have opened their doors to teachers and students alike in a renewed bid to entice young people into automotive and manufacturing engineering. At the annual summit of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), Tony Walker – Toyota Motor Manufacturing U.K.’s deputy managing director – said:

“The industry today is hi-tech. There are no oily rags. There are no smoke stacks. It is an inspirational and an aspirational place to be.”

In fact, carmakers are eager to point out just how fun and lucrative engineering can be. It’s all part of the U.K. government’s push to shift its focus away from financial services after the deadly Global Financial Crisis of 2007.

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New MINI Roadster in John Cooper Works Guise Scooped

With the new Coupe out in the open, MINI is now turning its focus on the soft-top roadster version of its two-seater model, which was snagged here by our scoop photographers in John Cooper Works [JCW] guise while testing on the Nurburgring.

Thanks to the prototype’s minimal camouflage, we see that, like the Coupe, the Roadster model remains rather faithful to the original concept that debuted at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.

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MINI Inspired by Goodwood Carries…Rolls Royce Inspired Price Tag at £41,000 or US$65,700!

Apparently, Aston Martin isn’t the only British automaker to lose contact with reality when it comes to pricing special edition models. Soon after Aston Martin slapped a €48,995 (equal to £44,100 and US$70,700 at the current exchange rates) sticker on its Colette-trimmed Toyota iQ…err… we mean Cygnet, the BMW Group division announced that its new MINI Inspired by Goodwood is priced at £41,000 (€45,600 or US$65,700). Read more »

U-Spy: New MINI Coupe and BMW 1-Series Hatchback Spotted on the Road

Eagle-eyed Carscoop reader Michael from Germany is always on the lookout for any new cars and prototypes on the road. His latest catch is the freshly revealed MINI Coupe in a blue suit with silver stripes, while he also seized a couple of shots of the new BMW 1-Series hatchback, both of which were spotted in Munich.

The new MINI Coupe was only just unveiled online a couple of days ago, so we assume the car pictured is most likely an early production version used for testing.

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New MINI JCW Coupe Racer to Debut at 24h of Nurburgring

Well, that was quick. Just three days after unveiling the MINI Coupe, the firm’s first-ever two-seater coupe model, and even though its flagship version won’t be available to the public before autumn, the company presented the MINI John Cooper Works Coupe Endurance (yes, that’s quite a mouthful, so we’ll just call it JCW) racer.

And, what’s more, its public debut will be in one of the most demanding endurance races of the world, the Nürburgring 24 hours at the legendary Nordschleife, the place which Jackie Stewart has famously christened “the Green Hell”.

The MINI JCW Endurance is powered by a tuned version of the standard 4-cylinder, 1.6-litre engine that features a twin-scroll turbocharger as well as direct injection.

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