The all-new MINI Countryman is here, and available for delivery! Check yours out at Vista MINI today!

Let your boot down, but hold your cards close this Saturday, January 22^nd, at the Vista MINI Bootgate Poker Run. MINI Cooper owners from all over will congregate at The Seminole Coconut Creek Casino for a 9:30am start and your first card, with engines revving and motoring spirits in high gear. A steaming continental breakfast will be served. With bellies and MINI’s alike fueled for the adventure, the Poker run will begin.  Mini owners will set off in a MINI-fied ride as the Mini owners head to the next of three locations to gain their 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th playing cards. Once cards are collected and stonewall stares are perfected, the MINI Poker Run will conclude with your 5^th card at Vista MINI with a BBQ party around 2pm. The party will get started with great door prizes and wrap up with awards for the 3 best hands.

So, won’t you join us? There is NO entry fee, and limitless amounts of fun. Let us know you will be joining us by calling 954-935-2700, and of course should you have questions or need more information, the kind Motoring Advisors at this number can be of help in that area as well. Let’s Motor!

In early August, the first MINI Countryman’s graced MINI Cooper dealerships across the county for a preview. As the New Year begins to unfold, sold orders and even some unsold Countryman’s have rolled into dealerships. The first unit in the country was sold in Coconut Creek, Florida at Vista MINI by Brad Kaplan, long time Vista MINI Motoring Advisor.

“You know, there is just a culture that has exploded among MINI owners, and this gentleman who bought the first unit knew that adding a Countryman to his garage was imminent from the time he set eyes on it,” said Kaplan.

Nearly six inches longer, five inches taller, and four inches wider than the MINI Cooper Clubman, it’s definitely a new kind of MINI. Size increases aren’t the only difference, the audacious Countryman also boasts 4-doors and 4×4 off-road capabilities, both of which no other MINI can claim.

Even with all of the changes, the best thing about the Countryman says enthusiasts like Kaplan, it’s still a MINI. Thoughts such as the aforementioned are only echoed by industry giants such as MotorTrend, ‘like a bigger, top-heavy MINI cooper’ and Popular Mechanics, ‘It delivers a very MINI-like sharp turn-in response’.

Vista Motors owner, Charles Dascal says he’s not shocked at all over the success of the Countryman and the media frenzy that has surrounded it.

“Take a product that is already loved by so many the worlds over, and improve its versatility, what’s not to like,” said Dascal. “

Next time you hit the theatres for a film, you just might see MINI’s latest, blood-curdling, death-defying Monster Truck stunt in glorious slow-motion 3D. The video, slated to roll out in a couple of weeks as a preview in theatres nationwide, challenges one Monster Truck to jump over four MINI’s in a massive coliseum. The 2-minute long event was painstaking planned, calculated and staged by over 120 experts in the fields of 3D technology, physics and engineering.

Filming took 6 days to yield 120 seconds of thrilling film. Those watching in 3D theatres will get an extra-special treat. Jason Schragger, executive director at the agency that created the film, said: “MINI is a pioneer of automotive design and driver experience. Digital 3D is so new that we worked with all the best people we could find to ensure MINI vs. Monster delivers an exciting and immersive experience. 3D technology makes you really feel like you are in the crowd and are part of the jump. When you see the monster truck flying, you see every detail, it’s better than being in the stands and you can’t help but gasp when the truck lifts off and skims the MINI Coopers. 3D is immersive and puts viewers at the heart of the action. It’s the future of screen advertising.”

Get to the theatre early next time you go, and you just may catch it. In the meantime, enjoy one of a few teasers MINI has released to promote the stunt.

Rumor has it that you’ll be able to manage the account on your favorite vehicle, right from your phone! That’s right, according to the New York Times, MINI USA is releasing a mobile device application that will allow owners to access their MINI Financial Account right from their pocket. The application is not brand specific, so it looks like no one will be left out in the cold on this one. It will fully support iPhone, Blackberry and Android operating systems as well as wi-fi devices such as the iTouch and the iPad.

Owners will be able to make payments, check statements and monitor recent activities, as well as receive account summaries and the like.
While there is no official release date, we do know it is coming soon and was completely developed in-house. This is yet another opportunity for owners to stay connected wherever they are, and should prove to be an excellent convenience! MINI, we salute you!

Exciting news hit the pipeline this week when MINI showed off yet another expansion to its model line. The newest member of the MINI family is called the MINI Paceman, and it drew a lot of eyes at the Detroit Auto Show recently.

Debuting on a platform loaded to the gills with supermodels, the Paceman inched its sleek presence down the catwalk to enthralled spectators. Uniquely shaped with a rakish roof, the general shape of the Paceman draws a slight resemblance to the Countryman, minus the two rear doors. But that’s where the similarities stop, as the Paceman appears far more athletic and masculine than any of MINI’s other offerings. The sporty vibe continues under the hood with a generous 1.6 liter twin-scroll turbocharged engine delivering 211 HP and 192 lb-ft of torque. This power is channeled to the Paceman’s permanent ALL4 drive system via your choice of six-speed manual or automatic.

We feel it is an excellent addition to the line-up, and deviates itself enough from the pack without losing what makes a MINI look like a MINI. It gives up some of the traditional vertical design of a MINI and instead accentuates the width of the car and its unique “wedge shape”. It is most definitely a future-looking design, and will offer the brand an exciting new driving experience and style.

“The MINI Paceman Concept aims to deliver a particularly emotional driving experience and demonstrates this ability in a style typical of the brand,” says Jochen Goller, MINI Director for BMW UK Ltd. “ I believe we are offering clear evidence of how totally new vehicle concepts can still be developed through unconventional creativity,” he concluded. When can you expect it? There’s no official release date yet, but we suspect we’ll see a mass-market-ready Paceman with 24 months. And that’s the most exciting news of all.

Being thankful is something that we are all reminded of often this time of year. It can be difficult however to show your thanks, however this year, World of Beer Coconut Creek is helping families in need by being a drop point for Kids in Distress.

Kids in Distress is a nationally-accredited community-supported agency based in south Florida that provides services that prevent and treat child abuse. This holiday season, Kids in Distress is collecting canned and non-perishable goods from now until November 17^th to help in providing a Thanksgiving dinner to remember for less fortunate families.

This holiday season while you are over at Vista MINI, make sure to make the short trek across the street to World of Beer Coconut Creek, and leave your donations for Kids in Distress to help make someone else’s Thanksgiving great.

The MINI Countryman will be making a second stop at Vista MINI in Coconut Creek before it is officially released in the United States. The Countryman is poised to return to Vista MINI on November 16th and 17th from 4pm-9pm with all the food, fun and prizes from the first time around PLUS, if you order the Countryman at the event, you will be eligible for up to $500 off MSRP.

Reviews for this addition to the MINI Cooper lineup have been overwhelmingly positive (not that we’re surprised!) and we’d love to share the amazing vehicle with you, our MINI family. With the Countryman starting at just $22,350 this is the cross-over for anyone who has coveted a MINI, but could part with 2 doors. Check out some of the fun from our first Countryman event and then mark your calendars and be sure not to miss our November 16th and 16th Countryman event!

We’re not surprised and we’re sure you’re not either. The value of the MINI Cooper espouses that of its lineage and parent company, BMW. Forbes goes on in their article to vehemently state that, “You get what you pay for.” Although MINI Coopers are not at the top of most car budgets, they are luxury vehicles.

MINI Coopers invoke the BMW technology, expertise and luxury directives giving the MINI big advantages. In fact, the direct correlation between depreciation and your car’s value is the residual value of the car. Forbes suggests that the best way to avoid depreciation is to drive less miles. Since MINI Coopers retain their value so well on their own, owners do not have to worry about counting their miles, and thereby so resort to counting their fun – which is boundless.