Mini wanted to race Porsche at Road Atlanta; Porsche said no. Hyundai stepped up, everyone shrugged, and then Mini revealed the track. Turns out it's not really Road Atlanta. It's a parking lot. We're supposed to get excited about this?

Automobile associate editor and former Jalopnik intern Eric Tingwall changes the voice on the very-limited-edition 2010 Mini Cooper Camden's gimmicky "Mission Control" feature, turning it into KITT from Knight Rider. Don't touch that non-existent turbo boost, Tingwall!

This amazing and scary video shows a mango farmer's Mini Cooper S tumbling end-over-end into the crowd at a Mini Challenge race at Queensland Raceway in Ipswich, Australia this weekend. Amazingly, no one was seriously injured.

Why this MINI Countryman was hiding in sniper camouflage, we don't know. But, judging by the wacky-haired Chinese hipster kids nonchalantly hanging out around the hidden car, it's got a good chance at taking a few out.

Just like bacon and Americans, airbags are causing cars to get bigger. On a plus note, editor emeritus Mike Spinelli tells us bacon has the same effect on your body as cocaine. No more airbags, but more bacon please.[TheSmokingTire]

Urban camouflage had a brief moment of inexplicable popularity during the early part of this century. It's now relegated to pant patterns for faux tough-guy types and now, apparently, all matter of vehicles. This is all the Germans fault.

Someone leaked shots of what is clearly the new MINI Cooper crossover and they show off everything about the new car — except whether its called the Mini Countryman or Mini Crossman. More pics of the biggest Mini below.

This accessory is cleverly designed to provide a full-sized spare and hatch-access for the Mini Cooper driver who believes BMW run-flat rubber zaps pleasure faster than four layers of Trojans. [CarGuyDad]

This Ikea-like box for a Mini Cooper tossed on an Amsterdam curb just after Christmas is a clever piece of viral advertising. Until, of course, you remember Ikea furniture is poorly constructed, cheap and easily destroyed.

We've seen a number of modified name plates, including the Ford SpRinto and Ford Taurus SeX, but nothing tops this disgusting little Mini. (Hat tip to Evvster!)

Winter brings cold temperatures. Cold slows down chemical reactions and can play hell with the performance of healthy batteries. As expected, Mini E drivers in the Northeast are seeing much-decreased range from their lithium-ion packs. Laws of physics FTW, y'all.

The 1980s Mini replacement was called the Metro. Nice Price or Crack Pipe thinks that's kind of ironic as today's Mini convertible is kind of metro- sexual that is.

When we saw that Team Union Jack Racing would be bringing a 2005 Mini Cooper to the Yeehaw It's Texas 24 Hours Of LeMons, we figured we'd be seeing a Corolla-based "Mini." Nope!

Mini's rolling out a campaign dubbed "Motor-Tober" to drum up interest in the lineup. The fall-theme includes the above ad and others, open houses at dealers, auto-cross events and the like. Wonder if there'll be a mini-pumpkin carving contest? [Twitpic]

The little Mini Coupé Concept heralded the start of today's 50th Anniversary of the Mini in all its myriad forms. Now, in honor of this brilliant little car's first half century, we're listing these five all-time best.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, never short of tests, put six mini/microcars to the roof strength test. The result? If you have to, you might be better off rolling a Smart Fortwo than flipping an Aveo.

This isn't a photoshop. It's an actual bumper sticker MINI's offering to dealers responding to the "Cash For Clunkers" program. Each dealer allowed to decide on their own if it works for them. Somehow we expect they'll use 'em.

MotoringFile is reporting the just-greenlit MINI coupe may get the name "Broadspeed" after the successful racing team which eventually built their own coupes back in the day. Look for the concept debut at Frankfurt. [MotoringFile via Autoblog]