Romeo Ferraris Introduces the MINI Countryman 150o Anniversario

The MINI Countryman may be, you know, British, but that hasn’t stopped Italian tuning house Romeo Ferraris from creating a special edition in celebration of Italy’s 150th anniversary as a nation.
The festive MINI is based on the flagship Countryman Cooper S that is powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol churning out 184-horses and a peak torque of 240Nm. After Romeo Ferraris technicians remap the ECU and add a new intercooler, a sports air filter and a race-spec exhaust system, the aforementioned numbers grow to 227HP and 328Nm (241.9 lb-ft).

BMW Readying FWD 1-Series GT for 2014 Launch

*2012 BMW 1-Series Hatchback Pictured above

It’s no secret that BMW is getting ready to adopt a front-wheel drive layout for its smaller models including certain versions of the next generation of the 1-Series. BMW’s decision has already sparked a lot of discussions whether its front-wheel drive products will remain true to the brand’s “ultimate driving machine” motto or an insult to the company’s heritage.
Now it seems that the day we will see the first front-wheel drive BMW is closer than we thought. According to Autocar magazine, the 1-Series GT, which is said to be a more practical version featuring a high-rising tail like the 5-Series GT, will be the first BMW to adopt front-wheel drive. Its launch is scheduled for 2014.