Consumer Reports' Top 10 Automakers

Today, Consumer Reports released the results of its annual car reliability survey, which includes more than 1.4 million vehicles. This is one of the most important publications of the year for consumers interested in a car’s reliability. There were few surprises in terms of which makes are most and least reliable, with Scion maintaining the top spot. Porsche, Saab, Suzuki and Pontiac saw the biggest gains while Lincoln and Mini took the biggest hits. Check out Consumer Reports full report if you’re a subscriber. We list the top 10 most and least reliable automakers below.

Mini Roadster Concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show

• Looks like: A sportier Mini convertible
• Defining characteristics: No rear seats
• Ridiculous features: Bentley-esque backside
• Chance of being mass-produced: 100%

BMW has already confirmed that this Roadster concept and the Mini Coupe concept we showed you a few weeks ago will go into production in the near future. We’ll guess that the finished products won’t look radically different from the concepts that are sitting underneath the auto show’s lights.

You might be asking — like we are — why on earth does Mini need slightly smaller versions of the current Coopers we all know and love. The answer is not an easy one, but we’d guess these two cars are meant for driving enthusiasts who already covet the Mini’s handling and performance characteristics. These two shorter, lighter cars should be thrilling to drive.

Both will likely be powered by only the top engine in the Mini lineup, a turbocharged four-cylinder that’s good for 172 horsepower. Mini’s press release says 175 hp, so we’re not sure if the engines will get a minimal increase across the line or if it’ll strictly be for the new models.

Regardless, Mini fans will be ecstatic to have more cars to choose from. However, most car shoppers are more likely to consider the long-awaited Mini crossover. More photos of the Roadster concept are below.

Mini Confirms It Will Build Two New Models

Surprise, surprise. In advance of the Frankfurt Motor Show where Mini will show off its Coupe Concept (above), which we brought you last week, the company says it will in fact build two new models. These are in addition to the traditional Cooper, Cooper Convertible and Clubman.

BMW’s chairman Norbert Reithofer confirmed that the Coupe Concept will go into production as will another model, which will be unveiled Sept. 15. That will most likely be the Mini SUV that has been spotted in testing all over the world, even in California. A photo of the SUV concept is below.

Mini Coupe Concept at 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show

• Looks like: A Mini Cooper trying to be a coupe
• Defining characteristics: Roof-hinged liftgate, two seats, turbo four-cylinder engine, blue-and-silver paint scheme 
• Ridiculous features: Roof-mounted spoiler, racing stripes
• Chance of being mass-produced: Wouldn't put it past 'em

Mini's Coupe Concept is a new take on the Cooper hatchback it currently sells in the U.S., and the automaker says it offers a glimpse of what future Minis may look like. It's scheduled to appear at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, which opens in mid-September.

The Coupe Concept is instantly recognizable as a Mini from the front, as its hood, headlights and grille are similar to those on a Cooper S. It isn't until you get to the roof where the Coupe Concept starts to differ from a Cooper; as its name suggests, the concept has the profile of a traditional coupe with its slanted rear window and short rear deck.

Roadside Assistance? Mini Has an App for That

Peace of mind has officially been taken to the next level. Mini owners now have the ability to download an application to their iPhone or Blackberry that will provide quick and easy roadside assistance. At the touch of an icon, Mini owners will be able to instantly make a service call that will automatically transfer user information, vehicle location and service information.

Once the service is confirmed, the app will report the service provider's name and estimated time of arrival to the scene. The service comes free to Mini owners while their vehicle is still under warranty. Allstate provides all roadside services for Mini.

While Mini is the first manufacturer to bring an app to market for roadside assistance, AAA also has apps for its customers. These include the ability to both find local AAA discounts and request roadside assistance. We expect these apps and services to expand outside these few companies, making mobile technology a key asset to roadside assistance in the future.

Watch a video of the app in action below.

Smart ForTwo Comes Out on Top in Roof-Strength Test

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released the results of its first crash test to determine roof strength for small cars. Only one of the six cars tested — the Smart ForTwo — earned the top rating of Good. The Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Mini Cooper and Toyota Yaris earned Acceptable ratings, while the Chevy Aveo managed only a Marginal rating.

These new tests are important because they will be included in the 2010 Top Safety Pick awards that IIHS hands out. The roof tests require a car to withstand a force four times the vehicle’s weight per 5 inches of crushed area. That produces a strength-to-weight ratio. A ratio of 4 is the minimum to earn a Good rating, 3.25 is minimum for an Acceptable rating and 2.5 for Marginal. Anything below that is a Poor. The Smart Fortwo earned a 5.4 rating.

IIHS points to rollover crashes accounting for 10,000 deaths a year as the main reason to add the roof test to its side, rear and frontal crash tests. However, IIHS points out that while a strong roof helps prevent injuries after a rollover, the cars themselves should be more stable to prevent such accidents. The Smart ForTwo has a three-star rollover rating from the government, while the Fit, Cooper and Yaris have four-star rollover ratings.

Last year, 84 vehicles earned Top Safety Pick status, including the Honda Fit, which looks to lose that status with its score of Acceptable in the roof test. 

Mini's Cash for Clunkers Bumper Sticker: Yay or Nay?

Mini is offering its dealers a bumper sticker shown here that reads “My Other Car Was Demolished by the Government” to give to customers taking advantage of the federal government’s Cash for Clunkers program. It’s a tongue-in-cheek promotion the brand is known for, but is it too much?

The base Mini Cooper hardtop gets 28/37 mpg city/highway, which automatically qualifies it for the top $4,500 Cash for Clunkers credit. It also made our list of cars worth trading your clunker in for.

However, the program may be ending shortly if new funding cannot be found.

MINI's Snarky Cash For Clunkers Bumper Sticker Is Awesome (Jalopnik)

Mini Cooper Crossover Spied in California

In one of the worst-kept secrets in automotive history, Mini has been working on an all-wheel-drive crossover. A concept was unveiled last year, and since then it’s been captured many times in spy photos shown on sites all over the web. But never on ours.

We typically don’t run spy photos, as they’re usually far from what a finished product will look like. (Of course, in Mini’s case, they kind of all look the same regardless.) But then, we don’t want to turn down anyone who sends us something as crystal-clear as this shot — especially intrepid family members of Cars.com staffers.

It’s also one of the few times the prototype has been seen testing in the U.S. Here it was seen in Camarillo, Calif., heading down the 101 toward Los Angeles.

To offer our consumer bent, the official version will be shown at the Frankfurt auto show this fall and will go on sale sometime in 2010.

Mini E Driver Reports on First Thousand Electric Miles

Lyle Dennis, editor in chief of the website AllCarsElectric.com, recently posted a review of his first 1,000 miles driving the Mini E all-electric prototype. After three weeks of driving the Mini E exclusively on his 26-mile commute, which blends mostly highway and some city driving, Dennis remains happy and impressed with the car.

Still, the particulars of his experience go a long way toward explaining why electric cars have a ways to go.

First of all, Dennis has been limited by the 110V charger, which manages only a paltry 3.5% of charge per hour. A 100% charge is good for 100 miles of range, according to BMW. He’s managed to get by on this, but eagerly awaits the 240V charging cord that will juice the E faster.

Dennis also calculates the real-world range of the E at more like 70 miles on a full charge when you factor in use of the air conditioner and the temptation to speed due to a “responsive” accelerator. This is still much more than he needs for his commute, but Dennis admits to experiencing “range anxiety” at times.

Also, keep in mind that when Dennis parks at work he merely plugs into normal outlets in underground parking garages, effectively stealing electricity. There are no charging stations, which remains one of the most severe obstacles that electric and plug-in hybrids must overcome. Because of how long it takes to charge and its limited range, the Mini E is effectively useless outside a certain radius.

The First 1,000 Miles of Driving the Mini E Electric Car (AllCarsElectric.com)

First Customer Receives Mini E Plug-In Electric Car

Peter Trepp, a venture capitalist from Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles, became the first customer to get his hands on one of 500 Mini E plug-in electric vehicles being leased by BMW.

For roughly $850 a month, Trepp will be one of the chosen few who will act as real-world test subjects to see how the all-electric car handles in the real world. The E has a 600-pound lithium-ion battery, but no supplemental gas engine like the Chevy Volt. Its range ends after 156 miles.

Still, this is no problem for Trepp, who uses the vehicle mostly for his 15-mile roundtrip commute to Santa Monica. Trepp reports on his blog that he and his wife both want the keys, and that his neighbors have taken a great deal of interest in the car.

Trepp had a 240-volt outlet installed in his garage, and started his blog in order to entice BMW into choosing him for the E’s experimental lease. So far, he has been most surprised by the E’s acceleration, which — despite the vehicle’s dashboard “power meter” that shows drivers how to optimize energy use — has caused him to acquire a bit of a lead foot.

In case you're interested, here is another blog from a Mini E owner.

Meet the First Customer for BMW’s Mini E Plug-in Electric Car (OpenRoad)