Where Are They Now? With New BMW App, You'll Always Know

New in-car location-sharing technology could revolutionize couples' knack for notifying each other that the household is out of milk just as their spouse drives past the supermarket. Then again, it could also make those special-occasion stops at the florist and such a bit trickier to keep secret.

Whatever one's level of interest in letting family, friends and others know exactly where one is at all times, BMW announced that it has partnered with mobile technology company Glympse Inc. to make mobile location sharing more user friendly than ever. The Glympse App will be available to BMW Apps-ready and Mini Connected vehicles, allowing drivers to easily broadcast their real-time location to selected contacts through Facebook, Twitter or a general contact list. That's in addition to the ability to send an estimated time of arrival and destination to calendar event attendees.

To access the app, users will plug their iPhone into their vehicle and the custom BMW interface will appear on the dash. Drivers can select their desired contacts and, with the touch of a controller, share their location info for a chosen period of time. Recipients can view the sender's location on a dynamic map in real time on a computer or mobile device without having to download the app themselves.

2013 Mini Paceman JCW: Photo Gallery

Mini plans to add a high-performance John Cooper Works model to its new two-door Paceman hatchback, which shares its platform with Mini’s crossover, the Countryman.

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Powered by a 208-horsepower, turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that teams with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, the all-wheel-drive Paceman John Cooper Works is expected to sprint from zero to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. Mechanical upgrades include a lowered suspension, a dual exhaust system with chrome pipes and a Sport button on the center console.

Sporty styling cues on the exterior include unique alloy wheels, an aerodynamic body kit and contrasting red side mirrors, roof and racing stripes. An exclusive Chili Red paint is also available. The cabin features leather upholstery with red stitching and red interior trim, cloth sport bucket seats, a 160-mph speedometer, billet pedals, a navigation system and JCW badging.

Check out more photos below.

2013 Detroit Auto Show: What To Expect

As what is widely regarded as the most important U.S. auto show of the year opens next week in Detroit, an automotive icon returns to the claim the spotlight.

The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette is poised to be the star among the more than 50 production and concept vehicles slated to debut at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The show runs Jan. 19-27 — with press, industry and charity preview events on Monday-Jan. 18 — at downtown Detroit's Cobo Center. Last year's NAIAS attracted nearly 771,000 people, according to organizers.

Sunday night's press debut of the seventh-generation Corvette is hotly anticipated, and for nearly the past three months Chevy has done much to fan the flames, teasing us with tidbits of information and blink-and-you-missed-it video images. The automaker has disclosed that the new 'Vette will have a new 6.2-liter V-8 engine that's good for 450 horsepower and a zero-to-60-mph time of less than four seconds — all while improving on its 2013 predecessor's 26 mpg; Chevy also has said the 2014 model's aerodynamics were designed with Corvette's years of racing in the American Le Mans Series in mind.

Check back for full coverage of the 2013 Detroit auto show. Until then, here are the vehicles we know about now:

Mini Puts the Paw to the Pedal for Charity

In a new campaign, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is trying to get the word out that shelter dogs make great pets — and with Mini's help, good drivers. 

Mini of New Zealand has teamed up with the organization to raise awareness about rescue dogs throughout the world. Driving the campaign — literally — are three furry friends and one Mini Countryman. 

SPCA chose Porter, Monty and Ginny, shelter dogs from Aukland, for the training course. After eight weeks, these old dogs learned several new tricks, including starting the car, accelerating in a straight line, turning a corner and braking. 

Mini modified the Countryman's pedals, gearshift and steering wheel so the dogs could reach the components, but cautions that the stunts were done in a safe, controlled environment and should not be attempted by pet owners.

"We hope that Porter, Monty and Ginny learning to drive a Mini Countryman will encourage people to make the SPCA their first choice when adopting a dog," Simonne Mearns, Mini NZ brand manager, said in a statement.

Check out the program's Facebook page and watch the videos below.

2013 Mini Paceman Video

Minis have been known for their iconic, cute styling. The Paceman, however, deviates from this formula. It's part coupe and part SUV, and Cars.com reviewer Joe Bruzek thinks it's one very odd-looking vehicle.

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The all-wheel-drive Paceman is based off of Mini's first crossover, the Countryman. But the squat-looking car has some different styling cues. Watch the video below. 

2013 Mini Paceman: Up Close

The two-door Mini Cooper Paceman rides the same 102.2-inch wheelbase as the related four-door Cooper Countryman, but don't take that to mean it has the same space inside or out.

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The Paceman is actually tad longer than the Countryman, but headroom for the two-position backseat is down half an inch; the shallower hatchback slope drops cargo volume to 11.6 cubic feet versus the upright Countryman's 16.5. Mini has yet to provide rear legroom specs, but I sat back-to-back in the Paceman and Countryman and the Paceman's backseat is cramped in all dimensions versus the well-packaged Countryman.

2013 Mini Paceman: Photo Gallery

Mini's Paceman looks like the Countryman's more aggressive twin. It's based on the compact crossover, so the Paceman is roughly the same size. Unlike the Countryman, however, the Paceman only has two doors and standard seating for four passengers.

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The squat-looking coupe also sits lower, has a more sloped roofline, longer doors and an integrated spoiler. Its contrast-colored roof makes it hard to miss. Check out more pictures below.

John Cooper Works GP Model Joins Mini Lineup

A new limited-edition Mini model is joining the lineup, and the automaker is calling it the "sportiest road-registered Mini ever made." The 2013 Mini John Cooper Works GP is a sport-tuned, race-inspired version of the two-door hatchback. It builds off the Mini Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit that was available in 2006.

Mini says the GP uses an extensively modified version of the brand's 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder; it makes 211 horsepower. The new version is faster, beating the old model's lap time on Nurburgring's Grand Prix course by about 18 seconds, Mini says. In fact, Mini calls the GP "the fastest Mini ever built" and estimates a zero-to-60-mph time of 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 150 mph.

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The car is on the stand at the L.A. Auto Show, and it's hard to miss—it's decked out in GP badging, racing stripes and specifically designed wheels and racing tires. Other exterior features include large front and rear aprons, unique side skirts and a rear spoiler and diffuser aimed at optimizing airflow. Inside, the rear seats have been removed.

2013 Mini Paceman Starts at $23,900

Mini's lineup continues to grow: The brand’s seventh vehicle will start at $23,900, including a $700 destination charge, when it goes on sale in March.

The squat-looking 2013 Paceman is based off the Mini Cooper Countryman crossover, but it has only two doors and seats only four passengers. It sits lower and has a more sloping roofline, longer doors and an integrated spoiler.

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Base versions use a 121-horsepower 1.6-liter, and S versions use the same engine, tuned to make 181 hp. A six-speed manual transmission is standard; a six-speed automatic is optional. Europe will get two diesel versions: a 112-hp, turbocharged 1.6-liter and a 143-hp 2.0-liter.

2013 Mini Countryman: What's Changed

• Most significant changes: A slightly revised interior 
• Price change: TBA
• On sale: Later this month in Europe and shortly after in the U.S. 
• Which should you buy, 2012 or 2013? Prices haven't been released yet, but if the control panel of the current Countryman bugs you, take a look at the revised 2013 model.

The first four-door, all-wheel-drive Mini gets some tweaks for 2013, namely a lightly revised interior. The Mini Cooper Countryman is the largest Mini in the lineup, and it's been on sale for two years. Mini's updates to the 2013 model are minor and affect only the interior.