Recall Alert: 2007-2011 Mini Cooper

BMW is recalling several turbocharged versions of its popular Mini Cooper coupe and convertible to address problems with the water pump that cools the turbocharger, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A problem with the electric circuit board could malfunction and overheat, leading to a potential fire. USA Today is reporting that Mini parent BMW received 12 complaints regarding the issue, and in eight cases, the fire occurred while the vehicle was parked and the engine was off.

The recall affects nearly 90,000 Coopers and is limited to vehicles built between Nov. 16, 2006, and Jan. 18, 2011. (You can find the vehicle's build date on a label affixed to the driver-side doorjamb.) The affected vehicles are listed below:

2007-2011 Cooper S
2008-2011 Cooper S Clubman
2009-2011 Cooper S Convertible
2011 Cooper S Countryman
2009-2011 Cooper John Cooper Works
2009 Cooper Clubman John Cooper Works
2010-2011 Cooper Convertible John Cooper Works

BMW will notify owners in February and replace the water pump free of charge. For more info, owners can call BMW at 866-275-6464 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.

2012 Mini Roadster: Up Close

The new Mini Cooper Roadster represents the automaker's best take yet on top-down motoring. By ditching the tiny backseat of the Mini Cooper convertible, the Roadster embraces the fact that convertibles aren't the most practical of cars and turns that perceived shortcoming into an advantage.

More 2012 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

2012 Mini Cooper Roadster: Photo Gallery

The 2012 Mini Cooper Roadster is the soft-top convertible version of the upcoming Mini Cooper Coupe.

More 2012 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

As the Roadster name suggests, this model is strictly a two-seat convertible. Unlike the power-operated top on the Cooper convertible, the Cooper Roadster has a manually operated cloth top.

2012 Detroit Auto Show: What To Expect, Updated

Twenty-five days separate us from the 2012 Detroit auto show. Of the more than 36 new cars coming to the show, we now can confirm at least 28 vehicles will be there.

Unlike the 2011 L.A. Auto Show, the Detroit show seems to focus heavily on concept cars. The most important production cars we know of now include the 2013 Ford Fusion, 2013 Dodge Dart, 2013 Acura RDX, 2013 Toyota Prius c and the 2013 Cadillac ATS.

This week we learned that the 2013 Fusion will be at the show and a Lincoln MKZ concept, as we previously reported. The Fusion will be introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Jan. 10 and at the Detroit auto show on the same day. The next-generation Mercedes-Benz SL-Class will also be shown off (shown above).

There will be some thinly veiled concepts to look out for, too. They include the Acura ILX Concept, a compact car with a hybrid variant, and, more importantly, the 2013 Honda Accord Coupe Concept. If past Honda concepts are any indication, it will pretty much be the new Accord that will go on sale later next year.

For now, those are the major releases we know about. We’ll have more info once the 2012 Detroit auto show gets under way Jan. 9.

2012 Mini Cooper Roadster Priced at $24,350

The 2012 Mini Cooper Roadster will have a starting price of $24,350 (excluding a $700 destination fee) when it joins the Mini lineup early next year. That’s $3,050 more than the 2012 Mini Cooper coupe, which the Roadster is based off of, but it is $600 less expensive than the Mini Cooper convertible ($24,950).

Unlike the power-operated top on the Cooper convertible, the Cooper Roadster has a manually operated cloth top. You open the top by turning a release mechanism on the windshield frame to release the roof, then you push the cloth top down from there (shown above). To close the top, you push a button near the rollover bars to extend the top enough, via gas-pressured springs, so that you can lift it up and fix it back in place.

2012 Mini Cooper Roadster: First Look

• Competes with: Mazda MX-5 Miata
• Looks like: Another Mini Cooper derivative, only smaller and with no top
• Drivetrain: 121-hp four-cylinder; 181-hp, turbocharged four-cylinder; 208-hp, turbocharged four-cylinder; six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission 
• Hits dealerships: Early 2012

It’s been a while since we last talked about the Mini Roadster, the soft-top convertible version of the upcoming Mini Coupe. It’s been more than two years since a near-production-ready concept was shown to the world, but the model that will hit dealers is finally ready for prime time, says BMW, who owns the Mini brand.

As the Roadster name suggests, this model is strictly a two-seat convertible. It will debut at the 2012 Detroit auto show and will go on sale in early 2012.

This Season's Best Tailgating Cars

Everyone knows we’re huge football fans here at Cars.com. We are an official sponsor of ESPN’s Saturday College Football, we’re just minutes from Soldier Field, and our staff has a long-running fantasy football league (with a certain editor taking the crown repeatedly.)

Tailgating is one of the best parts of going to a football game. You’re wearing your favorite team’s gear, grilling good food, talking to friends and probably throwing around a ball or bean bag.

But what about the cars that need to serve as more than transportation? They have to haul your tailgating gear and often do double duty as a place to sit. Here is our list of the top tailgating machines for the 2011-12 football season.

2012 Honda Ridgeline

There has never been another feature more tailored for tailgating than the watertight trunk under the bed of the Honda Ridgeline (above). Sure, the Ridgeline is an aging platform that hasn’t taken off with the traditional truck buyer, but it is a great tailgater. It can carry five people in comfort, and once you get to the parking lot and open that huge cooler, your neighbors will be struck in awe. Jaws will drop. You’ll be the king of the tailgaters.

Cadillac Escalade Tops Most-Stolen List, Again

The Cadillac Escalade remains one of the most stolen cars in the U.S., according to the Highway Loss Data Institute, an offshoot of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The group’s latest study shows that the Escalade’s popularity with thieves is high: Four versions of the Escalade appear at the top of HLDI’s list of 2008-10 vehicles with the most theft claims.

Escalade owners are stacking up theft losses that are more than 10 times larger ($114) than the average car ($11 worth of theft loss).

The data comes from insurers that represent about 80% of all privately owned vehicles. Understandably, the information doesn’t include information on uninsured cars. Unlike the most-stolen vehicle list we reported on earlier, which tends to be dominated by best-selling cars, HLDI says its list is a better indicator of how likely a given car will be targeted.

2012 Mini Cooper Coupe Priced at $21,300, More Photos

Mini priced its latest model, the 2012 Mini Cooper Coupe, at $21,300, excluding a $700 destination charge. The British carmaker also showed off the official production photos of the new car. The sport-oriented Coupe will cost $1,800 more than the 2012 Mini Cooper ($20,200) and just $100 more than the 2012 Cooper Clubman ($21,900). Most Mini models recieved a $100 price increase for the 2012 model year. 

The base Coupe comes equipped with a 121-horsepower four-cylinder engine and a six-speed manual. Its standard features include power mirrors, parking sonar, height-adjustable seats, air conditioning and an audio system with auxiliary input. A six-speed automatic transmission is optional. The base trim is comparable with competitors like the Honda CR-Z ($19,345).

The Cooper Coupe S starts at $24,600 and comes equipped with a 181-hp, turbocharged four-cylinder. It’s comparable to the Volkswagen GTI ($23,695).

John Cooper Works edition of the Coupe tops out at $31,200. It’s 208-hp, turbocharged four-cylinder is mated only to a six-speed manual.

There are numerous optional features that can make for an even pricier Mini. Those include adaptive headlights, automatic climate controls, Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port and Mini’s new Connect system.

You can learn more about the Cooper Coupe, here.

BMW, which owns Mini, hasn’t announced a launch date for this vehicle yet. Continue below for more photos of the production-ready model.

Mini Cooper Coupe: First Look

• Competes with: Honda CR-Z, Mazda RX-8, Volkswagen GTI 
• Looks like: The Mini Cooper with a baseball-cap top 
• Drivetrain: 121-hp four-cylinder; 181-hp, turbocharged four-cylinder; 208-hp, turbocharged four-cylinder; six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission 
• Hits dealerships: To be announced 

Model proliferation continues as scheduled over at Mini with confirmation of a production coupe, not to be confused with the traditional Mini Cooper hardtop with rear seats. The Mini Cooper Coupe, shown here undergoing testing, is a spitting image for the Mini Cooper Coupe Concept model shown at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.

The big distinguishing features from the regular Cooper are the unique roof, two-seat layout and increased cargo capacity. Mini also promises that the Coupe will be the fastest-accelerating Mini ever, with the highest top speed as well.

The Coupe has a unique roof, what the carmaker calls a "helmet roof.” At speeds above 50 mph, the integrated rear spoiler extends automatically to reduce drag. The spoiler can also be controlled manually.