While JD Power is busy counting problems with vehicles, a company called Strategic Vision says it surveys owners on the totality of their experience in the first year or two of ownership -- both the good and the bad. Hence, the 2009 "Total Quality" Awards.
"The Total Quality Index was calculated from 20,101 buyers who bought 2008 & 2009 models in September to December of 2008," says the company in a press release.
Strategic Vision says that Mini, ranked last by JD Power for Initial Quality in 2009, was the top-rated brand in its survey. Alas, there's no mention of the brand whose owners are least enthusiastic.
The company has also announced winners in 17 vehicle categories listed after the jump.
The Insurance Institure for Highway Safety (IIHS) has just released bumper tests on 7 "minicars" as it likes to call them and the results weren't pretty.
Smart Fortwo -- Acceptable Chevrolet Aveo -- Marginal Mini Cooper -- Poor Toyota Yaris -- Poor Honda Fit -- Poor Hyundai Accent -- Poor Kia Rio -- Poor
In the case of the Kia Rio, IIHS noted that repair costs from a 6mph frontal impact would result in $3,701 in damage, which equates to rougthly 30% of the car's original cost. The solid rating for the Smart car was largely a consequence of its easily replaceable pre-painted body panels.
If you have never driven on a race track, you should. If your skills are weak, track time will make them better. And if you think you're an undiscovered Tony Stewart, well then, get out there and prove it. The list that follows after the jump gives some ideas where you might try your luck both on the road and in the dirt.
We've been periodically checking in on Ford's Fiesta Movement test program, and we'll be following the Mini E test program with equal fervor. And it is just a you-test-it-for-us program, remember, since "owners" only get to lease these electric Minis for 1 year to the tune of $850/month, after which time the car gets shipped back to Munich for a full download by BMW Project i engineers.
The first lessee, Peter Trepp, of Pacific Palisades, CA, has been getting plenty of press recently. He's also taken the step of starting his own blog, so you can follow his experience with the car if you like.
In yesterday's entry, he reflects on the handling of his Mini E:
"I could describe in great detail the merits of joining a MINI Cooper S with a high-torque electric motor and how the extra 600lbs is a blessing in that it keeps the tires safely planted on the road, but nothing replaces a first-hand test drive. Virtually everyone I've taken for a test drive comes back feeling like they just stepped off a roller coaster with that "can we go again?" look on their face.
"Here is my simple description of the handling. Lateral motion (e.g. cornering) is much like any well-tuned sports car - tight and fun."
Trepp is a venture capitalist specializing in early-stage clean technology companies, says BMW's press release, which no doubt made him an attractive candidate for Mini's electric car field trial.
Update: Looks like blogging might be mandatory if you lease a Mini E. We've found two more Mini E blogs started by field trial participants who are waiting to take delivery of an electric Mini -- Our 100% Electric Mini E and Robert's MINI E Field Trial.
Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every vehicle gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we present "IL Track Tested." It's a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy.
Same company, two very different convertibles. OK, not exactly the same company, but close enough. At $32,700, the 2009 Mini Cooper S Convertible is the cheaper of the two by a wide margin, even with more than $5,000 worth of options. Although the 2009 BMW 128i is the company's entry-level convertible, it topped $37,000 with a sport package and not much else.
On the track, their personalities were about as close as their prices, although the performance gap was surprisingly small. The more powerful BMW pulled slightly ahead in the straight-line performance categories, while the Mini excelled on the skid pad and in the slalom. Braking was the only test in which both cars turned in strong performances.
So in other words, picking a favorite between these two is about your performance priorities and the size of your wallet. We'll let you judge the styling on your own. Full track numbers and video after the jump.
We've seen it in cold weather testing, and now we've got video of the 2010 Mini Cooper Crossover lapping the Nurburgring. With only the BMW-PSA 1.6-liter turbo four motivating its poundage, we're guessing Mini engineers were sorting out the chassis tuning, rather than trying to chase down any Nissan GT-Rs.
The Mini Crossover is expected to show in final production form at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show, with U.S. sales beginning in early 2010.
Right now, it's good to be Mini. Last year the company sold over 50,000 cars in the U.S. and finished 2008 nearly 30 percent up. In fact, Jim McDowell, the company's VP, was in such good spirits last night, he wore this inspired and inspiring pin to BMW's annual media dinner. He even promised us one of our very own. -- Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief
Remember the Mini Crossover concept shown at the 2008 Paris Auto Show? Well, here it is as a full blown production prototype. Caught during cold weather testing in Scandinavia, this test mule gives a pretty clear look at the final design.
A slightly larger, more utilitarian Mini, the Crossover will offer the same lineup of engines as the current Cooper. It will debut with front wheel drive only, but an all-wheel drive will be added later.
According to Wolfgang Armbrecht, head of Mini brand management, the Crossover in Cooper trim with front-wheel drive will start just above the base price for a Cooper S convertible: around $29,000. A Cooper S four-wheel-drive Crossover should be priced at or above $34,000. Since style and functionality are more the point than sportiness, there will be no John Cooper Works edition of the Crossover.
A final production model will be shown at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show in September, so expect U.S. sales early next year.
Mini has confirmed that the next-gen Mini John Cooper Works Convertible will go on sale March 28 -- the same day as the rest of the redesigned 2009 Mini Cooper convertible lineup.
Like the Works hatchback and Clubman, the convertible should be good for 208 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque. We've been told it will be available with both the six-speed manual gearbox and the six-speed automatic. With the manual, we'd guess it will make 60 mph in the mid-to-high 6s.
The 2009 John Cooper Works convertible makes its official debut at next month's 2009 Geneva Auto Show.
Following a positive reception at the 2008 Paris Auto Show, the 2010 Mini Crossover has been approved for production and will debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show. Mini officials told Inside Line that the new crossover will launch with front-wheel drive only at first and then add an all-wheel drive version later.
The Crossover in Cooper trim with front-wheel drive will start just above the base price for a Cooper S convertible: around $29,000. A Cooper S four-wheel-drive Crossover should be priced at or above $34,000. There will be no John Cooper Works edition of the Crossover.
A 2009 Mini Cooper convertible with a 6-speed manual transmission will get 28 mpg city/36 mpg highway, while getting 6-speed Aisin automatic will drop you to 25/34. Rated at 26/34, the quickest of the drop tops (at least until the John Cooper Works gets here), the manual-shift Cooper S, is actually more efficient than the base automatic convertible (which is the slowest). An automatic-equipped 2009 Mini Cooper S is not slow, but at 23/32, it's the least efficient.
Notably, these ratings are nearly identical to the regular Mini Cooper hatchbacks, even though the convertibles weigh 200 pounds more apiece.
European versions of the 2009 Mini convertible get an idle-stop feature and regenerative braking (a specialized generator rejuices the 12-volt battery during deceleration for a claimed 4-6 percent mileage improvement). Mini officials will not say what the combined efficiency benefit of these measures is -- only that U.S. models will not have them at launch.
When the redesigned 2009 Mini Cooper convertible officially debuted last week at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, Mini released a bunch more photos, including some rare shots of the car moving down the assembly line. The 2009 Cooper Convertible ($24,550) and Cooper S Convertible ($27,450) go on sale in the U.S. on March 28. We'll be getting a turn behind the wheel very soon, but until that first drive goes up, here are some of the best pics.
So Detroit is hurting and the Asian automakers are pulling out of Detroit. So what's left?
Plenty of room for the Europeans apparently. There will be no less than ten world debuts from the other side of the pond at this year's show, a sign that although our market is down, it's can still make or break a new product for most manufacturers. Here's a rundown of what the German et al. will have on display next week.
Though the official 2008 L.A. Auto Show unveiling happens tomorrow at the convention center, 100-odd journalists from the U.S. and Europe had a meet-and-greet with the Mini E today on the second floor rooftop of the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. We're told a crane was used to hoist the showcar up here. Probably it was a rather sturdy crane, too, as the Mini E is a fatty at 3,229 pounds -- a normal Mini Cooper S lists at under 2,700 pounds.
As we reported in the IL news today, Mini will lease the car to real-live customers in early 2009. The 450 lessees will get to keep the car for 12 months, paying $850 per month. That figure has nothing to do with the actual cost of the car, which packs 5,088 laptop-grade, lithium-ion cells (housed in 48 modules and packed into 3 storage boxes in the hatch area). That monthly payment includes all service visits (every 3,000 miles), insurance and the installation of a 220-volt box in the customer's home -- allowing 2-to-3-hour recharges of the 35-kilowatt-hour battery pack.
The lessee selection process promises much competition and disappointment, as the Mini Es will be doled out to both businesses and private individuals and only to those living in greater Los Angeles and the NY-NJ-CT tri-state area.
Mini officials are keen to emphasize that this is merely a field trial -- and that putting electric drive components in a Mini is a marriage of convenience, rather than an idealized packaging scenario. All drivetrain components (201-hp electric motor, batteries) are sourced from California-based AC Propulsion and then shipped to Munich, where they are installed in a Mini Cooper shipped from Oxford.
"A conversion is always a bad compromise," one BMW engineer told us. "The ideal architecture would be purpose-built. If I had the chance to build an electric car from scratch, to create a car with some performance, I would go for rear-axle-drive."
Later, we got a chance to drive the Mini E. We'll tell you all about it in an upcoming first drive.
Inspired by driving an electric-powered Mini, Tom Perves, the CEO of Rolls-Royce, now wants to offer an electric-powered RR Phantom. Imagine that: The Big Cheese behind arguably one of the largest cars on the planet being inspired by one of the smallest cars on the planet!
Okay, this idea almost (not quite, but almost) makes the hybrid Lexus LS600h seem to make sense.
Mini will offer 500 electric-powered Minis to those folks living in California, New York and New Jersey. The car will be targeted at corporate buyers, as well as private buyers.
The car features a lithium-ion battery pack and a 201-horsepower electric motor driving the front wheels through a single-stage helical gearbox. The motor will produce peak torque of 162 pound-feet and will enable the car to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in less than 8.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 95 mph, and the car can travel up to 150 miles on a single charge.In order to make this conversion, the standard Mini was made into a two-seater to fit the battery pack, which can be recharged from any standard power outlet. The Mini E will also come with a special "wallbox" charging unit that will enable the batteries to fully charge in 2.5 hours.Here's Inside Line's take: 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show: Mini E
No, it's not what you think. Mini is not going to build a pickup truck. Rather they are offering a free shuttle--as in pick-me-up--around the streets of Sydney, Australia during the week that the Sydney auto show is running. Called Mini Pick-Up, it's a free taxi service, with the taxi fleet consisting of a bunch of Minis. Pretty cool--and a great marketing idea to boot.
At the debut of the Mini Crossover concept in Paris it was learned that the next generation of Minis will likely be smaller than the current models.
Mini spokesman Dr. Wolfgang Armbrecht, states: "While I am working in this job no Mini will be longer than 4.10 [i.e. four meters and ten centimeters, or 162 inches]." That's exactly the length of the Crossover concept.
The 'new' new Mini has been on the street for some time now, all except for the drop-top version, that is. That model is scheduled to debut at the upcoming Detroit auto show in January.
Well guess what folks? Official looking images have been leaked, and they are now up on the Net. Surprised? I didn't think so.
Also not much of a surprise is that the car hasn't changed much visually from the Gen-I new Mini. Yeah, it's got all the other new-new Mini upgrades, plus a few special items unique to this model. So if you loved the old-new Mini drop-top, you will love this new-new Mini drop-top as well. The car will go on sale next Spring.
Ever since BMW announced that they were going to revive the Isetta brand, I've wondered how they would be able to capture the fun and funky spirit of the original. Early renderings, while attractive, just didn't succeed here. Now this new rendering has cropped up. Whether it is accurate or not, I have no idea. It is however, dead on in capturing the essence of what the original Isetta was all about.
Gotta hand it to the 'BMW Boys,' as they've been absolute masters in bringing old and revered automotive nameplates up to date, if not being state-of-the art. All you have to do is look at the new Mini and Rolls-Royce for proof of that. Let's just hope this wacky Isetta illustration came from BMW design studios, and this is where they're heading.
Mini will debut a not-so-mini Mini Crossover concept at the Paris auto show. The vehicle is quite a bit larger than the already large (by original Mini dimensions) Mini Clubman. It's wider, higher, has more ground clearance, and has a 102.6-inch wheelbase, which is 2.4 inches more than that found on the Clubman.
Perhaps the most interesting design innovation is that it has a minivan-like sliding door on the driver's side and a conventional rear door on the passenger's side. In addition, the Clubman's double rear door has been ditched in favor of a large refrigerator-like rear door.
It's powered by a 1.6L engine, and of course, has AWD. The car will go on sale here in 2010.
It looks like the once unthinkable is now upon us. Sales of premium mico cars such as the Mini and Smart are soaring. If you go to buy a Smart tomorrow, you'll likely have to wait a year before you can drive away in one; and Mini sales are showing a 34-percent increase over this time last year.
Makes you wonder how long before we see other luxury brands such as Lexus, Acura, etc. offer micro cars here?
Well, it looks like Alfa Romeo and Mini are going to do the showroom tango, as a deal has been struck up between BMW (the parent of Mini) and Fiat (the parent of Alfa Romeo). so that Alfas can be sold via established Mini outlets.
My first response was surprise--but in a good way--as I see the two "nostalgic" brands being paired together as a natural union.
"We are currently examining with the Fiat Group possibilities for the joint use of components and systems in Mini and Alfa Romeo vehicles in order to achieve economies of scale and thus cost reductions," BMW executive board member Friedrich Eichiner said in a statement.
"The proposed cooperation with BMW is a significant cornerstone of our strategy of alliances. We are delighted to work with such an esteemed and respected partner in the automotive industry with the clear objective of improving the competitive position of both parties," Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne said.
There have been rumors that MINI might do a butch off-road version of the Clubman, to be called the Crossman. The vehicle would be raised a bit, beefed up a bit, and of course have AWD.
Latest word is that a concept will be shown at the next Paris Auto Show, with a production model too be ready by the end of the year. Magna Steyr, a company with loads of off-road building experience, is reportedly going to build the car...
Hotdog! There's a new puppy in the Oscar Mayer dog house. Welcome the Mini Wienermobile!
Surely a response to the times, the new Wienermobilito is the vehicular equivalent of those tiny cocktail wieners that are used in party hors d'oeuvres such as "Pigs in a Blanket."
Some interesting Wienermobile facts:
• The first model appeared in 1936.
• The Wienermobiles sport license plates from Wisconsin, America’s Dairyland: “BOLOGNA” for the larger model represented here, “LTL LINK” for the Mini...
Not much to report from the Mini press conference today at the New York auto show. Jim McDowell, vice president of Mini USA, got up and gave a nice little spiel on Mini's long history of racing and briefly went over the Mini Challenge racecar on display. He then moved on to the new John Cooper Works Clubman, a slick-looking variation of the standard Clubman that's just now trickling into dealers. The fact that Mini doesn't feel the need to use big flashy intros and overly ambitious language to describe its cars reflects its confidence in the product and its continued popularity...
The Mini Cooper S Clubman is almost 10 inches longer than the mini Mini. It gives the little darling a usable backseat without sacrificing fun and precision through corners.
What an unusual press conference for Mini today in Geneva. Instead of boring us all into submission with sales results and projections, Mini invited Rauno Aaltonen, aka the Flying Finn, to talk with Dr. Kay Segler, senior vice president of Mini brand management.
In addition to his WRC efforts in the 1970s, Aaltonen drove a Mini Cooper S to victory at Monte Carlo in 1967. He, of course, compared the new 2009 Mini John Cooper Works and John Cooper Works Clubman to the old car (also present), noting that today's JCW is the "direct heir" to the car he drove in '67.
Anxiously awaiting the new Mini Clubman? Looks like there'll be plenty. These three were being prepped at Long Beach BMW/Mini just as we were dropping off our Long Term BMW M3 for service.
Gotta love Mini. They're always good for a few laughs—and often some very clever marketing. Now they've put a Euro-spin on the famous Cadillac Ranch in Texas (here) by creating "The Other Ranch" display made up of Minis, which, when you think about it, is the polar opposite of what a Caddy is all about. Fun stuff...
We’ve seen spy photos of what looked like the 2010 Mini Crossman before, but these latest shots confirm the existence of its all-wheel drive hardware. The engineers in this prototype didn’t seem to mind the attention as our spy shooters were able to snap multiple angles of Mini’s upcoming soft-roader. Although adding all-wheel drive and a new suspension doesn’t seem like a major undertaking, we’re not expecting to see this Mini start production until 2010.
Somehow the words "MINI" and "SUV" just don't seem to go together—or do they? Granted, the first thought of MINI doing an SUV seems crazy. Then again—should they decide to do so—I'm sure it will be a neat little off-roadster, and a ton of fun.
If it comes about, it could be built at BMW's South Carolina plant, and the name being bantered around is "Monte."
Most auto execs at the show understandably use one or more teleprompters during their lengthy presentations to the media. Sometimes, as in the case of Ford/Lincoln's Mark Fields, the teleprompter can't help pronunciation. So, I must give major kudos to Mini USA Vice President Jim McDowell who memorized his entire six-page speech and vehicle presentation. He certainly didn't nail it verbatim (they actually handed out the speech), but we got the gist and he managed to come across as something other than an audio animatronic in a suit.
See the two partial videos below for most of his Clubman presentation, and note the lack of teleprompter. I especially like in video 2 when McDowell describes how he'll be up until midnight opening and closing the tailgates just because it's so much fun to see them open around the taillights. You just get the idea he really loves these cars.
Also, check out the man's shoes. If those don't say "I'm a Mini executive" I don't know what does. I was going to ask him about them, but somehow I felt silly asking about black and gray Velcro shoes in lieu of the shiny blue Mini Clubman sitting next to him. I'll let you know tomorrow if I see Bob Lutz cruising around the show in Skechers. -- James Riswick, Associate Editor
Make sure your teen keeps his/her eyes open for this SAT anagram. Pork: The Other White Meat :: Clubman: The Other Mini
Mini chose Los Angeles for the North American introduction of its new Clubman. This is the third Mini model, with a larger crossoverlike vehicle to come, and a further step in "moving Mini from a cult car to culture." I just love auto show slogans. Pricing for the base Cooper Clubman was announced as $20,600 and $24,100 for the Cooper S Clubman, both including 3-year free maintenance...
One look at the wildly cambered front wheels and we knew the Mini John Cooper Works Challenge was a real-deal racecar. Intended to compete in the Mini Challenge racing series in 2008, the JCWC is the racecar based on the latest Mini Cooper S.
Club, man. The partylike atmosphere of the 2008 Mini Clubman press conference included fresh-faced Mini reps, bumpin' beats, and was packed with sweaty bodies. Despite all those people, few bothered to look up at the Clubman lurking precariously overhead.
A stretch Mini? Well, on a mini scale. The Mini Cooper S Clubman sits on a longer wheelbase giving rear passengers more space while maintaining the Mini's refined ride.
Inside Line has added a 2007 Mini Cooper S to the long-term test fleet. You can look forward to 12 months of blogging mania.
We opted for the Sport Package, Limited-Slip Differential, the Sport Suspension and Chili Red paint. Final sticker on this feisty little guy including all options was $25,220...
Hybrid Technologies, headquartered in Nevada, has begun production of an electric-powered Mini Cooper which uses an all-lithium battery. The car has been in development for two years. The vehicle uses Hybrid Tech’s own proprietary advanced lithium management and battery-balancing system, and promises a cycle life of over 1,500 recharges.
The Mini has 105hp, and accelerate to 60mph in just six seconds...
I think this new interpretation of the 60s-era Fiat 500 could be as big a hit as is the new Mini. I think it has just the right flavor—and is ever so "cute and Italian." As with the Mini, Fiat is selling it at premium price, which is ironic as the original 500 was the bottom-feeder in the Fiat range.
“Fiat’s new 500 is an interesting concept,” Max Warburton, head of European automotive research at UBS in London, told Automotive News. “The success of the Mini suggests there is a market for deliberately retro, nostalgic small cars and customers will pay a premium price.”
Also unlike the original 500, it doesn't have a 500cc engine. Instead it will be offered with a 1.2L 69 hp gas engine, a 1.2L 75 hp diesel, and a 1.5 gas engine with 100 hp.
What is it with comedians and cars? Funny man Jay Leno is perhaps one of the most astute car collectors out there. Late Show host David Letterman has long been known to appreciate fast cars and speeding tickets. He's also a major race car owner...
Fuel efficiency took precedence over fun today at the Mini stand. We're sure the Europeans who buy the Mini One (95 hp, 103 lb-ft) and Mini Cooper D (the first new-gen diesel Mini -- 110 hp, 177 lb-ft) will indeed declare them fun, not to mention amazingly fuel-efficient. The Cooper D gets up to 64 mpg. But can you really call these cars fun when they're sharing booth space with a John Cooper Works Mini?
Through the press conference, Dr. Michael Ganal, a member of BMW AG's board of management, never said a word about the company's third world premiere in Geneva: the return of the John Cooper Works option kit for the Cooper S hatchback. In fact, it took our run-of-the-mill sleuthing skills to uncover the happy red hatchback in the back corner of the Mini booth.
Good news for Mini and AWD fans out there; there will be AWD versions offered beginning for the '08 model year. Originally intended for the Clubman model, Auto Motor und Sport (via Leftlane News) says that AWD will eventually make its way to all models.
The system was developed by Getrag and reportedly has a RWD bias, with the front wheels engaging as needed. So from the sound of it, it appears to be a reactive on-demand unit...
It's not like we haven't seen the 2008 Mini Clubman numerous times already, but these latest spy photos are some of the clearest shots yet of the upcoming three-door. That's right, three-door as this new model from Mini will have an additional access door on the passenger side. It will also have a set of barn doors out back for easier access to the enlarged cargo area. According to Motoringfile, the Clubman will make its official debut at the 2007 Frankfurt auto show in September with U.S. sales beginning in early 2008.
The Mini press conference began normally enough, as Dr. Michael Ganal, BMW board member, stood at the podium and said, "I would like to give you a short overview of last year's retail figures -- this is a tradition here in Detroit." Yes, indeed, just as it's tradition at all BMW press conferences. As Dr. Ganal ran through the numbers, we noted that someone had placed a cute shag-carpeted mat behind the podium for him to stand on. This was the only cute thing we noticed for the next 10 minutes.
Finally, after a lengthy discussion of the redesigned Mini Cooper hatchback, which goes on sale in the U.S. on Feb. 17, Dr. Ganal noted, "The idea of making the Mini Cooper Convertible more attractive seemed to present itself." Right, since it's an old-gen carryover this year.
Mini Sidewalk: Neat name, and it's coming to the Detroit auto show (NAIAS) in January. It looks like just the car to park in front of your local Starbucks, with its Cup o' Joe-like "Malt Brown" color.
These are the first spy shots of the next generation Mini convertible testing on the streets of Munich. No big surprises here as it looks just like the last Mini convertible. A slightly bigger size should give this softtop more cargo room with the top down and better overall passenger space in general. It also looks as though this convertible top was designed in from the beginning as it appears more neatly integrated into the bodywork. Although this prototype looks close to production, sources at MotoringFile indicate this variation on the Mini coupe could still be another year or two away.
According to Auto Express (full story), a Mini 4x4 has been okayed for production. Not sure yet if it looks like the image above, but at least that will give you an idea as to what to expect.
One BMW Group insider stated: "We have many concepts which may or may not become realities, but there is a strong brand and sales-generating logic behind a MINI 4x4 crossover, particularly as the USA could soon overtake the UK as a market."
BMW group finally took the wraps off the redesigned Mini Cooper in Paris today. Die-hard fans of the old “new” Mini need not worry, however, as the newly redesigned car is hard to tell from the current edition. Yes, every panel is new, and the car is a 2.4 inches longer overall, but we’re having a hard time picking differences out - even with an old “new” Mini convertible sitting a dozen feet away.
Mini went to great pains to keep the styling deviations intentionally minute because, as BMW/Mini Director of Sales and Marketing Dr.Michael Ganal said in the reveal ceremony, "A Mini is supposed to look the way it looks." Who can argue with that?
PML, a British engineering firm, has built an electric-powered Mini that has four electric motors, one for each wheel. Each motor produces 160 bhp, for a total of 640 bhp! PML claims a 0-60 in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 150 mph for the AWD eco-monster!
Also, there are no mechanical brakes, as all the braking is done via the wheel-mounted electric motors.
Snippet: Each wheel develops 160bhp - 640bhp in total...
Just in case there was any doubt, our latest spy photos of the stretched 2008 Mini show conclusive proof of its split cargo door configuration. But that's not all. Look closely at the body just behind the side door and it's clear there are cut lines for a reverse opening rear door. This would make for easier access to the back seats, not to mention add an element of differentiation between this Mini and the revamped Cooper. The Mini fanatics over at Motoringfile say this will only be used on one side to keep weight down, but the driver's side clearly shows similar cut lines. As for the name of this new Mini, Motoringfile also claims that Clubman is at the top of the list, but various trademark issues might force Mini to consider other monikers. Given that it not expected to go on sale until 2008, Mini will have plenty of time to figure it out.
So you're having a little trouble telling the current Mini (v.2.0) from the all-new Mini (v.3.0)? Well, this site should help you spot the differences. There are number of comparison shots from various angles that show how they differ.
For what it's worth, I thought I had trouble telling the new Jaguar XJ8 apart from the old model, but Mini has now taken "subtlety" to an all-time high here...
Here are some new images (lots of them!) and info on the new 2007 Mini Cooper Mk II. Reportedly the car is larger than last year's model, but is also lighter.
While new-and-improved, it will take a true Mini fan to tell the new from the old models.
BMW allows Inside Line an advance look at the new restyled Mini. The new blacked out grouper-like grille looks like a fishing hook and line should be coming out of it.
Snippet: The next Mini, although called all-new, has many similarities with the car it replaces. The exterior retro-cool design is not much changed, reflecting consumers' statements that they liked it just as it was...
At today's press conference Mini showed off the most
exclusive Cooper yet. It starts off as a Mini Cooper S, but once you add the
John Cooper Works GP kit it becomes lighter, faster and available only in
limited quantities. Pay more to get less, it's a classic marketing ploy. If you
want one better get your order in soon as there will only be 415 available for
purchase in the U.S...</st
Mini officially announced plans for production of the bigger, more useful Mini Traveler, so it's no surprise that test mules are already on the road. Our latest spy shots give a good indication of just how much bigger this stretched Mini will be compared to the current Cooper. Looks like a pretty good size to us as long as there's an engine under the hood that's up to getting the extra weight around. Although the existence of these prototypes might seem to indicate an upcoming production date we've been told not to expect this new Mini until late 2007.
Is it possible to turn out a bad Mini concept? I don't think so, or at least I haven't seen one. The Mini Traveller concept is yet another retro show car. This time based upon the original Mini Traveller of some 40-odd years ago...
BMW won't change the exterior look of the iconic Mini too much. So I think it's safe to say you will always be able to recognize future Minis, down the road. Most future changes will be under the skin and/or to the interior.
I think this will be challenge for BMW—and VW too—as they have the same
situation with the new Beetle...
