Meet the two-wheeled future of MINI! Following hot on the heels of the Countryman and the Moke comes this – a plug-in electric scooter concept that will premiere at the Paris Motor Show.

Called the MINI E Scooter Concept, the bike features scaled down versions of all the classic MINI design cues, including the large iconic speedometer, oval wing mirrors and squared off rear lights. The use of chrome and other material is also designed to make the scooter instantly recognisable as a part of the MINI family.      

The grey and luminous green colour scheme is borrowed from the MINI E electric car, and so is the drivetrain: a single electric motor is integrated into the rear wheel, and power comes from a compact lithium-ion battery stored under the seat. The battery can be charged from any standard A/C power outlet, via a retractable cable at the back of the scooter.

There will be two different interpretations of the Scooter concept at the show, and expect more details and official photos to emerge in the build-up to the Paris show, but if it receives a positive reaction than there is a strong possibility that it could make production, and become the smallest MINI yet!

Source: AutoExpress

Meet the tiny MINI that packs a mighty punch! Following our scoop in Issue 1,126 that revealed a new smaller MINI is in the pipeline, insiders have hinted that a hot John Cooper Works model will also make production.

The design is familiar to fans of the MINI range, but there’s a few crucial changes. The as yet unnamed car has shrunk to just over three metres long, although there should still be space for four inside, along with a decent boot.

Efficiency is key, even for this sporty version, and the newcomer will make use of a new 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder engine turbocharged engine currently being developed by BMW.

Despite boasting close to 150bhp, the new engine should be capable of achieving 50mpg and CO2 emissions of just under 110g/km thanks to BMW’s EfficientDynamics tweaks. Expect to see stop/start, brake energy regeneration and an aerodynamic design among the changes.

With dimensions only slightly larger than the original Issigonis designed Mini, the tiny JCW is bound to inherit some of the traits which made the original such fun to drive.

A low kerbweight means straight line-acceleration should be impressive, with the sprint from 0-62mph taking just over 7 seconds. Meanwhile, the short wheel-base and a set of stiffer springs for this hardcore version will help ensure the newest MINI will also be the most agile yet.

With One, Cooper and Cooper S versions coming in 2012, the JCW branded model is expected to follow in 2013 and should cost around £16,000.

It’s a MINI facelift! For the first time, the baby Brit’s reign at the top of the premium supermini tree is under threat. Audi is about to launch its new A1 right into the same market that MINI has had to itself since 2001. But the funky city car isn’t going to go down without a fight, and the firm has just given its entire range a refresh before battle commences. Auto Express is first behind the wheel to see if the subtle tweaks are enough to keep the MINI at the top spot.

Even the most ardent fan will struggle to pick out the revised model. There’s a new front bumper which is a little more prominent to meet more stringent pedestrian impact legislation, while are the rear, all models now benefit from LED taillights. The designers have also included black trim elements at the front and rear to make the car appear wider than before, enhancing its stance. MINI has also added new colours and alloy wheels for customers to further personalise their cars.

On the inside, it’s a similar story, with a small number of changes being made to what is an already impressive cabin. As well as updating the colour and trim options, the firm has improved the air conditioning controls to make them easier to use.

The biggest change is under the bonnet. Sales of MINI diesels are soaring, so the firm has elected to replace the oil burner it co-developed with PSA, with its own unit. The engine is essentially the same as the 2.0-litre diesel used in the BMW 116d and 118d. However, the firm has reduced the capacity to 1.6-litres and reengineered to be mounted transversely in the MINI, rather than longitudinally in the 1-Series.

The numbers are remarkably similar too. Both new and old engines muster 110bhp, but the new unit produces 30Nm more torque, at 270Nm. The 0-62mph time is cut from 9.9 seconds to 9.7 seconds too. But the most important news is that the new oil burner is cleaner. It returns 74.3mpg, instead of 72.4mpg on the combined cycle, and sneaks into the free road tax bracket, emitting 99g/km instead of 104g/km.

On the road, you’d be hard pressed to notice anything has changed. The new unit is very smooth and responsive, just like the old one. The same firm riding but great handling MINI trademarks are there too. In fact, the cars are so similar you’d have to drive an old and new Cooper D back-to-back to tell any real difference.

Source: AutoExpress

A couple weeks back, we told you that the unveiling of the production Mini Countryman may be delayed from the Detroit Auto Show in January to the Geneva Motor Show in March. The reasoning behind the move was reportedly due to the fact that Countryman production couldn’t begin at Magna International’s Austrian assembly plant until assembly of the BMW X3 was moved from the Magna plant to Bimmer’s facility in South Carolina.

Now, the well-connected Mini fanatics over at MotoringFile are reporting that Mini’s first-ever crossover could be delayed by up to a year here in the States, with first deliveries pushed to early 2011. The reported reasoning for the delay is that such an important launch could see minimal success in a down economic climate, While we could definitely see how the woeful (yet perhaps slowly improving) auto industry might hinder the initial success of the Countryman launch, we’re thinking Mini’s expanding U.S. dealer base would be more than thrilled to have some additional help on the showroom floor – especially as Mini sees the Countryman as the larger, more spacious alternative for customers who have outgrown their Mini Cooper.

We’re thinking the Mini Countryman sounds pretty interesting to us, with the expected availability of an “All4″ all-wheel drive system, two JCW versions and multiple efficient engine choices. Add seating for four full-sized human beings and some additional cargo space and Mini could be looking at a winner – provided that bigger and taller doesn’t kill the nimble handling that makes Mini so much fun.

Source Autoblog

The 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show is now just about two weeks away, and Mini in particular is ramping up to do the show in style. On Wednesday, the company revealed its new Coupe concept, and today a sketch of the Roadster that’s expected to join it on the German show stage has leaked.

The Roadster has been expected for some time now, and the latest image, sourced via, reveals that its appearance is remarkably close to the rendering we brought you back in June, which you can also see below.

August 26 was the actual 50th anniversary of the Mini brand, and to celebrate the occasion, Mini revealed its upcoming two-seater coupe concept, to be officially unveiled at Frankfurt.

The coupe is based on the same 211-horsepower turbocharged mechanical underpinnings as the John Cooper Works Mini for an added dash of sportiness, and while the roadster’s running gear hasn’t been disclosed, it’s likely to get similar treatment.

Neither the Coupe nor the Roadster have yet been officially announced for production – that will come at Frankfurt at the earliest – but the news accompanying the leaked sketch today indicates both cars will see global sale in 2011.

Source Motorauthority

Rumors have been swirling for months about what BMW would do on August 26, 2009 for its Mini brand. After all, that is the fiftieth anniversary of the public debut of Alec Issigonis’ original Mini. With most of the speculation revolving around either a coupe or some kind of cropped windshield speedster, it turns out the reality was somewhere in between.

Unlike the original coupe of the Sixties that simply had a fastback replacement for the standard square-back roof, the new MINI Coupé Concept completely replaces everything from the beltline up. The upright windshield that has been part of the Mini look from day one is finally swept back and a truncated roof covers the remaining two seats.

All pretenses of being a four seater has finally been dispensed with for the new coupe. The shape of the roof indicates that should Mini move ahead with production, and it could easily be replaced by a folding fabric unit to create the anticipated speedster model. What’s more, dumping the rear seats means Mini could theoretically add a hefty brace back there restoring some of the structural integrity lost in the standard convertible, or perhaps restore some cargo room as compared to the Cabrio. At this point, it’s unknown if those B-pillars are are tinted glass or just big solid blind spots (after this post was published, MINI released additional photos of the interior that showed slim pillars and tinted glass, photos have been added to the gallery), but visually, the lower half of the car remains pretty standard R56 John Cooper Works.

Although we don’t have images of the interior yet, it sounds like it’s largely standard Mini, although there are two clocks hanging off the sides of the steering column mounted tachometer much like the so-called Openometer in the convertible. One tells time while the other is a stopwatch for recording laps. The MINI Coupé Concept will be shown publicly at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month alongside the production version of the new Crossover.

PRESS RELEASE

Concentrated Driving Pleasure: The MINI Coupé Concept.

MINI is celebrating a great birthday: Exactly fifty years ago, on 26 August 1959, the classic Mini was presented to the public for the first time, a unique story of success starting out and today giving MINI the perfect opportunity to look ahead without losing sight of the brand’s great tradition.

The MINI Coupé Concept is an expression of MINI design and the great ability of the brand’s designers to fill the elementary values of the brand with new life, using the options of modern drivetrain and suspension technology, and developing fascinating perspectives for the future of the brand on this basis.

Presenting the concept of an uncompromisingly sporting two-seater to be seen for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show (17–27 September 2009), MINI is unveiling an unusually attractive vision of how the model family may well develop in future. The source of inspiration is once again the fundamental motive so characteristic of every MINI: driving pleasure. The MINI Coupé Concept therefore represents the ideal of a car destined in every respect to offer a thrilling experience and make every journey a truly unique thrill.

The MINI Coupé Concept brings together a wide range of features for a truly sporting and ambitious style of motoring. Limited to two seats and following a philosophy of consistent lightweight construction, the car clearly meets all the requirements made of a particularly active and dynamic coupé. Compact dimensions, perfect axle load distribution and a low centre of gravity offer ideal conditions for enhancing the agility typical of MINI to a level never seen before.

Through its design alone, the MINI Coupé Concept brings out all the thrill of individual mobility and the focus on pure driving pleasure. Powerful proportions and dynamic design language evoke a sense of desire and strong appeal, the MINI Coupé Concept offering a particularly undiluted expression of the brand through its sporting and unconventional stance on the road.

The MINI Coupé Concept: an invitation to enjoy spontaneous mobility.

With the growing model portfolio, the popularity of the MINI brand has also grown consistently in recent years. The MINI has moved beyond the restraints of urban mobility, opening up additional options and winning over new target groups. And MINI allows you to enjoy spontaneous mobility, sporting and agile handling and unmistakable style on virtually every occasion.

The current models in the range already meet the most varied demands. As individual characters in their own right, the MINI, MINI Clubman and MINI Convertible all offer a unique rendition of the driving experience so typical of the brand. And now the MINI Coupé Concept brings out driving pleasure in its most concentrated form, extreme lightweight technology making this two-seater particularly agile and unusually efficient. At the same time the low roofline, the precisely defined spoiler edge at the rear and other aerodynamic features enhance the car’s performance to an even higher standard. So that in its design and in the use of high-performance drivetrain technology, the MINI Coupé Concept offers ideal conditions as a compact sports car in the premium segment.

This two-seater is designed to accommodate even the most powerful engine currently available in the MINI – and with the 1.6-litre twin-scroll turbocharged power unit carried over from the MINI John Cooper Works, the MINI Coupé Concept offers truly outstanding performance. Maximum output is 155 kW/211 hp, peak torque 260 Newton-metres/192 lb-ft increasing through the Overboost function for a short while to an even more substantial 280 Newton-metres/206 lb-ft. And now the MINI Coupé Concept offers everything it takes to exceed even the supreme performance of the MINI John Cooper Works with this unique power unit.

At the same time this concept car clearly follows the BMW Group’s EfficientDynamics development strategy. More driving pleasure, lower emissions – the MINI Coupé Concept lives out this philosophy expressed by MINI as MINIMALISM in a particularly attractive manner.

Fifty years of MINI: a vision of tomorrow marking an anniversary of today.

Fifty years after the launch of the classic Mini, the appeal of the brand is greater than ever before, with the model range exuding sheer fascination wherever you go. And now, in the anniversary year of the brand, MINI is bringing together this unique tradition and the successful model range offered today with even greater creativity and technical innovation for a truly promising future.

The MINI Coupé Concept is a further milestone in this ongoing development of the brand. The car takes up elementary strengths of the MINI and, through its modern technology and an innovative body concept, offers new standards and characteristics never seen before. So that the MINI Coupé Concept offers many new highlights in adding yet a further character to the existing model range.

Exterior design: the look typical of MINI but with individual character.

The body design of the MINI Coupé Concept also bridges the gap from the earliest days of the Mini’s history all the way to the more distant future of the brand, emphasising the unique nature of the concept as well as its full membership in the MINI family. At the same time the individual and emotional design language arouses the expectation of a particularly thrilling experience on the road.

Especially at the front end of the car a number of icons typical of the brand, as well as the design style so characteristic of MINI, all come together to create a strong family resemblance. In addition, the individual look of the MINI Coupé Concept comes out also in the side view of the car as well as in the design of the rear end.

This unique new two-seater measures 3,714 millimetres (146.2″) in length and 1,683 millimetres (66.3″) in width. Height is 1,356 millimetres (53.4″). Through these dimensions and its athletic proportions alone, the MINI Coupé Concept stands out from the beginning as a compact and muscular sports machine.

The typical MINI look in particularly sporting style.

The new concept car carries over the unmistakable front end look from the four-seater MINI. Smoothly balanced contours on the engine lid characterised by wide and sweeping radii, the large headlights, the homogenous shape of the radiator grille and the wide lower air intake give each model that unique look, openness and charm so typical of the brand. Through the greater rake of the windscreen on the MINI Coupé Concept, the car looks even more striking and dynamic, the low and streamlined body proving clearly that the MINI Coupé Concept is a particularly outstanding performer.

The hexagon radiator grille and the large round headlights are unmistakable design features re-interpreting the front view of the classic Mini in particularly modern style. The direction indicators are integrated in the headlights, just above the innovative three-dimensional surrounds for the positioning lights and the foglamps. The entire front air dam has been adjusted to the sporting look of the car, standing out even wider and more striking than before.

The chrome radiator grille on the MINI Coupé Concept is the same as on the MINI Cooper S. The inner section in the grille is however finished with bars in body colour creating a clear sign of distinction at very first sight from the other members of the MINI family. The bonnet stripes also extend into the radiator grille to provide an even more sporting and dynamic touch.

With its very dynamic curvature and the stylised opening, bearing testimony to the power of the engine lurking within, the front lid likewise comes in the same look as on the particularly powerful versions of the MINI.

Individual roofline as a sign of sporting presence.

The side view of the MINI Coupé Concept also brings together features typical of the MINI family and new highlights in design to form a fascinating whole. The front side panels, for example, come straight from the MINI Convertible. The body joint forming the diagonal line characteristic of every MINI along the front lid and the surrounds on the front side indicators bearing out the style of the MINI Cooper S again provide an unmistakable sign of distinction with historic roots – here the classic Mini had a visible welding seam along the body.

The familiarity in design resulting from these features forms an attractive contrast to the far greater rake of the A-pillars leading into the brand-new, sweeping line of the roof.

Large wheels and a high waistline already give the MINI, the MINI Clubman and the MINI Convertible a particularly powerful and sporting look, with the black strip around the lower section of the body underlining this compact appearance and short body overhangs front and rear emphasising the athletic stature of the car and bearing testimony to that typical go-kart feeling at very first sight.

All this now comes out even more convincingly in the MINI Coupé Concept, also through the unique flow of the roofline. The glazed section of the passenger cell referred to as the greenhouse, for example, is much lower and even more dynamic than on the brand’s “regular” models.

Another feature of the MINI Coupé Concept is the strongly inclined windscreen merging gently into the roof. At the rear the roofline initially moving straight back above the heads of the driver and front passenger flows on into the sturdy C-pillar. The entire roof with all its contours thus comes in a bridge shape quite unmistakable and featured for the first time on the MINI, made up of a strong rear cornerstone formed by the C-pillar and the almost filigree structure above the passenger cell.

The C-pillar is a strong visual expression of the particularly solid and torsionally rigid body structure providing not only superior occupant safety, but also the agility typical of MINI in fast manoeuvres. The C-pillar very powerful in design serves at the same time to guide your perspective towards the rear end of the car, while the side view of the MINI Coupè Concept forms a very strong and convincing wedge shape created by the roofline tapering out to the rear and the waistline rising up slightly in typical MINI style.

All this gives the MINI Coupé Concept a forward-moving impression right from the start, the car clearly expressing its power and muscle even at a standstill. Through its design alone, therefore, the MINI Coupé Concept authentically visualises sporting qualities of the highest standard.

Striking contours and smooth flow of air ensured by the roof spoiler and the rear spoiler edge.

The rear-end design of the MINI Coupé Concept consistently follows the need to optimise the flow of air in the interest of both driving dynamics and efficiency. The principle of “form follows function” so essential to MINI, the look and design of various body elements, fully reflects the characteristic features and qualities of the car. Through its design alone, therefore, the MINI Coupé Concept clearly confirms its sporting potential in a particularly credible and convincing manner.

The rear spoiler with its wing profile at the same level as the C-pillar also makes a particularly effective contribution in guiding the air along the rear end of the MINI Coupé Concept. This large air guidance element spans the entire width of the roof, increasing aerodynamic downforce on the rear axle.

Tapering down elegantly, the rear window on this unique two-seater merges into a short and low rear end with staged contours in typical coupé design. Again, this follows the overriding objective to ensure an optimum flow of air without any turbulence harming the car’s aerodynamics – which is also why the air spoiler on the rear panel is appropriately sharp and clear in its profile.

Beneath the air spoiler at the rear the overall look and design of the MINI Coupé Concept follows the typical philosophy of the brand. Horizontal lines running parallel to one another emphasise the wide track of the car, the body growing wider from top to bottom in cascading style highlighting the muscular stance of the car resting on its wheels in that characteristic style.

The rear light clusters in upright arrangement and surrounded by a wide chrome frame are also typical of the brand. The rear air dam on the MINI Coupé Concept, in turn, comes with a diffuser split up into two sections and ensuring a smooth, swirl-free flow of air beneath the car.

Impressively functional: wide-opening tailgate,
generous luggage space.

The tailgate on the MINI Coupé Concept is yet another highlight of the car. Deliberately foregoing the rear seat bench, this unique two-seater offers lots of additional space for taking along all kinds of luggage.

Luggage capacity is 250 litres or 8.8 cu ft. To use this space most conveniently, the rear end of the MINI Coupé Concept comes with a large and wide-opening tailgate. Hinged above the roof spoiler, the entire tailgate including the rear window swings up gracefully, offering convenient access to the generous luggage space behind the rear seats of the car. And thanks to the low loading sill, accessing the luggage compartment with even heavy and bulky objects is significantly easier.

The complete design of the rear end with its large tailgate is yet another example of the functional design so typical of MINI. All options offered through the concept of the car are optimised to the highest standard through carefully thought-out solutions and a good overall balance. Indeed, this principle already to be admired on the brand’s existing models, for example through the easy-load function on the MINI Convertible, makes a significant contribution to the overall substance of the car. The result is a wide range of innovative solutions quite unique in the market, emphasising the premium character of the MINI brand.

On the MINI Coupé Concept this philosophy is borne out by yet another distinctive feature providing extra space and practical value: The bulkhead between the passenger and the luggage compartments comes with a lockable opening. The through-loading provided in this way, quite unusual on a two-seater coupe, gives the driver and passenger direct access even while driving to travel items they are taking along in the luggage compartment. So that bags with, say, beverages, a music CD or maps are stowed away safely but always within easy reach.

Interior: sports car ambience with an exclusive range of colours and materials.

The MINI Coupé Concept combines the vision of a compact sports car with thrilling agility, on the one hand, and the individual flair and style of the MINI, on the other. Through its entire concept, the car is perfectly designed to offer concentrated driving pleasure of the highest standard. This is borne out not only through the extroverted exterior in its fascinating, sporting look, but also through the interior conceived from the start for active motoring.

Wide-opening doors give the driver and passenger convenient access to the interior, where they enjoy sports seats with strongly contoured side supports for a secure seating position even in particularly fast bends. A three-spoke leather sports steering wheel with multifunction buttons enables the driver to steer precisely into bends and control the audio or communication functions with maximum ease. All other control units, in turn, are arranged ergonomically on the dashboard, taking their frequency of use into account.

The breakdown of the cockpit, the dashboard and centre console again follows that special interior design so typical of MINI. Horizontal lines and air vents placed far to the outside emphasise the sheer width of the instrument panel and, at the same time, the generous style of the interior, the slender centre console giving the driver and passenger maximum legroom. The structure of the door linings so typical of the brand, finally, has also been re-interpreted, with the elliptic main element now completely closed in.

The MINI Coupé Concept also comes with a large rev counter directly behind the steering wheel, while the speedometer is part of the central instrument in the upper section of the dashboard. This circular instrument well known as the Center Speedo also houses the audio system as well as the optional entertainment and navigation functions.

Two Chronoswiss clocks to the right and left of the rev counter provide a close link to earlier concept cars by MINI, bridging the gap between the analogue age of the classic Mini and the digital age of the MINI. One clock is a purpose-built stopwatch for taking lap times, the second clock shows the time in classic style.

The colours and materials featured inside the MINI Coupé Concept symbolise the classic sportiness of the car. Like the dashboard, the roof lining of this unprecedented two-seater comes in black providing a calm atmosphere just right for concentrating on driving conditions and essential requirements. Black trim bars combined with a carbon interior trim strip, finally, further enhance this purist look.

Lightweight construction and modern suspension technology
providing a new feeling of go-kart driving.

The MINI Coupé Concept is definitely a MINI and definitely a sports car. The particular charm of this combination results from both the drivetrain and the suspension technology already featured in the current production models, as well as the special highlights of this two-seater concept car.

Over and above their body design, the MINI, MINI Clubman and MINI Convertible already set the standard today for agility and driving pleasure in their respective segments. Powerful engines and suspension technology quite superior in the small car segment then ensure a truly unique driving experience. Front-wheel drive, powerful disc brakes on all four wheels, the front axle with McPherson spring struts and a centrally guided rear axle with aluminium longitudinal arms and anti-roll bars set the foundation for uniquely safe and agile handling.

EPS Electronic Power Steering with speed-related power assistance, finally, ensures precise manoeuvring round bends and gives the driver exact feedback at all times on road and driving conditions. At the same time on-demand management of steering assistance serves to maximise the car’s efficiency.

The MINI Coupé Concept offers ideal conditions for raising the go-kart feeling created by the car’s drivetrain and suspension technology to an even higher standard. Its entire construction is based on a lightweight concept reducing weight particularly where it really counts for even greater agility. As an example, this two-seater comes with an aluminium roof not only optimising the overall weight of the car, but also lowering the car’s centre of gravity for a significant reduction of body movement and optimised driving behaviour.

Since lower weight also means greater efficiency, the MINI Coupé Concept again offers the option to combine even greater driving pleasure with fuel consumption and CO2 emissions reduced to a minimum as an important sign of our times.

Traditional values, modern quality, progressive concept.

Sporting success and agile handling of the highest standard are significant highlights in the history of MINI now going back five decades – and both factors have made a fundamental contribution to the ongoing popularity of this small premium car.

Three overall wins in the Monte Carlo Rally and the concept of driving pleasure expressed so clearly by the car’s go-kart feeling definitely confirm the sporting potential of this small compact both back then and today. The anniversary year is therefore the ideal time to present the MINI Coupé Concept as the vision of an uncompromisingly active sports car.

Another concept car presented even before the re-launch of the MINI brand proves that this philosophy has always fuelled the creativity of the MINI’s designers: The MINI Concept Monte Carlo presented in 1997 was a two-seater with a 160-hp mid-mounted engine. Through its design alone, this concept car already came with a wide range of features destined to be taken up again by the first MINI, short body overhangs front and rear, round headlights and the re-interpretation of the hexagon radiator grille providing an outlook at important styling elements on the production model to follow later. With its extremely powerful body and direct references to motorsport, the MINI Concept Monte Carlo also made a clear pledge to the rally history of the brand.

Now the MINI Coupé Concept, through its unique look, takes up the almost aggressive and extroverted appearance of that former concept car, at the same time providing a new link between the history, the present and the future of the brand. It takes up traditional values of the MINI brand and combines them with the most advanced technologies to offer a fascinating vision of how the MINI model family may continue.

Once again, therefore, MINI is following the needs and wishes of new target groups fully appreciative of the individual style of the brand and associating this character with clearly defined product features. The MINI Coupé Concept addresses the motorist thrilled by that unique combination of driving pleasure, lifestyle, and premium quality so typical of MINI and, at the same time, looking for sporting driving qualities of an even higher standard.

Source Autoblog

To repeat one particular bit of news that’s been playing over and over like a broken record since the modern Mini first made its appearance Stateside back in 2001 – there’s little if any chance that the U.S. market will be blessed with an oil-burning Mini Cooper any time soon.

While Mini USA reportedly wants nothing more than to import the Mini D to America, the financial realities are such that the car will either cost way more than anyone is willing to pay (a ridiculous 40-50% premium is being bandied about) or sell at such a low price that Mini’s German parents won’t make a dime on the transaction.

That said, according to the Mini-obsessed boys at MotoringFile, it remains a possibility – however much a long-shot as it seems after all these years – that the next-generation R60 Mini could some day hit U.S. shores with an optional diesel. That would be welcome news indeed, but please excuse us for taking that tidbit with an appropriately large grain of salt.

Source Autoblog

Thanks to a few eagle-eyed BMW fans with a handy penchant for tracking trademark filings, we may know the name of the upcoming and spied Mini crossover the Countryman. If this is indeed the case, the badge would go hand-in-hand with BMW’s current naming convention for its Mini line, which includes the extended-length Clubman in addition to the standard Cooper and convertible. We’re expecting the new CUV to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in production form as a 2011 model.

Interestingly, BMW also trademarked the name ActiveE, which some are speculating will be the moniker applied to the automaker’s upcoming electric vehicles as it matches up quite nicely with BMW’s present ActiveHybrid series. Last year, the German automaker reserved the name eDrive, and it seems the two labels could somehow be paired together as part of the company’s Project I initiative.

Source Autoblog

Imagine a Mini Cooper with a Rolls-Royce trimmed interior? According to AutoCar, that’s exactly what BMW is considering offering those willing to pay the price. The German automaker is planning to introduce a high-end Mini that will be re-trimmed by Rolls-Royce if the project is given the green light.

Sources say that the Mini Cooper seen in these pictures is not a one-off model – but a prototype for a premium custom version of the Cooper.

Those willing to pay the price for the high-end Mini will be able to visit Rolls-Royce’s Goodwood factory to select their interior trim, dashboard finishes, and other touches for their exclusive Mini.

We’re hoping to get official details very soon.

Source Egmcartech

According to CAR Online, the Mini E will be a purely electric car. Only 500 will be produced for US corporate and private customers, although London could receive more in light of their limited recharging infrastructure.

The Mini E will only be available for one year as part of a trial and at the end all will be returned to BMW. The idea is to check the viability of an all-electric Mini – and, if successful, series production cars would be likely within a few years.

Mini E: how it’s gone electric

The electric Mini relies on lithium ion batteries, driving a 204bhp electric motor in place of the usual internal combustion engines. It drives the front wheels as usual and – as with hybrid cars such as the Toyota Prius – kinetic energy under braking is collected and used to top up the battery.

The resultant performance spec sound impressive on paper. The batteries add 260kg, sending the Mini’s kerbweight spiraling to 1465kg, but it’ll still hit 62mph in just 8.5sec. Top speed is pegged back to 95mph.

Recharging takes eight hours and Mini claims the maximum range on a full charge is around 150 miles. However, you lose the rear seats as the electric transmission lives above the rear axle. Not that the rear-seats of the regular Mini have much space anyway…

We’ll know more about the Mini E when it’s unveiled at the 2008 Los Angeles motor show.

While in there don’t forget to visit Al & Ed’s Autosound booth.

Source: carmagazine.co.uk

Taking a new approach with the MINI Crossover Concept, the MINI brand is continuing its overwhelming story of success.

This Design Study offers a fascinating outlook at a new facet of the brand powerfully expressed by a truly innovative body concept – the fourth body variant, to be precise, following the classic two-door, the MINI Convertible, and the MINI Clubman.

The MINI Crossover Concept is a new model variant for the first time measuring more than four metres in length, with four drive wheels, four doors and four single seats. These features alone place the new car right in the line of vision of new target groups seeking to combine the individual style of the brand with enhanced versatility within the interior and innovative functionality throughout.

A universal, multifunction fastening rail, the MINI Center Rail, extending between the seats on the centre console of the MINI Crossover Concept, offers not only offers unconventional storage options, but also provides a consistent link between the front row of seats and the rear.

A further highlight within the MINI interior is the innovative central instrument in three-dimensional finish, the MINI Center Globe.

This combined control and display unit formed as a globe featured for the first time in an automobile worldwide sets new standards for the integrated control of entertainment, communication, navigation, and vehicle functions.

The MINI Crossover reflects not only the potential of the MINI model family in growing further and further to new dimensions, but also the innovative power of MINI’s designers. In this case, the outlook at an additional MINI concept is enriched by a wide range of visions expressing a unique driving experience and way of life only a MINI is able to evoke.

All innovations presented in the MINI Crossover Concept are conceived to expand that characteristic MINI feeling by yet another new dimension.

The innovative character of the new car comprises its body design as well as the drivetrain, the interior and the control concept. Indeed, offering options and versatility of this kind, the MINI Crossover Concept opens up new dimensions in mobility also beyond urban life.

All-wheel drive – the foundation for a new MINI feeling.
A new MINI offers more – and does so in unique style every time.

The MINI Crossover Concept clearly expresses this principle, its all-wheel drive serving to give the new model an even wider range of practical use in new areas and a new experience on routes already driven. But in doing so the MINI Crossover Concept is not limited to the usual status of a conventional all-wheeler. Rather, to offer its additional mobility potential even more consistently, the Concept Car comes with numerous design features making it an all-round talent for a unique experience in everyday life, for enjoying leisure time to the utmost, for adventure travels of all kinds and for travel planning. Hence, the MINI Crossover Concept looks at new objectives and, at the same time, new target groups.

Four metres in length – more calibre, more options.

As a consistent enhancement of the MINI model family, the MINI Crossover Concept offers new calibre and new format in every respect. This is the first MINI to measure more than four metres in length. And measuring 1,830 millimetres/72.0″ in width as well as 1,598 millimetres/62.9″ in height, the MINI Crossover Concept goes beyond the existing production models from MINI also in this respect. Wheelbase, finally, is 2,606 millimetres/102.6″, again ensuring an even more powerful stance on the road.

These exterior dimensions of the Concept Car are a clear symbol of the quest for additional options in driving the car and in the new, enhanced driving experience.

The MINI Crossover Concept offers extra space and mobility at the rear as well as a capacity to transport never seen before in a MINI. Added to all this, there is enhanced flexibility in splitting up the interior space, catering for all individual wishes and demands.

Combining its unique design with outstanding agility by no means restricted to the beaten track alone, the MINI Crossover Concept holds a unique position within the MINI segment. At the same time it clearly stands out as a member of the MINI model family through the appropriate re-interpretation of design elements typical of the brand. The MINI Crossover Concept thus symbolises the breakthrough into a new category of vehicles, broadening the appeal of the brand to an even larger target group.

Four doors – new diversity through asymmetric arrangement.

With two doors on each side of the car, the MINI Crossover Concept offers particularly comfortable access to the rear. Here again, therefore, the new model enhances the options and qualities offered so far by the existing body concepts of the MINI.

But even this is not all: The MINI Crossover Concept is not a four-door in the classic sense, as is clearly expressed by the asymmetric arrangement of the doors in the Design Study. A conventional arrangement of doors is to be found only on the front passenger’s side, while on the driver’s side the MINI Crossover Concept comes with a conventional door for the first row of seats plus a lift/sliding door moving along the outside for convenient access to the rear and for loading the car from the side. And by dropping the B-pillar on the driver’s side, the MINI Crossover Concept exhausts the potential of this generous opening to an even higher degree. Frameless side windows, finally, are yet another feature of this truly exceptional four-door.

The rear door swivelling to one side, together with its frameless and retractable rear window, likewise offers an even higher standard of practical use and most convenient loading conditions. Thanks to the large opening and the low loading sill, sports equipment and other, even bulkier objects can be loaded conveniently into the luggage space offering even larger capacity when required by lowering the individually folding rear seats completely into the floor of the car with the help of a parallelogram kinematic mechanism.

Storage capacities may then be increased even further by a transport case fitted outside on the rear door. And last but certainly not least, the roof rail system available on the MINI Crossover Concept is simply ideal for fitting ski, snowboard and bicycle carriers as well as transport boxes of all sizes.

The roof structure of the MINI Crossover Concept offers further options in enhancing everyday driving qualities and leisure-time enjoyment. As a folding roof cover extending throughout the entire length of the roof, the roof structure may be opened both from the front and from the rear, letting either fresh air or warm sunshine into the car – or both, depending on the driver’s and passengers’ wishes.

The opening at the rear also serves to accommodate extremely long objects transported in the car, ranging from a surfboard all the way to cross-country skis. So even in this case, transporting anything the driver wishes to take along is easy and convenient.

Four single seats – for maximum comfort inside the MINI.

The MINI Crossover Concept stands out not only as an unconventional, but rather as a truly exceptional four-seater. The single seats at the rear, to mention perhaps the most significant highlight, come in the same contours as the driver’s and front passenger’s seats and are adjustable by 13 centimetres or 5.1″ fore-and-aft. So depending on individual requirements, the rear seats offer either lounge-like legroom or additional storage capacity in the rear compartment.

The MINI Center Globe – a new vision of the central instrument of the future.

Featuring their round Central Display right in the middle of the dashboard, the current MINIs already boast an interior design feature quite unique and unmistakable in its look. Indeed, this multi-function display serves to conveniently control all major entertainment, telecommunication and navigation functions, providing the speedometer function around its outer circumference.

Now the MINI Crossover Concept introduces the consistent enhancement of this display and control concept: the MINI Center Globe. For the first time, therefore, the central display and control unit is designed in this Concept Study as a globe. This three-dimensional layout allows even more consistent integration of functions and the appropriate presentation of information and entertainment options. In addition to the vertical and horizontal display features currently available, the new instrument adds a further, three-dimensional element with displays stratified on various levels and highlighted to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the driver’s and front passenger’s requirements. The current speed of the car, finally, is shown as before in typical MINI style on the display round the edge.

To clearly, flexibly and legibly present all information at all times, the MINI Center Globe comes with ultra-modern laser projection technology. With its unique optical features, the laser projector allows simultaneous presentation of pictures on various levels, with a varying focus and in powerful colours.

Benefiting from this technology never seen before in an automobile worldwide, the MINI Crossover Concept is also able to optically separate the MINI Center Globe into two hemispheres. These adjustable, moving hemispheres then enable the driver and front passenger to present and view different pictures recognisable only from their individual perspective. In other words, the front passenger may for example surf the net while the driver maintains his free view of all displays and instruments.

To provide this special effect, the hemisphere facing the front passenger closes down from the other side and acts as a projection surface presenting the pictures required.

The MINI Center Globe presented in this Design Study already shows today what options are conceivable in terms of navigation, communication and entertainment in the car of the future, using innovative technologies of this outstanding calibre.

The driver and/or front passenger operate the MINI Center Globe by a touch-sensitive surface, a trackball on the steering wheel, buttons and slide controls in the lower section of the MINI Center Globe, and a keyboard on the front passenger’s side extending at the touch of a button from the dashboard.

Such versatile and flexible use of the MINI Center Globe gives this new control unit the character of an innovative travel companion adjusting at all times to the individual wishes of the driver and front passenger and helping them enjoy mobility in a new dimension wherever they go.

The MINI Center Globe is additionally linked to the starter system for the engine. Instead of a conventional key, the driver uses a start/stop unit referred to as the Keyball.

To start the car, all the driver has to do is insert the Keyball on the MINI Crossover into the appropriate opening in the upper edge of the MINI Center Globe. The Keyball then rolling towards the driver along the middle of the MINI Center Globe. In this position the driver is able to press the Keyball in order to start the engine. Pressing the Keyball again, in turn, he switches off the engine and the Keyball rolls down into its housing bay from where the driver can conveniently remove the ball.

The MINI Center Rail – a perfect connection bringing the MINI team front and rear together.
Instead of a conventional centre consol, the MINI Crossover Concept comes with a fastening rail referred to as the MINI Center Rail and extending from the dashboard all the way to the tailgate of the car. This is indeed the connecting unit between the front and the rear seats.
Holders for entertainment and telecommunication devices, cupholders, storage units and boxes may be conveniently attached to this rail and subsequently pushed forward or backward along the entire length of the car.

A special fastening system developed specifically for MINI serves to attach individual items to the Center Rail, for example an external music player and other devices, storage boxes and holders for sunglasses, gloves, tickets for parking, coins, writing utensils or a travel guide, as well as all other kinds of holders and supports.

An armrest with an integrated storage box, to mention another example, may be attached both at the front and at the rear.

The Center Rail also facilitates the common use of storage boxes and devices and makes it much easier to pass on food and drinks to the rear-seat passengers while driving.

In the MINI Crossover Concept this pleasure of enjoying all the benefits of motoring together is symbolised by a special collection of dishes and cups made of unique porcelain created specifically for the new Concept Car.

Four sophisticated materials for a truly exclusive ambience.

Such use of top-quality porcelain highlights the exclusive lifestyle character borne out in the MINI Crossover Concept also in conjunction with three further, particularly exclusive materials in the interior: Around the instrument panel genuine wood trim extends across the entire width of the car. The armrests on the doors and the inlays in the footwells, in turn, are made of massive lime wood. Inlays made of specially hardened, lagoon-blue glass, in turn, highlight the door linings as well as the surrounds on the air vents.

Like the door closing handles on the front passenger’s side, the MINI Center Rail is made of massive, matt-polished aluminium. Looking at the appropriate colours for the interior, in turn, the designers opted for natural, authentic shades, the Dark Green leather on the driver’s seat standing out clearly from the Coffee Brown leather on the other seats. The remaining cloth surfaces are finished in Light Grey and Light Brown, with a soft rubber cover adorned by wood inlays in the footwells.

The New York debut of the 2008 John Cooper Works Mini Cooper Clubman was weakened by its performance shortcomings. Equipped with a turbo 1.6L it isn’t very speedy.

As reported by Ben Wojdyla:

2008 John Cooper Works Mini Cooper Clubman. That’s sort of like saying Porsche Cayenne GTS. Performance monikers slapped on vehicles with inherant performance shortcomings. Yes, we know, the 2008 JCW Mini Cooper Clubman already got the unveil at Geneva, but it was a pretty big show, and Spin and myself didn’t really get around to crawling around one then, so here’s the photographic goods on MINI’s turbocharged less-mini-MINI. 0-60 MPH time comes in 6.5 seconds, but we suspect with a turbo 1.6L four banger it’s a bit less speedy with more than one person in tow.

Originally by Ben Wojdyla from Jalopnik on March 19, 2008, 3:17pm