MINI News
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After rapidly expanding its lineup with niche products like the Paceman and Coupe and Roadster models, Mini decided to prune back its lineup with the arrival of its third-generation range. This has seen the niche products disappear and the lineup streamlined to four distinct product lines, the latest of which, the second-generation Countryman, has been introduced for 2017. The others include the Hardtop, Convertible and Clubman. Here’s a rundown of what's new from Mini for 2017. 2017 Mini Hardtop: Mini Seven special edition trim added. 2017 Mini Convertible: No changes. 2017 Mini...
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BMW to launch 40 new or updated models in next 2 yearsHaving lost the luxury car sales race to Mercedes-Benz in 2016, BMW is planning an aggressive roll-out of new products over the next two years to claw its way back to the top spot. In a press conference held Tuesday in Munich, Germany to outline its financial results, BMW’s CEO Harald...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
7 things to know about the 2017 Mini CountrymanIt might look like the outgoing Mini Countryman, but the all-new 2017 model shares little more than a few nuts and bolts with its predecessor. It's a well thought-out subcompact crossover SUV that's far better aligned with what buyers are generally after—roominess, refinement, and on-road...
Andrew Ganz -
2017 Mini Countryman first drive review: a better BMW crossover?In the burgeoning crossover world, there's always room for one more. Enter the Mini Countryman, which is all-new for a late 2017 model year introduction. It's a smart, focused reboot of what has become the brand's second best-selling model. But success in the Mini world isn't the same as a hit for...
Andrew Ganz -
2018 Mini John Cooper Works Countryman revealed ahead of 2017 Shanghai auto showA new generation of the Mini Countryman has just gone on sale and will soon be joined by a high-performance John Cooper Works model. Revealed today ahead of a world debut in April at the 2017 Shanghai auto show, the latest John Cooper Works Countryman follows a familiar formula with its...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2017 Mini John Cooper Works Countryman spy shotsMini unveiled its redesigned Countryman crossover during November's 2016 Los Angeles auto show, with the range including a new Cooper S E ALL4 plug-in hybrid model. Soon, the redesigned Countryman range will also include a high-performance John Cooper Works model, a prototype for which has just...
Nelson Ireson -
Mini has revealed a bigger, more sophisticated Countryman SUV for the nameplate’s second iteration. And this time there’s a plug-in hybrid model, representing the first hybrid from the brand. The new Countryman made its world debut on Wednesday at the 2016 Los Angeles auto show and goes on sale in March 2017, arriving as a 2017 model. Only the Cooper and Cooper S models will be available at launch, with the plug-in hybrid, known as the Cooper S E ALL4, to arrive in June. The new Countryman should appeal to more buyers as Mini has upped its size. Mini says there’s around 30...
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Mini laps the 'Ring on two wheelsDoing a side wheelie must be the en vogue automotive stunt of the moment. Recently, we saw the fastest speed for a car driven on two wheels set by a Finnish stunt driver in a BMW 330d. Now we have a Chinese stunt driver setting a Mini on two wheels, and driving a complete lap of the...
Jeff Glucker -
New Countryman to be Mini’s first hybridA new generation of the Mini Countryman is just around the corner and on Monday we received confirmation that the compact SUV will be the brand’s first hybrid. Mini says the arrival of the hybrid Countryman marks the start of a new phase for the brand, one that is electrified yet still...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW confirms plans for electric X3, MiniBMW was one of the first mainstream automakers to make the foray into electric cars when it started leasing battery-powered versions of its Mini Hardtop and 1-Series Coupe last decade. However, the automaker's much-hyped i division, launched in 2013 as a sub-brand dedicated to eco-friendly...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
New Mini Clubman spawns 228-hp John Cooper Works modelMini’s extra versatile Clubman was redesigned for the 2016 model year. For 2017 it spawns its high-performance John Cooper Works model. The car is a hot hatch that packs a turbo four, all-wheel drive and track-tuned suspension. In other words, it’s anathema to the boring buzz boxes you...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2017 Mini Countryman spy shotsThe Mini Countryman was updated for 2015 but development of a successor is nearing its final stages. A prototype for the new Countryman has just been spotted, revealing many of the details of the next-generation compact crossover. It appears designers have adopted a boxier, more rugged look for the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Danish designer Anders Warming has left the BMW Group where he worked for the past 16 years to join fellow German automaker Borgward. Borgward went out of business more than half a century ago but was recently revived by a descendant of the founder of the original company, as well as Chinese investors. ALSO SEE: 2017 Infiniti QX30 priced from $30,945 Warming was appointed head of design at BMW’s Mini brand in 2011 and was responsible for the design of the current generation of the premium compacts. Prior to joining BMW he worked briefly at the Volkswagen Group. Warming will sit on the...
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Fuel tank fabrication and wheel widening: Project Binky Episode 13Got a good half hour this Saturday morning to watch a couple of British guys entertain you while building one of the the world's fastest Minis? No, well make the time because you're in for some laughs and you might learn something, too. Project Binky is the work of Nik Blackhurst and Richard...
Kirk Bell -
What do you call your Mini? The world's most popular name is...No one is quite sure what came first: the automobile, or a name for it. Giving cars people's names is as old as carmaking itself. Sure, some cars already have a name (Civic, Elantra, Tacoma) but those are mostly boring. Other cars have alphanumeric mashups that defy logic (XT5, Q30, X4 M40i) and...
Aaron Cole -
Mini’s Vision Next 100 is your urban runabout of the futureFellow BMW Group brand Mini has unveiled its own Vision 100 Next concept celebrating its parent company’s centennial this year. Previously we saw Vision 100 Next concepts from BMW and Rolls-Royce previewing the future of luxury and ultra-luxury, respectively. With Mini’s concept...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
An original Mini fits inside today's Mini CountrymanNew vehicles are getting bigger, and no car brand illustrates this point better than Mini. Current Mini models are still smaller than most other new cars, but they're not exactly "mini," especially compared to the original version that debuted in 1959. On top of that, Mini keeps adding larger...
Stephen Edelstein -
Mini rolls out Seven special edition HardtopMini has rolled out the first special edition version of its third-generation Hardtop, and the car features a name we’ve seen before. It’s called the Mini Seven, a name some readers will recall was last used for the first generation of the modern Mini back in the early 2000s. The name...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW's Mini division will not only gladly sell you a new car, it will also soon help you rent it out to other people. As part of BMW's ever-expanding ride and car-sharing initiative, Mini owners will be able to opt in to a BMW-run network that would make their cars available to registered members. Mini owners will soon be offered a device that allows users to pay for access to their cars. Similar devices are used for Car2Go and other car-sharing services. DON'T MISS: Jaguar Land Rover gets in on car-sharing craze with InMotion The system will also track Minis to ensure that they are returned...
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Mini sports car plans dropped in favor of sedan?Last year, the boss of Mini Peter Schwarzenbauer started talking about a refocus of the brand around five core models or pillars. The pillars already include the new Hardtop (and Hardtop 4 Door), Convertible and Clubman. Later this year, the new Countryman will arrive as the fourth pillar. That...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
MINI Adds ALL4 All-Wheel Drive To New Clubman: Live photosMINI’s bigger, more premium second-generation Clubman that’s just gone on sale will offer the option of all-wheel drive starting this April. All-wheel drive, known as ALL4 in MINI-speak, will be offered on the entire range in the United States, which at present includes just the base...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2016 Mini John Cooper Works Convertible debuts in New YorkMini has revealed the performance-oriented John Cooper Works version of its redesigned convertible, and announced pricing for the rest of the convertible lineup. The base Mini Cooper convertible will run $26,800, the Cooper S will cost $30,450, and the John Cooper Works model will be priced at...
Kirk Bell -
Hyundai & MINI Hire Some Big Names For Super Bowl 50: VideoWhen it comes to Super Bowl spots, animals and celebrities tend to be the two most popular options. We’ll be seeing both during Super Bowl 50, where on February 7 the Carolina Panthers will take on the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Yesterday, we saw...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
MINI Confirms Super Bowl 50 SpotMINI is set to return to the Super Bowl after a five-year hiatus. The automaker has teamed up with advertising agency Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners to craft a 30-second spot that will feature in the third-quarter of the game. The information was confirmed by a MINI spokesperson to Advertising...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran