The F56 MINI electric didn’t outsell the petrol version but then again MINI doesn’t have the capacity to allow for that. What it did do was nearly double it’s sales with a 98.2% increase.Combined with the strength of the plugin hybrid Countryman, electrified MINIs accounted for 18% of all sales for the brand. The result was 302,144 units sold – a 3.3% increase over 2020.

It gets more interesting as you lookout individual markets. For instance in Germany over 30% of all MINIs sold were electrified – the vast majority being the full electric Cooper SE.

The JCW Sub-brand Comes Into Its Own

What once was an afterthought for MINI has become a major revenue center. The JCW brand sold a total of 21,132 vehicles which was a 2.4% increase over the previous year. That increase the JCW share of total MINI sales to 7.0%.

O F F I C I A L R E L E A S E

MINI is growing and electrifying. The British premium car brand was able to increase worldwide vehicle sales by 3.3 percent to 302 144 units 2021. The MINI models with electrified drive systems experienced a real boom in demand. Their sales figures climbed by 64.3 percent to 53 243 vehicles – around 18% of total worldwide sales in 2021. The winner of the year was the fully electric MINI Cooper SE. The MINI Electric even managed to almost double its sales (plus 98.2 percent). It is now already the most popular model variant in the entire MINI product range.

34 851 units of the MINI Cooper SE were sold worldwide last year. This means that every third customer of a MINI 3-door opted for locally emission-free driving fun. In addition, 18 392 units of the MINI Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 were sold. The plug-in hybrid model recorded a sales increase of 24.2 percent. Almost every fourth newly registered MINI Countryman hit the road with an electrified drivetrain.

“The excellent overall result and the fact that every tenth new MINI is fully electric show that our strategy for the future is setting the right priorities,” says Bernd Körber, Head of the MINI Brand. “The MINI community is growing, and it is moving towards electromobility with great strides.”

Almost every third new MINI in Germany electrified.
The world’s most important market for the MINI Cooper SE in 2021 was again Germany, where more than 10,000 units of the fully electric model variant were sold. Added to this were 3 473 units of the MINI Cooper SE Countryman ALL4, so that in Germany around 31 percent of all newly registered MINIs in 2021 are electrified.

A higher proportion is only achieved in a few countries worldwide, including Norway, where around 96 percent of all new MINIs delivered to customers last year had a purely electric or plug-in hybrid drivetrain. This rate is only surpassed by Iceland. There, exclusively electrified MINI were sold for the first time in 2021. The MINI Cooper SE accounted for 62 percent of sales and the MINI Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 for 38 percent.

Record sales for the John Cooper Works brand.
MINI achieved new records not only in the field of electromobility. The John Cooper Works brand also posted new record sales in 2021 with 21,132 units sold. This represents an increase of 2.4 percent compared to the previous year.

Almost 45 percent (9 389 units) of all newly registered top sports cars are based on the MINI 3-door. The MINI John Cooper Works Countryman accounted for 4 317 new vehicles, the MINI John Cooper Works Clubman accounted for 3 945 units and the MINI John Cooper Works Convertible for 3 481 new registrations.

MINI 3-door up 10.1 percent, MINI Convertible particularly popular in Germany.
Overall, the MINI 3-door led the brand’s internal sales statistics again in 2021 with 105,511 new registrations. The premium small car in the classic body variant achieved a sales increase of 10.1 percent. The MINI Countryman increased its sales figures by 6.0 percent to 82 362 units.

The number of MINI Convertibles sold worldwide increased to 25 121 units last year. Almost 7 500 of these were delivered in Germany, significantly more than in the brand’s British home market (3 580 units), in the USA (3 380 units) or in sunny countries such as France, Spain or Italy.

British home also frequent sales market for MINI in 2021.
Premium automobiles of the MINI brand are now available in 109 countries around the world. Also in 2021, the highest sales figures were recorded in the home country of Great Britain, where 46,211 vehicles of the brand were delivered. The second most important sales market was Germany with another 43,004 units. It was followed by China (30,546 units, up 5.2 percent) and the USA (29,930 units, up 6.3 percent).

Record results and particularly high growth rates were recorded in individual markets in all sales regions. In Europe, Romania in particular stood out with an increase in sales of 28.9 percent, France with an increase of 16.3 percent and Italy with growth of 9.5 percent. In addition, MINI was able to achieve the highest number of new registrations in Greece, Finland, Poland, Hungary and Malta since the brand was launched in the respective countries.

In Israel, a sales increase of 20.0 percent was achieved in 2021, in Dubai the increase was 27.1 percent and in Morocco even 50.4 percent. Growth in Brazil (up 14.3 percent) and Australia (22.9 percent) was also impressive. MINI also set new sales records in the markets of New Zealand, Thailand, Qatar and the island states of Mauritius and Jamaica.

The post 2021 Global MINI Rebound With JCWs and The MINI Electric Being Big Gains appeared first on MotoringFile.

We have never shied away from showing our love for the current range of MINI products. They are faster, better built and offer higher levels of tech, comfort and safety than anything before them. Yet we can’t help but feel the brand (and the world) lost something special when the MINI R53 Cooper S (and the R50 Cooper) went out of production. But here’s the good news; there are 100s of thousands of those cars out there ready to be driven and enjoyed. We think it’s time for MINI to embrace those cars like they have classic BMWs and allow their owners to reimagine them. Now let’s jump start the process by telling them where to start.

MINI R53 newly manufactured Old Parts

Let’s start with newly manufactured parts that have been unavailable. The fact I can get brand new parts for my 50 year old BMW 2002 tells you what’s possible. With modern small batch production and 3D printing, MINI could make the case for producing key parts that have been long out of stock. Or even more forward thinking, open source the schematics and let owners and small businesses 3D print and batch manufacturer themselves. Parts like super chargers and other mechanical would be a great place to start. But what about high-ware items or interior trim that has long gone out of stock? Tell us (and MINI) what you’d like to see in the comments below.

MINI r53 Upgrades Not Possible 20 Years Ago

Companies like Singer have taken this as far as it can go. But we think there’s some interesting middle-ground for MINI to play in. What if MINI started retrofitting JCW kits to older cars at dealers again? Or worked with H/K to bring some form of all screen head-unit that ran a small version of CarPlay? How about an aluminum sunroof insert to replace those that have begun to leak or rattle constantly? Or what if MINI worked with a company like Singer to re-create the R53 completely. It might be pricey but imagine the possibilities.

Those are just thought starters. Let us know what you want in the comments.

Sound off and Let Us (and MINI) Know Your Ideas

As brands embrace electrification, we believe it’s also time for them to embrace some of their older, most beloved models. For MINI there’s no question that’s the MINI R53 and it’s generation of models. Born in the most turbulent of times for the brand, they defied everything to become instant classics. Now it’s time for BMW to treat them that way.

And the good news? We believe more than a few people at BMW are beginning to think the same thing.

The post Opinion: It’s Time for BMW To Embrace MINI R53 Generation appeared first on MotoringFile.

Global MINI sales rose back above the 300,000 mark in 2021 with a total of 302,144 vehicles delivered to customers. that’s more than a 3.3 percent more than in 2020 despite massive supply shortages.

Interestingly, around 17 percent of these vehicles had an electrified drive train. But even more interesting is that one in ten MINI customers opted for the an electric MINI with 34,851 units sold. That actually made the all elelctric MINI Cooper SE is the brand’s highest-volume model for 2021, delivering growth of 98.2 percent worldwide.

That bodes well for the brand’s strategy of becoming all electric in the early 2030s. With the next generation Hatch and Countryman offering both electric and petrol power it will be fascinating to see how these figures change in the years ahead.

The post 10% Of 2021 Global MINI Buyers Bought an Electric MINI appeared first on MotoringFile.

MINI USA sales are inching upwards after revised product and aggressive pricing begin to have their impact. In total the MINI brand has seen an increase of 6.4% for 2021. But sales are just one of the metrics of success for the brand in 2021. Supply constraints and COVID have changed the way that US consumer are buying cars and that’s perhaps even more important than a sales increase for 2021.

That change has results in customers ordering cars at a level not seen since the early days of the brand in 2022. Because of this many dealers are selling cars at full price (as they did in the early years of the brand) and seeing a real increase in profit. And perhaps even more important, we’ve heard from many dealers that customers who’ve ordered their cars are walking more satisfied with the purchase and more connected to the brand than before.

MINI brand sales in the U.S. totaled 7,860 vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2021, a decrease of 8.1% vs the 8,549 vehicles sold in the fourth quarter of 2020.  For the full year 2021, MINI brand sales increased 6.4% on total sales of 29,930 vehicles compared to the 28,138 vehicles sold in 2020. Leading the way were the Countryman and the now eight year old F56 hatch (the latter being a testament to just how good that car is).

MINI Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles. 1,720 MINI Certified Pre-Owned vehicles were sold during the fourth quarter of 2021, a 20.9% decrease from the same quarter a year ago.  For the full year 2021, MINI Certified Pre-Owned sales totaled 10,527 vehicles a 10.9% increase from the 9,490 vehicles sold in 2020.

The post MINI USA Rebounds in 2021 With Higher Sales and Happier Dealers appeared first on MotoringFile.

The crazy inception of the R50 and R53 is even more an an amazing story that just gets better when you realize just how good those cars were. Literally from day one a cult following developed spawning fans, groups, clubs and an online world that rivaled much larger automakers. And that enthusiasm has only grown over the years as prices have fallen and more people have experiences these MINIs.

For years they’ve been easy to pick-up with plentiful demand and relatively low prices. However over the past 24 months we’ve started to see prices stabilize and in some cases even rise. And things like Hagerty placing the R50 on its “Bull List” for 2022 isn’t going to help.

Henry Catchpole (from EVO fame) uses this occasion to drive the R50 again and reevaluate it in a modern context. All in it’s a great video for MINI fans from the R50 time period or something looking for a bit of encouragement before taking the plunge into a near classic MINI.

The post The R50 & R53 MINI Prices Are About to Go Up appeared first on MotoringFile.

Weight is the enemy of performance. But where the weight on a car also matters. In the case of the electric MINI Cooper SE, that weight is as low as possible creating an astonished low center of gravity. Then there’s the immediacy of the torque which propels the MINI Cooper SE to 30 mph faster than any MINI ever. But what happens when you get the electric MINI Cooper SE on a track? We went to California’s BMW Performance Center to find out.

A few of quick warm-up laps on the auto-cross circuit immediately revealed a few things. For one acceleration is immediate and drama-free. The second thing is that weight. As we mentioned the center of gravity is lower than on any modern MINI ever with its 32.6 kWh lithium-ion battery wedged as low as possible.

Despite a ride height that’s an inch higher than normal, this thing is immediate in its direction changes and is extremely progressive at the limit. In fact it is the most balanced MINI I have ever driven (it has nearly a perfect 50/50 weight distribution).

About that weight. A standard Mini Cooper S weighs in between 2,700 and 2,800 depending on options. The Cooper SE is over 300 lbs heavier at 3,153 lbs. The Cooper SE constantly surprises in the way it builds speed, even up to triple digits. But there’s a clear difference at the limit as compared to a manual Cooper S or JCW. We’re not sure we miss the more nose heavy nature of those cars but we do like the quicker ability to change direction and the eagerness that less weight brings.

The JCW vs the Cooper SE at the Track

The handling balance and the immediacy of the acceleration is addicting and by our third run we had it down. So down in fact I recorded the fastest run of the day by a half a second. And from having driven the same course with the current JCW, the experience is both familiar yet totally different. With no sound other than wind and tires, there’s less sensory inputs but with that more ability to focus on what matters like braking points, steering angles and throttle modulation.

Yet there’s no question which feels more exciting – the JCW. Especially in manual form, you interact with the car in a more dynamic way connecting you with the experience at a deeper level. In the Cooper SE there’s simply less experience in the process.

Balance is another key difference. The ICE version of the F56 hatch is very nose heavy with a weight distribution of 63/37. Compare that to the electric MINI Cooper SE with an almost perfect 58/42 and you start to understand the most important difference between these cars. The unbalanced nature of the standard Cooper S makes getting speed out of it harder. But like all things that can be tricky to master, it’s ultimately a bit more rewarding when you do.

But more rewarding doesn’t always equal more fun. The electric MINI Cooper SE delivers fun with speed and balance that no MINI has before it.

Electric MINIs at the Track – Take aways

Yes electricity introduces issues at the track. Charging is an issue. But in a ICE world so are breaks and even tires. And then there’s the biggest limiting factor – mental endurance. The fact is the battery capacity isn’t really an issue in the big picture. Really what the MINI Cooper SE lacks is simply the excitement of sensory overload. The engine revving and the gears changing creates a more exciting atmosphere – no question.

What all this means is that you do not have to lose one of the best attributes MINI’s offer when you go electric. The all electric MINI Cooper SE is just at home on the track as a standard Cooper S. Its immediacy and balance make it a natural for the smaller, tighter courses and auto-crossing. And it’s ultimately easier to drive fast due to its power delivery and balance.

In many ways I preferred the experience to the JCW I had just gotten out of. It’s simpler, more focused and just as fast. And if it’s the future, even at the track, we’ll all be ok.

Pricing And Availability

The 2022 MINI Cooper SE will start at $29,900. That’s before the $7,500 federal tax incentives and before other state incentives that will likely apply. That means for most, the MINI Cooper SE could cost (after tax deductions) just over $20,000. Availability is another thing. You won’t likely find many on lots due to demand. Instead our recommendation would be ordering via your local MINI Store exactly the spec you want.

The post Track Review: The 2022 Electric MINI Cooper SE appeared first on MotoringFile.

If you’re from the UK you’ll immediately recognize Driving Home for Christmas. What you likely don’t know is how connected it is to the Mini. And if you’re from North America you’ll have no idea what this is all about. But stay with us. It’s both a great song and a great video.

O F F I C I A L R E L E A S E

If you’ve ever turned on the radio in December, you’ve definitely heard the song „Driving Home for Christmas”. The classic holiday hit was written in 1978 by Chris Rea, but didn’t become a song, much less a modern classic for almost a decade. We thought we’d honour the song and the holiday with a little poem of our own, but the whole story is even more of a festive fairy tale.  

It starts, like the best stories, from a pretty hopeless situation. Chris Rea was still a young and relatively unknown singer-songwriter when in the winter of 1978 he was faced with the prospect of a rather sad Christmas: he was almost out of his record contract and his manager was leaving him. Standing outside Abbey Road Studios, he was stranded in London, he couldn’t get back to his home in Middlesbrough, as the record company wouldn’t pay for his train ticket.  

That’s when his wife Joan came to the rescue, making the 400 km+ drive down to London in their Austin Mini, to bring her husband back home. On their way back the snow began to fall and they were constantly stuck in traffic. Rea began looking at the other drivers and they all looked miserable to him, so he, almost jokingly, started putting down the words that would become his song. Song writing can really be that spontaneous, although we’d like to think being in a cosy Austin Mini helped.  

After arriving home, and with only a few hundred pound in their pockets left, the Reas were preparing for a lean Christmas. However, waiting for them was a letter from PRS America that revealed that his song Fool (If You Think It’s Over) had been a hit in the USA. There was a cheque for £15,000 in the letter as well, which saved their Christmas.   

The song would sit on a shelf for years before one day Chris Rea and his band were testing new pianos, when they came upon a tune that fit the lyrics to “Driving Home for Christmas” perfectly. They would add the familiar jazzy intro and Christmas carol-style arrangement later, and the song that we know today was born. It was only ever included as a B-Side on a different single, as nobody thought it would become much more than that. But after a few years, and without any marketing campaign, the song slowly became a bigger and bigger hit, re-entering the charts every year. Today it is considered a real holiday staple.  

However, Chris Rea never intended to write a Christmas hit, and so the song was never released as a single, and there was no music video produced for it. Which is a shame because we think the song this good deserves a music video, and its connection to MINI meant that we wanted to give it one. So, we asked you, the MINI community to help us create a music video, a fitting tribute to one of the all-time Christmas songs, all with Chris’ blessing. 

The post MINI Creates a Brand New Video For a Famous Christmas Song appeared first on MotoringFile.

For our final show of 2021, we spend more than a fair share of time talking about the leaked 2024 MINI SE photos and the rest of the time talking about electric cars in general. Plus, a few other stories from (MotoringFile.com)[motoringfile.com]. Oh, and we might have been drinking sometime during or before this episode. We finish off talking about Todd’s new MINIs.

As mentioned, this is the last episode of 2021. We do have an inteview with Mike Peyton from the LA Auto that Gabe did a few weeks ago that I’m going to be sharing with you, if you promise to use headphones. Also, there is an episode of Black Roof, if you know the secret hand shake. I am working on a better way to get that, coming very soon!

All stories we talked about linked up below!

The MINI Cooper SE in NYC

Interview Luis Parocarpi from Lap Motorsports

Giant Killer – MINIUSA and MotorTrend The Story of MINI Cooper

Leaked 2024 MINI SE Photos

The post White Roof Radio: The MINI You Loved to Hate appeared first on MotoringFile.

A couple weeks ago we detailed the not all new petrol powered next generation MINI Cooper. Heavily based on the F56, this next generation is one of two next generation models that MINI is banking on taking the brand to 2030. However there’s a big caveat and these first photos prove that out.

There will be two next generation MINI hatches: one all new electric hatch built in China and another heavily based on the F56 built in Oxford. Sound bizarre? The electric revolution that’s happening in the industry is leading to this radical approach. In simple terms MINI needs to build multiple versions of the same car to address different markets. And instead of building two all new MINIs, they’ve decided to build an all new electric MINI on a dedicated platform and heavily modify the F56. And that next generation F56 is what showed up for the first time on roads around Munich.

The photos? We don’t own them so we can’t reproduce them. But you can imagine an F56 in yellow camo. The high-level is that it’s exactly what we thought it would be. A revised front with a slightly smaller overhang (very slightly), new lights, new wheels and no changes to the rear.

Inside it’s difficult to tell but we’d expect MINI to attempt to match the revolutionary interior of the new 2024 all electric MINI we showed you earlier this week.

The Heavily Revised 2024 F56 MINI Hatch

This heavily revised the F56 will have a new chassis designation and be sold as a new MINI hatch. But before the pitchforks come out, this may be the best news possible for a number of you. For one this won’t be what we would typically call a refresh – more on that in a minute. Second this will allow MINI to continue to offer petrol power with a manual transmission in a package that is tried and tested.

How much of a refresh? Most don’t realize that the 2007 R56 was a major refresh of the previous generation R50/R53 chassis. Will we see similar radical refresh of the F56? Likely not for two reasons. MINI is intending to keep the current engine line-up and refine them to meet tightening emissions standards. So no new engines but likely different tunes. MINI also doesn’t need to fix any significant issues like they did on the R50 which was never engineered to BMW quality standards. Based on this we believe that the changes we’ll see on this refresh/next generation F56 will be focused on design and technology with important tweaks to performance.

Outside expect a new crash structure upfront to slightly shorten the front overhang and for MINI to heavily revised the lighting front and back. Look for all new wheels and colors across all trim levels.

Inside MINI will likely adopt the larger screens we’ve seen previewed in the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer. Along with that expect more technology relating to accident avoidance and more sophisticated radar cruise control.

We also wouldn’t be surprised to see the four door hatch revised more heavily making the rear a bit more like the current Clubman. While it’s just a guess we do know that MINI intends increase the size of the Countryman and likely kill the Clubman altogether. That could make room for the four door hatch to increase in size by simply squaring off the rear and creating a more Clubman-esque look.

2025 MINI Hatch – Engine Updates

The petrol powered range will use an evolution of the current B48 engine range with mild-hybrid added to decrease CO2 and add performance. As we detailed in our recent preview of the next generation MINI Countryman, every petrol powered engine is a revision of an existing one. So things will look familiar but we believe numbers might rise slightly. The 1.5 three cylinder could use a more powerful BMW tune that would see it rise to 137 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. Then there’s a series of 2.0 four cylinder that could also use various BMW tunes; 170 hp and 206 ft-lbs and 218 hp and 265 ft-lbs. All petrol engines will get a 48 volt mild hybrid system and will be mated to a revised 7-speed dual clutch with an all new gear selector design. The manual transmission’s days may be numbered but we believe it will stick around through the end of the decade in most markets.

One thing that has become clear is that MINI has no plans for a plug-in hybrid for it’s smaller range of cars. While there’s mild hybrid capabilities coming, that’s minor added functionality mainly focused on smoothing out auto stop-start and reducing CO2 output in specific moments of operation.

The 2025 MINI Hatch – When Will It Be Released and Will it be Any Good?

The all electric and all new MINI hatch will arrive in late 2023 from what we’re hearing. We would expect MINI would want to separate the launch of that car and this heavily revised ICE MINI hatch. Given that the F56 hatch was just refreshed a year ago, we’d expect MINI would want to allow the current car to be on sale unchanged for at least three model years. That logic would lead us to believe we’ll see this heavily revised MINI hatch (call it the next generation if you want) around the second half of 2023 as a 2024 model.

The next question is, should you wait to buy one? As much as MINI is leaning into electrification, this revised MINI hatch will be a very important car for several key markets – notably the US. Because of that we expect that MINI would want to go out with a bang as this will be it’s last petrol powered, manual transmission small car ever made. Crucially it will also be heavily iterated and honed over its decade on the market. Those ingredients give us hope that this might be a rather special send-off for the ICE powered MINI.

The post Next Generation MINI Cooper (ICE) Seen For the First Time appeared first on MotoringFile.

MINI USA has collaborated with Motor Trend to create an all new documentary about the MINI Cooper and specifically LAP Motorsports recent success. As narrated by MINI USA’s Head of Marketing, Product and Strategy, Pat McKenna, this is the first time we’ve seen a modern story told about MINI Cooper’s recent racing success. Oh and it’s huge fun to watch – whether your a MINI fan or not.

O F F I C I A L R E L E A S E

Sixty years of motorsport success is now memorialized in a new documentary produced by MotorTrend that was released yesterday. From MINI’s first foray into racing with John Cooper in the early 1960s to the modern-day success of the MINI John Cooper Race team operated by LAP Motorsports, this ten-minute documentary captures the raw emotions and innovative spirit that have driven the brand’s competitive “David vs Goliath” spirit since MINI’s inception. 

Highlighted throughout is the inception of the classic Mini as a racecar in 1961 when John Cooper convinced original Mini designer Sir Alec Issigonis to create a high-performance variant called the Mini Cooper. The vehicle hit the track running, winning the prestigious Monte Carlo rally three times within its first decade of existence. It quickly made a name for itself as the heroed underdog challenger, by making up for a lack of straightaway speed with impressive handling and turning on tight raceways. This formula continues to make the MINI Cooper a contender among more traditional motorsport names like Porsche, BMW, Mazda and others. It also makes MINIs incredibly fun to drive for customers on the open road.

“Giant Killer: The Story of MINI Cooper”, celebrates 60 years of MINI’s racing heritage and shows how the current MINI JCW race team keeps the legacy alive and kicking,” said Patrick McKenna, Head of Marketing, Product and Strategy, MINI USA. “Our young team of race drivers carry the same underdog spirit of MINI’s motorsport history, which has helped the team capture three manufacturers’ championships in the past four years.”

The documentary also features highlights from the MINI JCW race team and its recent successes in the 2021 SRO TC America series. Under the leadership of fearless team owner and veteran crew chief Luis Perocarpi, three young, talented drivers, including Clayton Williams, Cristian Perocarpi and Derek Jones ended this season with two first-place finishes and an additional podium finish in the final race weekend. 

The post Giant Killer: The Story of The MINI Cooper appeared first on MotoringFile.

MINI has been spanning Europe with travel pieces that highlight a MINI model in a different location. For the holiday season, MINI has traveled outside of Europe and to New York where they’ve brought a Chili Red MINI Cooper SE.

O F F I C I A L R E L E A S E

Everyone who visits New York City for the first time has one big problem: Where to start in the metropolis of eight million? The city covers more than 1 200 square kilometres, is one of the most important trading centres in the world and offers a colourful selection of around 500 galleries, more than 200 museums, about 150 theatres as well as no less than 18 000 restaurants. The answer is easier if you choose to visit during the Christmas season: Manhattan. Because probably nowhere else in the world is the time before the holidays celebrated as much as there, where millions of lights enchant the city already at the beginning of December. The more than luxuriant sea of lights is a tradition, just like the streets packed with street cruisers, yellow taxis, stretch limousines and pick-ups. The sightseeing tour in the all-electric MINI Cooper SE creates a relaxing contrast. Virtually silent and locally emission-free, the MINI Electric offers a glimpse of the urban mobility of the future all on its own in New York.

Even in Manhattan, the MINI Cooper SE moves cleverly between sporty temperament and stylish restraint. Its 135 kW/184 hp electric motor accelerates it to 60 km/h in just 3.9 seconds at traffic lights. Sustained driving pleasure is thus guaranteed. And wherever things are a little quieter, pedestrians and cyclists are alerted to its approach by a drive sound specially developed for the MINI Electric and broadcast via exterior loudspeakers at low speed.

An ideal starting point for the somewhat different city tour is Central Park – and there the famous ice rink in the southern part of the green space. Wollman Rink has been the backdrop for many Hollywood films such as Love Story and is as popular with New Yorkers as it is with tourists. It is an experience to be on the ice amidst the skyscrapers with a view of the Christmas skyline of Manhattan and then to explore the wintry park on foot.

A visit to New York in December naturally includes extensive Christmas shopping. The city is decorated everywhere, the shop windows glitter, tell stories and make the eyes light up. The Macy’s department stores’ (151 West 34th Street) is particularly splendid. There, not only the beautifully decorated shop windows, but above all Santa Claus himself awaits visitors young and old. In the famous Santa Land on Macy’s eighth floor, everyone can make their Christmas wishes.

Via the famous 5th Avenue and West 59th Street, we then go directly to Columbus Circle. The Christmas market there is one of the most atmospheric in New York. The shops in the southwest corner of the park are colourfully lit. Twelve stars more than four metres high hang from the 30-metre-high ceiling of the Time Warner Center. The light show “Under the Stars” is a real New York tradition. The Christmas market on Union Square, on the other hand, is almost European, where numerous New York artists and craftsmen show their talent and creativity amidst stalls with food, drinks and sweets.

On the way to more shopping hotspots, the MINI Electric rolls along The Plaza at the intersection of 5th Avenue and East 59th Street. The hotel with the imposing French-style façade has served as a hostel for wealthy and famous guests for more than 100 years. Nearly 30 years ago, it was one of the locations of the successful cinema comedy “Kevin – Alone in New York”. Donald Trump, then owner of The Plaza, plays a small supporting role in it. 

Whether you’re a parent, grandparent or godmother, if you have a wish list written by a child in your pocket on your New York tour, you’ll inevitably be drawn to the FAO Schwarz toy shop. Once the largest toy shop in the world, it was located on 5th Avenue until 2015 and reopened in Rockefeller Plaza in 2018. Much of the old charm remains, including the “Big Piano” on the floor, made famous by Tom Hanks’ dance in the film “Big”. The assortment is huge, and some people buy more than will eventually fit under the Christmas tree. There is plenty of room for this in the luggage compartment of the MINI Cooper SE. It can be expanded from 211 to 731 litres. Thanks to the high-voltage battery located deep in the vehicle floor, the MINI Electric offers exactly the same stowage volume as the conventionally powered MINI 3-door.

Close to the New York’s Toy Paradise, at 1260 6th Avenue, there is Radio City Music Hall. This is where the world-famous Radio City Christmas Spectacular is performed, one of the most iconic Christmas shows in New York. It includes everything that belongs to the great celebration: from Father Christmas to the Nutcracker to the birth of Christ. And right next door at Rockefeller Center is probably the most famous Christmas tree in the world. This year it is a 25-metre tall spruce from the state of Maryland. On its top sits a large star, designed by star designer Daniel Libeskind. More than 50,000 coloured lights illuminate the tree.

At this sight, hardly anyone might think of the associated electricity bill. But after all, not everything that is fun can be as efficient as a MINI Electric. Its motor works very frugally, and in addition, electricity can be fed back into the high-voltage battery again and again during the drive in push and braking phases. The driver can individually determine the intensity of the braking energy recuperation via a toggle switch. The higher of the two recuperation modes ensures a particularly strong expression of the characteristic one-pedal feeling. When the accelerator pedal is released, electricity is fed back into the high-voltage battery and the vehicle is braked at the same time.

What’s more, the LED headlights and LED rear lights in the characteristic Union Jack design also require very little energy. The same applies to the MINI Cooper SE’s automatic climate control. Its interior is heated with the aid of a heat pump that absorbs waste heat from the engine, the drive control unit and the high-voltage battery as well as from the outside air and uses it to generate cosy temperatures. It is characterised by particularly favourable efficiency and uses up to 75 percent less energy than a conventional electric heating system while providing a high level of climate comfort in winter operation.

A fitting end to the pre-Christmas sightseeing tour is a visit to the newest observation deck in New York: The Summit One Vanderbilt (45 E 42nd Street). It is located very close to Bryant Park and Grand Central Station and has been open to guests since October 2021. From a height of 427 metres, there is a wonderful view of the nearby Empire State Building, the East River and Central Park. Speaking of the Empire State Building, the music-to-light show there is worth seeing. The already impressive illumination of the Empire State Building is synchronised every night to songs by stars – and at Christmas you can expect some particularly festive music.

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Breaking across social media today was several photos of the all new electric MINI completely uncovered. As we reported a few weeks ago, this is the Chinese made, all electric MINI which represents an entirely new start for the brand. With a bespoke electric platform, MINI has been able to shrink the size of the car while maintaining the sale interior proportions. But what these photos also show us is where MINI has been both evolutionary and revolutionary in its design.

Last week we detailed MINI’s two-model strategy for its core product – the MINI hatch. Yes two cars built on two platforms and on two different continents. Why the radical move? While MINI is moving forward in electrifying the brand, many key markets have some real hurdles that might slow adoption. Therefore MINI wants to continue offering a heavily modified version of its F56 for another generation. That will leaves the forthcoming all electric 2024 MINI hatch a ground-up new product. What should we expect? Based on sources a lot in a slightly small package.

Co-developed with GWM and BMW and built in China, the electric hatch will point to the future of the brand in many ways. While the camouflaged car you see above may look like an evolution, under the skin and inside the cabin things have been completely revolutionized.

2024 Electric MINI Hatch – Exterior Design

Yes the all new 2024 electric MINI will actually be slightly smaller than the current F56 hatch. While it’s not dramatic there are some nuanced changes that will allow the car to shrink while maintaining the same interior volume. The proportions are right. That was our first thought as we started to open up these images. Even the belt-line to wheel ratio seems better judged than the current F56 generation of cars. Key to good proportions is the reduction of overhangs front and back.

The new headlights are an evolution of the current design but appear smaller with bisecting horizontal bar that will like form the day time running lights. Expect all electric MINIs to come with LEDs front to back.

The rear lights are sure to create debate. They’re still Union Jack derived designs (which is slightly obscured) but have become much more angular. The hatch itself has gotten much wider and likely more usable because of it.

The face is clearly an evolution of the current design language but has been further refined and reduced. It would seem that Oliver Hielmer has been true to his word around functionally driven design. There are no faux vents or scoops here on the Cooper S model.

2024 Electric MINI Hatch – A Major Update In Technology & Design

If you want an revolution, look inside where MINI has radically rethought the interior. The current design language is gone and replaced with a minimal look and feel that is breathtaking at first glance. The center screen appears to be a single piece of round glass that looks unlike anything we’ve ever seen outside of a MINI concept. Also Gone is the traditional gauge cluster and in its place a heads-up display.

Also seen here for the first time is a hint at some of the new materials MINI has been talking about lately. The dash material is intriguing as is the strap to the right of the center display.

As part of this new generation MINI is rethinking it’s approach to infotainment and vehicle connectivity. Recently MINI told us that the brand is “working up fresh ideas on the design of urban mobility in the future and the User Experience associated with the use of the display and control system of MINI makes a major contribution to the driving fun so typical of the brand.” Key to this is seamless integration with smartphones outside and inside of the car. Supporting this will be a new version of the MINI App which will morph into a community platform that not only deepens the relationship between driver and car but also connects MINI fans with each other. What that means remains to be seen.

2024 Electric MINI Hatch – Range and Performance

MINI will offer the 2024 electric MINI hatch in several trim levels which likely have correspond to different range and performance figures. However on the whole, the new MINI will offer much more performance and range than the current Cooper SE. If rumors are to be believe, MINI will make use of the Ora Kat’s single electric motor producing 169bhp and 184lb ft, (which results in a 0-31mph in 3.8sec) and come with driver assistance systems not seen in small cars before. It will also feature a range of around 250 miles in base form. That last number is identical to what we’ve heard from sources about the next generation MINI (although expect that to be closer to 200 miles on the EPA’s testing cycle). We’d also expect a Cooper S and even JCW variant with even greater performance.

We have to stress these are unverified rumors at this point and BMW may leverage their own electric drivetrain tech which is quickly becoming world-class.

2024 Electric MINI Hatch – Launch Dates

We expect the all electric MINI hatch to be unveiled in either late 2022 or early 2023. Our sources point to sales starting sometime in the second half of 2023 globally.

We will have much more on the new all electric MINI hatch in the days ahead.

2024 Electric MINI Hatch Gallery

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O F F I C I A L R E L E A S E

During the DDW the work and ideas of more than 2,600 designers are presented to more than 350,000 visitors. The general vision of the Dutch Design Week perfectly matches MINI’s vision of innovative, future-oriented mobility, sustainability and design. As the proud mobility partner of the DDW, MINI Netherlands looks back at the successful collaboration.

MINI VOICES x DDW

To celebrate the success of the partnership with the DDW, MINI Netherlands selected two design studios as its MINI VOICES: BYBORRE and Studio RENS.

With MINI VOICES a platform has been created for people and initiatives who have the potential to change the world. In different European countries, MINI supports creative businesses and start-ups who are addressing today’s social challenges with their unusual ideas, showing how a sustainable, socially responsible future can be shaped. 
Borre Akkersdijk, from BYBORRE, was the winner of the MINI Young Designer Award in 2012 and in 2021 the winner of the Dutch Design Award in the category product design. BYBORRE is internationally known as a textile innovator. Next to MINI’s connection with BYBORRE dating back to 2012, Borre Akkersdijk has also a link with the MINI Vision Urbanaut – the concept of MINI which was also showcased during the DDW. One of the textiles used in the MINI Vision Urbanaut is designed by studio BYBORRE. BYBORRE is stretching the boundaries of textile development by giving makers the creative freedom to create their own textiles. The makers themselves can determine the colors, designs, functionality and textures thanks to direct access to the technology and the possibility of circular knitting machines. Customized textile creation for all makers who highly value performance, aesthetics and impact of their textiles on our world – in industries like fashion and clothing, interior and now also in the automotive. 

Studio RENS, founded by Renee Mennen and Stefanie van Keijsteren, is a research-based studio with a playful vision and a distinct approach to design. By exploring and pushing the boundaries of both colour and material the duo is developing interior objects, rugs and tapestries. Designs that meet the creativity of the renowned labels they are working with – or to enrich and extend their exclusive collection. Studio RENS is designing based on research. The duo is initiating projects from Eindhoven where colour has a central role.

“BYBORRE and Studio RENS are two super talented and internationally recognized design studios both committed to a sustainable way of doing business. We see many similarities with MINI in terms of thinking out of the box, challenging the status quo and embracing sustainable entrepreneurship,” says Daniëlle Dieben, Head of MINI Netherlands.

Borre Akkersdijk, the CCO and co-founder of BYBORRE: “We believe that the creators are the gatekeepers of doing better. BYBORRE Create is a digital platform that breaks down the design and production process in three simple steps, allowing creators to innovate, make better products, fewer mistakes and less harm to the environment.” Studio RENS is also focusing on fixed business patterns and how to break these: “by understanding, visualizing and breaking through fixed ‘company patterns’ innovation appears,” according to Renee Mennen.

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There will be two next generation MINI hatches. We’re not talking models – we’re talking two completely different cars built in different parts of the world and different platforms. Sound bizarre? The electric revolution that’s happening in the industry is leading to this radical approach. But what this means to you depends on what flavor of MINI you want.

Recently MINI release photos and early information about what they’re calling the next generation MINI. But that’s the full story. What they’ve been focused is the entirely new, all electric hatch which will be built in collaboration with Great Wall Motors in China. But there’s another hatch which might be just as if not more important for the MINI fans. Today we’re going to take a closer look at the next generation MINI hatch built in Oxford and offered exclusively with an internal combustion engine (ICE). The last ICE MINI hatch might not be all new but it might just be pretty special.

The Heavily Revised 2024 F56 MINI Hatch

Yes you’re reading that correctly. MINI intends to heavily revise the F56, give it a new chassis designation and sell it as a new MINI hatch. But before the pitchforks come out, this may be the best news possible for a number of you. For one this won’t be what we would typically call a refresh – more on that in a minute. Second this will allow MINI to continue to offer petrol power with a manual transmission in a package that is tried and tested.

How much of a refresh? Most don’t realize that the 2007 R56 was a major refresh of the previous generation R50/R53 chassis. Will we see similar radical refresh of the F56? Likely not for two reasons. MINI is intending to keep the current engine line-up and refine them to meet tightening emissions standards. So no new engines but likely different tunes. MINI also doesn’t need to fix any significant issues like they did on the R50 which was never engineered to BMW quality standards. Based on this we believe that the changes we’ll see on this refresh/next generation F56 will be focused on design and technology with important tweaks to performance.

Outside expect a new crash structure upfront to slightly shorten the front overhang and for MINI to heavily revised the lighting front and back. Look for all new wheels and colors across all trim levels.

Inside MINI will likely adopt the larger screens we’ve seen previewed in the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer. Along with that expect more technology relating to accident avoidance and more sophisticated radar cruise control.

We also wouldn’t be surprised to see the four door hatch revised more heavily making the rear a bit more like the current Clubman. While it’s just a guess we do know that MINI intends increase the size of the Countryman and likely kill the Clubman altogether. That could make room for the four door hatch to increase in size by simply squaring off the rear and creating a more Clubman-esque look.

2025 MINI Hatch – Engine Updates

The petrol powered range will use an evolution of the current B48 engine range with mild-hybrid added to decrease CO2 and add performance. As we detailed in our recent preview of the next generation MINI Countryman, every petrol powered engine is a revision of an existing one. So things will look familiar but we believe numbers might rise slightly. The 1.5 three cylinder could use a more powerful BMW tune that would see it rise to 137 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. Then there’s a series of 2.0 four cylinder that could also use various BMW tunes; 170 hp and 206 ft-lbs and 218 hp and 265 ft-lbs. All petrol engines will get a 48 volt mild hybrid system and will be mated to a revised 7-speed dual clutch with an all new gear selector design. The manual transmission’s days may be numbered but we believe it will stick around through the end of the decade in most markets.

One thing that has become clear is that MINI has no plans for a plug-in hybrid for it’s smaller range of cars. While there’s mild hybrid capabilities coming, that’s minor added functionality mainly focused on smoothing out auto stop-start and reducing CO2 output in specific moments of operation.

The 2025 MINI Hatch – When Will It Be Released and Will it be Any Good?

The all electric and all new MINI hatch will arrive in late 2023 from what we’re hearing. We would expect MINI would want to separate the launch of that car and this heavily revised ICE MINI hatch. Given that the F56 hatch was just refreshed a year ago, we’d expect MINI would want to allow the current car to be on sale unchanged for at least three model years. That logic would lead us to believe we’ll see this heavily revised MINI hatch (call it the next generation if you want) around the second half of 2024 as a 2025 model.

The next question is, should you wait to buy one? As much as MINI is leaning into electrification, this revised MINI hatch will be a very important car for several key markets – notably the US. Because of that we expect that MINI would want to go out with a bang as this will be it’s last petrol powered, manual transmission small car ever made. Crucially it will also be heavily iterated and honed over its decade on the market. Those ingredients give us hope that this might be a rather special send-off for the ICE powered MINI.

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MINI UK has partnered with Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, on a mission to help dogs travel happier across the nation and become the first officially dog-friendly car retailer by 2022. Dogs in MINIs is something that always made sense to us. And as MINI has found out, MINI owners tend to be dog owners. But there are a few key things to keep in mind as MINI reminds us.

OFFICIAL RELEASE

One in three households in the UK now include a dog[1] and online searches for ‘how to travel with a dog’ have risen by 97%[2] ahead of the holiday season, so MINI and Dogs Trust have compiled five top tips for calmer car journeys.

GET YOUR CAR AND CANINE ACQUAINTED.
It’s a good idea to introduce car travel gently and as early on as possible. Dogs having choice around a new or scary thing improves their confidence long-term.

You can start by simply acquainting your dog or puppy with the car itself. Encourage them to have a good sniff and get familiar with your vehicle’s scent. Open up the doors and boot, allowing them to hop in and out at their leisure. A tasty reward for their nose work will help build positive associations with the car.

IT’S ALL IN THE BODY LANGUAGE.
Signs of distress can be shaking, panting and pulling away from the car. There are so many reasons a dog might feel anxious about car journeys – so introduce your dog to the car slowly and try to take some trips purely for fun to the beach or park. That way you’ll begin to build positive associations. Watch out for signs of over-stimulation and stress and take a break and a few steps back to the point your dog was comfortable.

KEEP YOUR HOUND SAFE AND SOUND.
Consider where your dog will travel and protect your pooch by securing them in place with a harness, guard or crate. That way they’ll be restrained if you have to make a sudden stop. It’ll also help to keep them out of the driver’s way, and avoid distractions while you’re on the move.

THREE POINT TURN.
Can your dog do a ‘three-point turn’ in the back of the car? Your dog should be able to stand up, turn around comfortably and lie down in their space in the car.

IN CAR SNACKS.
Everyone enjoys an in-car treat, including your doggie pals. Bring your pooches’ favourite treats on trips to reward them for being a great travel companion. You could prepare them a long-lasting chew for the journey or a passenger could drop them a little reward every now and then.

David George, Director of MINI UK says, “With more dogs in families now than ever before, we’re really happy to be working with Dogs Trust to support our MINI and dog-loving customers to help make sure they travel safely and enjoy the ride.”

MINI is a sponsor at DogFest Christmas at Crystal Palace Park on Saturday 27^thNovember and Dogs Trust are the official charity partner for the event. Visitors will be able to try out the travel tips first-hand with a MINI Clubman, or even have a go around the MINI Dogstacle course, as well as visit the Dogs Trust Village to find out more about the important work they do. 

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If you live in an area that gets snow and you have summer, we need to talk. If you’ve been following MotoringFile for any time you’ll know we are big proponents of winter tires for climates that see cold temperatures and snow fall. If you’ve tried to drive summer tires in snow you’ll know immediately why. But one aspect that gets missed about winter tires is that they’re not just designed for snow. Modern winter tires are created with compounds that adhere to the road no matter how cold temperatures get. Compare that to summer tires which not only have no grip in snow but little to know grip on dry cold pavement as well.

Summer in the Winter Doesn’t Work

Having to deal with a front wheel drive car with summer tires through a Chicago winter doesn’t fall into the fun category. With big blocks of tread that don’t adhere well to anything below 40F, summer tires simply aren’t intended to ever deal with the white stuff (let alone the cold stuff). Why? Winter tires work due to more flexible sidewalls, winter tread patterns, deeper tread depth, and most importantly, rubber compounds that remain soft in the lowest temperatures. In other words chemistry.

A few years back we ended up with Summer tires on your F56 Cooper S for longer than we’d like one winter. Due to a mix-up we soldiered through hoping that relatively small size 195 width would help. It didn’t. Our Goodyear summer tires simply could not dig into snow no matter what the depth. While they had better lateral grip than we would have expected (thank God) the ability to get off the line was all but zero in snowy conditions. Serious skill was required to do pretty much anything from starting at a light to parallel parking. Luckily we had our own snow package which consisted of the largest possible square-point shovel that would fit in the boot.

In case you skipped to the end, the official MotoringFile position is pretty clear. We don’t recommend summer tires in winter weather. That means any environment that is consistently below 40F and gets any kind of freezing precipitation.

Winter Tires or All Seasons?

This is pretty simple. All seasons are ok at everything and great at nothing. If you can afford the hassle and extra cash, we would highly recommend a set of dedicated summer and winter tires if you live in an environment that gets any type of snow or the cold dips regularly below 40.

Our Winter Tires Recommendation

There are plenty of good snow tire options out there. In our experience if you live in an area that gets a fair amount of snow and care about dry performance, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 is a good bet. We prefer it over the LM-32s we have on our current JCW Countryman as they deliver better non-snow performance while being respectable in snow. But there are plenty of other newer options out like the Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 or the runflat Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D DSST.

What makes all of these tires great (and pretty much all winter tires for that matter) is the use of a winter ready compound that features a hydrophilic coating and microscopic bite particles that are meant to absorb water and create grip through snow. But beyond working in snow this combination allows the compound to remain flexible and maintain grip in temperatures well below-freezing. That last bit is just as important as snow performance as much of our Chicago winters are spent on dry cold roads.

Winter tires coupled with the JCW Countryman all wheel drive system you tend to feel invisible in most scenarios. The combination plays along nicely with near seamless torque transitions from front to back and side to side. The best part however is the fact that up to 80% of torque can be routed to the rear wheels giving the JCW Countryman (and Clubman) the ability to quickly pivot from understeer to oversteer if provoked. Not a bad trick for empty snow-covered country roads.

Our recommendation is rather simple. If you live in an area that regularly gets snow and can afford to have two sets of tires, get winter tires. Summer tires are ideal for temps above 40 degrees and winter tires are ideal for temps below. It’s really that simple. And all-season tires (as good as they have gotten) aren’t great at anything. So if you want your MINI to have the ultimate no matter what the weather, consider dedicated summer and winter tires.

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MINI is giving us a look back at the history of the MINI Cooper and specifically the sporty side of things.

OFFICIAL RELEASE

For automotive fans with manual skills, the premises in the London suburb of Surbiton must have been a paradise. Scrap metal everywhere, car parts, tyres and a dedicated father screwing on cars and bikes in a garage. And in the middle of it, a certain John Cooper, who created the basis for an extraordinary career as an engineer of racing cars right there immediately after the end of the Second World War. To this day, his name is not only associated with great successes in Formula One, but also with the particularly sporty models of the MINI brand. It was thanks to John Cooper’s commitment that a more powerful model variant of the revolutionary small car came onto the market just two years after the classic Mini was introduced in 1959. The Mini Cooper immediately impressed with its spirited power delivery and high agility. Even 60 years later, the names of the tradition-steeped British car manufacturer and the legendary sports car engineer are remarkably often mentioned in the same context when it comes to maximum driving fun with minimal external dimensions.

The basis for this connection is the truly authentic sporting spirit. In Great Britain, the desire to race reawakened soon after the end of the war. All over the country, tracks were marked out and competitions held. John Cooper had the talent and ambition to make his mark on this scene. He was just 23 years old when he and his father Charles founded the Cooper Car Company in 1946, which soon developed and built successful Formula 3 and Formula 2 racing cars. The son’s inventive spirit culminated in the construction of a new type of Formula 1 racing car in which the engine did not work in front of the driver, as was customary at the time, but behind him. Cooper celebrated his first victories with it in 1958. In 1959 and 1960, Jack Brabham even became world champion on Cooper. And the revolutionary mid-engine principle established itself permanently in Grand Prix racing. Cooper’s team remained active in Formula 1 until the end of the 1960s. Among the most famous pilots, besides Jack Brabham, were Sir Stirling Moss, Bruce McLaren and Jochen Rindt.

While his groundbreaking Formula 1 racing cars have long been history, John Cooper’s influence on the sporting driving experience in production vehicles lives on until today. In this field, too, it all began with a revolutionary design. While John Cooper was busy making his mark on formula racing, engineer Alec Issigonis had developed a new small car for the British Motor Corporation. With an exterior length of just over three metres, the classic Mini offered an astonishing amount of space for four passengers and their luggage. Issigonis had arranged the engine transversely at the front, with the gearbox directly below. Wheels positioned far out and short overhangs did the rest. With its transversely positioned four-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive, the classic Mini provided the basis for a design for small and compact cars that was completely new at the time and is still in use today.

The classic Mini started with an engine output of 34 hp, but it was light and exhibited strikingly agile cornering performance thanks to front-wheel drive, a wide track and a torsionally rigid body. While Issigonis primarily had a low-priced and economical vehicle for everyone in mind, John Cooper immediately recognised the sporting potential of the classic Mini. The two ingenious engineers had already met during joint racing activities, later also cultivated business relations and developed an intimate friendship over time. Nevertheless, it took a lot of persuasion to raise the sporting temperament of the classic Mini. With the blessing of the BMC management, John Cooper therefore initially had a small series of 1,000 vehicles built, whose modified engine, expanded in displacement to just under 1.0 litres, generated 55 hp, which was enough for a top speed of 135 km/h. Cooper also provided a closer-ratio gearbox, a better-guided gear lever, disc brakes on the front wheels and wider tyres. In addition, the roof was colour-contrasted and the interior was two-tone. Thus, the first Mini Cooper came onto the market in September 1961.

The reactions were euphoric and left only one wish unfulfilled: even more power. Cooper and Issigonis, who had become convinced of the sporting talent of the classic Mini, increased the engine capacity to 1071 cubic centimetres. This increased the output to 70 hp. The chassis technology provided another important boost for the classic Mini’s sporting career: Issigonis had also broken new ground in the areas of steering and wheel suspension, thus laying the foundation for the go-kart feeling that is still famous today. Homokinetic universal joints reduced the influence of the drive on the steering, a subframe to which the rear wheels were also attached improved directional stability, a rubber suspension and small telescopic shock absorbers ensured fine response and progressive spring action.

The Mini Cooper was immediately successful on racetracks and rally tracks. It became a legend with its appearances at the Monte Carlo Rally. In 1963, the Finn Rauno Aaltonen achieved the first class victory. In addition to trophies, the Mini Cooper gained more and more popularity year after year during its appearances. Its success in competition with numerous much larger and more powerful rivals made it a favourite with the public. The acclaimed highlights were the overall victories achieved with the Mini Cooper S at the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965 and 1967. Only then did the rally career of the classic Mini draw to a close.

On the road, the Mini Cooper thrilled its fans from 1961 to 1971, during which time its model designation became synonymous with passionate driving fun. The name John Cooper remained consistently present among fans of the classic Mini. The tuning kits developed by Cooper for Mini production vehicles met with great demand in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1990, the Mini Cooper returned to the model range. The 1.3-litre four-cylinder engine with initially 61 hp now worked under the short bonnet. Thus, fans once again conquered the hairpin bends and serpentines of this world with an agile and sporty Mini Cooper. This version with 63 hp was built until autumn 2000. The successor was already ready for take-off at that time.

The takeover of the Rover Group by BMW at the beginning of 1994 opened up completely new perspectives for the MINI brand. At the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt in 1997, the study of a MINI Cooper was presented, which offered the prospect of a new edition of the unique British small car. As a modern interpretation of the traditional vehicle concept, it combined the classic values of its predecessor with the requirements of a modern automobile on the threshold of the 21st century. Thus, in 2001, the new MINI saw the streetlight of the world.

The new MINI was bigger, chicer, more colourful and, of course, technically up to date. And it also transferred the typical go-kart feeling of the classic Mini into the modern era. At the same time, the MINI produced in Oxford, England, presented itself as the first premium vehicle in the small car segment. Unlike the classic one, the MINI Cooper was now immediately part of the starting line-up. With a maximum output of 85 kW/115 hp, it lived up to its name. Engine and chassis design immediately formed a harmonious alliance for maximum driving pleasure. The four-cylinder engine, once again mounted transversely at the front, now had a displacement of 1.6 litres. Its power enabled the MINI Cooper to sprint from standstill to 100 km/h in 9.2 seconds and to reach a top speed of 197 km/h. The high-quality chassis technology of the MINI Cooper included McPherson struts on the front axle, axle shafts of equal length and a multi-link rear axle unique in the small car segment, disc brakes on all four wheels as well as the DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) driving stability system.

The desire for even more power was also fulfilled with the modern MINI. The 120 kW/163 hp MINI Cooper S followed as early as autumn 2001.

In November 2006, the new edition of the modern MINI was launched with an evolutionary design development and a fundamental technical overhaul. “From the Original to the Original”, the MINI’s visual appearance, which has received the highest marks of approval, was refined in numerous details, which in particular emphasised the sporting virtues of the compact curve artist even more clearly. The MINI Cooper with 88 kW/120 hp and the MINI Cooper S with 128 kW/175 hp, which were available at the time of their market launch, immediately impressed with their enhanced performance and significantly reduced fuel consumption and emissions. Two years later, the sporty characteristics of a Mini Cooper could also be experienced for the first time with a highly efficient diesel engine. In the MINI Cooper D, 81 kW/110 hp, and in the Mini Cooper SD, which was introduced shortly afterwards, 125 kW/170 hp provided a powerful drive.

When developing the modern MINI around the turn of the millennium, Mike Cooper had already brought the know-how gathered in his family into the project. John Cooper’s son was passionately committed to particularly sporty versions of the MINI. In the following years, the tradition-steeped connection became even closer. At the beginning of 2007, the BMW Group acquired the brand rights of John Cooper Garages. As a result of this arrangement, the John Cooper Works brand has been an official part of the MINI brand since 2008. Since then, the extremely sporty John Cooper Works models have represented the maximum power and performance that can be experienced in a MINI.

Even in the current model generation, the MINI Cooper is the epitome of an extra portion of driving fun, which is now realised in a wide variety of forms. With a three-cylinder petrol engine under the bonnet, it now produces 100 kW/136 hp. In addition, the Cooper name is anchored in the entire range of the current model programme. The brand’s first all-electric model is called the MINI Cooper SE (power consumption combined: 17.6 – 15.2 kWh/100 km according to WLTP; CO2 emissions combined: 0 g/km). Powered by a 135 kW/184 hp electric motor, it combines sustainable mobility with characteristic driving pleasure, expressive design and premium quality. On the other side of the spectrum is the new MINI John Cooper Works GP (fuel consumption combined: 7.3 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 167 g/km according to WLTP). It is powered by a 225 kW/306 hp four-cylinder turbo engine, making it the fastest MINI ever registered for the road. Whether locally emission-free in everyday urban traffic or with the irrepressible urge to take to the racetrack: every MINI with the Cooper name in the model designation carries the unique British sporting spirit of an association that has existed for 60 years.

The post The MINI Cooper Turns Sixty – A Look Back appeared first on MotoringFile.

The financial pressure from electrification cannot be underscored. In the latest sign of a recalibration of spend comes via the Financial Times as BMW and MINI look to reduce the number of combinations. Before the pitchforks comes out, BMW’s goal seems to be solely to limit the options or combinations that are “never chosen” according to BMW CFO Nicolas Peter.

According to FT, the plan is to increase profit margin between 8 and 10% despite transitioning into electrification. “We will especially reduce the number of available customization, because certain combinations make no sense at all, and are never chosen,” Peter said.

The customers who choose a particularly niche option would “probably would have bought something else”, if that choice was not available, Peter said, adding that the group would use data from online sales portals when deciding which choices to eliminate according to the Financial Times.

Expect these customization changes to coincide with the new generation of MINIs starting in 2023.

Source: Financial Times

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It’s been a MINI owner ask for almost two decades to place service centers in areas that MINI USA dealers aren’t located. It would seem that finally MINI USA is relenting. Automotive News recently had a chat with Head of MINI USA Mike Peyton about the state of MINI dealers and he touched on the new program.

Peyton told Automotive News:

“We’ve recently launched Mini Anywhere, our online sales tool, that will allow more people that maybe don’t have a Mini dealer near them to get a Mini. But then the next question will be, ‘OK, if I don’t have a full dealership near me, how do I get it serviced?’ “

MINI USA has shrunk its 127 stores down to 111 stores over the last two years and will be closing a handful of dealers in 2022.

“We had too many dealers for the opportunity that was out there. Back in 2019, we had a significant number of dealers that were not profitable,” Peyton said.

Additionally MINI USA has also begun allowing MINI dealers to co-locate with BMW dealers to streamline operations.

Sales Are Down and Profits Are Soaring

It’s always interesting to see different take-aways as we also had some time to sit down and came away with a much different conclusion. Automotive News focused on sales dropping where we went beyond that and spoke about the health of profitability of the dealers – which is excellent for many. You can listen to our interview with Mike Peyton in the late Whiteroodradio.

The post MINI USA Allows Some Dealers to Open Service Only Centers appeared first on MotoringFile.

After years of anticipation MINI has released the first photos of the all new MINI hatch. Camouflaged of course. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some interesting things to look at. So follow along as we break down what we can see (and infer) beneath the skin of that crazy camo.

First let’s give some quick background. What you’re looking at is the Chinese built all electric MINI hatch which will be released in 2023. It’s a slightly smaller car on the outside with a similar interior volume according to sources. The petrol powered version (not seen yet) will be built in the UK and will be based on a modified version of the UKL platform underpinning the current F56. Naturally MINI Design has styling both so the exterior and interior styling will mirror each other albeit with the petrol powered version having a slightly larger footprint.

Now let’s take a deep dive into the photos and see what we can uncover.

Have anything to add? Let us know in the comments section below.

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