Tag Archives: mini
2020 Mini Electric Spy Shots Reveal Exterior and Interior of the Car
The 2020 Mini Electric spy shots revealed that the signature hardtop model will not have exhaust pipes and even a traditional grille. In some of the shots, you would notice that an accent light runs along the width of the grille. There’s also a new wheel pattern that Mini previewed during a teaser shot of the car released earlier this month.
The concept for this car was first previewed at the 2017 Frankfurt auto show and is only one of the 12 electric cars that the BMW Group plans to produce by 2025. For Mini, the first batch would include their signature hardtop model though visually, there are not many features that separate the electric version from the gasoline-powered models.
In terms of powertrains, Mini remains mum on specific features because the technology is rapidly evolving and there might be new ones available by next year. That being said, experts still expect to see a single electric motor at the front axle and batteries located beneath the rear seat. The range should be somewhere in the 200-mile figure or higher, depending on the EPA rating.
The engines will be manufactured from the same factories in Germany that produces the hardware for the BMW i3. The car, however, will be assembled at the Mini plants in the United Kingdom and China. For the production in China, Mini will tie up with local automaker Great Wall.
This is Mini’s turn to launch a production and volume EV. Thought the company was a pioneer of electric vehicles (it leased a hardtop-based Mini E electric car on a trial basis late last decade), its efforts have been overshadowed by the likes of Tesla Model 3.
After the launch of the electric hardtop version next year, the BMW Group should also unveil an iX3 SUV in 2020 and the iNext in 2021.
Check out the new spy shots of the Mini Electric from Motor Authority in the gallery below:
Top 3 Features of the 2017 Mini Electric Concept
Mini is looking at finally introducing its first electric car as it just unveiled the Mini Electric Concept ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show this September. The modern Mini arrived in 2001 and was redesigned in 2006 and 2013. Since then, it has become more of a fashion statement rather than an affordable car for any individual.
1. Exterior
When you first look at the Mini electric concept, it would look like a reworked Cooper to you. Seeing as the Cooper is the brand’s most iconic car, it’s easy to see why the same design and body style were used for the concept. If Mini wants to survive in this particular segment, it better make use of what made it famous in the first place.
There are new features, of course, such as the closed hexagonal grille and the striking yellow accent stripe and round “E” badge. The grille was designed to improve aerodynamics. The headlamps are the same but it now features new LED cluster. The same can be said on the sides and the rear of the concept—it’s looking more and more like a redesigned next-generation Cooper.
2. Interior
Mini did not reveal anything about what we’re going to find inside the concept car, so it looks like the concept is more aesthetics than comfort. If anything, we can assume that the concept will look like the standard Mini Cooper. This means big round center stack, a large speedo behind the steering wheel, and an overall clean dashboard design.
3. Drivetrain
The concept will be 100-percent electric. There’s an option under BMW’s current lineup. Called the i3, it uses a synchronous electric motor that can produce 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. It can reach 62mph from a complete standpoint in just 7.3 seconds. Top speed is 93mph.
The concept’s battery can reach a range of 186 miles on the European NEDC cycle and up to 158 miles based on the Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP).
The Electric Mini Hardtop Has Been Confirmed For 2019
In 2019, Mini will launch an electric version of its Hardtop. The brand finally confirmed the kind of body style the electric vehicle, which it has been working on since October, will have on Tuesday. This marks the fact that Mini is truly serious about dabbling into electric vehicles.
According to the source, the electric Mini Hardtop will be built at the brand’s plant in Oxford in United Kingdom instead of the earlier assumption that it would be produced in mainland Europe because of what happened with Brexit. But for the electric powertrain, its components would be from factories located in Germany.
Oliver Zipse, the BMW Group’s head of production, highlighted the need to use multiple plants for the diversification of the brand. It also allows for the production to be flexible, depending on the demand for the electric cars in the future.
Mr Zipse takes pride in Mini’s “adaptable production system,” which will be able to react instantaneously to the changing demands of the customers. When there is an increase in demand for the Hardtop’s electric version, it will be easier for Mini to boost the production of its components.
Mini is no stranger to mainstream electric cars. In fact, it used to lease a Mini E electric car, which was based on the Hardtop, on a trial basis. Whatever the feedback was from that leased electric car, it looked to be positive because it acted as a research tool for Mini to allow it to work on the future of its e-vehicles.
Mini’s lineup for electric vehicles will use a plug-in hybrid technology, much like the BMW. Currently, the Cooper S E ALL4 is using the hybrid tech already, and it is expected to be fitted in the rest of the Mini’s range of cars.
This move by Mini only showed how confident the brand is in moving to a more electrified future. The brand expects that hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and pure electrics will account for 15 to 25 percent of the company’s sales by 2025.
3 Things To Know About The Mini John Cooper Works Countryman
Mini’s largest vehicle is going to get the John Cooper Works treatment, which means an additional power than what Mini packed it with. The next-generation Mini Countryman will become the next model to receive such treatment.
Redesigned and unveiled in October, the Countryman is the largest vehicle in Mini’s lineup, meaning it will carry the burden of helping Mini get out from the slump in its American sales. According to a report, the 11-percent drop in 2016 is the brand’s worst performance since 2010. Experts point out to Americans’ preference for crossovers rather than sedans.
1. Countryman Is Now Considered A Crossover
Previously, the Countryman was considered a subcompact. But thanks to the upgrade, it is now under the category of a compact crossover and will be the direct competitors of the BMW X1 and the Subaru Forester.
It used a new front-wheel-drive platform shared with BMW. It’s also eight inches longer in length than its predecessor.
2. Countryman Is Faster And More Powerful
The 2018 John Cooper Works Countryman ALL4 can produce 228 horsepower and 258 pounds-feet of torque. Such power can bring the Countryman to hit 60mph in just 6.2 seconds, a 0.8-second better time than what the Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 can achieve.
The John Cooper Works variant is coming standard with an all-wheel drive system, and is sporting a suspension with the Brembo sports brake system and 18-inch alloy wheels.
3. Countryman Will Start Deliveries Soon
The John Cooper Works Countryman will be arriving in US dealerships in April 2017, which means you can begin your orders in a couple of months. Pricing has not yet been announced, but we’re hoping it won’t be too disastrous to our bank accounts, so we can somehow dream of having a Mini.
The John Cooper Works is available as a treatment for the Cooper hardtop two-door, the Cooper Clubman, and the Cooper convertible models.
A Vision For The Future: MINI Concept Vision 100
In an ideal world, all cars would be personalized and will reflect our personality. MINI wants exactly that, so it made known its vision of the future—a car that can become yours instantly.
Imagine driving your own car to the airport. Boarding a plane to be halfway across the world. Rent a MINI wherever you might be. Ride the car and it’s instantly the same car you left back home.
How would that come to be?
The MINI Concept Vision 100 is one in the series of cars for BMW Group’s centenary. Chief designer Anders Warming said MINI owners are connected emotionally to their cars. In the future, they want their clients to be digitally connected to their MINIs as well.
According to a report, it works just like how your smartphones works when you change phones. There’s a backup system in the cloud that stores your preferences—apps, travel history, etc. The car can even reflect a color hue to reflect your favorite artist. Can you imagine how more personal your car can get?
Personalization is the heart of this MINI concept. The system knows who you are, what you like and where you’re going. The MINI will also have a “digital skin,” so it can change the graphics on the exterior of the car, reflecting your own unique personality.
MINI said the car will be able to recognize you because of the enhanced sensor systems that it will be equipped with. This by simply having an app on your phone that can connect to the MINI’s system.
The idea behind this is that in the future, car sharing will be a norm and you don’t have to even own a MINI. Such a concept will boost one’s loyalty to a brand since you’ll be sharing a car but feeling like it’s your own too.
Seven Is Named As Latest Special Edition BMW Mini
The mk3 BMW Mini is getting another special edition model. Called the Mini Seven, it was named after a Mini 1950s model bearing the same name.
Over the years, Mini has released a number of special editions that have become such a hit for lovers of this instant classic. It managed to leave the third-generation hatchback, launched two years ago, alone but that didn’t stop the brand from churning out special editions every now and then.
But this year, Mini will be trying out a new theory. It will be upgrading the ever-so-popular hatchback that has become a dream car for many of the younger generation. Named after the 1959 Austin Seven, the first ever Mini, the new Seven is a fresh update of its mk3 supermini, according to sources.
Outside, you’ll get surprised by the paint job, called the Lapisluxury Blue by the Mini brand. Designers described is as “the most intensive” ever applied to one of their cars. But if blue isn’t your cup of tea, you can choose from a variety of other colors such as Pepper White,Midnight Black and British Racing Green. You may also opt for the stripes design.
The three-door Seven version will start at £18,545 while the five-door costs £19,145. Both of these are offered in Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper D and Cooper SD trims, so we can expect them to go anywhere from 134 to 189bhp.
The Seven will up the price by £3,000 from the standard Mini. But with the price surge, you’ll get a lot of nicer things like the special 17-inch alloy wheels, half-leather trim, Bluetooth, and the sportier gauges that define Mini’s Excitement Pack. You can also find special edition badges and kick plates.
Reportedly, this is just the first in the long line of mk3 special models. Let’s hope Mini would follow up with some incredible upgrades after the Seven.
Manhart Racing Introduces F300 Program For The 2016 Mini Cooper John Cooper Works
Mini Cooper may be known for all the cutesy models it released in the past few years, but the John Cooper Works it introduced made us believe Mini can actually compete performance wise. Although the JCW was a welcome development from the company, there are still a lot of things that can be tweaked here.
Enter the Manhart Racing, the German tuner that is celebrating its 30th anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, it unveiled the F300 program for the JCW. The kit’s main focus is in improving the car’s performance and handling credentials, as well as upgrading the exterior and interior.
The JCW is an eye candy by itself, but Manhart Racing decided to tune more of the cosmetics. It gives a new color combination to the body—British Racing Green with gold accents and decals. It also has gold racing stripes that run the length of the car and side stripes that then become checkered flags before the rear-wheel arches.
The tuner also installed a set of 19-inch gold alloy wheels with a F300 badging throughout the car.
If you find the tuning of the exterior a little brash, then prepare for this to continue in the car’s interior. It has a generous trimming of premium leather and Alcantara. The steering wheel also has gold contrast stitching to complement the styling of the car’s exterior. For the floor mats, the tuner used velour with Manhart’s logo.
The drivetrain of the Manhart Racing Mini JCW will remain the same, except for the new intercooler and a Remus stainless steel sports exhaust system with an optimized ECU unit.
The toughest competition would be the Renault Clio 220 Trophy EDC by Waldow Performance and the Alfa Romeo 4C Centurion 1Plus by Pogea Racing.
There’s no price tag released yet, so better wait for the tuner to reveal these details.
Mini Contemplates New Small SUV Offering
BMW, the German auto company overseeing several brands, including Mini, which is renowned for its stylish little British hatchbacks/coupes, will soon be offering brand-new types of vehicles to its dedicated drivers according to Inside Line magazine. Among the new Mini models being considered is a sedan, a small sports car, and a small SUV, which could take the brand’s total range up to 10 vehicles. Recently, the brand introduced its seventh model, the Mini Paceman, which is a restyled, three-door variant of the existing five-door Mini Countryman.
Harald Kreuger, a recently appointed member of the Mini auto brand notes that though these models have yet to be confirmed for creation/production, they seem to make sense for the brand. He explains the idea behind a larger model Mini, stating, “A lot of customers would like to stay with the brand when they need something bigger . . . and a Volvo or a BMW will not do.” He also adds that all of the new Mini models will feature ‘go-kart handling, emotional design, exude Britishness and be profitable.”1
With the creation of its 2011 Rocketman concept, BMW also began the process of exploring a much smaller Mini, though the idea has been shelved for the moment, as the brand discovered it was too costly to make. Because the Mini models are already rather petite, building more compact models that are still profitable could be a task that’s rather impossible anytime in the near future.
The new Mini SUV would be rather similar to the current Countryman crossover, which has proven its worth (judging by sales), despite the fact that its sheer size can’t really be considered miniature (“Mini”). Currently, this sales of the Countryman make up about 30 percent of the brand’s global sales –only slightly behind sales of the traditional hatch (35 percent).
As stated, there will be a continuing emphasis on the “Britishness” of these vehicles, and Kreuger and his colleagues are considering opening a U.K.-based design center to keep this spirit alive. This certain British element is one of the Mini brand’s main selling points in the U.S. and other global markets, and it’s important for BMW to keep this intact. However, we must note that, presently, all Mini models are designed and built in Munich, with consideration from the BMW DesignworksUSA studio located in sunny California.
Of course, production is a different story. BMW is in the process of investing an additional $1.2 billion in its Oxford, England plant. Once the project is complete, it will have the capacity to produce 250k units, though this number could increase with different work schedules. Some of the new Mini vehicles will also make their way to BMW’s Mitsubishi-Volvo Nedcar factory in the Netherlands by 2014.
For more great BMW and Mini updates, as well as news about other new SUV models, be sure to check back often right here with reviewitonline.net. We’re here to keep you up-to-date on all auto industry happenings!