Autoblog

Mini Mini rumored to be in the works

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 17:40:00 EST

2011 Mini Cooper - Click above for high-res image gallery

Wolfgang Armbrecht, head of BMW's Mini brand recently hinted that a smaller small car may be in the works. In an interview with Germany's Financial Times Deutschland, Ampbrecht admitted that Mini may develop a small car for parent company BMW. We've actually heard these rumors before when talk sprang up about the potential for a BMW 0 Series.

If the thought of a Mini Mini crossed with BMW parts makes you excited, you're not alone. Who could say 'No' to the Ultimate Go-Karting Machine? As of yet however, there are no reports of a build timeline or potential specs, but a glimpse of what's to come is said to be earmarked for next month's Detroit Auto Show.

Gallery: 2011 Mini Cooper: First Drive

Photos copyright (C)2010 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Mini Mini rumored to be in the works originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rumormill: More speculation bubbles up around Mini Moke/Beachcomber/Canyon Coupe models

Noah Joseph — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Crossover, Mini, Rumormill

Mini Beachcomber concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Remember back in the day when BMW revived the Mini and there was just one version? That was the three-door hatchback, but was also a long time ago in product lifecycle terms. These days, the Mini franchise has expanded to include a convertible, the Clubman and the Countryman crossover. There are diesel, gasoline, supercharged and JCW versions of each, and there are more yet on their way: never mind the Mini E or the electric scooter concept unveiled in Paris (let alone the WRC rally version). In the cards are said to be coupe and seven-seat versions of the Countryman, along with production versions of the Speedster and Coupe models unveiled last year in Frankfurt.

Engine choices and one-offs aside, that's already eight body-styles off one little car. But that ain't even the end of it. Not according to reports from Mini's homeland of jolly old England.

Britain's Autocar magazine reports that BMW is working on two parallel programs to put a Jeep Wrangler or Honda Element-style crossover into the mix as well. One program apparently calls for a high-riding three-door model tentatively known as the Canyon Coupe, a model that revives the old Mini Moke beach car bodystyle. The other is closer to the above-pictured Beachcomber Concept unveiled nearly a year ago, and while doors would be added, so might removable roof panels, frameless doors and a wind-down rear window to give a real open-air experience.

Only one will be given the green light (if at all), but either would offer the All4 all-wheel drive system and a pillarless frame that would allow easier access, as well as a proper four-door version of the next-gen Clubman, addressing criticism that the single rear suicide door on the current model doesn't work well for right-hand drive markets (like Mini's own domestic market in the UK).

Gallery: Mini Beachcomber concept

[Source: Autocar]

Rumormill: More speculation bubbles up around Mini Moke/Beachcomber/Canyon Coupe models originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rendered Speculation: 2013 BMW sub-1 Series hatch with front-wheel drive

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 14 May 2010 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, BMW, Mini, Luxury

BMW executives have been talking openly about adding a front-wheel drive model to the range and the first example are due to arrive in 2013. A new model to slot in below the 1 series is expected to share its platform with the next generation Mini, while the 1 series is expected to continue with rear-wheel drive and be available in both the current hatchback and coupe body styles.

Autocar reports the new FWD model will also be badged as a 1 series, giving customers multiple options to choose from. Similar to how Volkswagen and Audi share platforms at different price points, BMW is expected to pitch its car as more premium than the Mini.

What is unknown at this time is whether the new entry BMW/Mini will also share its platform with BMW's upcoming electric Megacity vehicle.

[Source: AutoCar]

Rendered Speculation: 2013 BMW sub-1 Series hatch with front-wheel drive originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 May 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Mini announces engine enhancements ahead of 2011 redesign

Dan Roth — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Hatchback, BMW, Mini

2010 Mini Cooper - Click for high-res gallery

Over in Europe, Mini has rolled out a thing or two to keep its offerings fresh. There's some model jiggering and new colors, but the biggest news is under that peewee hood. The four-cylinder engine is receiving a displacement bump from 1.4- to 1.6-liters. In naturally aspirated and turbocharged configurations, the engine is now torquier and more efficient. Output ranges between 75 and 184 horsepower, and carbon emissions are improved; Mini is calling it "more poke with less smoke."

Turbocharged versions get a new twin-scroll huffer with an overboost function, while all versions of the engine are equipped with a Valvetronic-derived system that aids the engine's better torque delivery and reduced fuel consumption. Delving deeper inside the crankcase, there are polished main bearings to reduce friction, and the camshaft bearings follow suit. The oil pump, vacuum pump, and water pump are computer controlled and can now be pulsed to save energy and reduce drag. It all adds up to a tiny engine that makes the most of its muscle and delivers gains in fuel economy and emissions. The best detail about the whole shooting match is the absence of a price increase.

As you can see from the photo above, there are some new paint colors available as well, including a series of "Rainbow" finishes that include Sunlight Metallic, Asteroid Metallic and Nightlife Metallic. Neat-o. The brand may be called Mini, but in typical German fashion, there's a massive press release posted after the jump with the full rundown of EU-market changes.

Gallery: 2010 Mini Cooper

[Source: Mini]

Continue reading Mini announces engine enhancements ahead of 2011 redesign

Mini announces engine enhancements ahead of 2011 redesign originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

REPORT: BMW developing new 0 Series on Mini platform

Noah Joseph — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:32:00 EST

Filed under: Hatchback, BMW, Mini, Rumormill

Mini Clubman JCW in the Autoblog Garage - Click above for high-res image gallery

The BMW 3 Series, once the smallest car in the company's catalog, has grown tremendously over the past few generations. So to meet demand for smaller vehicles, the Bavarian automaker has been continuously cranking out smaller models to slot in below it. Reports now indicate that BMW is preparing a new 0 Series to bridge the gap between the 1 Series and the Mini.

According to the reports, BMW will base the new 0 Series on the next Mini's platform, which tells us two things: first, that it will break with company convention and go front-wheel-drive, and second, that they're planning on developing the next Mini in-house, instead of co-developing it with another automaker. Meanwhile the 0 Series is expected to arrive in three- and five-door hatchback body styles, and potentially (as is usually the case with BMW rumors) breed a compact roadster as well. The point of the 0 Series is to help the company bring down its environmental impact overall, while flipping the same coin to offer premium buyers a smaller, more efficient package.

Gallery: Review: 2009 MINI Clubman John Cooper Works

[Source: CAR Magazine via MotoringFile]

REPORT: BMW developing new 0 Series on Mini platform originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Mini getting into the Halloween spirit for Motor-Tober

Dan Roth — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, BMW, Mini

Mini Motor-Tober ad - Click above for high-res image gallery

They call it Motor-Tober, and it's as made up as the R56 Mini's claims to the lineage of the original car. What's not fake are the deals you'll find on 2009 inventory. Before the snow flies, there's still time to enjoy the Mini's famed cheeky personality on foliage tours, and U.S. dealers would love to move out some stock to help fill the coffers going into the typically difficult holiday season.

Just as the car itself isn't the normal automotive fare, Motor-Tober isn't the run of the mill SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY! sell-down. Dealers will be hosting test drive events so customers can try out the different flavors on offer, from convertible to Clubman. Takeaways like pumpkin carving stencils and temporary tattoos will be given out as reminders of the jack-o-lantern-faced vehicle.

To promote it all, there's a typically-Mini-clever marketing campaign. Tag lines such as "Save a pumpkin. Carve the road." Another spread shows one of the cars in the traditional sheet-based ghost costume. While the Openometer might not spin its needle much through the winter, if you head to your MINI store soon, there's still some days left before Thanksgiving to enjoy dry roads. High-res gallery below, press release posted after the jump.

Gallery: MINI Motor-Tober

[Source: Mini]

Continue reading Mini getting into the Halloween spirit for Motor-Tober

Mini getting into the Halloween spirit for Motor-Tober originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Leaked: MINI gets larger sticker for 2010

Chris Tutor — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Convertible, Hatchback, Mini

2009 Mini Cooper S Convertible - Click above for high-res image gallery

The fine folks over at MotoringFile say that the pricing on their favorite little cars will grow in 2010. A combination of higher shipping costs and more standard equipment (including runflat tires), results in a base price bump of $300 to $400 on every MINI model across the board.

The cheapest MINI, the R56 Cooper, now starts at $19,500 - $300 more than the '09 model. On the other end of the range, the R57 John Cooper Works MINI convertible also gets a $300 bump and starts at $34,700 before options. In between lies the R55 Clubman series, which carries a matching $300 bump to $21,150 to start and maxes out in JCW guise at $31,700.

MotoringFile has a list of other changes you'll see when ordering our new MINI, including Interchange Yellow replacing Mellow Yellow, fabric on the back of sport seats and some exterior colors available only with certain packages. The memos also make even more official BMW's decision to completely drop the limited slip differential option due to low interest.

Gallery: Review: 2009 Mini Cooper S Convertible

[Source: MotoringFile]

Leaked: MINI gets larger sticker for 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Mini launches entry-entry-level First Cooper abroad

Michael Harley — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:35:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Hatchback, Mini

2009 MINI First - Click above for high-res image gallery

A new MINI is rolling out in the U.K., and it is designed to be the brand's most affordable model. It's called the "MINI First," and the two-door is only available in hatchback form. The standard powerplant is a 1.4-liter, 75 horsepower four-cylinder gasoline engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. Its claimed 0-62 mph time of 13.2 seconds won't make it first away from the light, but it will be passing quite a few petrol stations with a combined fuel consumption of 53.3 miles-per-gallon.

Starting at £10,950 (or about $17,950 USD unadjusted for Britain's costlier car market), the First is hardly entry-level when it comes to technology. Standard features - with fuel efficiency in mind - include auto start-stop, regenerative braking, variable valve timing, and a shift point indicator. There is no word on any plans to bring this model Stateside, but if you are interested, you can check out the car in the gallery below and read more in the full press release after the break.

Gallery: 2009 MINI First

[Source: MINI]

Continue reading Mini launches entry-entry-level First Cooper abroad

Mini launches entry-entry-level First Cooper abroad originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

PR event breached: MINI Clubmans caught on camera

Chris Tutor — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 17:01:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Wagon, Mini

In the timeline of most new car introductions, automotive journalists usually see a new model undisguised well before the public. It's a nice perk. But an even earlier look is often given to a company's public relations staff. Which is what Mini was doing with its Clubman model in Zandvoort, Netherlands. And guess who showed up uninvited? A camera-wielding automotive journalist, that's who.

Chris Schotanus got a sneak peek into Mini's Zandvoort PR party and got the best shots yet of the Clubman in the wild. Many of the photos at World Car Fans are obviously shot from either a hilltop or building overlooking the racetrack where a fleet of Clubmans are out and about, but Schotanus was able to get some good closeup shots of the cars as well. Strangely, the cars are completely undisguised except for the rear, which is covered in the typical black camo. Despite the coverup, the double-doored hatch is obvious, so we wonder what Mini is still keeping secret.

Some of the extended Minis could be Clubman S models indicated by the cars' nose scoop above the grille, but the only rear shots available from the event show only single exhausts. That could mean either the S won't have two outlets, or the photographer only caught non-S models from the rear.

All questions should be answered at it's official launch in July. Its public debut is planned for the Frankfurt show in September.

[Source: World Car Fans]

PR event breached: MINI Clubmans caught on camera originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Jun 2007 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

BMW reportedly interested in buying Volvo?

Chris Tutor — Wed, 09 May 2007 14:33:00 EST

Filed under: BMW, Mini, Volvo

Autocar says BMW seriously considered taking Volvo off of Ford's hands earlier this year, going so far as to request financial data about the company, which is surprising on several levels.

First, does this mean Volvo is for sale? Bill Ford has said nothing in Ford's Premium Auto Group is sacred, but Volvo seems to be one of the company's shiniest jewels.

Perhaps the greatest surprise would be BMW's Quandt family overcoming its aversion to buying another carmaker after the much maligned purchase of Rover. Despite ending up with the popular MINI brand, it's well known that the Quandts were not happy with the whole mess.

Speaking of the MINI brand, Autocar theorizes that had BMW written a check for Volvo, future small cars from the Swedish automaker might have been based on a platform shared with an expanded MINI lineup. Autocar daydreams that by sharing with Volvo, MINI might have expanded its lineup with a sedan and that rumored SUV variant, the Colorado. On the other hand, larger, more upscale Volvos could have been BMW-based.

Which leads us to another quandary in this rumored buyout deal. How would BMW have positioned Volvo's quite similar lineup against its own? Both have a full selection of premium coupes, sedans, wagons and SUVs targeted at upper income buyers. Granted, Volvo touts safety while BMW espouses to be the "Ultimate Driving Machine," but wouldn't sales of the V50 have competed with the 3-Series wagon? The V70 with the 5-Series?

Upside? Well, Ford would have gotten another short-term financial boost and BMW would have had the potential to save money with platform sharing.

What does the Autoblog community think? Opportunity missed or disaster averted?

Thanks for the tip, Brent!

[Source: Autocar]

BMW reportedly interested in buying Volvo? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 May 2007 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The MINIamino

Chris Tutor — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 19:55:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Mini

We don't know what kind of sick person would do such a thing to a MINI Cooper S? But we have to say, even if you don't think it's cool, it's at least done well.

The German Car Scene says Benedikt Schiermeyer turned a perfectly innocent Cooper S into a virtual MINlamino at the request of a customer. Great job, Benedikt. It almost looks factory, and the wood floor in the bed is a very nice touch. But, personally, I think I'd rather have one of the original Mini trucks.

We'd love to hear from either Benedikt or the owner of this cute little custom to find out more about how it was created. Shoot us a note if either of you are reading.

GCS has more photos including one taken during the build.

[Source: German Car Scene]

The MINIamino originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 Mar 2007 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

New MINI pricing and options

Chris Tutor — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 17:33:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Hatchback, Mini

Motoring File has attained U.S. pricing for the 2007 Mini. The new model's base price increases $600 to $18,050 with standard 6-speed manual and rear spoiler. Standard equipment will also include a trip computer, traction control and a sport mode button. The Cooper S increases $300 to $20,900, the Convertible will be priced at $21,950 with the S option adding $4,200 to the drop-top's price.

Motoring File has all the details on new content packages, paint colors, interior choices and performance upgrades.

New MINI pricing and options originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Oct 2006 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Audi planning MINI-fighter?

Stuart Waterman — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 18:04:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Hatchback, Audi

Rumors are still swirling that Audi is considering a new small car, the A1. What Car? speculates that the hypothetical A1 family would be positioned below the not very successful A2, perhaps using the next generation VW Polo platform. In order to keep costs down, the A1 is expected to eschew the A2's expensive aluminum construction and quattro all-wheel drive will likely not be an option.

Speculation spans a family of A1 models, with the Photoshopped roadster shown at right our personal favorite. The A1 could hit the market in 2010, which means we likely won't see auto show versions until 2009.

[Source: What Car?]

Related posts:
More details on the Audi A1
Another Audi A1
Audi's A1 Mini-killer a hoax
Audi to build a Mini-killer

Audi planning MINI-fighter? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Aug 2006 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments