2003 Mini Cooper S Hatchback 2-door 1.6l on 2040-cars

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David Brown's Mini eMastered puts an electric spin on a British icon

England-based David Brown Automotive specializes in giving classic Mini models the resto-mod treatment; it's to the British icon what Singer is to Porsche. The firm has primarily worked on gasoline-powered cars, but it's branching out into electric vehicles with the Mini eMastered. Starting with a classic Mini shell, David Brown Automotive rips out the four-cylinder engine and the transmission it sits over — this clever layout is part of how Sir Alec Issigonis packaged four seats and a trunk in just 120 inches — and replaces it with an electric motor. The motor draws electricity from an 18.8-kilowatt-hour battery pack to zap the front wheels with about 97 horsepower and 129 pound-feet of torque. Like most modern electric cars, the Mini eMastered features a regenerative braking system that converts kinetic energy into electricity that gets sent back to the battery pack. David Brown quotes an 8.5-second zero-to-60-mph time and a top speed that's electronically limited to 92 mph. Driving range checks in at up to 110 miles, which won't earn the coveted "long-range" label but should be enough considering the eMastered was envisioned primarily as a city car, and charging the battery pack takes about three hours. The little EV weighs 1,410 pounds; using a small battery helps keeps that figure in check. For context, the original Mini released in 1959 weighed approximately 1,279 pounds. The model shown in David Brown's pictures features an updated exterior design characterized by beige paint with a contrasting brown roof, an aftermarket grille, LED headlights, and new-look rear lights. Inside, it's 100% modern: the brand adds a touchscreen-based infotainment system, air conditioning, and a surround-sound system made up of four speakers, which underlines just how small these cars. However, the sky is the limit when it comes to customization options. Well, realistically, your wallet is the limit: anything is possible if you can pay for it. On sale now, the David Brown Automotive Mini eMastered starts at GBP125,000 excluding taxes and shipping, which represents approximately $155,000 at the current conversion rate. In comparison, the gasoline-powered Mini Remastered carries a base price of under $100,000. Related Video This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Mini getting serious with next Countryman SUV

With the core Hardtop and new Clubman already revealed, Mini is moving along with its plans to expand its model lineup around five "hero" models. Next down the pipeline will likely be the new Countryman, which Autocar projects will be larger and more rugged than the existing model. According to the British publication, the new Mini Countryman is set to take more of a proper SUV approach than the outgoing crossover. That means an even larger form, and more serious off-road chops to better take advantage of the connection with the X-Raid rally machine that has been dominating Dakar for the past four years. It's expected to be based on the same UKL front-drive architecture as the Hardtop, Clubman, and BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, and offer the latter's all-wheel-drive system as well. Those underpinnings would still make it a crossover, strictly speaking, but with a more rugged approach. It could also emerge a good half-foot longer than the model it will replace, over a third of an inch wider, and offer considerably more cargo space. Although the existing Countryman was derided by many as a step too far for the Mini brand, it ended up accounting for a substantial share of the company's sales – making its replacement a no-brainer for the BMW Group. That's more than could be said for the quirky Paceman crossover coupe, which is not expected to follow this time around, however a slant-backed Countryman variant could be in the cards. The next question is what Mini might do next. Of the five core models it's anticipated to launch, the Countryman would be the third. The Superleggera roadster, a smaller hatchback like the Rocketman concept, and a larger minivan potentially to be dubbed the Traveller have all been rumored. Of course, whatever goes into production could be something else entirely. We'll just have to wait and see. Related Video:

Mini celebrates its first Monte-Carlo victory with Paddy Hopkirk Edition

Mini's newest special-edition model is a tribute to a victory that was as unexpected as it was significant. Northern Irish pilot Paddy Hopkirk won the 1964 edition of the Monte-Carlo Rally in a Cooper S, impressively beating far more powerful cars, and the two-door 2021 Hardtop Cooper S Paddy Hopkirk Edition celebrates this victory. Fittingly, every Paddy Hopkirk Edition is finished in Chili Red with a white roof, a combination that echoes Hopkirk's 1964 model (pictured below). 37 decals on both doors create another visual link between 2020 and 1964. Mini also added 17-inch alloy wheels, black trim all around, and a white hood stripe that served as a blank canvas. Look closely: it features 33 EJB graphics (the winning car's registration number) and Hopkirk's signature.  His signature also appears on the hatch, on the sill plates, and on the right side of the dashboard. LED headlights, keyless entry, black interior trim, and a leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel come standard. There are no mechanical modifications, meaning the Paddy Hopkirk edition is powered by a turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder that delivers 189 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque. It spins the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission, though a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox is offered at an extra cost. Mini dealers across the United States will begin receiving the Cooper S Paddy Hopkirk Edition in November 2020. It's one of two special-edition models joining the range for 2021; the second is the heritage-laced Coral Red Edition. Pricing hasn't been released yet. "Production is planned for November and December of this year," said a Mini spokesperson, "with a very limited number expected for the U.S. market. Only a few hundred." Victorious past Sir Alec Issigonis envisioned the original Mini as a practical, budget-friendly alternative to bubble cars, not as a rally-dominating machine, but the pocket-sized four-seater quickly proved its mettle on the track. Accomplished engineer John Cooper built the first Mini Cooper in 1959, the year the standard model was released in England, though it was a one-off prototype. Bolstered by a ballooning aftermarket scene, even amateur enthusiasts experimented with ways to extract more power out of the small four-cylinder and fine-tune the car's handling. It took less than a decade for the Mini to become a force to reckon with at races on both sides of the Atlantic.