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Mini recalls 30K Hardtops to improve side-impact protection

Mini is recalling 30,456 units of its two-door models because they don't conform to federal side-impact requirements for the rear seat passengers. According to the documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (here as a PDF), this includes 15,653 examples of the 2014-2015 Mini Cooper Hardtop, 14,782 units of the 2014-2015 Mini Cooper S Hardtop, and 21 of the 2015 Mini John Cooper Works Hardtop (pictured above). Those with production dates between December 2013 and March 2015 are affected, the automaker reports in a statement to Autoblog. According to NHTSA, the agency tested a 2015 Cooper and Cooper S Hardtop on July 1 and 2, but the S didn't meet one of the impact requirements. The analysis showed that rear passengers in these vehicles were potentially in greater danger in a crash. Upon further research, the government and Mini found more models potentially affected. The automaker isn't aware of any reports of accidents or injures from this problem. To rectify the situation, dealers will add more energy-absorbing material in the space between the rear interior panels and the exterior of the hatchbacks, which will take around four hours. The campaign to fix them will begin on Sept. 12. RECALL Subject : Side Impact Crash Worthiness/FMVSS 214 Report Receipt Date: JUL 17, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V450000 Component(s): STRUCTURE Potential Number of Units Affected: 30,456 All Products Associated with this Recall Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) MINI COOPER 2014-2015 MINI COOPER S 2014-2015 MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS 2015 Details Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC SUMMARY: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtop 2 Door vehicles and 2015 MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door vehicles. The affected vehicles do not meet the side impact performance requirements for the rear seat passengers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 214, "Side Impact Protection." CONSEQUENCE: If the side impact performance requirements are not met, rear seat passengers may be at a higher risk of injury during a crash. REMEDY: MINI will notify owners, and dealers will install additional energy absorption material between the rear interior side panels and the exterior vehicle body, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 12, 2015. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.

Next Mini Clubman disguises all six doors

After revealing the new Mini hardtop in various guises, the next new model in the pipeline from the retro British marque is the Clubman. And here it is. Though still wearing some swirly camouflage, this Clubman prototype - previewed by the concept showcased last year - is clearly nearing production readiness. Since it'll have to differentiate itself from the four/five-door version of the new hardtop, the Clubman is expected to be even longer than the model it replaces. And this time, it'll have rear doors on both sides; and from these spy shots, it looks like they'll be conventional, full-size, front-hinged portals, instead of suicide doors. Around back you can also see the taillights peeking through the camo, on split rear portals instead of the one-piece, top-hinged tailgate on the standard-wheelbase model. At this stage, we wouldn't be surprised to see the new Clubman appear for the first time at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. Whenever it does bow, it'll serve as the second pillar of the brand's reconfigured product lineup, following the new hardtop and preceding the upcoming next-gen Countryman crossover, Superleggera roadster and Minor city car.

Mini brings back the six-speed manual for certain 2023 trims

Mini has good news and some steep price increases for the 2023 model year, the cars available to buyers once production switches to the coming year in November. The good news for enthusiasts is the return of the manual transmission to more trims after a pause in deliveries caused by supply shortages. The six-speed manual becomes a standalone option on two-door Minis with hardtops, meaning the Cooper, Cooper S, and John Cooper Works variants. The bad news for enthusiasts who wanted to pair that gearbox with a base Mini Cooper Classic is that the Classic is gone. As other automakers are doing, Mini culled the entry-level trim for the new year, automatically raising the price of entry by a non-miniature amount. Product planners played a bunch of presto-change-o with standard features, packages and standalone options for various trims. For instance, the hardtop two-door Cooper, Cooper S and JCW in Signature guise get power folding mirrors and auto dimming rearview mirrors. The Cooper S and JCW in Iconic trim pick up Mini's Parking Assistant. On the other hand, the Cooper SE in Iconic trim loses the alarm system and active cruise control, while certain trims of the Countryman Cooper S and Cooper S All 4 drop the alarm system and dynamic damper control. If you're interested in a Mini, look closely at the small print about the feature set. The Resolute, Untold and Untamed special editions in Iconic 2.0 fettle expand their options menus. The Resolute adds Enigmatic Black Metallic as a primary body color with a Pepper White roof, or a Nanuq White body and roof. The carbon black Mini Yours Lounge Leather can be optioned for $750. The Untold expands availability from just the John Cooper Works Clubman to the Cooper S and Cooper S All4. Its exterior hues will now include Midnight Black Metallic with black spats. As for the Untamed, its paint palette adds Nanuq White, partnered with the standard black contrasting roof and mirrors, and graphics in Matte Bluestone. For all Mini Hardtops, Pepper White, White Silver and Moonwalk Grey body colors will retire at the end of October. Replacing them are Nanuq White, and Melting Silver III that becomes available throughout the range. Pricing goes way up for base versions now that the Classic is gone, with four-figure jumps on every trim compared to pricing Mini released in February of this year.