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Manuals return to the Mini lineup for 2021

The 2021 Mini Cooper will offer a manual transmission again, after the 2020 model had to go without a stick shift due to problems certifying that powertrain. It had been hoped that the emissions issue would be straightened out in only a few months, but as it turned out, Mini had to go through the entire 2020 model year with its cars offering only two pedals. The 2020 Cooper and Cooper S models got a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, while the John Cooper Works variants and the ALL4 versions of the Clubman and the Countryman got an eight-speed unit. For 2021, the standard Mini Cooper with the 134-hp 1.5-liter turbo three-cylinder will offer a six-speed manual in the hardtop, four-door, and convertible body styles. The 2021 Mini Cooper S, with its 189-hp 2.0-liter turbo four, also will come standard with the six-speed stick in hardtop, four-door, and convertible form. The John Cooper Works hardtop, with its 228-hp 2.0L turbo, shares in the manual-transmission goodness, but the JCW convertible remains automatic-only, with the seven-speed DCT. The 2021 301-hp John Cooper Works GP hardtop will be eight-speed automatic only. For the 2021 Clubman and the Countryman, the picture is still murky. It's likely that the JCW Clubman and JCW Countryman, which also get the 301-hp engine, will continue to be offered only with the eight-speed automatic gearbox, although the less-powerful versions could get a stick shift again. Mini says, "Manual transmission offerings will be confirmed once 2021 model year information for these models is released later this spring." Given the persona Mini has cultivated, this brand seems like one that should continue to offer stick shifts for as long as possible. Mini spokesman Andrew Cutler claims that the Mini hardtop generally has had the highest take rate for manuals in the U.S. market, with 45% buyers of the (2019-model) John Cooper Works version opting to row their own gears. Related Video:      

Mini Superleggera Vision Concept keeps us hangin' on [w/video]

Mini's Superleggera Vision Concept may not be a Paris Motor Show debut, but this is the first time we've seen this stunning all-electric roadster in the metal, having been first shown on the tony shores of Lake Como at Villa D'Este in May. While it's small in stature, it's still big on both presence and detail, from its overall stubby yet sleek proportions to its Union Jack taillamps, Jaguar-esque rear fin and elegant rearview mirrors.
We still don't know much more about what powers this Touring Superleggera coachbuilt showcar, as any powertrain specifics are conspicuous by their absence, but we'd welcome both a pure electric version and something powered by the BMW/Mini turbocharged three-cylinder currently making the rounds in the new Mini Cooper.
Last we heard in September, any decisions on a production future for the Superleggera Vision have been tabled, with word being that a further six months of study is planned before Mini decides to greenlight or nix the project. We'd love to tell you that the fact that it's here in Paris is a great sign, but we wouldn't believe us, either.

NHTSA slaps BMW with $40M fine for slow Mini recall

BMW is on the hook for a $40-million fine after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration slapped the automaker over not recalling Minis that failed to meet minimum side-impact crash standards. The civil penalty from NHTSA concerns 2014 and 2015 Mini Cooper hatchback models that "failed a crash test designed to determine whether the vehicle met crash-protection minimums," the government agency said in a press release issued this week. An October 2014 test revealed the first problem, and the Mini was subsequently retested in July, only to fail again and finally prompt a recall of more than 30,000 cars. But according to NHTSA's investigation that was opened in October, BMW waited too long to issue a recall after it knew the cars did not meet standards and bring them into compliance with more energy-absorbing materials installed by Mini dealers. This is the second time NHTSA slapped BMW with a major penalty, following a $3-million fine back in 2012 failing to report recalls of its cars and motorcycles. "For the second time in three years, BMW has been penalized for failing to meet that obligation," NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind said in the release. "The company must take this opportunity to reform its procedures and its culture to put safety where it belongs: at the top of its priority list." In a separate release issued this week, BMW Group said it, "is committed to further improving its recall processes to better serve its customers," and that the company, "respects the role of NHTSA and looks forward to working with them to develop solutions for the future." National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fines BMW $40 million for failing to meet safety requirements Fine is auto company's second since 2012 WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has imposed a $40 million civil penalty and a series of performance requirements to automaker BMW North America for a series of violations of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act and NHTSA regulations. Under terms of a Consent Order issued to BMW, the company acknowledges that it violated requirements to issue a timely recall of vehicles that did not comply with minimum crash protection standards, to notify owners of recalls in a timely fashion, and to provide accurate information about its recalls to NHTSA. NHTSA imposed a $3 million civil penalty to BMW in 2012 for similar violations.