1982 Mini Cooper Austin on 2040-cars

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BMW looking to save billions with cost cuts

BMW is planning a fairly extensive overhaul in a bid to recoup some its annual costs, with CEO Norbert Reithofer (pictured above) aiming to save three to four billion euro ($4 to $5.4 billion) per year to help keep the company's profit margins between eight and 10 percent, while also maintaining investments in production expansion and new tech. BMW's profit margins sat at 9.4 percent in 2013.
According to Automotive News Europe, Reithofer is none too pleased about costs at Mini and on the 1 Series, although neither AN nor its source story, from Germany's Manager Magazin, elaborate on what steps could be taken to improve losses on either project. That makes it hard to figure out just where the fat will be trimmed from.
What may happen, though, is that BMW attempts to trim 100 million euros ($135 million) from its German labor costs each year; a solution hinted at a few weeks ago by Germany newspaper Muenchner Merkur. While a dramatic cost reduction, 100 million euros still doesn't begin to even approach the savings envisioned by Reithofer.

Mini boss contradicts reports on production Superleggera, says Minor unlikely

Mini has added to our green-beer-induced hangover with some disappointing news. The Mini Superleggera Vision Concept is not quite as confirmed as we had been led to believe. And making matters worse, the same high-ranking source that put the kibosh on confirmation of the stylish two-seater said he "doesn't see" a mini Mini. Mini boss Peter Schwarzenbauer contradicted yesterday's report in an interview with Automotive News, although he certainly doesn't oppose the idea of the Superleggera Vision. "I cannot confirm that it has been approved yet," Schwarzenbauer told AN, adding that it'd be a "great addition to the Mini range" and that he's "still pushing" for it to arrive in dealerships. That's good news for fans of yesterday's report. Schwarzenbauer is less of a fan of a small, entry-level mini Mini, based on the Rocketman Concept. "I don't see a smaller car than the current one," the exec said. It's long been rumored that Mini was readying a smaller, budget model that was more in line with the original Austin and Morris Minis, rather than the premium sub-compact model that BMW has been selling for the past 13 years. The company has even, allegedly, been in cahoots with Toyota to develop the new compact model. We reported as recently as January that the Anglo-Teutonic outfit and its Japanese partners would develop an entirely new platform for the Minor, although that certainly doesn't seem to be the case now. How do you feel about this? Does Mini need to get back to its roots with the affordable, Rocketman-based Minor, or should it keep on doing what it's doing? What about the Superleggera Vision Concept? Should Mini add it as a successor to the short-lived Roadster? Have your say in Comments. Related Video:

2021 Mini Countryman shows off its fresh face

The 2021 Mini Countryman has been spied once again, and it has shed some of its camouflage. We get a really good look at what appears to be the base Countryman's new front and rear fascias, updated taillights and interior. Otherwise, the little crossover is mostly unchanged. Up front, the bumper changes from three large grille openings to one standard one, and it gets the same slats as the grille between the headlights. On either side are big, round fog lights, which are themselves flanked by openings that probably create wind curtains around the wheels. Looking at the headlights, they have new internals with more squared-off projector surrounds. We also get some good looks at the John Cooper Works model. The shots of it at the Nurburgring give us a good look at the front, which looks generally unchanged with the same front bumper as the current car, but possibly with a new grille and headlight design. At the back, the car reveals new Union Jack taillights similar to those introduced on the Mini Hardtop and Clubman. Another photo shows what seems to be a John Cooper Works Countryman with part of a cloth cover lifted. This shows the rear bumper is mostly the same, but it gets a new mesh grille pattern over the rear diffuser area. Finally, we get a look at the interior. Most of it is the same, but the instrument cluster loses the analog dial of the current model. In its place is the oval-shaped cluster from the Mini Cooper SE electric car, which likely combines analog dials on either side with a screen nestled between. These changes are all relatively minor, and seem to be production ready. As such, we would expect the changes to be introduced for the 2021 model year. The reveal could be later this year. Of course, it's also possible the changes could be pushed back in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. Related Video: