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Mini Superleggera gets the green light

With the fairly lackluster designs coming out of Mini recently, leave it to a group from outside the company to get things right. The minds behind the Berlinetta Lusso and Disco Volante at Touring Superleggera did just that with the retro-inspired Mini Superleggera Vision Concept from last year's Villa d'Este Concours d'Elegance. Now, according to Car in the UK, the droptop has a green light for production from the BMW board and could arrive in showrooms by 2018. The concept stole our hearts with its rounded shape, rear fin and Union-Jack-shaped taillights. Inside, the interior went for extreme minimalism with an aluminum dashboard that positioned just a simple tachometer and thin steering wheel in front of the driver. The production version reportedly rides on the third-gen Mini platform but retains all of the concept's major styling elements. In place of the electric motor, expect the current engine offerings with a 1.5-liter three-cylinder and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder available under the hood. Patent documents might provide an even better hint at what to expect. They also show the design not changing much, other than the lights no longer in the grille, a framed windshield and slightly smaller fin. The Union Jack taillights remain, though. Peter Schwarzenbauer, BMW Group member in charge of Mini, asserted the company was testing the waters for production shortly after the Superleggera's debut. At the time, the price was speculated to be around 35,000 euros if the car arrived on the market in Europe. Related Video:

2020 Mini Convertible Sidewalk Edition hits the pavement again

In 2007, the Mini Convertible Sidewalk dropped its top in bitter winter during the Detroit Auto Show to show off its exclusive appearance package. The cosmetic suite makes a return for 2020, again as the Mini Convertible Sidewalk, with more color and design choices courtesy of Mini Yours. The primo choice comes in Deep Laguna metallic, a hue unavailable on other models, set off by patterned hood strips with contrasting edges. Buyers can spec five metallic colors from the traditional palette, too: White Silver, Moonwalk Grey, Thunder Grey, Enigmatic Black, and Midnight Black. For markets that make such perks optional, the Sidewalk Chili equipment package installs LED headlights and fog lights, automatic air conditioning, the interior lighting package, a height-adjustable front passenger seat, the storage package, and driving modes. Sidewalk logos on the side indicator bezels ease identification from afar, so too the 17 inch Scissor Spoke two-tone wheels. Upon closer inspection, the arrow graphics woven into the fabric soft top are another giveaway, as are the brushed aluminum sill plates bearing the word "Sidewalk." The interior's been wrapped in MINI Yours anthracite leather upholstery, stitched with Petrol and Energetic Yellow thread. Braided Petrol piping outlines the seat forms, dark Petrol contours the floor mats, while doors get Petrol and silver accents. A Sidewalk logo sits at the base of the leather-wrapped sports steering wheel. Three engine lineup comes in three gasoline flavors, a 1.5-liter three-cylinder with 102-horsepower in the Mini One, the same engine with 134 hp in the Mini Cooper, and a 192-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder for the Mini Cooper S. Mini says the standard transmission will be a six-speed manual; the row-your-own took a break for a spell but is due back in the U.S. next month. The seven-speed Steptronic dual-clutch is optional on the Mini Cooper and Cooper S, the DCT with paddle shifters an option on the Cooper S only. We aren't privy to price yet – that comes closer to launch in March. The Mini Convertible Sidewalk will be sold worldwide, but numbers might be limited; the UK, for instance, only gets 150 examples.

Mini reveals Untold, Resolute and Untamed special editions for 2023

Mini is aggressively stepping into the world of special editions for its 2023 model year lineup, and it’s revealing three of them today. They include the Untold Edition, Resolute Edition and Untamed Edition. Not all special editions are available on all models, but every model gets at least one special edition To our delight, all of these models are legitimately interesting in their appearance, so letÂ’s dive right into it. Mini Untold Edition The Untold Edition is specifically for the Clubman, and you can spec it on the modelÂ’s performance trims, including the S, S All4 and John Cooper Works. ItÂ’s the flashiest of the three special editions, and much of that can be attributed to the 18-inch “Refined Brass” and black two-tone wheels. This wheel is exclusive to the Untold Edition, and itÂ’s bound to turn heads. The exterior is done in Sage Green paint, but Mini has done something a little special to further separate the exterior from normal Clubmans by color-matching the plastic cladding to the exterior paint. This is done by dyeing it during production, and it visually lowers the ride height by giving the whole car a generally uniform color. Other trim pieces are done in either “Refined Brass” or glossy black to give a premium and sinister look. You get some intriguing hood and roof stripes, and the side scuttles are 3-D-printed with a unique pattern. Mini attacks the interior by installing leather seats in a paint-matching Sage Green with contrasting seams and piping. YouÂ’ll see Sage Green accents on the dash, and the air vents mimic exterior trim in Refined Brass. YouÂ’ll find “Untold Edition” logos in a few different places, like the steering wheel and side sills. The Mini Cooper S Clubman Untold Edition starts at $42,500. ItÂ’s based on the top-rung Iconic trim (just like the other special editions announced today), which means it comes loaded with most any option you might want. If you desire the JCW version, the price jumps to $49,750. Mini is allowing you to spec these special editions by just adding a separate option package onto the car. For example, a regular Clubman S is made into an Untold Edition via a $2,250 package. Mini Resolute Edition The Resolute Edition can be applied to the widest range of Minis, including the Cooper S Hardtop 2 Door, Cooper S Hardtop 4 Door, Cooper S Convertible and Cooper SE. Yes, this is the one you can get if you want the electric Mini SE.