2010 Mini Cooper Clubman S**6 Spd Manual**sport/cold Weather Packs*rally Edition on 2040-cars

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BMW restores classic Mini as it revives production in Netherlands

Mini will be kicking off production in the Netherlands, a country that hasn't built a Mini-badged machine since 1966. In honor of this event, BMW Group Classic, the team responsible for all the cars in the BMW Museum, as well as being a spare parts and restoration company in its own right, revived a classic 1959 Austin Seven. That particular car, number 983, was one of the first Minis to be built in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands' JJ Molenaar's Car Companies built 4,000 Austin Sevens and Morris Mini-Minors between 1959 and 1966, although we imagine Dutch Mini production will be much bigger when it starts up again in summer 2014. A five-person team from VDL Nedcar, the group handling production of new Minis, took to the job of restoring the diminutive British car from nose to tail.
The 34-horsepower engine and the transmission were both completely rebuilt, while the door panels were redone by hand. Help from the Mini community aided the VDL Nedcar team in finding authentic replicas or original parts where possible. All told, the new classic Mini is a striking example of what a good restoration can do to a car. The Seven was repainted in its original Farina Gray, adding to the car's sense of authenticity.

Next electric Mini Cooper due out in 2024 with a lot more range

The next-generation Mini Hardtop is expected to make its global debut in the not-too-distant future. The hatchback will be offered with gasoline- and battery-powered drivetrains, and a new report provides preliminary specifications about the electric model. One of the more significant changes will appear in advertisements and other promotional material: while the hatchback is officially known as the Hardtop in the United States and the Hatch in England, its successor will adopt the Cooper nameplate. We'll need to be patient to see how the Mini has evolved from a visual perspective but company boss Stephanie Wurst told British magazine Autocar that designers have taken it "back to its roots." It's not expected to grow in length but it will be wider than its predecessor and it will ride on a longer wheelbase. Made in China via a joint-venture with Great Wall Motors, the electric, two-door-only Cooper will be available with either a 40- or a 54-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. Those figures correspond to the global-market model; details about the American-market car haven't been released. Range will check in at 240 miles for the smaller pack, according to Autocar, and the standard model will put 181 horsepower under the driver's right foot. Buyers who need more will be asked to step up to the Cooper SE, which will be rated at 215 horsepower.  In comparison, the current Cooper SE has 181 horsepower, about 110 miles of driving range, and a 32.6-kilowatt-hour battery pack. Made in England, the gasoline-powered Cooper hasn't been detailed yet. Autocar learned that there's a good chance the model will only be offered with an automatic transmission, so get a stick now while you still can. Front-wheel-drive will continue to come standard. We'll hear more about the next Cooper in the coming months, but it's not the next new model that we'll see from Mini. The third-generation Countryman previewed earlier in 2023 is tentatively scheduled to enter production in Germany in late 2023; it will be available with gasoline- and battery-powered drivetrains as well. The electric Cooper will reportedly arrive in May 2024, about two months before its gasoline-burning counterpart, so it will go on sale here in time for the 2025 model year. When it lands, it will compete in the same segment as the Fiat 500e. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Cargo ship carrying 1,200 Jaguars and Land Rovers deliberately run aground [w/video]

A cargo ship carrying a load of new cars out of Southampton has run aground in the English Channel in between England and the Isle of Wight. The vessel apparently suffered some sort of failure just 45 minutes after leaving port that caused it to list heavily to the starboard side before the crew deliberately beached it on Bramble Bank to prevent the ship from capsizing altogether. The vessel, called the Hoegh Osaka, is a 590-foot car carrier weighing some 57,000 tons and registered in Singapore. Although several automakers (including Honda and Bentley) were reportedly looking into whether they had cars on board, the vessel is said to have been filled to approximately one-third its capacity, with 1,400 vehicles on board – including 1,200 Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles, 65 Mini models and one Rolls-Royce Wraith. 70 to 80 pieces of construction equipment were also said to be on board. The Hoegh Osaka was en route from the southern British port of Southampton to Bremerhaven, Germany. Fortunately, no major injuries have been reported. The crew was mostly airlifted by helicopter off of the beached ship, with two crew members evacuated by lifeboat. One crew member reportedly jumped over 25 feet off the ship into the water before being immediately retrieved by rescue workers. According to the Daily Mail, two crew members were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, including a broken leg. It may take several days, if not longer, to extract the vessel from the sand bank and ascertain the damage to the ship and its cargo. An early attempt to free the ship with tugboats failed, meaning that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency may have to wait until more favorable high tides to try again before towing the ship back into the port. Bramble Bank, where the vessel was run aground, is a well-known obstacle to maritime navigators. The Queen Elizabeth 2 ran aground there in November 2008 with 1,700 passengers on board, but was quickly freed by four tugboats and was able to continue on its way. Two local yacht clubs also play a cricket match there every year at low tide. The vessel's operator, Hoegh Autoliners, praised the skill and quick thinking of the crew in acting to prevent the ship's capsizing by running her aground on the soft, sandy shoal. Watch the clip below for aerial footage of the beached ship, courtesy of the BBC. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.