2014 Cooper S New Turbo 2l I4 16v Front-wheel Drive Hatchback Premium on 2040-cars

Auto blog

U.S. issues new tariff threat, this time against British-built cars

WASHINGTON — Britain is the United States' closest ally but their long friendship may be sorely tested as the two countries try to forge a new trade agreement after Britain's exit from the European Union. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday in London that he was optimistic that a bilateral deal with Britain could be reached as soon as this year. But Mnuchin gave up no ground after a second meeting with his UK counterpart, Sajid Javid. Javid has insisted that Britain will proceed with a unilateral digital services tax, despite a U.S. threat to levy retaliatory tariffs on British-made autos. Mnuchin told reporters after Saturday's meeting that such taxes would discriminate against big U.S. tech companies like Alphabet Inc's Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon. The UK Treasury declined to comment on the private meeting. The divide highlights the challenges ahead as the Trump administration seeks a new bilateral agreement with Britain, part of a broader push to rebalance relations with nearly all its major trading partners. The stakes are high — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pegged the trade deal with United States as a way to ease the pain of breaking with Europe, Britain's largest trade partner. U.S. President Donald Trump, has promised a "massive" trade deal to support Brexit, the product of a populist movement similar to his "America First" agenda. The goodwill and special relationship the two countries have enjoyed for decades may not count for much, experts say. "Trump is not going to be doing Johnson any favors," said Amanda Sloat, a senior fellow with the Brookings Institution in Washington. "He's not going to give him a trade deal without major concessions." Even before the digital tax issue arose, the Trump administration threatened to tax foreign car imports, which could hit British-made Jaguar, Land Rover, Mini, and Honda Civic hatchback cars. Stiff U.S. trade demands include increased access for U.S. farm goods, concessions that will be difficult for Britain's entrenched natural food culture to swallow. The United States also wants Britain to change the way its National Health Service prices drugs and allow in more U.S. pharmaceuticals, which could prove politically unpopular for Johnson's government. Washington's demand that London block Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei Technologies Co Ltd for national security reasons could also cloud talks.

Mini juices up Convertible with John Cooper Works model

Almost one year ago today, we caught our first and only look at the new Mini John Cooper Works Convertible, courtesy of a set of spy photos. Now, the new hot droptop has arrived, and no surprise, it's basically the same thing as the JCW Hardtop. The new model blends the standard three-door hardtop's 2.0-liter, 228-horsepower, 236-pound-foot, four-cylinder with the folding canvas roof of the new Mini Convertible, which debuted in October of last year. Available with a standard six-speed manual or an optional six-speed automatic, the three-pedal JCW Convertible will hit 60 in 6.4 seconds while the two-pedal will do the run a tenth of a second faster. The brawnier powertrain is backed up by a standard sport suspension – dynamic damper control is an optional extra – and convertible-specific chassis enhancements, including a new stiffening plate underneath the engine. To bring proceedings to a halt even quicker, Mini attached JCW-specific Brembo brakes. There's also the usual array of interior and exterior enhancements. Outside, there's a sportier body kit, standard, JCW-specific 17-inch wheels (or optional 18s), and standard LED headlamps. We're aching to try out the new JCW sport seats, which feature a fixed headrest and some serious bolstering. They're also rocking a pretty nifty black-and-red color scheme. Mini has paired its latest announcement with a full pricing release for the Cooper, Cooper S, and JCW Convertibles. Adding the softtop kicks up the price $5,000 to $5,500, with the base model starting at $26,800. The S model just barely cracks the $30,000 mark, coming in at $30,450, while the Works model is $36,450. That, friends, is a lot of money, and you'll be putting it down before even dipping into Mini's deep options catalog. Read on for both official press releases from Mini. EXTREME DRIVING FUN, INTENSIVE OPEN-AIR PLEASURE: INTRODUCING THE NEW MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS CONVERTIBLE Woodcliff Lake, NJ – January 14, 2016... When passion for motor racing is the driving force and intense open-air pleasure the goal, the new MINI John Cooper Works Convertible takes the ideal line from the word go. The second John Cooper Works model of the latest generation combines engine and suspension technology optimized for use on the race track with distinctive design and equipment features as well as the extensively refined qualities of the new MINI Convertible.

Mini lineup could expand to include up to 10 models, still no hope for Rocketman

During an event in Ponce, Puerto Rico last week where Mini introduced members of the media to the 2013 Paceman and John Cooper Works GP, product planners discussed that the brand's lineup could expand to eventually include up to 10 bodystyles. Currently, the Mini range consists of seven models: the Hardtop, Clubman, Convertible, Countryman, Coupe, Roadster and Paceman.
Speaking to members of the media, David Duncan, Mini USA sales manager, said that these new models could fall into a range of niches - "any segment that makes sense for a small car." No specific vehicle classes were discussed, but Duncan stated that the possibilities are endless, "as long as we're the smallest player in any segment."
Well, nearly endless. We've been hoping that Mini would re-think its decision to nix plans to create a vehicle smaller than the Hardtop - a notion previewed by the excellent Rocketman concept (shown above) from the 2011 Geneva Motor Show - but the automaker once again stated that this is absolutely off the table. In order to create a vehicle of the Rocketman's size, a completely new platform would have to be engineered (that's expensive), and while Mini has looked into acquiring existing architecture from another brand, parent company BMW has reportedly put the kibosh on such an act. If a Rocketman is ever to be born, BMW/Mini will do it on its own, and right now, that simply isn't in the cards.