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Mini Rocketman concept reportedly going into production as an EV

Remember the Mini Rocketman Concept from the 2011 Geneva Motor Show? If you don’t thatÂ’s OK, as itÂ’s been almost an entire decade since Mini pulled the wraps off. Despite the massive time lapse, Mini decided to revive the concept, not just for show. The companyÂ’s finally going to put the Rocketman into production, as an electric vehicle. We've heard this before, a few years ago, but nothing was set in stone. Now it seems a decision has been made. AutoCar in Britain recently learned that the Rocketman will fulfill its premise as the companyÂ’s first subcompact city car. The production model, scheduled for 2022, will reportedly be heavily reworked and built as a joint project with Chinese automaker Great Wall Motors. “WeÂ’re advancing plans for a model along the lines of the Rocketman. ItÂ’s a car we have been looking at for a long time, but to build it profitably at the price point we think customers are prepared to pay, you need a joint venture partner to share costs. Great Wall Motors has provided that opportunity with a shared electric car platform that will be used by Mini,” an anonymous “senior BMW official” was quoted as saying. The production Rocketman will retain its three-door hatchback design and is expected to serve as the manufacturerÂ’s newest entry-level model. It will be built by Great Wall Motors in Jiangsu, China, while BMW oversees the design and production with plans to sell it in all markets globally. When the Rocketman first surfaced at Geneva, it was essentially BMWÂ’s direct response to DaimlerÂ’s Smart ForFour. However, even with positive feedback from prospective customers, the project was shelved because development discussions between BMW and its initial partner, Peugeot, ended abruptly. The companies were reportedly going to share platforms and powertrains in another joint venture. In the new agreement with the Chinese company, the production model will apparently use a small-car platform used by Great Wall Motors called the Ora R1. The Peugeot-BMW project was going to use either a three-cylinder gas or diesel engine. But the new model will gain an all-electric powertrain by Spotlight Automotive as a part of BMWÂ’s massive plan to launch up to 25 new plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles by the end of 2023. One of those models is the newly released all-electric Cooper SE.

David Brown Automotive remasters classic Mini at maxi price

Just days ago, we reported that the British small-scale maker of luxurious, Aston Martin inspired coupes, David Brown Automotive, was about to introduce a new, cheaper vehicle positioned under its exquisitely priced Speedback GT model. Since the Jaguar-based Speedback GT costs a significant $753,000, there's quite a bit of room underneath it to introduce a more modest means of transport, without cheapening out. Now, details of the car, dubbed "Project 2," have surfaced, and it's quite a surprise. What David Brown Automotive has come up with is a "remastered," rethought classic Mini. While the car looks just like a Mini at a passing glance, the body panels along with the chassis are new, and the car has been given a smoothening. All the body seams that were commonplace on the classic original have been rounded off, and the interior is a custom job complete with plentiful leather and Pioneer touchscreen. The new dashboard is a little closer to Japanese retro cars than either the classic Mini or the current, BMW-made equivalent. The drivetrain remains the trusted 1,275cc original along with a four-speed gearbox; both are reconditioned units instead of box-fresh ones, but they feature brand-new parts. There's 79 horsepower on offer, which is plenty of poke for a Mini. Each of the cars will take about 1,000 hours to make, by hand. The plan is to build 100-200 of these Mini re-creations per year, at David Brown's new facility in Silverstone, England. In two years, only 11 Speedbacks have been built, so the Mini should create a bit more buzz at the workshop. But the price? Starting from $62,000 at current rates, going all the way to $86,000 if you want one with all the trimmings. A lot for a Mini, but it's going to be special. Related Video:

Lots of Land Rovers, Jaguars and Minis actually survived that near-capsized ship

Despite a severe list to starboard, many of the 1,400 cars and SUVs aboard the 51,000-ton Hoegh Osaka are currently being recovered in salvageable condition, with video showing some of the vehicles from British brands Land Rover, Jaguar and Mini, being driven ashore under their own power. The car-carrying vessel developed a severe list on January 3 and was intentionally run aground on a sandbar between England and the Isle of Wight. It has since limped its way back to port in Southampton, where damage assessments are being conducted on both the ship and its $53-million in cargo. According to the company that owns the car carrier, the ship itself only suffered minor damage in the incident, while Car and Driver is reporting that many of the damaged vehicles will almost certainly be scrapped. Still, the fact that there are vehicles, some of which appear undamaged (look at that Defender at 0:50!), being removed from the Hoegh Osaka needs to count as a net win. News Source: Car and Driver, WonkaBar007 via YouTube Jaguar Land Rover MINI Coupe Crossover Hatchback Luxury Off-Road Vehicles Performance Videos Sedan