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Mini Cooper SE Prototype First Drive Review | This electric hatch is a suburban belter

MUNICH, Germany — A battery-electric Mini SE? Haven't we been here before? Well, yes: A decade ago, as part of its "i Project," BMW conducted a worldwide field trial of some 750 lithium-ion battery equipped two-door Mini Coopers. It was launched at the 2008 L.A. Show, and the lithium-ion battery pack took up most of the space normally occupied by the rear seats. Nevertheless, interest in the 450 lease vehicles offered in the U.S. (at $850 a month) was strong, with more demand than cars available. One result of the 2008-2011 trial was parent company BMW learned that the average owner of a two-door Mini drives about 25 miles a day, and the company is hoping the battery Mini will be an ideal (sub)urban-run-around for two- or three-car families. Now BMW is about to launch a production Mini EV (based on the two-door model, but with the full complement of four seats), which goes on sale at the end of the year. This will join the Mini Countryman All4 plug-in hybrid in the electrified Mini stable, but while the Countryman has an EV range of about 12 miles, this battery Mini will travel around 120 miles on a single charge. The reason we can't be too definite about the new Mini's capabilities is that BMW isn't allowed to "advertise" the car this far in front of its on-sale date. We caught up with the prototype model, mummified in camouflage tape, at an off-the-road driving event held at BMW's Munich driving center on the former military air base of Furstenfeldbruck, now known as Maisach. The drivetrain is based on the middle model of BMW's i3 range, the i3S, with its 135 kilowatt/181 horsepower motor and 94 amp-hour, 33 kilowatt hour battery. The battery is a 96-cell lithium-ion unit from Chinese supplier CATL instead of BMW's previous supplier, Samsung, and it weights 441 pounds. Unlike the team-built, mainly carbon-fiber i3, the Mini is a standard three-door model that runs down the production line in Oxford, with a metal subframe that houses the electric motor, inverter, transformers, and control electronics so they can be slotted into place like a conventional driveline. We can extrapolate a few things about the Mini from the BMW i3S. As well as its working range of 120 miles, the i3S has a top speed of 100 mph and will accelerate from 0-62 mph in 7.7 seconds. With over 360 pounds more to pull about, the 2,998-pound Mini EV will be slower, with less range, especially if used in cold conditions.

2016 Mini Cooper S Convertible First Drive

Is there a better place to launch a roofless Mini than Los Angeles in the middle of winter? Temperatures during the drive event for the new 2016 Mini Cooper S Convertible hovered in the mid-80s, and (a begrudging thanks to CARB here) there was only a thin haze to attenuate the sun. Moreover, the sprawled-out and uniquely Californian metropolis doesn't seem to hem in the longer, broader, ever so slightly taller Convertible. Even if you don't necessarily enjoy vehicles that inherently make a statement, driving a Cooper S Convertible around this style-conscious town at least attunes your sensibilities to the Mini norm. Since there isn't much mechanically or stylistically to differentiate the new Convertible from its Hardtop fraternal twin, we can cover the basics quickly. The exterior sheetmetal is, for better or worse, not much different. That means the large proboscis – a nod to pedestrian impact standards and a variety of other engineering and safety concerns – and longer rear overhang carry over. The jutting underbite and slightly walleyed headlight stance exaggerate how bulbous the front end has become with each subsequent generation. Taken in isolation, the Mini Convertible is still undeniably cute, but the English bulldog vibe is slowly being pushed out of the corporate design language as each new Mini is gently inflated. At some point, we'll hit the bursting point. The Mini Convertible is still undeniably cute, but the English bulldog vibe is slowly being pushed out of the corporate design language. Even in the space-compromised Mini Convertible, total cargo area increases by 25 percent to a useful 7.6 cubic feet maximum. The Easy-Load function, which props up the back edge of the soft top on a pair of spindly plastic struts, is a bit fussy but helps get awkward items in and out of the surprisingly deep cargo area. Smaller or soft luggage should go in without issue. Larger items might be better suited for the back seat. If you're buying a four-seat convertible, you should be prepared for these compromises ahead of time. Speaking of time, the top's operation is reasonably quick. It takes 18 seconds to raise or lower the top, at up to 18 mph. It was fast enough for a stoplight change to test out the situation with the lid on. If you've ever been in a last-generation Mini 'Vert, it's about the same – big blind spots mar the view, but it's remarkably quiet.

2021 Mini lineup includes some more equipment and some lower prices

Mini has played the unusual triple for its 2021 model-year lineup: Design revisions, more equipment, and lower prices on a number of models. Two full-body exterior colors, Emerald Gray Metallic and Melting Silver Metallic, won't make the new year. After a hiatus, the six-speed manual transmission returns on eight trims from the Cooper two-door hardtop to the front-wheel drive Cooper S Clubman. It's a third shifting possibility alongside the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and the eight-speed Steptronic automatic. The hardtops and convertibles were refreshed for last year, so they'll carry on with that momentum. One feature change comes to the mid-grade Signature Trim, which can add 6.5-inch touchscreen nav and Apple CarPlay, and a digital instrument cluster as options. The top Iconic trim makes the digital cluster standard. The Oxford Edition trim holds the line at $19,750 before an $850 destination fee, for a total of $20,600, same as 2020. Mini's made the Oxford available to everyone, not only the recent students and military personnel that began as the exclusive buyer base. Not only are there no price increases among the hardtop and convertible ranges, seven models get $1,000 price reductions. Pricing for 2021 and the difference compared to 2020 is: Hardtop 2 Door Oxford Edition: $20,600 (No change) Cooper: $23,250 ($1,000 lower) Cooper S: $27,250 ($1,000 lower) Cooper SE: $30,750 (No change) John Cooper Works: $33,250 ($1,000 lower) John Cooper Works GP: $45,750 Hardtop 4 Door Oxford Edition: $21,600 (No change) Cooper: $24,250 ($1,000 lower) Cooper S: $28,250 ($1,000 lower) Convertible Cooper: $28,250 ($1,000 lower) Cooper S: $32,250 ($1,000 lower) Sidewalk Edition: $39,250 John Cooper Works: $39,250 (No change) The Clubman got a makeover for this year plus a more powerful John Cooper Works Clubman with 301 horsepower. The sole change here is a 6.5-inch touchscreen navigation unit included on the middle Signature trim. Prices for the 2021 Clubman are: S: $30,750 ($1,000 lower) S ALL4: $33,750 (No change) John Cooper Works ALL4: $40,350 ($100 higher) The big-selling Countryman does almost 40% of U.S. Mini business. Outside come redesigned LED headlights, new Union Jack taillights, LED fog lights on the base Cooper and Cooper S, and piano black trim in places like the light frames and door handles.