2003 Mini Cooper Base Hatchback 2-door 1.6l on 2040-cars

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Next-generation Mini Cooper electric car caught in spy photos

Though the current generation of Mini Hardtop just got a refresh, it seems a new generation is around the corner. That new model appears in the spy photos above, and in electric form no less. At first glance, it doesn't look very different, but there are many small changes that add up to make it distinctly its own. At the front, the headlights appear to be more circular than the slightly ovoid units of the current model. They look as though they wrap a little more around the fenders, too. The grille appears to be enlarged a bit to match the bigger headlights, and the changes give the car even more of a cute, wide-eyed appearance than before. Other interesting things to note are that the hood scoop may be going away, as the one on this car is a fake. The hood cut lines also seem to go through to the wheel arches. Other subtle changes are revealed in profile. The front overhang looks slightly reduced, and the windshield looks more raked. Part of that appears to be because of the base being moved slightly forward. Not only has the windshield become more raked, so has the rear window. It's hidden by the newly added aerodynamic fairings below the rear spoiler. Finally, we can see the chrome, refrigerator-style door grab handles are gone in favor of more flush-fitting handles, and the charging door has changed sides to the left of the car. The back doesn't reveal much unusual, but the taillights have more square-like proportions, and they seem to fit more flushly to the body. There also appear to be some cut lines through the taillight area, so there may be more going on under the camouflage than we can see right now. We also get a small glimpse of the interior. It looks like there's a wide screen across much of the dash. It's in keeping with current car design trends, but is a major departure from the retro-inspired design of past Minis. The prototype we see here looks pretty far along in development. With that in mind, along with recent reports, the new model may be launched in 2023. It will likely be accompanied by gas-powered versions, since 2025 is the cut-off date for the last new gas-powered Mini option, and 2030 is the point where the brand will be fully electric. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2020 Mini John Cooper Works GP appears to have its Nurburgring time on the dashboard

Details on the 2020 Mini John Cooper Works GP hot hatch have been trickling out, and it sounds and looks impressive. It will have over 300 horsepower (probably at least 301 like the Clubman and Countryman), and it has wild bodywork like its concept. Mini has also been promising a fast Nurburgring lap time, with the only information given that it will be under 8 minutes. Before the company could announce it, someone found it on the dashboard of the car. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Twitter user Will Pierce shared a photo of the dash, and the time wasn't just on a piece of paper, it was molded into the plastic trim of the dashboard. Mini is really proud of it, but maybe they shouldn't be that proud because it's not a record, giving it the benefit of the doubt that it's front drive like past GPs. The time is 7:56.69. The current front-drive record holder is the Renault Megane R.S. Trophy-R at 7:40.1. That's over 16 seconds faster. It also edged out the Honda Civic Type R's old record of 7:43.8. Even the third-fastest front-driver, the VW GTI Clubsport, did a lap in 7:47.19. In the grand scheme of things, Nurburgring lap times aren't that important. They're a fun bragging right, but there's much more that's important about cars than raw times. We're just giving the Mini a hard time because, well, if you're going to throw a time in someone's face every time they hop in the car, maybe you should make sure it's truly impressive. But we're sure the GP will be a riot, and we can't wait for more details and the opportunity to drive one.

Mini hops on the rooftop tent craze

Among the many changes ushered in by the pandemic year, has been an explosion in the popularity of camping. But even more so than camping trailers and RVs, rooftop automobile tents seem to be having their moment. Everyone, it seems, suddenly wants to sleep on the roof of their car. Most often, we see these tents perched atop some tricked-out overlanding rig or at the very least, a factory offroader like the Land Rover Defender or Ford Bronco. But how about a more earth-friendly option? Like, say, getting back to nature in a battery-powered Mini? Both the battery-powered Mini Cooper SE and the plug-in hybrid Mini Countryman SE offer roof rails, a key foundation for a rooftop tent. Taking advantage of that feature, Mini offers two different rooftop tents as factory accessories, as seen here. Unfortunately, as of now, they're only available in Europe. The intrepid nature-lovers better not go too far from civilization in the Cooper SE, since it has just 110 miles of range (according to the EPA) — although Mini optimistically suggests that many campgrounds now have EV charging points, so you can power up while winding down. For its part, the plug-in hybrid Countryman SE claims 17 miles of EV range before the gasoline engine fires up. Should the rooftop tent craze continue even after people once again feel safe checking into a Ritz-Carlton, it would be great to see more offerings that are designed for smaller host vehicles. After all, eco-friendly cars would seem to be thematically aligned with the nature appreciation that's inherently a part of camping. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.