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2022 Mini Cooper Hardtop and Convertible refresh adds more grille

The current Mini Cooper Hardtop and Convertible models, while still generally fun and stylish, are getting up there in years. The last total redesign came in 2014, with some minor updates to keep it fresh. For 2022, Mini is going with another refresh instead of an all-new model, and it seems to have cribbed notes from BMW's design team. There's no getting around it, the updated Mini models have a big grille. And that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, the classic pre-BMW Minis had large grilles, but it's also messy. Every version gets a thick black grille surround that extends to the base of the bumper, and it blends into the black air dam. It makes it look overly big and hard to tell where it begins and the edge of the bumper begins. The body color center section makes it look like the grille frame was just laid on top of a plain bumper, and the various openings look a little like afterthoughts. The base Mini Cooper has the simplest design, which helps things somewhat, while the S and John Cooper Works models have bigger openings and more grille mesh. Grille aside, there are other small styling changes inside and out that are much less controversial. Mini is ditching fog lights mounted low in the bumper for minimalist openings and integrated fog lights in the main headlamp housings. The fender garnishes that Mini calls "side scuttles" have been given a tweak and some thin, long turn indicators. At the back, the rear fog lights and reflectors are gone completely for a cleaner design. A new option is the Multitone Roof that features a gradient with Soul Blue, Pearly Aqua and Jet Black. The interior is similar to the current model, but the analog speedometer has been replaced by the digital cluster introduced on the Mini Cooper SE and John Cooper Works GP. Also, the center air vents are now integrated into the dash panels and the steering wheel and ambient lighting arrangement have been redesigned. Mechanically, the Mini lineup is completely unchanged with the same engine and transmission offerings as before. That does mean that manual transmissions will continue to be available. Mini has added some new standard features to the lineup, though. All models now get an 8.8-inch infotainment screen as standard, and the interface has new graphics. Apple CarPlay and satellite radio are also included, though Android Auto is still unavailable. Lane-departure warning is now standard, and adaptive cruise control now has stop-and-go functionality.

The Mini Rocketman could be reborn as an EV

Ask Mini fans what their favorite concept has been over the past 15 years, and you're likely to get one of two answers – the tiny Rocketman hatch, or the Superleggera roadster. The two cars are perhaps the best representations of the Mini brand's values, offering a tiny, efficient package in one vehicle and a stylish performer in the other. And they might finally see production. Okay, so that's an awfully big "might," and it's based on hints offered by Mini product boss Ralph Mahler to Autocar about expanding the company's range. The bad news? The Superleggera is facing long odds, Mahler said, because "roadster segment is small and demand is going down, with new markets opening up. The growth is not there, so it's always a challenge". "It fits perfectly into the brand, but we're a small [sales volume] car brand and have to be focused and know what we want to have," Mahler said, keeping hopes alive. "The Superleggera is playing a role but no decisions." Things are looking much rosier for the Rocketman, which could see a future as sort of a Mini-branded BMW i3. Originally introduced as a more elemental, affordable Mini, Mahler said it's "inspiring us as of today, especially as an EV in the future." Using the lessons learned by its parent company with the i3, Mini could adopt that car's creative packaging to make a roomy three-door with a remarkably small footprint. But even with that knowledge, building a Rocketman EV could be a tall order. "It was something that was ahead of its time but is still inspiring," Mahler told Autocar. "With a smaller car, it's a bigger challenge. With Rocketman, and talking EV in the future, as the EV engine gets more portable, it's give and take [for such a small EV]. Related Video:

Hands on with the 2016 Mini Clubman

When the original Mini Clubman debuted, it was marketed as a bigger, more versatile version of the popular Hardtop. But over the years, the British brand's lineup has grown both in terms of vehicle size and number of models on offer, leaving the original car's formula by the wayside. There are now two five-door models, in the form of the Countryman and Hardtop, both of which offer more versatility than the four-and-a-half-door Clubman ever could. For 2016, Mini has transformed the Clubman, making it once again the brand's most versatile model. To familiarize ourselves with the new six-door model – yes, there really are six doors – ahead of the car's official debut in Frankfurt next week, Mini USA's product planning manager, Patrick McKenna, walked us through both the interior and exterior changes for the brand's newest model. As McKenna tells it, the BMW-owned company has gone to great lengths to make the Clubman more than just a long-wheelbase car with barn doors. There are changes both inside and out that not only serve to better distinguish this new model from the brand's other five-doors, but from anything else in Mini's lineup. Check out our chat with McKenna at the top of the page, and stay tuned for more Clubman news next week.