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

Auto blog

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:

2020 Mini Clubman makes many mini changes

The mid-cycle refresh for the 2020 Mini Clubman brings small-scale cosmetic alterations from front to back. The new grille dominates the front end. It's no larger than before, but by getting rid of the black bumper shape for six horizontal bars optionally dressed in chrome, the opening looks bigger. Clubman S models still fit hexagonal mesh into the opening, smaller hexagons on the new model set off by the single chrome accent of the previous model. New standard halogen headlights house larger reflectors and a black shield, the fog lights in the lower bumper illuminating as DRLs. The first set of optional LED headlights are arranged in a new design and employ LEDs for high and low beams. On these, an LED ring lights up to act as the primary DRL and the turn signal. A more feature-filled LED option includes adaptive headlights that can turn and adjust their brightness and throw automatically, and auto high-beam dipping. If we get that latter option in the U.S., it won't be with full functionality. The new rear LED taillights come standard and illuminate in a Union Jack pattern. Three new colors join the palette: Indian Summer Red metallic, British Racing Green metallic, and Mini Yours Enigmatic Black metallic. Optional Piano Black exterior trim replaces chrome with the glossy black stuff, and an optional sport suspension lowers the ride height by 10 millimeters. Extra wheel choices come in 18-inch Multiray Spoke two-tone and MINI Yours British Spoke two-tone flavors, along with 19-inch John Cooper Works Circuit Spoke two-tone rims. The Mini Yours program collects a suite of new personalization possibilities such as a sports steering wheel and a Leather Lounge Carbon Black interior leather treatment with a perforated Union Jack pattern on the seat headrests. Mini Yours ambient lighting treatments highlight the door bezels, cockpit bezel, cockpit and center console trim in hues to match three themes: Piano Black illuminated, Frozen Blue illuminated, and Fibre Alloy illuminated. A Union Jack emblem on the side windows marks the choice. A Leather Chester interior in Malt Brown, Indigo Blue, or Satellite Grey provides a different kind of flair. The infotainment gains a permanent 4G-LTE SIM card for always-on connectivity and over-the-air updates. After debuting at Auto Shanghai, we await pricing before the model goes on sale later this year.

BMW restores classic Mini as it revives production in Netherlands

Mini will be kicking off production in the Netherlands, a country that hasn't built a Mini-badged machine since 1966. In honor of this event, BMW Group Classic, the team responsible for all the cars in the BMW Museum, as well as being a spare parts and restoration company in its own right, revived a classic 1959 Austin Seven. That particular car, number 983, was one of the first Minis to be built in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands' JJ Molenaar's Car Companies built 4,000 Austin Sevens and Morris Mini-Minors between 1959 and 1966, although we imagine Dutch Mini production will be much bigger when it starts up again in summer 2014. A five-person team from VDL Nedcar, the group handling production of new Minis, took to the job of restoring the diminutive British car from nose to tail.
The 34-horsepower engine and the transmission were both completely rebuilt, while the door panels were redone by hand. Help from the Mini community aided the VDL Nedcar team in finding authentic replicas or original parts where possible. All told, the new classic Mini is a striking example of what a good restoration can do to a car. The Seven was repainted in its original Farina Gray, adding to the car's sense of authenticity.