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Mini Clubman Bond Street is as special as they come

Mini is committed to applying the brand's trademark special-edition formula to the company's long roof. The Clubman Bond Street bowed under the lights of the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, complete with its unique black-and-champagne color scheme. Like the Mayfair and Camden and Bayswater and Baker Street special editions that came before it, the Bond Street pays homage to a famous London street with mirror caps and a roof dipped in contrasting paint. The Cool Champagne color pops against the body's Midnight Black Metallic, and buyers can expect to find a set of 17-inch alloy wheels on hand as well.
Inside, the Clubman Bond Street gets Carbon Black leather seating with Deep Champagne accents. Each Bond Street comes equipped with the Chrome Line package. Under the hood, a 122-horsepower gasoline four-cylinder serves up thrust, though a 143-horsepower turbo-diesel mill can also be had for a little extra coin. Check out the full press release below for more information.

Mini Countryman spied looking less and less Mini

As the entire Mini lineup continues to grow in size, our latest spy shots for the upcoming Mini Countryman testing in Germany reveals the automaker's biggest car will stick to the trend of increasing semantic contradiction. This latest prototype drops some of its camouflage over the previously spied model that was spotted testing in the winter. Unlike the last test mule we saw, the disguised vehicle ditches the hexagonal grille for one that mimics the current model's design with a more traditional layout. The prototype also loses the sporty, multi-spoke wheels for a more boring, plastic-like set. The side and back end of the vehicle are heavily camouflaged, hiding the rear design of the prototype. But Mini's iconic taillights are still evident with the most current prototype only having one exhaust outlet, while the previously spotted model sported two. As expected, the next-gen Countryman should grow longer and wider. The increase in size will coincide with a switch to BMW's UKL2 platform. We also expect the Countryman to share the same three- and four-cylinder turbocharged engine options as vehicles on the same platform, namely the Mini Clubman and BMW X1. This prototype, with its low-end wheels and single exhaust outlet has us thinking that Mini is testing out one of its more fuel-efficient models. After the Countryman's debut, which is expected to happen at the Paris Motor Show in October, a performance-oriented John Cooper Works model and a plug-in hybrid variant should follow suit. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Mini Countryman Spy Shots View 9 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Spy Photos MINI Crossover Hatchback SUV

Future Mini JCW models likely to be electrified

High-performance Mini Coopers need to be small, nimble, and relatively quick. One thing they don't necessarily need to be, according to the company's U.S. leadership, is gasoline-powered.  In an interview with Motor Authority, Mini USA Vice President Mike Peyton said that electrification is on the table for the range-topping John Cooper Works variants, which have traditionally been powered by a high-output turbocharged engine. The latest and greatest in the lineup, the 2020 Mini John Cooper Works GP, takes the formula to a new extreme, pairing a 301-horsepower mill with out-of-this-world aero. Peyton says that powertrains don't necessarily have to sound or feel the way traditionalists expect in order to be fun. It certainly doesn't have to feel that way in order to be fast; Tesla drivers can attest to that, as can those who have been fortunate enough to pilot some of the latest electrified hypercars.  He also acknowledged that while the future may be electric, that future is still a ways off. Mini is still waiting for advances in battery technology that will allow its performance models to deliver on other key expectations — namely handling. Minis are expected to be, well, miniature, and the additional weight of a current-generation, high-capacity battery is antithetical to that formula.  The take-away? The future of Mini performance is electric, but that future is still distant. So while the Mini Cooper SE and Mini E Countryman plug-in hybrid may give us a taste of Mini's approach to electrification, it could be some time before we see the company's highest-performance variants dabble in same space.