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Mini's Oxford factory builds its 10 millionth car

Mini has a lot to celebrate in 2019. The original, pocket-sized city car that spawned the entire brand made its debut 60 years ago, and its historic factory in Oxford, England, made its 10 millionth vehicle in August. The zesty hatchback is already on its way to meet its biggest fans. Fittingly, the milestone car is a limited-edition 60 Years-badged model. It's based on the two-door Cooper S, so its 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is turbocharged to 192 horsepower, and it receives several edition-specific touches like brown leather upholstery with green accents, an array of special decals and logos, plus 17-inch alloy wheels designed for the model. The 10 millionth Oxford-built car isn't destined for a life spent in a museum or in a private collection. At least not yet. It's already hit the road as part of a 61-car convoy making the 84-mile trip from the Oxford factory to Bristol to attend the International Mini Meet taking place August 11. The first Mini built, a white Morris Mini-Minor, is at the head of the pack. It's followed by an example made during every year of the model's unusually long production run. And what a run it was. There were 5.3 million examples of the original Mini made between 1959 and 2000, but not all of them were manufactured in Oxford, and none were sold under the Mini brand. Parent company BMW created Mini as we know it in late 2000 when it launched the first-generation Cooper (the car now known as the Hardtop). Its numerous predecessors were given more than a dozen names including Austin Seven, Austin Mini, Innocenti Mini, Morris 850, Riley Elf, and Rover Mini.

Mini Clubman All4 Scrambler Concept is the big Mini we want

Mini of Italy built a butch version of the Clubman for the 2016 Valentino Park Motor Show. Called the All4 Scrambler, it's what happens when a Mini takes inspiration from a BMW R Nine T Scrambler motorcycle. We must say, we like this brutish little car. The matte paint is Frozen Grey, a favorite of BMW's high-performance M cars, while the roof is black. There's a luggage rack up there, and the old-school leather suitcase in the cargo area looks like it'd be right at home strapped to the back of an touring bike like the R Nine T Scrambler. In fact, the best thing about this Clubman is the way Mini of Italy has blended the motorcycle's characteristics into a compact wagon. The knobbly tires are more aggressive than the R Nine T, but the overall aesthetic effect is the same. The rubber looks sporty and, unlike the production Clubman, they do a better job of filling out the wheel wells. Add in the rally lights and It's a great look. It's harder to see in these images, but there's also a matte black applique on the front and rear bumpers, side sills, and around the wheel arches. It's a practical move, of course, but it's also makes for a nice, aggressive effect. Mini's tweaks in the cabin are modest. The Nappa leather and Alcantara upholstery comes in a rich tan shade meant to mimic the R Nine T's seat. It looks so good we wish Mini offered some version of the color on the production Clubman – every car should have a tan leather option. The headliner gets an Alcantara finish, too. Overall, Mini of Italy has built a handsome, production-based concept. Buon lavoro, I miei amici. Related Video:

Mini Hardtop Four-Door Carbon Edition breaks cover [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Mini USA sent a announcement with official details and pricing for the Carbon Edition, which is available below. After an $850 destination charge, the models cost $37,100 with a manual gearbox. Mini doesn't offer the John Cooper Works trim on the Hardtop Four-Door, but a handful of US customers can now order the next-best thing. The new Carbon Edition satisfies the needs of enthusiasts wanting extra power to go with the two additional doors, but Mini will only offer 150 of them here. The Carbon Edition starts with the Hardtop Four-Door Cooper S and then layers on the John Cooper Works Pro Tuning Kit to create a 208-horsepower hot hatch. An upgraded exhaust with Sport and Track modes also comes with that package, according to MotoringFile. For extra style, they all wear a JCW body kit in Midnight Black, and there's a heap of carbon-fiber trim to fit the name. Matte black stripes amplify the menacing look and feature a little Carbon emblem cut into the ones on the sides. Additional improvements include LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, a navigation system, and JCW interior trim. The array of improvements don't quite take the Carbon Edition to the full 228 hp from the JCW Hardtop Two-Door, but Mini spokesperson Mariella Kapsaskis tells Autoblog that the US product team handpicked these parts to get as close as possible. If this limited-edition, four-door hot hatch intrigues you, get on the phone with a dealer soon. According to Kapsaskis, the first examples are already at dealers, and the Carbon Edition might not last long with just 150 of them on the road. Related Video: MINI Carbon Edition: The fastest, loudest, and most powerful MINI Hardtop 4 Door we make. The Carbon Edition combines the already powerful MINI Cooper S Hardtop 4 Door model with the new John Cooper Works Pro Tuning Kit, valve exhaust system and high-grade carbon fiber accessories. The result is 208 horsepower and an ultra-aggressive exhaust note with Sport and Track Mode*. The exhaust flap is operated wirelessly via two clicks of the Bluetooth controller and unleashes devilish backfire pops and crackling sound on the overrun. Genuine carbon fiber mirror caps, air intake trim, and tailpipe finishers are offset against Midnight Black metallic paint and exclusive matte black sport and side stripes accented by a red pinstripe.