2006 Mini John Cooper Works Hardtop 6-speed Supercharged 1.6l Low Miles Rare Car on 2040-cars

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More stick shift models added to MINI's 2024 lineup

While automotive journalists have called in recent years for their industry and consumers to “save the manuals," their campaigns for manual transmissions have fallen mostly on deaf ears. Except at MINI. No surprise. The take rate for a stick shift in a Mini is said to be 18% to 20%, and in John Cooper Works models, it's more like 40%. The figure for the auto industry in general is 1.4%, meaning that driving stick is all but a lost art — unless you're driving a Mini, or say, a VW GTI or Golf R. In a presentation this week detailing the changes and specifications of MINIs for the 2024 model year, one revelation stands out: additional hardtop and convertible models that can be ordered with stick shifts. Specifically, the list includes MINI Cooper convertible, the Cooper S ragtop, the Cooper four-door hardtop and four-door Cooper S. Production of those cars is scheduled to begin in March. In November, MINI USA, which is part of the BMW organization, announced the return of manuals in its Cooper, Cooper S and John Cooper Works 2-door hardtops. Here's a pricing breakdown: Regarding other updates announced, MINI will continue to offer “special” editions — Untamed, Untold and Resolute — that launched a year ago and received additional enhancements in November that included new body colors, interior upholsteries, and engine variants. These three editions can be had on the respective models equipped with the Iconic Trim. MINI also says it will reintroduce the base Classic Trim to all Hardtop, Clubman, and Countryman models, and the Signature Trim will feature MINI Navigation as included equipment, with Advanced Real Time Traffic Information built in. In December, the company introduced a pair of tricked-out convertibles named the "Seaside Edition" that can be optioned in Nanuq White or Caribbean Aqua colors. Those models should be hitting dealers right about now, MINI says. 

Volvo leads and Mini fails in JD Power's Tech Experience Index

New cars are basically rolling computers. Everything from the engine to the infotainment runs on a series of ones and zeros, and a lot of that technology requires input from the driver. So it's no surprise that JD Power has a study designed specifically to discern which bits of tech drivers love and which bits they loathe. "New technology continues to be a primary factor in the vehicle purchase decision," says JD Power's Kristin Kolodge, executive director of driver interaction & human machine interface research. "However, it’s critical for automakers to offer features that owners find intuitive and reliable. The user experience plays a major role in whether an owner will use the technology on a regular basis or abandon it and feel like they wasted their money." The J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study found that Volvo owners are happiest with the technology packed inside their vehicles, followed by BMW and Cadillac, all brands that JD Power classifies as premium. The highest-rated mainstream brand is Hyundai, followed by Subaru and Kia. As was the case with the organization's Initial Quality and APEAL studies, Tesla's numbers aren't officially included because they are the only automaker that has not granted JD Power approval to contact its owners in states that require it. Tesla's projected score of 593 would have put it in second place, right behind Volvo's score of 617. The lowest-ranked brand in the TXI Study is Mini, with Porsche right behind. Diving a little bit deeper, JD Power's findings suggest that the technologies new car buyers care most about are related to helping them see their surroundings better. Camera systems, including rear-view mirror cameras and ground-view cameras, scored highest in five of the six satisfaction attributes measured in the study. The technology that owners could really do without? Gesture controls. Owners who answered JD Power's survey say they don't use gesture controls much at all after initially trying them, and they don't really care if their next vehicle has them. We have to wonder if those responses might be what kept BMW out of the top spot. The TXI Study also found that owners are split on automated driving helpers, like lane-keeping assist and automatic emergency braking. JD Power suggests that owners may need more training on those systems before they learn to trust them. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences.

Third-generation Mini Countryman previewed with psychedelic camouflage

Mini has released additional details about the third-generation Countryman due out later in 2023. While the range will include gasoline-, hybrid-, and battery-powered models, the BMW-owned company focused on the electric version and published a basic set of specifications. We've seen pre-production prototypes of the next Countryman before; Mini previewed the model in March 2023. The latest batch of official spy shots gives us a better look at the updated design. Up front, the electric variant of the Countryman stands out from the gasoline-burning model with a big, grille-like piece of trim. We're guessing that it wears several powertrain-specific trim pieces and emblems as well, though these are hidden under camouflage that wouldn't look entirely out of place on a Gaudi-designed building in a picturesque part of Spain. Mini revealed that the new Countryman will stretch about 174.3 inches from bumper to bumper and stand 63.5 inches tall. In comparison, the outgoing model measures 169.8 inches long and 61.3 inches tall. These figures should give the crossover a more spacious interior, and they'll make it the biggest series-produced car that Mini has ever released (the original Mini from 1959 measured merely 120 inches long). Interior photos haven't been published yet, but Mini notes some of the upholstery and trim pieces are made with recycled materials. On the electric side of the range, the Countryman will be available with two powertrains. First, a 191-horsepower single-motor setup that spins the front wheels; this version will be called Countryman E. Second, a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive system rated at 313 horsepower and fitted to the Countryman SE ALL4. Electricity will be stored in a 64.7-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, and Mini estimates the model's range will check in at about 280 miles when tested on the WLTP cycle used in Europe. The EPA-estimated figure will be lower, however. More details about the third-generation Mini Countryman will be released in the coming months. It won't remain the brand's only crossover for long: making it bigger clears up space for a second, smaller model tentatively called Aceman and previewed by a concept in July 2022. At the other end of the spectrum, the next-generation Cooper will make its debut in 2024 with significant design changes inside and out. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.