2009 Mini Cooper S Conv't on 2040-cars

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2017 Mini John Cooper Works Clubman ALL4 | Pint-size performer with a premium price

Last September, Mini revealed the Clubman John Cooper Works (JCW). It applied the same general JCW formula used on the regular three-doors to the longest Mini by giving it even sportier suspension and the potent 228-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. But from there, Mini gave the Clubman JCW even more torque than other JCW models, and the most of any Mini model, with a total of 258 pound-feet. It also fitted standard all-wheel drive. On paper, it sounds like the ultimate performance Mini, and it doesn't hurt that it's about the most practical model. So how did it hold up in practice? First of all, this Mini has a serious weight problem. You might be tired of alarmist auto journalists whining about the increasing size of vehicles, but it's a major issue with this Mini. It actually weighs more than a V6 Chevrolet Camaro. The Camaro weighs 3,435 pounds, and the Mini weighs 3,450. That's for the manual transmission version, too. Our automatic-equipped test car weighed more than that. As a result, it feels noticeably slower than the competition, despite making 228 horsepower and the aforementioned torque. There's an area in which the Clubman JCW could easily lose some weight, and that's in the all-wheel-drive system. It's a Haldex-style system that only kicks in when the front wheels start to slip, so it's only beneficial for traction in bad weather, not for improving the driving experience by, say, reducing the car's understeer. That's fine for more mainstream Minis, but the JCW line is all about performance and speed, so if the all-wheel-drive system doesn't improve the driving experience, it should simply be dropped to make the car lighter. Despite the Mini's prodigious portliness, there are good points. The engine is very smooth, and power comes on almost instantly. In more aggressive driving modes, the exhaust pops and burbles almost every time you lift off the gas pedal. T he eight-speed automatic paired with this engine was equally up to the task. Shifts were fast and smooth. And it even worked well leaving it in automatic mode. It held gears smartly, and it would downshift while braking to ensure you had the right gear when taking off again. The Clubman JCW also has the brand's trademark corner-carving skills. Body roll is nearly absent in the normal driving mode, and what little was evident is removed when switching to Sport mode. The car responds immediately to each steering input, and it has tenacious grip through corners.

New Mini EV below the Countryman reportedly debuts this year

In October 2020, Mini provided the broad strokes of the sea-change overhaul coming to its model lineup. In the meantime, we've seen the coming 2023 Countryman and 2023 Hardtop. But haze still surrounds mentions of two more crossovers, one of them electric-only, and what was in store for the five-door hatch and the Clubman. Now that we're closer to sheetmetal reveals, Autocar believes it understands the rundown. Starting at the top of the range, the Clubman takes a fresh design into its third generation, but not a plug-in hybrid powertrain. For some reason, the PHEV didn't get approval under Mini's Power of Choice strategy to provide model lineups with gas, diesel, PHEV, and electric propulsion options. The Clubman will get an all-electric trim, though, and this is thought to be the "compact" crossover Mini mentioned in 2020. This is expected to debut before the end of this year. The third-gen Clubman is expected to grow eight inches longer, making more room not only for growing families and consideration among North American buyers, but also for a smaller model to slide underneath. The new, electric-only small crossover whirrs into this space. It will be built in China as part of Spotlight, which is BMW Group's partnership with Chinese automaker Great Wall. No one has said definitively if this CUV will be sold globally, but Mini's revised production plans will have the hardtop and convertible being built in Oxford, England, the Clubman and Clubman moving from the Netherlands plant to Leipzig, Germany, and the automaker's electric models being built in China. It's hard to believe China won't export any of the electric product, especially considering how important both the crossover and EV segments are to Mini. This small electric crossover and the three-door Hardtop EV are moving to a new platform that can house more battery, a crucial aspect for small offerings to address. The 2023 Hardtop and the small electric CUV are also predicted to debut later this year. it's said the latter won't stick to Mini's retro theme, but sport a "much more radical design." On top of that, Australia's Car Expert reported, "Mini is also set to introduce another premium compact car in an as-yet unrevealed segment, potentially based on the Vision Urbanaut concept." The Mini four-door (five-door in other markets) and Clubman seem headed for the sunset.

Mini Seven Special Edition looks back to the days of Austin

Mini is back at the game of special editions with the Seven, the first of its kind for the third-generation Hardtop. Named after the original Austin Seven – one of the two original Mini models, alongside the Morris Mini Minor – the new style pack is available on both the two- and four-door and the Cooper and Cooper S models. But where past Mini special editions have been largely homogenous, the new Seven has a surprising array of options, especially as it relates to colors and upholsteries. Owners can choose from four different paint schemes – Lapisluxury Blue (shown above), Pepper White, Midnight Black, and British Racing Green. The options continue in the cabin, where owners can select the Seven-specific Diamond Malt Brown fabric/leather upholstery, or they can go with straight leather in Cross Punch Carbon Black, Lounge Satellite Grey, or MINI Yours Lounge Carbon Black. There are four dash trim options, too, with standard Piano Black, and optional Dark Cottonwood, Fibre Alloy, and Off-White. Below the trim strip, owners can have either a Malt Brown color line or Carbon Black. A set of 17-inch, two-tone alloys are standard, and regardless of which exterior paint you opt for, you're stuck with a Melting Silver roof. The decreasing-width stripes match the roof and have what Mini claims are Malt Brown rules, but we're seeing red trimmings in these photos. Heated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, Comfort Access, a Harmon/Kardon stereo, park-distance control, power-folding, auto-dimming mirrors, and a 6.5-inch Mini Connected system are all standard features as part of the Seven package, while additional options will be available, like on any other Cooper or Cooper S. Mini's press release, for example, specifically calls out the larger 8.8-inch Mini Connected XL and adaptive dampers as available options. Mini will announce prices for the Seven package nearer to its late summer on-sale date. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.