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Mini Hardtop next generation shown in first official photos

Undermining the work of spy photographers around the world, Mini gave us our first official look at the next-generation Hardtop by publishing a series of photos that show the hatchback wearing full camouflage. While the finer design details remain hidden, the shots are revealing enough to provide a very decent idea of what to expect — and what not to expect — from the fourth generation of this British icon. What's immediately clear is that the next Hardtop looks like a Mini; or, at least, like the German reinvention of the Mini. Designers haven't significantly changed the hatchback's proportions, and they kept defining styling cues such as round headlights, a nearly flat roof panel, and vertical rear lights. One interesting detail is that the headlights are no longer integrated into the hood; the Mini seemingly loses its clamshell hood in favor of a more conventional unit that stops at about the same level as the A-pillars. Mini also mounted the door handles flush with the body. We're guessing more details will jump out when the camouflage come off, but we're expecting mostly evolutionary changes. "What you'll see in 2023 is that we've clearly modernized it by taking a big step — the biggest step in the last 20 years — but it will be unmistakably a Mini," said Mini boss Bernd Korber in December 2020. He added that the project's motto was "don't screw with an icon." Mini hopes to become an electric-only brand by the beginning of the 2030s, but we're not there yet. While the Hardtop draped in camouflage runs on batteries, gasoline-powered models will continue to be part of the range in many markets around the world. It's too early to provide technical details, but it's reasonable to assume that both the EV and the gasoline-sipping models will benefit from drivetrain improvements. Front-wheel-drive will continue to come standard, like it always has. Will the stick-shift survive? We're keeping our fingers crossed. More information about the next-generation Mini Hardtop will be released in the coming months, and the model is scheduled to make its debut in 2023. It's one of several new models the BMW-owned brand has in the pipeline. The next-generation Countryman is scheduled to enter production in 2023 as well, an electric high-performance John Cooper Works-branded model is on its way, and Mini pledged to release a crossover it described as "small" (which is highly relative, even for Mini) that will exclusively be offered with an electric powertrain.

2016 April Fools' Day: Morgan digs at Tesla, Mini's scissor doors, more

Every year automakers go out of their way to come up with gags for April Fools' Day. Sometimes the jokes fall flat, but occasionally a company really nails it with an idea that we'd actually love to see. Rather than scouring the Web for all of these stunts, you can find some of our favorites right here. Morgan MOGrod The Morgan Motor Company's MOGrod is one of our favorite April Fools' jokes so far this year because it's a car we wish could be real. The company says on Twitter that the retro hot rod uses a 3.7-liter Ford V6, and there are already 250,000 preorders, which is a play on the huge number of reservations for the Tesla Model 3. Morgan took the joke even further by sketching a landspeed record version for the Bonneville Salt Flats. Mini Scissor Doors The people at Mini apparently have a lot of free time because the company has two gags this year. The first is the scissor door option. The idea cleverly plays on the myriad ways customers can customize their Mini, but this solution doesn't look like anyone could easily enter the car due to the way these doors open. Mini Hipster Hatch There's also the Hipster Mini, which is a much funnier idea. This fictional hatchback would be perfect for fashionable Millennials thanks to features like Instagram-filter windows and a fixed-gear drivetrain, which limits the top speed to 25 miles per hour. The interior uses stonewash denim upholstery and packs a twin-deck cassette player. Skoda Dog Umbrella People love dogs, and owners know that a wet canine can be a mess. Skoda is ready to tackle this problem with an umbrella for your mutt. Made from unobtainium, the gadget hides in the door when not in use, but when raindrops start falling, people can keep their pup dry. Skoda Snowman Skoda's Facebook page also teases us with a very cool vehicle. The Snowman is a 396-horsepower plug-in hybrid snow machine. With its tracks, the company's newest model would never have to worry about getting stuck in the winter. Opel Adam C Sure, electricity and hydrogen are cleaner forms of fuel than gasoline or diesel, but Opel has a way to make your car even more environmentally friendly – muscle power. Wind up the crank at the rear for 15 minutes, and the Opel Adam C is good for 125 miles. GM's European division also claims that owners get a great workout because a full winding session burns 400 calories. You wouldn't feel guilty about picking up that pizza after cranking up this hatchback.

Mini Cooper Hardtop will soon receive its biggest makeover in two decades

Now well into its third generation, Mini's retro-styled Hardtop has been around since BMW rebooted the brand 20 years ago. Stylists and engineers are working on the fourth-generation model, and the company revealed the cheeky hatchback is in line to receive its most significant makeover to date. Mini boss Bernd Korber told Autocar that the project's motto was "don't screw with an icon," which means the fourth-generation Hardtop will keep the heritage-inspired design that has characterized it for the past two decades. And yet, it will be drastically different than the model that's currently in showrooms. It will be smaller, though it likely won't be as tiny as the original Mini from 1959, and it will showcase a purer approach to design. The idea of a smaller, lighter Mini has us wondering if the new Hardtop could take some inspiration from the 2011 Rocketman concept. "What you'll see in 2023 is that we've clearly modernized it by taking a big step -- the biggest step in the last 20 years -- but it will be unmistakably a Mini," Korber affirmed. He said the Hardtop is to the Mini brand what the 911 is to Porsche; it's the stylistic cornerstone of the range, the model that sets the beat that other models dance to. Balancing the need to move the Hardtop forward with the desire to honor tradition is a challenging task, according to the brand. We don't know where its stylists drew the line yet, or whether the next-generation Hardtop will borrow styling cues from other cars in the company's past, like the square-front Clubman launched in 1969. Mini told Autocar it's defined by more than design; it cited proportions, a compact feel, and a friendly personality as key ingredients in the Hardtop's recipe, which hints at what to expect -- and, significantly, what not to expect. Mini shifted the Hardtop's evolution into high gear several years ago.  "Mini started out as a brand that was very clean in terms of design. There were only four switches and one dial [inside]. We somehow moved away from that, because so many more functionalities have entered the vehicle. Let's say that would be our goal, to arrive back at something that would be as clean and simple as the original but offers the modern technology and safety features of today's cars," BMW Group design director Adrian van Hooydonk told us in 2018. "Bigger changes are around the corner, but it will still be a little bit retro," he added.