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Mini may not build electric cars in England due to Brexit

BMW will decide whether to build its new electric Mini in Britain or elsewhere by the end of September, its board member for sales told Reuters, in a test of the country's ability to continue to attract investment as it leaves the EU. Mini makes around 70 percent of its approximately 360,000 compact cars at its Oxford plant in southern England but the car industry is concerned about the effect any loss of unfettered access to the EU, its largest export market, could have on plants after Brexit. BMW is deciding between its English site, a plant in the Netherlands where it has built more of its conventional line-up in recent years, and its Germany plants at Leipzig and Regensburg for the new low-emissions variant. The firm's board member for sales told Reuters that the electric Mini investment, likely to be worth tens of millions of pounds, would come in the next three months and the board was currently considering a number of factors including Brexit. "One of the elements is what is the likelihood of a tax regime and if there's a tax regime, how would it apply," Ian Robertson said during an interview at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in southern England. "If you made the motor in a German plant and you then assembled the car in a British plant, and you took the cars back to the German market, then the duty that you would pay would be reclaimed," he said, in an example of the options companies are examining to plan for any duties or tariffs. The automaker is also looking into where the uptake of greener models is strongest and where the best supply chains are, he said. Britain could approve its first major electric battery hub in the next few weeks after officials in central England submitted proposals to ministers in May. But last month, the car industry issued its strongest warning yet on the need for politicians to strike a transitional Brexit deal after two-year talks to ensure unfettered trade is maintained. Uncertainty has also been heightened after a snap June 8 election which left Prime Minister Theresa May without a majority and has led to ministers in her administration hinting at different versions of Britain's likely post-Brexit future. Last year, May's administration helped secure two new models at Japanese carmaker Nissan's plant in the north of England after what a source said was a government promise of extra support to counter any loss of competitiveness caused by Brexit.

Mini Aceman battery-electric concept previews new crossover

In March, Car magazine said the former Mini Paceman crossover would return as an electric crossover for the 2024 model year. A month later, Autocar laid out a rundown of coming, all-new Mini range that would include a new EV crossover under the Clubman at the top of the range and sport a "much more radical design." Last month, Mini teased a battery-electric CUV concept "for the premium small-car segment." Thanks to a teaser vid on Mini's Instagram page, we know that concept is called the Aceman and it will debut on Wednesday in Europe. The name is no accident, lending credence that we'll be seeing a preview of design elements found on the future Paceman.  This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Brand design chief Oliver Heilmer has said "Purely electrically powered models from Mini give us a unique opportunity to rethink our design. At the same time, we retain the attention to detail, sense of tradition and passion for innovation that Mini is renowned for." From the video, some details will blend old and new as in taillights with a pixelated display that can form the familiar Union Jack motif as well as other glyphs. The light design continues up front, with a grille and perhaps headlights putting on illuminated displays with even more capability. Other details will be all new, like the near-frameless side mirrors. Such features could be the charismatic part of a design language called Charismatic Simplicity. It's possible this is expressed in the cabin with a touchscreen display in Mini's traditional circular, dash-mounted gauge cluster.   The simplicity part will be in more restrained trimming, such as leather-free cabins and far less chrome garnish. If the automaker uses the reveal as more than a visual exercise, we might find out about the new electric powertrains jointly developed by BMW and Great Wall. There's rumored to be a 40-kWh battery pack able to power a 185-mile range, and a 50-kWh pack good for 250 miles; those are likely WLTP figures. The coming electric range will be built in China and exported to global markets.  Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Manuals return to the Mini lineup for 2021

The 2021 Mini Cooper will offer a manual transmission again, after the 2020 model had to go without a stick shift due to problems certifying that powertrain. It had been hoped that the emissions issue would be straightened out in only a few months, but as it turned out, Mini had to go through the entire 2020 model year with its cars offering only two pedals. The 2020 Cooper and Cooper S models got a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, while the John Cooper Works variants and the ALL4 versions of the Clubman and the Countryman got an eight-speed unit. For 2021, the standard Mini Cooper with the 134-hp 1.5-liter turbo three-cylinder will offer a six-speed manual in the hardtop, four-door, and convertible body styles. The 2021 Mini Cooper S, with its 189-hp 2.0-liter turbo four, also will come standard with the six-speed stick in hardtop, four-door, and convertible form. The John Cooper Works hardtop, with its 228-hp 2.0L turbo, shares in the manual-transmission goodness, but the JCW convertible remains automatic-only, with the seven-speed DCT. The 2021 301-hp John Cooper Works GP hardtop will be eight-speed automatic only. For the 2021 Clubman and the Countryman, the picture is still murky. It's likely that the JCW Clubman and JCW Countryman, which also get the 301-hp engine, will continue to be offered only with the eight-speed automatic gearbox, although the less-powerful versions could get a stick shift again. Mini says, "Manual transmission offerings will be confirmed once 2021 model year information for these models is released later this spring." Given the persona Mini has cultivated, this brand seems like one that should continue to offer stick shifts for as long as possible. Mini spokesman Andrew Cutler claims that the Mini hardtop generally has had the highest take rate for manuals in the U.S. market, with 45% buyers of the (2019-model) John Cooper Works version opting to row their own gears. Related Video: