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Mini reveals new design details, including a round touchscreen

It’s not that the Mini brand wants to reinvent the wheel. Except that maybe it does. It's even reinventing the circle. “Charismatic Simplicity” is what the brand has termed its new design language, which will show up on a new family of all-electric models. The looks will appear on the next-generation Cooper and Countryman. The interiors reflect the most noticeable changes on the cars, marked especially by a round OLED (organic light-emitting display) — yes, the entire central circle of the infotainment system will be a touch-sensitive display. It will have a diameter of 9.4 inches and will combine all the functions of the infotainment system and the instrument cluster. Touch control will manage infotainment and climate functions. That's certainly the most intriguing detail previewed, but Mini did not share images of the touchscreen. Here's all they've shared so far:  At the centre of the visually reduced interior is the circular central instrument display iconic of MINI, which will be reinterpreted in the form of an OLED display in the upcoming model family. MINI is the worldÂ’s first car manufacturer to offer a touch display with a fully usable round surface. The OLED display has a diameter of 240 millimetres and combines the functions of the instrument cluster and the on-board monitor. The sleek design and frameless look give it a particularly high quality appearance. The touch control enables a completely new, minimalistic user interface that also controls the integrated infotainment and climate functions. With the purist dashboard as a stage for the circular central display, MINI continues the traditional design heritage of the classic MINI. The steering wheel, not really reinvented but tweaked, will be available in a couple of versions, with either two spokes or three, and Mini will offer a variety of colors, patterns and fabrics for the seats. Finally, the alloy wheels are updated, to “no longer focus on the sculptural nature of the spoke structure, but on a graphic design characterized by strong color contrasts,” the company says. “This creates an illusion of size, which is further emphasized by the outward-pointing spokes.” “Our purist, progressive approach combines the simplicity of functional elements with the emotionality that Mini is renowned for,” says Oliver Heilmer, head of Mini Design. “We are convinced that the conscious reduction to a few, but expressive elements enable innovations that would have been unthinkable before.”

Watch Chris Harris take a 360° tour of the new Top Gear track

For the new series of the BBC's Top Gear, the familiar test track has been reimagined. Gone is the Astra that the celebrities used to bash around the track, replaced by a rallycross Mini. And what better way to get acquainted to the new track than a 360° video of a lap around the track? It's even presented to us by the Top Gear Chris we like, Chris Harris! Harris gets the Mini fantastically sideways on the asphalt sections, and gives it some stick through the gravel sections and splashes of water. It's a bumpy ride tailored for the kitted-out Mini – even if one can't help but wonder if it would be better television to see a fish-out-of-water car like a humdrum, front-wheel-drive Astra thrashed through the course instead. The Mini almost has it too easy, even if celebrity drivers will surely find the track hard to master. As a note of functionality, the video will only play as intended if you are using Google Chrome, says Top Gear. News Source: YouTube/BBC Top GearImage Credit: BBC Top Gear Celebrities Motorsports TV/Movies MINI Videos chris harris chris evans top gear test track

2016 Mini Cooper Convertible First Drive

Conventional gearhead wisdom says to go for the biggest, most powerful engine. For the first two generations of Mini Convertible, this was a no-brainer. You bought the Cooper S. But as Senior Editor Alex Kierstein argued in our first drive of the Cooper S soft top, the less-powerful Cooper Convertible has an ace up its sleeve: a highly entertaining, three-cylinder, turbocharged engine. After some time behind the wheel, this two-time Mini Cooper S (hardtop) owner is ready to say the Cooper Convertible is the droptop Mini you should buy, full stop. The Cooper's 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder makes just 134 ponies and 162 pound-feet of torque. That's a 55-horsepower deficit and an extra 1.5 seconds, compared to the Cooper S. But who's clocking a Mini Convertible with a stopwatch? The 8.2 seconds it takes to get to 60 mph is perfectly adequate , and the triple's power delivery is addictive. Peak torque comes in at 1,250 rpm, making for effortless acceleration around town. The engine is positively diesel-like in the way it generates twist below 4,000 rpm, and the way it runs out of steam well before its 6,500-rpm redline. But this isn't annoying. There's more than enough torque to make the Cooper's acceleration sprightly around town. Think about it this way: The Cooper S' 2.0-liter turbo has enough power to rescue you from bad driving. But because of the turbo lag and the wheezy top end, the base Cooper forces you to manage your momentum. In that way, it's not unlike the Mazda MX-5, Toyota GT86/Subaru BRZ, and other so-called "momentum cars," that require drivers to maintain speed for a good corner exit. That, friends, is fun. But some of the car's shortcomings are less fun. We praised the triple's "offbeat, enticing growl" in our first drive, but this is still a three-cylinder engine and it vibrates like one. There's a diesel-like clatter from the direct-injection system on cold starts. And when rolling off the line at part throttle, the triple sends a weird vibration right to our hips. It disappears quickly as the speed increases, but the sensation is consistent enough to be annoying. Aside from the interesting powerplant, the best driving goodies aren't reserved only for the Cooper S. Tick the right boxes, and the regular Cooper can fit the adaptive dampers we raved about on the Cooper S first drive – Dynamic Damper Control is a $500 standalone option or included in the $1,750 Sport Package.