S Supercharged Convertible Stripes 6 Speed Hk Sound 2006 Mini Cooper 39k on 2040-cars

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Mini Countryman plug-in hybrid out for a snowy stroll

When Mini launched the Countryman in 2010, it emerged as the brand's first all-wheel-drive model. Now there's a new Countryman on the way, and it's also set to mark a Mini first by incorporating not just a mild hybrid system, but a plug-in hybrid powertrain. And that's just what we're looking at here. How do we know this prototype is packing a hybrid powertrain, you ask? A fair question, and we'll tell you: because the manufacturer chose to mark "Hybrid Test Vehicle" on the door. And because parent company BMW is already known to be working on a PHEV system for the 2 Series Active Tourer on which the new Mini crossover will be based, it's fairly safe to say it won't be developing a separate system for the Countryman. Expect the hybrid mega-Mini to combine a 1.5-liter inline-three driving 136 horsepower to the front wheels, and an electric motor good for another 102 hp on the rear wheels for through-the-road all-wheel drive and a combined output of nearly 240 hp. That's more than even the John Cooper Works performance model has offered. Scope out the spy shots in the gallery above, where you'll also find an interior shot of a conventional next-gen Countryman.

Cool Shunnings: Mini helps the Jamaican bobsled team train in lockdown

Need to train for an upcoming outdoor Olympic competition, but COVID restrictions are forcing you to shelter in place? Well, if your sport happens to be bobsled and your place happens to be an indoor ski slope, that just might be doable.  Perhaps you remember Jamaica's national bobsled team for pushing a Mini Cooper convertible around earlier this year as a conditioning exercise. If that sounds like a stunt straight out of "Cool Runnings," well, that's pretty much the idea. Now, they're doing it in isolation, within the safe confines of an indoor skiing facility in the UK.  Evidently, they're still at it, only now they appear to have better corporate sponsorship (note the Jamaican flag livery on their spankin' new 'vert) and a pandemic-friendly training venue as they undergo conditioning at the UK’s largest indoor slope at The Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead, ahead of the World Championships in Lake Placid, New York, in February.  "This second lockdown has been even harder on our training," said team pilot Shanwayne Stephens. "Matt [Wilson] and DyÂ’Neal [FeÂ’ssal] are new to the team so weÂ’re focusing on gelling together as a team and getting them up to speed – they have never been in a bobsled or even seen one yet!" "Pushing the MINI here may seem like a bit of fun but this has been an important exercise, just being on ice is completely different to training in the summer – the toll on your body is entirely different and you use energy in different ways," Stephens said. "The Snow Centre is only -3 degrees [27 degrees Farenheit], thatÂ’s pretty mild compared to what weÂ’re normally in, and theyÂ’re already complaining about the cold!" Lake Placid is just the next step toward qualification for the Beijing 2022 Winter Games.

Mini says it won't leave the convertible segment after all

Ending years of frequent and credible rumors, Mini announced it will replace the Convertible halfway through the 2020s. Demand for roadsters is dropping in many global markets, but the firm remains committed to the segment. Mini stated it's proud to offer the only open-top four-seater in the premium small car segment; most of the other roadsters in its price range are two-seaters. While it's becoming increasingly difficult for companies to make a business case for a car like the Convertible because the segment it competes in is quickly shrinking, Mini explained demand remains high enough in key markets like the United States and England to warrant launching a new model. "We are firmly convinced of the success of this vehicle concept or the future," said company boss Bernd Korber in a statement. "[In 2020], almost one in five Mini customers in Germany opted for open-top driving fun." Mini stopped short of releasing information about the next-generation Convertible, though we assume it will continue to be closely related to the two-door Hardtop. As we've previously reported, the fourth-generation hatchback will be characterized by a retro design, but it will be smaller and visually purer than the model currently in showrooms. And, while the company is pegging its future on electric cars, the next Hardtop will remain available with gasoline-burning turbocharged engines. Reading between the lines suggests an electric Convertible will join the range, however. Additional details about the next-generation Convertible will be released in the coming months, and Mini announced the model will make its global debut in 2025. It will arrive approximately two years after the fourth Hardtop.