2004 Mini Cooper 2d Hatchback W/ Leather Interior on 2040-cars

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2023 Mini lineup gets smarter, more colorful

Mini has already announced the changes it's making to its line-up for the 2023 model year. The numerous special-edition models that it unveiled in February 2022 will be joined by new exterior colors, additional upholstery options and more available driving aids. While a completely new version of the Hardtop is on its way, the current-generation model will return for 2023 — it might be its final model year. Buyers who select the Signature or the Iconic version of the Cooper S or the John Cooper Works can order Zesty Yellow, which is an eye-catching color that was inaugurated by the 2022 Convertible. Multi-tone roof options are also available on the aforementioned variants. The electric SE's Signature and Iconic trim levels can be ordered in Island Blue, while Rooftop Gray leaves the palette. And, the Iconic trim level can be configured with Cloth Leatherette Black Pearl, Cloth Leatherette Black Pearl Light Checkered and Chesterfield Leather Malt Brown upholsteries. Mini notes that this is the first time it offers the Chesterfield Leather Malt Brown option on the battery-powered Hardtop. Park Assist and a head-up display join the list of features included in the Driver Assistance package, while adaptive cruise control is now a standalone option. In turn, this makes the Driver Assistance Package available regardless of whether buyers get a stick or an automatic, because adaptive cruise control isn't compatible with the manual transmission. And, yes: the stick shift is sticking around for 2023. Similar changes apply to the Clubman and the Countryman. The former is available with the same multi-tone roof option as the Hardtop and with the Driver Assistance Package regardless of transmission type, and the Driver Assistance package offered on both models gains Park Assist and a head-up display. Finally, the space-saver spare tire is exclusively offered as a standalone options on both bigger Mini models. Pricing for the 2023 model year stays relatively flat, which is a nice surprise. The only exceptions are the Cooper variants of the Hardtop, the Convertible and the Countryman, which cost $500 more than they did in 2022.

2016 Mini Clubman First Drive [w/video] [UPDATE]

UPDATE: After playing with the newly launched Clubman configurator, we've revised the as-tested estimate to what we think is a more accurate $40,250, based on how our Swedish tester was equipped. Mini had a good idea when it introduced the last-generation Clubman, offering a slightly bigger, more versatile vehicle, with its own unique styling traits. Sounds good, right? Well, as it turned out, that wasn't necessarily all for the best, and not because there was any problem with the car itself. Mini's fleshed out model range, which now includes both the all-wheel-drive, four-door Countryman and the new four-door Hardtop has rendered the original Clubman idea rather obsolete. Enter the new Clubman. Gone is its awkward club door, and in its place are an extra pair of real, traditional doors. But even more than changes to its body, Mini has taken the original Clubman idea – to build a more versatile version of the beloved Hardtop – to its logical extreme, going larger. More importantly, this 2016 model represents a more premium, comfortable direction for the Mini brand. But don't worry, loyalists, this is still very much a Mini. The 2016 Clubman is the longest vehicle Mini has ever made. As was the case with the previous Clubman, this new model rides on a longer wheelbase than the Hardtop's. The 105.1-inch span is arguably more maxi than mini, offering buyers anywhere from 2.9 to 6.9 inches of extra space between the axles. It also makes the Clubman the longest vehicle Mini has ever made. But at 168.3 inches in length, this new model is still significantly shorter than a compact wagon like the 179.6-inch Volkswagen Golf SportWagen, or even another C-segment hatch, like the five-door variants of the Ford Focus (171.6 inches) and Mazda3 (180.3 inches). On top of the extra length, Mini stretched the body by a full three inches, while the track has been increased by 2.4 inches at both ends of the car. Taken as a whole, the Clubman is exceptionally roomy, considering its footprint. The suspension, a multi-link rear with front struts, is softer than that of a Mini Hardtop, but that's not saying a lot – handling is significantly sharper than in the vehicles listed above. And we're betting it will stand out against the brand's intended targets – a list that ranges from the Volkswagen Golf to the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. Feedback through the wheel is on the low side for something wearing a Mini badge.

Mini phasing out Coupe, Roadster next year

With its previous generation, Mini went for a maximalist strategy, expanding its lineup to include seven derivatives. But with the new generation, BMW's retro Anglo-Saxon brand is shifting gears to a "superhero strategy" focusing on core models with volume sales potential rather than small niches. That, according to the latest reports, will spell the end of the Coupe and Roadster models introduced in the outgoing generation. Speaking with AutoGuide at the LA Auto Show last week, Mini USA product planning chief Patrick McKenna confirmed that both the two-seat models "will actually go out of production next year" and that "they've run their life cycle." Though we've yet to receive word on the future of the Paceman, we wouldn't hold our breath for its long-term prospects either. Under the new strategy, Mini is expected to focus more on models like the base Hardtop (now available with three or five doors) and the Countryman – which, between the two of them, account for roughly 75 percent of Mini sales, the other models slicing up the remaining quarter of the pie. Will you miss them? Will these short-lived Minis become future collectibles, or will they be soon forgotten? Have your say in Comments.