1972 Green Classic Austin Mini Cooper on 2040-cars

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2025 Mini Aceman previewed as the brand's first standalone EV

Mini's first standalone electric model, the Aceman, will make its debut in the coming months. It was developed to fill the gap between the Cooper and the Countryman, and photos of a camouflaged prototype give us a better idea of what to expect when it lands in showrooms. If the name Aceman rings a bell, it's likely because Mini introduced it on a concept unveiled in 2022 and designed to preview the production model. The pictures suggest that the crossover hasn't changed much over the past two years: while the brand tweaked some of the design details, including the headlights, the front bumper, and the door mirrors, the overall proportions remain roughly the same. The funky-looking trim on the wheel arches carries over as well, though it looks like the EV lost ground clearance as it transitioned to a production model. Mini stresses that the Aceman will be all-electric, all the time; it won't be available with a gasoline-burning engine. It stretches about 160 inches long, 69 inches wide and 59 inches tall, meaning it's around 14 inches shorter, three inches narrower and six inches lower than the new second-generation Countryman. It's built on a 54.2-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, but additional specifications aren't available. Somewhat tellingly, the aforementioned dimensions make the Aceman about the same size as the original Countryman launched in 2010. This likely explains what Mini had in mind when it made the new model much bigger than its predecessor; it carved out space for the EV. There's no word yet on precisely when the Aceman will lose its psychedelic camouflage and show its sheet metal; Mini notes that the unveiling will take place "in just a few months." While nothing is official yet, we wouldn't be surprised if the model lands in showrooms later in 2024 as a 2025 model. Details such as pricing, driving range, and where production will take place will emerge in the not-too-distant future. Related video:

2017 Mini John Cooper Works Clubman ALL4 | Pint-size performer with a premium price

Last September, Mini revealed the Clubman John Cooper Works (JCW). It applied the same general JCW formula used on the regular three-doors to the longest Mini by giving it even sportier suspension and the potent 228-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. But from there, Mini gave the Clubman JCW even more torque than other JCW models, and the most of any Mini model, with a total of 258 pound-feet. It also fitted standard all-wheel drive. On paper, it sounds like the ultimate performance Mini, and it doesn't hurt that it's about the most practical model. So how did it hold up in practice? First of all, this Mini has a serious weight problem. You might be tired of alarmist auto journalists whining about the increasing size of vehicles, but it's a major issue with this Mini. It actually weighs more than a V6 Chevrolet Camaro. The Camaro weighs 3,435 pounds, and the Mini weighs 3,450. That's for the manual transmission version, too. Our automatic-equipped test car weighed more than that. As a result, it feels noticeably slower than the competition, despite making 228 horsepower and the aforementioned torque. There's an area in which the Clubman JCW could easily lose some weight, and that's in the all-wheel-drive system. It's a Haldex-style system that only kicks in when the front wheels start to slip, so it's only beneficial for traction in bad weather, not for improving the driving experience by, say, reducing the car's understeer. That's fine for more mainstream Minis, but the JCW line is all about performance and speed, so if the all-wheel-drive system doesn't improve the driving experience, it should simply be dropped to make the car lighter. Despite the Mini's prodigious portliness, there are good points. The engine is very smooth, and power comes on almost instantly. In more aggressive driving modes, the exhaust pops and burbles almost every time you lift off the gas pedal. T he eight-speed automatic paired with this engine was equally up to the task. Shifts were fast and smooth. And it even worked well leaving it in automatic mode. It held gears smartly, and it would downshift while braking to ensure you had the right gear when taking off again. The Clubman JCW also has the brand's trademark corner-carving skills. Body roll is nearly absent in the normal driving mode, and what little was evident is removed when switching to Sport mode. The car responds immediately to each steering input, and it has tenacious grip through corners.

2014 Mini John Cooper Works GP

About three weeks prior to this brief yet balls-to-the-wall drive on the Spanish island of Mallorca, I saw that Mini USA announced pricing for the keenly anticipated Mini John Copper Works GP. And that number would be - *a-hem* - $39,950 for starters.
I am always intent upon finding the pinnacle of what a certain car promises me, and almost at any cost. Almost. When I think "steaming hatchback," I think of something exactly like this Mini GP, and the steep price doesn't squelch my pleasure. They're only building 2,000 of them anyway, and the units coming to the US will start arriving in owners' hands on March 16 of next year. These buyers will be extremely happy and remorse-free.
Five scorched laps at the very Mini-perfect Circuito Mallorca RennArena showed me all.