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2017 Mini Countryman is even bigger and now has a plug-in model

The least mini Mini is getting, um, less mini. Great, now we're done with the "mini" jokes from here on out. The all-new, second-generation Countryman is wider, longer, and rides on a stretched wheelbase. And oh yeah, the plug-in hybrid is the first electrified Mini since the Mini E last seen in 2010. By adding 8.1 inches of length and 1.3 inches to the width, the Countryman is easily the biggest Mini ever built. As a key-carrying fan of Mini's older pint-sized models, this is a disappointment. But the size increases pay dividends in the cabin, making this effectively the first Mini that won't result in assault charges for forcing passengers to ride in the back. The 2.9-inch stretch in the Countryman's wheelbase contributes to a hefty 3.8-inch jump in second-row legroom, and there's around two inches of extra shoulder room in both rows. There's a bump in cargo volume, too. Trunk space increasesby 1.1 cubic feet with the second row up, and 5.4 cubic feet with the back seats folded down. That cargo space is easy to reconfigure, too, with a 40/20/40 split in the seats and up to five inches of fore/aft movement. So yes, the Countryman is an annoyingly large Mini, but it's inarguably the most versatile and family friendly vehicle ever built by the British brand. Whether the overall dimensions please or anger you, everyone can get excited by the changes under the hood. Leading the pack is the first-ever hybrid Mini. Called the Cooper S E Countryman All4, Mini paired its excellent 1.5-liter, turbocharged three-cylinder with a 7.6-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery and an 87-horsepower electric motor for total output of 221 horsepower and 284 pound-feet of torque, which is enough for a brisk 6.8-second run to 60 miles per hour. Fully charged from the plug on the driver's side front fender, the latest electrified Mini can cover 24 miles at up to 77 miles per hour. We like that kind of balance. But while the Cooper S E Countryman is almost certainly very efficient, there are a few sacrifices. The biggest is the 9.5-gallon fuel tank, which is far smaller than the standard car's 16.1-gallon tank. That's not a problem if you have time to charge regularly, but it will be an annoyance on sustained road trips. Like the BMW X5 xDrive40e, the Countryman PHEV will feature three separate powertrain modes. Auto eDrive leaves things up to the car's computers, Max eDrive forces the car to run on electrical power alone, and Save Battery does exactly what it says.

Mini John Cooper Works EV spy photos reveal a sporty body

The fully-electric Mini Hardtops are just around the corner, and we've seen the Cooper SE pretty much revealed. But that won't be the most potent of the electric Minis. These spy shots show that there's an electric John Cooper Works model following right behind. It features a number of extra-sporty add-ons and will surely boast more power. Confirming this John Cooper Works prototype's electric nature is the almost completely filled-in grille and lack of any tailpipe. The open lower section in the grille does look a tad larger, and it incorporates parts of the aggressive front spoiler, with those pieces vertically bisecting it. There's still no hood scoop, since there's no reason for it. The front spoiler is matched by new side skirts with little winglets toward the rear. And at the back, there's a prominent rear spoiler with small fins along the top. The rear bumper has been redesigned with boxier edges and a more aggressive diffuser. This prototype is also wearing a set of split five-spoke wheels. While we've had a number of reports about specs on the two initial Mini EV Hardtops, the JCW is more of a mystery. It's safe to assume there's more power than the Mini Cooper SE's reported 215 horsepower. Our spy photographer suggested 250, and that seems reasonable as a significant increase over the SE and a boost over the 228 of the current gas-powered JCW. Suspension and possibly brake upgrades are also on the menu. It will probably get the larger 54-kWh battery that's expected, but as our photographer notes, the extra power and wider, stickier tires will probably keep it from hitting the same range as other Minis with the same pack. The aero add-ons may also create more drag, further hurting overall range. The base and SE versions of the electric Mini Hardtop should be revealed in the next few months, since it's pretty much been revealed sans specifications. The John Cooper Works will probably follow in about a year, maybe two, after to allow for some final development work and to keep the buzz going. It will also probably be the most expensive, but most exciting, version of the electric hardtop. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Mini Vision Next 100 Concept: It's the autonomy, stupid

The concepts that Mini and Rolls-Royce showed off today – the Vision Next 100 Concept and 103EX, respectively – are all about autonomy. The Rolls-Royce doesn't even have a place for a "driver." And even though both are very much blue sky concepts, corporate parent BMW thinks it will make fully-autonomous cars within the next five years. That's according to Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, MINI, BMW Motorrad, Rolls-Royce, and Aftersales BMW Group, who also told us that both cars, at least in concept, are fully electric. The Rolls-Royce has dual-drive, 250kw motors mounted fore-and aft, on front and rear axles. While the Rolls is clearly a luxury concept for the monied few, the Mini is very much focused on a shared economy. Holger Hampf, Head of User Experience, BMW Group, said the chief design challenge of a car-sharing world is producing a car that could in theory mean different things to different borrowers. You get exclusivity because each car would morph according to the borrower's desires. BMW/Mini already have a car-sharing program in London called DriveNow, and a pilot program in Seattle called ReachNow, focused on the idea of shared exclusivity. ReachNow, which allows Mini/BMW owners to lend their cars out in an AirBnB-type scheme or to borrow "fleet-style cars," are immutable – however the car that was ordered is what the borrower or the owner will get. That's great if you're the owner, but it's also challenging for both anyone who'd buy that car used or for anyone borrowing the car. And if the future of most cars is a shared model (Ford is now offering multi-person leases among up to six buyers in a pilot program in Austin, Texas), customization is impossible. The result is what Schwarzenbauer derogatorily calls "normed." He says carmakers have to relearn to brand for a world where ownership is devalued but customization is key. To that end the MINI VISION NEXT 100 is "skinned." We've seen this before with the BMW NEXT concept that was revealed at the NY Auto Show this past spring, and the idea is to use the exterior of the car as a canvass that changes according to setting. Indeed Mini envisions that in a multi-driver household, the vehicle's customization could easily include changing colors according to driver preference – automatically. Dr.