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David Brown's Mini eMastered puts an electric spin on a British icon

England-based David Brown Automotive specializes in giving classic Mini models the resto-mod treatment; it's to the British icon what Singer is to Porsche. The firm has primarily worked on gasoline-powered cars, but it's branching out into electric vehicles with the Mini eMastered. Starting with a classic Mini shell, David Brown Automotive rips out the four-cylinder engine and the transmission it sits over — this clever layout is part of how Sir Alec Issigonis packaged four seats and a trunk in just 120 inches — and replaces it with an electric motor. The motor draws electricity from an 18.8-kilowatt-hour battery pack to zap the front wheels with about 97 horsepower and 129 pound-feet of torque. Like most modern electric cars, the Mini eMastered features a regenerative braking system that converts kinetic energy into electricity that gets sent back to the battery pack. David Brown quotes an 8.5-second zero-to-60-mph time and a top speed that's electronically limited to 92 mph. Driving range checks in at up to 110 miles, which won't earn the coveted "long-range" label but should be enough considering the eMastered was envisioned primarily as a city car, and charging the battery pack takes about three hours. The little EV weighs 1,410 pounds; using a small battery helps keeps that figure in check. For context, the original Mini released in 1959 weighed approximately 1,279 pounds. The model shown in David Brown's pictures features an updated exterior design characterized by beige paint with a contrasting brown roof, an aftermarket grille, LED headlights, and new-look rear lights. Inside, it's 100% modern: the brand adds a touchscreen-based infotainment system, air conditioning, and a surround-sound system made up of four speakers, which underlines just how small these cars. However, the sky is the limit when it comes to customization options. Well, realistically, your wallet is the limit: anything is possible if you can pay for it. On sale now, the David Brown Automotive Mini eMastered starts at GBP125,000 excluding taxes and shipping, which represents approximately $155,000 at the current conversion rate. In comparison, the gasoline-powered Mini Remastered carries a base price of under $100,000. Related Video This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Mini John Cooper Works Countryman revealed with more power

While we got a first look at the new generation Mini John Cooper Works Countryman a couple of months ago, the official reveal came Wednesday night. The sportiest version of Mini's small SUV combines more aggressive styling with the most powerful engine Mini has offered so far. The powertrain itself is fairly familiar as a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. But power has increased from 301 to 312 ponies. Curiously, the horsepower gain seems to have come at the cost of torque, which is down from 331 to 295 pound-feet of torque. Mini didn't provide any dyno charts, so it's unclear if perhaps there's more torque available elsewhere in the powerband. Despite the extra power, the JCW Countryman's 0-62 mph time is 5.4 seconds, half a second behind the outgoing model. Like the past JCW models, the new Countryman also gets upgraded brakes and suspension, as well as an adaptive exhaust system. It's now fitted with wider tires all the way around at 245 mm compared to the old model's 225 mm. So there's potential for this new version to be grippier and better-handling. Granted, we won't know for sure until we're behind the wheel, and hopefully we'll get more details about the braking and chassis changes closer to the on-sale date. Styling has been changed to match the increased performance. The JCW Countryman gets different front and rear bumpers with larger grilles and unique accents. Lighting patterns are tweaked, too, and 19- and 20-inch wheels are available in designs specific to the JCW. Of particular note are the indentations in the hood that suggest intake scoops above the grille. The interior is swathed in red and black accents everywhere, including the recycled polyester textile dashboard covering. And although Mini hasn't gone into detail about features, the JCW is likely packed with goodies including an advanced highway driving assist that can even execute lane changes. For once with a new model reveal, we actually do have pricing, and it's not cheap. The Mini John Cooper Works Countryman will start at $47,895 including destination charge. Production begins this coming March with examples reaching dealers in May. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Lucid Air, VW ID.4 AWD and Polestar 2 Single Motor driven | Autoblog Podcast #704

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Autoblog Green, John Beltz Snyder. Greg's been driving the Volkswagen ID.4 AWD and the Lucid Air, while John has been in the Mini Cooper Hardtop and Polestar 2 Single Motor. They discuss the big Rivian news of the week, its stellar IPO. They take a question from the mailbag about whether to sell a Tesla Model 3, and they help a listener decide whether to buy a Ford Maverick or some other pickup. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #704 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown What we're driving2022 Volkswagen ID.4 AWD Pro 2022 Lucid Air 2022 Mini Cooper Hardtop 2022 Polestar 2 Single Motor Rivian's IPO Mailbag: To sell or not to sell a Tesla Model 3 Spend My Money: Ford Maverick FX4 or something else? Transcript Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.