2006 Mini Cooper Works Gp 6 Speed Manual 2-door Hatchback 1 Of 405 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

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.

David Brown Automotive remasters classic Mini at maxi price

Just days ago, we reported that the British small-scale maker of luxurious, Aston Martin inspired coupes, David Brown Automotive, was about to introduce a new, cheaper vehicle positioned under its exquisitely priced Speedback GT model. Since the Jaguar-based Speedback GT costs a significant $753,000, there's quite a bit of room underneath it to introduce a more modest means of transport, without cheapening out. Now, details of the car, dubbed "Project 2," have surfaced, and it's quite a surprise. What David Brown Automotive has come up with is a "remastered," rethought classic Mini. While the car looks just like a Mini at a passing glance, the body panels along with the chassis are new, and the car has been given a smoothening. All the body seams that were commonplace on the classic original have been rounded off, and the interior is a custom job complete with plentiful leather and Pioneer touchscreen. The new dashboard is a little closer to Japanese retro cars than either the classic Mini or the current, BMW-made equivalent. The drivetrain remains the trusted 1,275cc original along with a four-speed gearbox; both are reconditioned units instead of box-fresh ones, but they feature brand-new parts. There's 79 horsepower on offer, which is plenty of poke for a Mini. Each of the cars will take about 1,000 hours to make, by hand. The plan is to build 100-200 of these Mini re-creations per year, at David Brown's new facility in Silverstone, England. In two years, only 11 Speedbacks have been built, so the Mini should create a bit more buzz at the workshop. But the price? Starting from $62,000 at current rates, going all the way to $86,000 if you want one with all the trimmings. A lot for a Mini, but it's going to be special. Related Video:

Mini Cooper Convertible Interior Review | Dissecting the oddball

Stepping inside any Mini product is going to throw you for a minute if you haven’t been in one before. ItÂ’s a combination of the odd proportions, weird sightlines and exceedingly quirky design for just about everything inside the cabin. This strangeness, of course, applies to the 2022 Mini Cooper Convertible, which is the subject of this review. Arguably, the Convertible is even weirder than the regular Hardtop, both of which were updated for 2022. It features a tailgate as a rear loading mechanism and a soft top that folds like an accordion on top of said tailgate, remaining out in the open and visible no matter its position — thereÂ’s simply no room for Mini to stow it out of sight in a trunk cubby hole. That gives the Mini Convertible an odd look with the top down, and due to the top having to rest on top of the tailgate, it also blocks the driverÂ’s view rearward. You can still see super-tall trucks in the rearview mirror, but putting the top down makes you largely reliant on the side mirrors to see whatÂ’s coming up behind you. To mitigate that, thereÂ’s a middle ground of top deployment that simply rolls the top part of the way back, effectively creating a roof-width sunroof. Those are all rather odd quirks, but our favorite convertible Mini quirk of old is nowhere to be found in the latest car: the Openometer. This little feature was a gauge that simply kept track of how long you spent driving around with the top down. ItÂ’s hard to think of a feature that is any more “Mini” than that one, which makes us all the more sad that the gauge no longer exists to shame those who donÂ’t drop the power-folding roof. Looking past the weirdness, thereÂ’s a regular car interior here that straddles the line between a premium and non-premium car. The $40,350 price of our Mini Cooper S tester signals that this is positioned as a small and sporty premium car, and there are some genuinely luxurious touches. The Chesterfield Brown leather seats with white piping and pretty quilting sure do scream luxury, while all of the weighty switches and nicely-damped buttons signal the same. The above said, the standard Mini interior is all leatherette, full of cheap-looking shiny plastic trim and is really slacking when it comes to many features weÂ’d expect would come standard. For example, a base Mini Cooper S Convertible at $28,750 doesnÂ’t have heated seats, proximity entry, auto climate control or an auto-dimming mirror.