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2019 Mini Cooper Oxford Edition Drivers' Notes Review | Lots of fun for a select few

The 2019 Mini Cooper Oxford Edition is an interesting little model. It's available in both 2- and 4-door Hardtop configurations and aimed at and specifically for college students, recent grads, those in law or medical school as well as active duty or recently discharged or retired members of the military. No one else qualifies to buy one, which is a bummer, because the Oxford Edition is one smoking deal.  Not only does it undercut the price of a bare-bones Cooper, it packs in nearly $7,000 worth of features at no additional cost. That includes stuff like heated seats, a panoramic moonroof, parking sensors and 17-inch wheels. Power still comes from a turbo inline-three, and while an automatic transmission is standard, a six-speed manual is a no-cost option. While the standard Cooper has questionable value given the small size and relatively high price tag, the Oxford Edition is a far more compelling offering. Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder: This is such a joyful car to drive. It's quick, spritely and engaging. It feels great rowing through the gears, especially the way the car comes to life as you release the clutch in third gear. The car feels peppy in the low-to-mid rev range, but loses some steam as you climb to the top. The shifter is a little light, though, and it needs a firmer gate to keep you from accidentally shifting into reverse instead of first. There needs to be a more distinct feel from gear to gear in general. The clutch travel is long, but I don't mind it, and the high take-up point feels natural. The less-hot Minis of today feel much more refined than those of yore, while scorchers like the JCW remind me of the older, rawer Minis in their road-going manner, though with more contemporary design, tech and amenities. If I were to buy a Mini myself, it'd be a Hardtop like this — I don't need a lot of power to have fun, day to day, and this one is comfy. I wouldn't be eligible for the Oxford deal, which is a shame, because I really like this configuration, especially for the price. Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale: I almost completely agree with John, the regular Mini Cooper is exemplary of good, simple fun. It makes less than 140 horsepower and pound-feet of torque. That's not a lot of power, but it's enough that you can confidently floor it anywhere in public without breaking the law. And it feels nearly as eager and darty as the JCW, so you can keep your speed up as you rip it around corners.

Next Mini Clubman disguises all six doors

After revealing the new Mini hardtop in various guises, the next new model in the pipeline from the retro British marque is the Clubman. And here it is. Though still wearing some swirly camouflage, this Clubman prototype - previewed by the concept showcased last year - is clearly nearing production readiness. Since it'll have to differentiate itself from the four/five-door version of the new hardtop, the Clubman is expected to be even longer than the model it replaces. And this time, it'll have rear doors on both sides; and from these spy shots, it looks like they'll be conventional, full-size, front-hinged portals, instead of suicide doors. Around back you can also see the taillights peeking through the camo, on split rear portals instead of the one-piece, top-hinged tailgate on the standard-wheelbase model. At this stage, we wouldn't be surprised to see the new Clubman appear for the first time at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. Whenever it does bow, it'll serve as the second pillar of the brand's reconfigured product lineup, following the new hardtop and preceding the upcoming next-gen Countryman crossover, Superleggera roadster and Minor city car.

2015 Mini Hardtop 5-Door isn't for the country, man [w/video]

We've seen it in super high-res glory, and we can even build one on the automaker's website, but the Paris Motor Show marks the official coming out party for the new Mini Hardtop 4 Door (which is what it's called in the US, despite this Euro car having "5 Door" badging). It's a stretched version of the third-generation Mini Hardtop, but with an extra set of doors for rear seat passengers. Think of it as a more useful Clubman, but with a lower ride height and less rugged-ness than the Countryman. Got it? Good.
Engine options carry over from the normal Mini Hardtop range, with a 1.5-liter turbo-three and a 2.0-liter turbo-four offering 134 and 189 horsepower, respectively. The rest of the car is everything else you know and love from the Mini range, just with a more spacious rear bench. And as you'd expect, there's a nearly endless pallet of customization options.
The Hardtop 4 Door arrives at US dealerships just before the end of the year, commanding a roughly $1,000 premium over its three-door kin. Scope out our new live shots in the gallery above, and take in the extensive press blast, below.