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Despite Mini's woes, Clubman sales surging

The Mini Clubman has a polarizing design, but those who like it are snapping it up. According to Automotive News, the Clubman is on pace to become Mini USA's best selling model. Almost 1,700 vehicles were sold during the first quarter of 2016, and the vast majority – 1,037 units – were sold last month alone. These facts are made all the more noteworthy because Mini's sales fell 15 percent during the first quarter. The surging sales of Mini's newest model are especially good news for the brand's coffers. The Clubman is the most expensive non- John Cooper Works model you can get, aside from the upcoming Convertible. It doesn't sound like there are too many Clubman models going for the $24,950 starting price, either. According to Mini Dealer Council Chairman Michael Vadasz, dealers are doing solid business on customized orders, which, he tells AN, "is what Mini is all about." About one in four Minis built today are custom orders submitted by consumers, who love taking advantage of the Porsche-like breadth of a la carte options, no matter what it does to the final price. The fact that Mini is seeing so many custom Clubmans, then, is a very good thing. As for why the Clubman is doing so well, Mini USA Vice President David Duncan says it's because the car just isn't so Mini, moving the brand beyond its traditional subcompact class to the compact segment, where it can challenge cars like the Audi A3. "We see that as a fast growing segment, so having an entry in there gives us that opportunity," Duncan told Automotive News. "And then when you look at the car itself, it's got a premiumness about it that really takes us to the next level and allows us to compete against brands that we weren't typically competing against." Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Mini John Cooper Works Concept heading wide-eyed into production

We now know that Mini will offer a stupendous number of total models over the next few years, so it's fair to assume that most of the brand's concept cars have series production written all over them. So, a 'concept' like this new John Cooper Works Mini is more or less a mortal lock to hit showrooms in very similar trim.
That's probably a good thing for future JCW owners, as this Mini looks decidedly better than the standard car that debuted in Los Angeles late last year. Something about the bigger grille, lowered front fascia and pumped up wheel arches make the car more visually compelling than the weird-nosed 2014 Mini Hardtop. (At least to this author.)
By hey, don't take our word for it - with the official press release down below, and our box-fresh gallery of live images up above, you can make up your minds for yourselves. Tell us what you think in the Comments.

Third-generation Mini Countryman previewed with psychedelic camouflage

Mini has released additional details about the third-generation Countryman due out later in 2023. While the range will include gasoline-, hybrid-, and battery-powered models, the BMW-owned company focused on the electric version and published a basic set of specifications. We've seen pre-production prototypes of the next Countryman before; Mini previewed the model in March 2023. The latest batch of official spy shots gives us a better look at the updated design. Up front, the electric variant of the Countryman stands out from the gasoline-burning model with a big, grille-like piece of trim. We're guessing that it wears several powertrain-specific trim pieces and emblems as well, though these are hidden under camouflage that wouldn't look entirely out of place on a Gaudi-designed building in a picturesque part of Spain. Mini revealed that the new Countryman will stretch about 174.3 inches from bumper to bumper and stand 63.5 inches tall. In comparison, the outgoing model measures 169.8 inches long and 61.3 inches tall. These figures should give the crossover a more spacious interior, and they'll make it the biggest series-produced car that Mini has ever released (the original Mini from 1959 measured merely 120 inches long). Interior photos haven't been published yet, but Mini notes some of the upholstery and trim pieces are made with recycled materials. On the electric side of the range, the Countryman will be available with two powertrains. First, a 191-horsepower single-motor setup that spins the front wheels; this version will be called Countryman E. Second, a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive system rated at 313 horsepower and fitted to the Countryman SE ALL4. Electricity will be stored in a 64.7-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, and Mini estimates the model's range will check in at about 280 miles when tested on the WLTP cycle used in Europe. The EPA-estimated figure will be lower, however. More details about the third-generation Mini Countryman will be released in the coming months. It won't remain the brand's only crossover for long: making it bigger clears up space for a second, smaller model tentatively called Aceman and previewed by a concept in July 2022. At the other end of the spectrum, the next-generation Cooper will make its debut in 2024 with significant design changes inside and out. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.