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More stick shift models added to MINI's 2024 lineup

While automotive journalists have called in recent years for their industry and consumers to “save the manuals," their campaigns for manual transmissions have fallen mostly on deaf ears. Except at MINI. No surprise. The take rate for a stick shift in a Mini is said to be 18% to 20%, and in John Cooper Works models, it's more like 40%. The figure for the auto industry in general is 1.4%, meaning that driving stick is all but a lost art — unless you're driving a Mini, or say, a VW GTI or Golf R. In a presentation this week detailing the changes and specifications of MINIs for the 2024 model year, one revelation stands out: additional hardtop and convertible models that can be ordered with stick shifts. Specifically, the list includes MINI Cooper convertible, the Cooper S ragtop, the Cooper four-door hardtop and four-door Cooper S. Production of those cars is scheduled to begin in March. In November, MINI USA, which is part of the BMW organization, announced the return of manuals in its Cooper, Cooper S and John Cooper Works 2-door hardtops. Here's a pricing breakdown: Regarding other updates announced, MINI will continue to offer “special” editions — Untamed, Untold and Resolute — that launched a year ago and received additional enhancements in November that included new body colors, interior upholsteries, and engine variants. These three editions can be had on the respective models equipped with the Iconic Trim. MINI also says it will reintroduce the base Classic Trim to all Hardtop, Clubman, and Countryman models, and the Signature Trim will feature MINI Navigation as included equipment, with Advanced Real Time Traffic Information built in. In December, the company introduced a pair of tricked-out convertibles named the "Seaside Edition" that can be optioned in Nanuq White or Caribbean Aqua colors. Those models should be hitting dealers right about now, MINI says. 

Evo's Mini-focused tribute to Best Motoring is the best thing you'll see all day

Our friends at Jalopnik are absolutely spot on with their argument that "your life is shit" if you've never experienced Japan's outstanding Best Motoring. The show is easily one of the best car-related things on the Internet, taking the creme de la creme from what is now known as the Super GT series, as well as D1 drift and other disciplines, and plopping them in some of the finest cars of the 1990s and 2000s. Seriously, go and check it out. Back? Good. In honor of Best Motoring, Evo has put together its own tribute (some might call it a cover version) of the video series, assembling four drivers and four cars for an all-out track battle. The vehicles in question all sport the Mini badge, and they run the gamut from hot road cars to one-make racers. First, we have Andy Wallace and the best car of the bunch, a 2006 John Cooper Works GP (full disclosure: your author owns an R53 and will never be convinced that it isn't the finest example of the revived Mini, because supercharger). He'll be followed by Marino Franchitti in R56-based, 2013 John Cooper Works GP, while Dickie Meaden and Jethro Bovingdon are in the race-prepared, second-generation Mini Challenge JCW and third-generation Mini Challenge S275, respectively. Everything from the track action (which we won't spoil for you), to the camera work to the pre-race introductions is spot on, just like we'd expect from Best Motoring. It's outstanding, and you should be sure to take a look at it straight away.

2023 Mini John Cooper Works 1 to 6 Edition priced at $46,295

In May, Mini showed the Mini John Cooper Works 1 to 6 Edition. It memorializes Mini racing and the "pure essence of motorsport" as a JCW with a six-speed manual transmission, hence the 1 to 6 name. Copying the formula for the Clubman Final Edition, the 1 to 6 is almost only special badges, colors and materials; there's little more to this than a retail Mini JCW with a stick shift and three more horsepower. For that, Mini has added a nominal premium of $2,500. However, product planners have made the John Cooper Works in Iconic trim the canvas for this art, so the base price starts at $43,795 before any additional treats. This brings the price before options to $46,295.  The good news after that is that there aren't many other options to add. The Iconic trim throws heaps of equipment at the car, the special edition layout locks in colors and fabrics. The hatchback comes in Midnight Black body paint ornamented with a black roof. Piano Black accents are found on the grille surround, side scuttles and waistline finisher. The 18-inch Circuit Spoke rims come in Jet Black. The gray bonnet stripe is composed of shift pattern line drawings, the same shift pattern showing up on the tailgate in black. Red, white and silver 1 to 6 badges appear on the side scuttles and C-pillars. The black and gray interior shows off an anthracite-colored headliner, illuminated red bezel for the instrument cluster, red ambient lighting, badged floor mats and, of course, the stick shift with special stitching. "One of 999" appears in places like the sunroof, steering wheel and instrument panel. If Mini will allow add-ons, the configurator on the retail site shows the only tweaks left are convenience features like adaptive cruise control for $500 and utilities like roof rails for $250. The 999 examples for global buyers are being served up on a first-come-first-serve basis. Preorders are open now, a $500 deposit holds a place in line. Deposits are expected to start in Q3 this year. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 28 Women Stuff Into a Mini, Set Guinness World Record! | Autoblog