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BMW's DTM champ swaps rides with Mini's Dakar winner

BMW may not race in F1 any longer, and it doesn't compete with Audi and Porsche in the LMP1 class at Le Mans. It even shut down Mini's short-lived effort on the World Rally Championship. But that doesn't mean it doesn't race at all. In fact it's the current reigning champion both in DTM and at Dakar. So to highlight its varied motorsport programs, the German automaker had two of its top drivers swap rides. German driver Martin Tomczyk, who won the DTM title in 2011 and now drives for BMW, took to Nasser Al-Attiyah's Mini All4Racing Countryman on the sand dunes of Dubai. Meanwhile the Qatari driver, who has won the Dakar Rally two times now, took to the wheel of Tomczyk's BMW M4 DTM around Oschersleben in Germany. They even repeated the game of musical chairs at Hockenheim over the weekend. If anything, the promo clip shot by Red Bull just goes to show how different the varied racing machinery can be, and the challenges posed to racing drivers switching between disciplines. But lessons aside, it's a cool clip, so check it out above. Two champions swap cockpits: Martin Tomczyk drives the MINI ALL4 Racing, Nasser Al-Attiyah the BMW M4 DTM. Munich (DE), 1st May 2015. From asphalt to sand and back again: BMW DTM driver Martin Tomczyk (DE) and MINI ALL4 Racing ace Nasser Al-Attiyah (QA) both entered unfamiliar territory and took each other's cars for a test drive. As part of a video shoot for BMW Motorsport Premium Partner Red Bull in Dubai (AE), Tomczyk, a proven master of his trade on asphalt as the 2011 DTM Champion, took the wheel of the MINI ALL4 Racing, with which X-raid has won the famous Rally Dakar the last four years. During DTM testing in Oschersleben (DE), Al-Attiyah was given the opportunity to drive Tomczyk's BMW M Performance Parts M4 DTM. Two wins at the Rally Dakar are just some of the successes the rally driver from Qatar has had to date. He followed up his first victory in 2011 by winning in the MINI ALL4 Racing in January 2015. "Driving the MINI ALL4 Racing through the sand and over the dunes in Dubai was a fascinating experience and was so much fun," said Tomczyk. "The car has an incredible amount of torwue – and the test in the dunes was an amazing adrenalin rush even for an experienced race driver such as myself. It's totally different to driving on a circuit.

Mini prepping new John Cooper Works convertible

Those enamored by a Mini's spritely handling and retro styling but looking for that extra performance edge have had a succession of John Cooper Works models to choose from, straight through to the latest version unveiled this week in Detroit. And now, Mini appears to be preparing a JCW version of the new convertible. Spied undergoing cold-weather testing in Scandinavia, this Mini prototype appears to be wearing the tell-tale signs of a JCW model, combined with the folding fabric roof of the convertible model. Mini has yet to reveal the convertible version of the latest, third-generation Cooper, but while we're expecting it to take a similar approach to the outgoing model – with four seats and a soft top stacking up in the back when open – there's always the chance that, with the demise of the two-seat Roadster model, the roof on the new cabrio will fold more flush with the rear deck. Since this prototype, like the previous one we saw over a year ago on a flat-bed truck, has its roof up, it's impossible to say at this point. What we can see is that this prototype, though decked out in swirly camouflage, is wearing the upgraded body kit of the new JCW hatch, including the flared wheel arches, big air vents and dual central exhaust tips. The wheels, though wearing snow tires appropriate to the climate, fill those flared fenders well, and are in turn packed with what look like pretty big brakes. Expect the 2.0-liter turbo four to pack the same 228 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque as the hardtop version, only with the added thrill of wind in your hair. Of course, if Mini is indeed preparing to launch a JCW version of the new convertible, there's nothing to say it won't do the same with the four-door Hardtop, the upcoming Clubman wagon or any other body-style in the new range. Featured Gallery Mini JCW Convertible: Spy Shots View 9 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Spy Photos MINI Convertible Performance jcw mini convertible mini cooper convertible

Next electric Mini Cooper due out in 2024 with a lot more range

The next-generation Mini Hardtop is expected to make its global debut in the not-too-distant future. The hatchback will be offered with gasoline- and battery-powered drivetrains, and a new report provides preliminary specifications about the electric model. One of the more significant changes will appear in advertisements and other promotional material: while the hatchback is officially known as the Hardtop in the United States and the Hatch in England, its successor will adopt the Cooper nameplate. We'll need to be patient to see how the Mini has evolved from a visual perspective but company boss Stephanie Wurst told British magazine Autocar that designers have taken it "back to its roots." It's not expected to grow in length but it will be wider than its predecessor and it will ride on a longer wheelbase. Made in China via a joint-venture with Great Wall Motors, the electric, two-door-only Cooper will be available with either a 40- or a 54-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. Those figures correspond to the global-market model; details about the American-market car haven't been released. Range will check in at 240 miles for the smaller pack, according to Autocar, and the standard model will put 181 horsepower under the driver's right foot. Buyers who need more will be asked to step up to the Cooper SE, which will be rated at 215 horsepower.  In comparison, the current Cooper SE has 181 horsepower, about 110 miles of driving range, and a 32.6-kilowatt-hour battery pack. Made in England, the gasoline-powered Cooper hasn't been detailed yet. Autocar learned that there's a good chance the model will only be offered with an automatic transmission, so get a stick now while you still can. Front-wheel-drive will continue to come standard. We'll hear more about the next Cooper in the coming months, but it's not the next new model that we'll see from Mini. The third-generation Countryman previewed earlier in 2023 is tentatively scheduled to enter production in Germany in late 2023; it will be available with gasoline- and battery-powered drivetrains as well. The electric Cooper will reportedly arrive in May 2024, about two months before its gasoline-burning counterpart, so it will go on sale here in time for the 2025 model year. When it lands, it will compete in the same segment as the Fiat 500e. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.