The Demo Site

new MINI Cooper Convertible

We'll be straight with you. We missed the MINI press conference. We know, we know... the horror. Anyway, you didn't exactly need to be Kojak to figure out what happened. The 2009 MINI Convertible drove out of a simulated ice block with a couple made up all frozen-like in the front seats. As for the car, well, it's pretty self explanatory. Available in March, it finally ditches the last-gen engines for the NA and turbocharged 1.6L fours available in the hardtop Cooper and Cooper S. Other changes? The trunk's roomier, the interior gets brought up-to-date, and the rollbar becomes a pop-up unit, significantly improving rearward visibility and giving the Cooper a much cleaner top-down profile. Finally, cute-gimmickry overload is fully achieved with the addition of the "Openometer," an add-on gauge that tracks the amount of time spent motoring with the top down. Adorable, right? Chicks are gonna dig it.

MINI E's unveiling

The Chery S16 is called a sedan even though it only has two doors, a hatchback, what appears to be zero rear headroom, and is about 22 inches shorter than a Chevy Aveo. From the front, the styling conjures words like "bizarre" and "Picasso" and "flounder," but -- and perhaps it is the hour -- we find it kinda cute. At the rear, things get confused with a host of grafted designs that don't blend so well together.

Regardless of whether it's a sedan or what you think of its looks, Chery plans to release it by May of this year. What the company needs now is a name, and is appealing to the Chinese public to provide it with one. We don't understand why Chery is still in the hunt -- the car came with the perfect name when it was launched at the 2005 Shanghai Auto Show: Chery Wow. Indeed.

[Source: Gasgoo]

MINI JCW CHALLENGE racer on eBay

There are a lot of one-make racing series' being held around the world using exotic equipment like Porsche 911 GT3 Cups, Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeos and Ferrari F430 Challenges, but devastatingly fast as they are, none are as impossibly adorable as the MINI John Cooper Works CHALLENGE, rivaled only by the Fiat 500 Abarth Assetto Corse for go-fast cuteness. But while the series takes place in locations around the world, the U.S. series has yet to take off. For most American MINI racing enthusiasts, that will mean holding out a while longer to get their hands on the hottest MINI yet. But at least one sufficiently motivated buyer can have one now.

This solitary American example was privately imported by a buyer in California, who drove it for two hours around Infineon Raceway at Sears Point before deciding to put it up on eBay. The car's features a full race package, including 17" Borbet alloys, adjustable competition-spec suspension and aero kit, electronic telemetry system, AP Racing brakes, competition exhaust, fire suppression system, Recaro buckets with 6-point harnesses and more. Of course, the car is in no way street legal, but it can be had for a Buy-it-Now price of $64,900. Act fast, though... the auction ends today.

Let's set the scene: You've just returned from a jaunt to pick up Grandma and parked your 2007-2008 MINI Cooper S in the driveway. After leading the sweet lady up your steps and into the house, you return to the car to unload the assorted goodies and gifts that she's brought for you and the fam. You pop open the hatch, reach over to grab a foil-wrapped plate of her legendary baklava and start to feel a burning sensation on your shin. It's official. You've been indoctrinated into the Club of Cooper S owners who now sport a circular prison tat on their legs.

According to the NHTSA, the problem affects some 28,450 2007-08 MINI Cooper S models due to the dual tailpipes that protrude too far from the center of the Cooper's rear bumper. The problem has been documented on several MINI-specific forums, and BMW is stepping up to address the issue and offering Cooper customers a new, shorter exhaust, free of charge. The recall begins in January and owners can contact BMW at 800.831.1117 to schedule a replacement of the offending exhaust.

It's the spark we've been waiting for from BMW – the electric MINI is almost here! And our spies have managed to capture a fully working prototype out testing.

Due to make its debut at next month's Los Angeles Motor Show, the MINI EV will be built in limited numbers by BMW and will first go on sale in the US, and then eventually to customers in large cities across Europe.

The MINI EV's existence is the result of a new Californian law which requires all car manufacturers to offer at least one zero-emission vehicle. So expect the new MINI to be the first of many mainstream all-electric cars showing up on America's west coast in the near future.

There is currently no release date scheduled but it is likely to reach American showrooms by the middle of next year.

For full details and pictures on the new MINI get your copy of next weeks's Auto Express – on sale Wednesday October 22nd.

BMW is the first premium manufacturer to offers an electric vehicle for personal use - the Mini E. The Mini E will be offered in 500 units, powered by a 150 kW/204 hp electric motor that gets its energy from a lithium-ion battery. The Mini E is front-wheel-drive and is based on the Mini Cooper. With this powertrain the Mini E has a range of 240 km or 150 miles.

The Mini E is a pilot project that will involve private and corporate customers located in California, New York and New Jersey. The Mini E will have its premiere at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show starting November 19. At the beginning, the Mini E will be offered as a two-seater, but the series version will probably have four seats.

The battery of the Mini E has a 35 kilowatt hours (kWh) capacity and transfers its energy to the engine at 380 Volts. It weighs 1,465 kilogram (3,230 lbs) and develops 220 Nm of torque. Takes 8.5 seconds for 0 to 62 mph and has a limited top speed of 152 km/h or 95 mph.

Now that the 2009 Mini Cabrio has been unleashed onto the interwebs, expect to witness a full-court advertising press as the automaker tries to keep up the positive momentum in sales over last year. MINI has always had clever ads for its retro hatches, and that trend will continue with the latest 2009 Cabrio, which is officially set to debut at the Detroit Auto Show next month. Previous marketing attempts have humorously suggested that it's never a good idea to lower the top, and a similar theme is being used again, except in a much more eye-catching manner. Seriously, how disturbing is the ice-covered guy? That's the stuff of nightmares.

Besides print materials, some screen captures of upcoming UK commercials indicate that lowering the soft top is never permissible, even in the face of freezing temperatures, monumental rain puddles or, um, the occasional Ninja attack. Take a look for yourself in the gallery below.

[Source: MINI Forum]

Electric car to be unveiled at Los Angeles Auto Show
BMW has chosen the Los Angeles Auto Show to present the new all-electric MINI E to the media. As reported a few months ago by Autopia, BMW has been working on the plug-in MINI and will make it available to select markets.

500 cars for North America
Much of the speculation surrounding the electric MINI is that it helps BMW meet some states zero-emissions mandates. BMW has 500 MINI E's headed to three states in the U.S.: California, New York and New Jersey. These cars will go to private and corporate customers.

Each vehicle carries a one-year lease with an option to extend it. And following BMW's common practice of servicing their leased vehicles free of charge, any maintenance or service requiring the replacement of worn parts will be included.

Once the lease is up, the MINI E is returned to BMW engineers for comparative testing.

On a side note, BMW provides a wallbox installed in a customer's garage. It provides higher amperage for short charging times. Expect a MINI E to take about 2.5 hours to charge. Only lockable garages will be considered for MINI E power stations.

Production of the 500 cars will take place at BMW's Oxford and Munich sites and should be completed before the end of 2008.

MINI-like performance?
As you might have guessed, the MINI E will only be available as a two-seater. The rear passenger seats will be occupied by the cars lithium-ion battery pack, made up of 5,088 cells grouped into 48 modules.

The cars electric drive train will produce about 162 lb-ft of torque, driving the front wheels. You'll get to 62 mph in about 8.5 seconds and top out at an electronically governed 95 mph.

Of course it's hard to estimate how far the car will go on a single charge. According to BMW, one kilowatt hour equals 5.4 miles. A fully charged BMW E draws 28 kilowatts. So it's safe to assume the car has a 150 mile range. The MINI E also has a regenerative braking feature where the electric motor acts as a generator, directing power to the batteries that otherwise would be lost. BMW says this feature extends the car's range by up to 20 percent.

MINI E styling
Yes, should you be one of a select few to lease a MINI E, you will be comfortable knowing that what you are driving is unique. But the styling, not so much. All 500 MINI E's will look the same, as pictured here. Even more unfortunate, the stylized power plug "E" logo is everywhere: the roof; on the front and back of the car; the charger port lid; on the dashboard; and finally, on the door jamb. Yikes! I hope you like yellow!

And, with such a limited number of MINI E's, will BMW go the way of Honda and target Hollywood for it's eye-catching and media-hyped market? We'll have to see once the cars are ready for distribution.

Wraps, badges, stripes...
MINI customization has just been ratcheted up a notch with the just announced partnership between MINI and Colorado-based Original Wraps, Inc.

The graphics are available for every MINI model year since 2002 and are made from 3M vinyl. You can place everything from a simple badge on your car to wrapping your entire MINI. There's stripes for the hood, flags for the roof and 'A' panel wraps. You can even design your own graphics with Original Wraps manufacturing each for you. Templates are available to download from the web site.

Costs range from $9.99 to $349.00 and can be purchased from MINI Motoring Graphics or your local MINI dealer. They'll ship the wraps directly to you or to the dealer.

An additional cost to consider is installation. Unless you're experienced with vinyl graphics, get a professional. When you consider the investment you're making, you want it done right.

Click the image above to see video of MINI's 3D Cooper Convertible

MINI is proving to be somewhat recession-proof, with 43% and 56% increases over the past two dreadful sales months. The marque is also keeping up its cred as a clever marketeer, with a new print campaign that can make a 3D MINI appear on your computer screen. The specially-designed MINI ad is able to interact with your webcam using technology called Augmented Reality. Simply log onto the URL printed on the ad, follow the instructions (in German), and voila! You have a realistic 3D model of the new MINI Convertible. To turn the 3D model or zoom it in or out, simply move the actual ad in front of your webcam. It takes a bit of processing power, so it helps to have a relatively modern computer. Follow the jump to view video of the interactive ad, and if you want to try it for yourself, print one out and surf to the special website. Thanks for the tip, Cory!

[Source: The Future of Ads]

The new battery-powered MINI E is very important to BMW - well at least its drivetrain and lithium-ion battery pack are. According to AutoExpress, while the MINI E plays a major role in BMW's conquest for a future zero-emissions range, it is not being considered for mass production.

Of the 500 units of the MINI E on the road, 450 will be sent back to BMW engineers after current owners complete their one-year leases. With engineering insight and customer feedback, BMW bosses will plan the perfect lineup of electric cars which will be more practical than the two-seater MINI E.

"As the rear seats and cargo carrying space are lost [because of the battery pack], the MINI is not a candidate for mass production," said a BMW spokesman. He said that the drivetrain is likely to appear on the 5-Series or 7-Series. The new electric-system will also find its way under the hood of the 3-Series and the X1 and X3 SUVs.

Check out our review of the 2009 MINI E.

By: Omar Rana - Editor in Chief.

At the 2008 LA Auto Show, BMW let me have a shot at driving its latest creation - the 2009 MINI Cooper E. I had the chance to spend a half hour with the battery-powered MINI E in downtown LA before I had to return it to BMW. But before I get into the details of my test drive I have to say; driving an electric-car is a totally different experience than driving a car with a normal gasoline engine.

Power comes from a lithium-ion battery pack that feeds power to an electric motor that turns the front wheels pumping out 204-hp with a maximum torque of 162 lb-ft. MINI says that 0 to 60 mph comes in 8.5 seconds with a top speed of 95 mph but driving in downtown LA traffic, I wasn't able to test out those figures.

Click through to read more and check out the high-res image gallery of the 2009 MINI E test drive.

As I got into the 149th unit of the MINI E (you can tell which of the 500 units you're driving by the plaque on the side of the car) I felt as if I was sitting in a regular MINI Cooper besides the exterior and interior colors and graphics that scream "I'm not just any Cooper" (not to mention there are no exhaust pipes in the back since this is a zero-emissions vehicle). But everything changed once I slid the key into the ignition and hit the start button. The MINI E is completely and awkwardly silent besides the buzzing/humming noise from the electric-motor during acceleration. You just slide the key in, push start, wait for a little sound that tells you the car is ready to drive, put it in 'D', hit the accelerator, and off you go.

There are no gear-changes since there is no engine - and since there is no engine there is no noise. Now some of you may say why would you want to drive a car that requires hardly any involvement from the driver? But there is a big difference here. The 2009 MINI E is fairly zippy. While I didn't get a chance to do a 0 to 60 mph run or a top speed test - BMW's claim of an 8.5 second run from rest to 60 is definitely believable. The only difference you'll notice from its gasoline sibling is that it feels a little heavy due to the 600 pound lithium-ion battery sitting in the back, which not to mention makes the MINI E a two-seater vehicle (total weight is 3,230 pounds compared to a regular MINI Cooper which weight 2,634).

Sit inside the MINI E and you're welcomed by the same familiar interior of a MINI Cooper. However, the ginormous speedometer in the middle of dashboard features a tiny power-flow gauge replacing the normal placement of the fuel-gauge. The power-flow gauge turns counter clockwise indicating the amount of power going out when you accelerate. The gauge behind the steering wheels has now become a battery level indicator which scared me a little as the percentage-level kept declining during my drive. I took over the MINI E with a 43% charge and I have to admit it's a bit eerie watching the battery-level percentage decline. It causes you to be a little more worrisome than watching your fuel gauge go from 'F' to 'E' since when driving a gasoline powered car you just pull into a gas station; but when driving an electric-car, you have to run and find a wall socket to plug it in.

Overall, driving the MINI E was one of the most interesting and unique driving experiences I've ever had. The future is coming and it's coming fast. BMW is leasing 500 units of the MINI E in California, New York and New Jersey for a whopping $850 a month. After a one-year lease, drivers will have to turn over their MINI E to BMW engineers who will examine and run further tests on the electric-car. Of course all this is a part of the process of one day putting the MINI E into mass production and after driving the electric-Cooper I must say that BMW is on the right path. 

This special MINI you see pictured here is the creation of Ken and Annie Burkitt of Ontario, Canada who covered the small British car with 1 million Swarovski crystals depicting 10 American symbols like the Statue of Liberty, White House, Mount Rushmore, the American flag or the Hollywood sign. Named American Icon, the shining MINI is on display at the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum at Piccadilly Circus in London. So, a British car decorated by Canadian artists with Swiss jewels depicting American symbols…talking about globalization.

Photo Gallery: MINI Cooper covered in Swarovski crystals

Source: (Via Autoblog.nl)