MINI

The launch of the new generation MINI Connected app takes the intelligent link-up between the vehicle and driver beyond in-car infotainment functions which are already familiar to many MINI drivers. Based on a flexible platform – the Open Mobility Cloud – the upgraded MINI Connected technology now includes a personal mobility assistant which can help with journey planning and traffic alerts on the driver’s Apple iPhone. Android-based smartphone compatibility is in development for the future. MINI Connected, which is available as a free download from the Apple App Store, maintains a seamless connection between the driver’s MINI and their iPhone via either a Bluetooth or USB connection, making it easy, convenient and safe to enjoy stress free driving. The new MINI Connected app, which has been launched alongside the unveiling of the new MINI Countryman, sees the personal mobility assistant […]

The new MINI John Cooper Works Clubman will make its North American premiere this week at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The new 2017 MINI John Cooper Works Clubman, which will be fully accessorized for the crowd of over 60,000 automotive specialty products professionals expected at the show, is the first MINI to combine the latest version of John Cooper Works performance enhancements and new ALL4 all-wheel drive system. At the heart of the new MINI John Cooper Works Clubman sits a 2.0-liter MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology engine producing 228 hp, while the ALL4 all-wheel drive system helps deliver 258 lb-ft of torque, the most torque of any John Cooper Works model. In addition to the high-performance engine, powered by BMW Group engine technology and architecture, the new MINI John Cooper Works Clubman includes a sports exhaust, refined suspension technology, […]

MINI USA introduced today the biggest, most adventurous MINI ever, the all-new 2017 MINI Countryman. Additionally, for the first time ever, a MINI model will be offered as a plug-in hybrid, combining the best of both worlds.  The MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 will be powered by both a three-cylinder MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology gasoline engine and an electric hybrid synchronous motor. All three of the new MINI Countryman variants will make their World Premiere at the Los Angeles International Auto Show at a press conference on Wednesday, November 16th, at 11:50 am PDT. The all-new MINI Countryman has been completely redesigned and reengineered from the ground up, yet still is instantly identifiable as a MINI. Now incorporating BMW Group engine technology and vehicle architecture, the all-new MINI Countryman offers an all-turbocharged engine lineup with outstanding acceleration and the […]

MINI USA is proud to congratulate the MINI JCW Race Team and LAP Motorsports Team Owner Luis Perocarpi on completing their first full season of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series in the Street Tuner class. The first factory-supported race team for MINI in U.S. sports car racing had an amazing season, building on the momentum of the partial season last year that concluded with the #73 MINI JCW driven by Mat Pombo and Derek Jones on the podium with a second place finish at Road Atlanta. In true MINI fashion, the team was certainly the underdog among the fierce competition in a class that included well-funded race teams from Porsche, Honda, Audi, Mazda, Nissan and BMW. Under the direction of LAP Motorsports Team Owner Luis Perocarpi, the near-production MINI John Cooper Works Hardtops, three in total, lived up […]

Hallmark MINI driving fun combined with zero tailpipe emissions. With the introduction of the first plug-in hybrid model by the British premium brand, this will soon be a reality. The series development process for this car has almost been completed. It features a combustion engine and an electric motor enabling purely electric propulsion for the first time in a MINI. This marks the beginning of a new phase for MINI, and offers a glimpse into a future that is charged with excitement for MINI customers and those drivers yet to experience the thrill of a hybrid. Head of MINI brand management Sebastian Mackensen and Head of MINI series management Peter Wolf offer insight into this new near-series test vehicle, and explain how it retains go-kart feeling in the true spirit of a MINI during a test drive of this model.

Our video of the week this go-round features  a couple fast Minis at Jay Leno’s Garage. Well, I should say a fast Mini and an outrageously fast oh-my-lord-what-was-that Mini.  The show is presented, with Jay Leno, by Graham Reid of the Heritage Garage garage out in California. Graham Reid takes Jay for a ride in his vintage Mini Cooper. I you are into Minis, or any of the derivatives, you owe it to yourself to check out Heritage Garage. They carry a great supply of Mini parts and pieces – including racing and tuning trinkets that are quite hard to come by. Plus they really seem to know their stuff. For those of you who are not familiar with Jay Leno’s Garage, here is the official blurb… ‘After retiring from his perch atop the late-night TV ratings in 2014, comedian […]

The new MINI John Cooper Works Clubman offers all the style, practicality and fresh-thinking of the Clubman, combined with the high performance and sporting dynamics of the John Cooper Works range. The result is a unique and exclusive proposition that combines the John Cooper Works-specification engine and corresponding modifications with MINI’s ALL4 all-wheel drive system. In creating this potent model, able to take full advantage of the maximum possible traction in all conditions, MINI has created a powerful but practical vehicle that’s fun to drive in the true spirit of a MINI.

At the London Design Festival 2016, MINI is collaborating with Asif Khan, whose installation MINI LIVING “Forests” explores three interpretations of these “spaces between spaces”. Munich/London. In cities like London and New York, affordable places to live are in short supply. House/flat shares or one-bedroom apartments that fall within a reasonable budget offer barely enough room for our everyday needs. At the same time, the world of work is also undergoing a period of change as workplaces go mobile and self-employment blooms. These developments have led to “third places” – those that lie between work and home – growing in importance. At the London Design Festival 2016, MINI is collaborating with Asif Khan, whose installation MINI LIVING “Forests” explores three interpretations of these “spaces between spaces”. They are each designed to encourage specific uses: relaxation, getting together or productivity. The […]

MINI Challenge will join the British GT Championship for the first time next year, cementing its place as one of Europe’s fastest-growing single-make racing championship. The news marks the biggest step yet for the popular championship and follows a recent agreement between MINI Challenge and MINI UK which will see the brand provide increased support through the 2017 race season.

For over 40 years, Witney-based British Motor Heritage (BMH) has been at the heart of the restoration and conservation of many of Britain’s best loved classic cars, having built over 6,000 complete replacement bodyshells for the MGB, MG RV8, MG Midget, Austin-Healey Sprite, Triumph TR6, original Mini and Mini Clubman, as well as literally tens of thousands of individual panels. Unlike those of alternative suppliers, these items are manufactured to original standards on the original tooling; though happily without the disruptions that characterised BMC production in the 1970s – until recently……………. Managing Director John Yea takes up the story: “We were preparing to run a batch of new bodyshells for the Mini Clubman when the staff discovered a great tit had nested in the specialist tooling reserved for this model. Important as it is to maintain our production schedules, we […]

Two female engineers from MINI Plant Oxford have secured national recognition after they landed a top industry award from leading automotive magazine Autocar. Philippa Napier and Rachel Neary have been named in the ‘Rising Stars’ category of the ‘Great British Women in the Car Industry’ initiative, which is run by Autocar in partnership with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The awards identify the top 100 British women working in the automotive sector as part of a push to celebrate the role of women in the industry and to address the challenges they face. The ‘Rising Stars’ category recognises a group of 10 young females who are ‘making their mark on the industry and blazing a trail for more to follow.’

Auto Express magazine has awarded MINI two sought-after honours at the publication’s annual New Car Awards. MINI Hatch was awarded ‘Best Premium Small Car’ for the third consecutive year, retaining its position at the front of the competitive pack. Also enjoying its moment in the spotlight, the new MINI Convertible was awarded the publication’s ‘Best Convertible’ title.

The new MINI Cooper John Cooper Works Challenge takes track-driving performance to a new level, while also offering a thrilling on-road driving experience that doesn’t sacrifice everyday comforts and refinement.

Over half of the world’s Minis are boys, with the most popular name being Marvin, according to the world’s first ever Mini Census. The survey, carried out by the organisers of Mini World Live, which takes place at Rockingham Motor Speedway, Northants, on July 10, 2016, received responses from Mini owners all over the globe, including places as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Malta and the USA. The results show that in total, 51% of the world’s Mini population is male, 35% are female and 14% are neither – although anyone who’s ever owned a Mini knows it’s more than just a car.

This year’s Peking to Paris Motor Challenge, billed as the world’s toughest endurance rally for classic and vintage cars, will feature a Mini for the first time in the event’s history. Concerned for the Packard, Paul contacted Owen Turner from the Rover Centre whom he had met on last year’s Sahara Challenge, for some advice and seeing just how much work still needed to be done on the old American car, advised against taking it on the grueling 36-day 8,500mile event that journeys through some extremely difficult terrain. Needing a car in a hurry to meet the shipping deadline, the best option was to buy the Mini Owen had prepared for himself for the 2015 Marrakesh event as well as Le Jog. Owen explains: “The Packard needed a lot of work still doing and would not have coped with the […]

According to the iconic TV advert, Minis have feelings too… But then that’s hardly surprising, as the Mini, be it modern or classic, has one of the biggest personalities on the road. And to find out just how much character owners apply to their four-wheeled friends, the organisers of the UK’s biggest and best Mini shows are carrying out the world’s first Mini Census ahead of Mini World Live, which takes place on Sunday, July 10 at Rockingham Motor Speedway, Northants.   The census aims to find out the gender split between Minis – whether they’re male or female, where they live, the average age of their owners and, most importantly, what the top 10 names for Britain’s Minis are. So whether yours is Mickey or Minnie, old or new, Mini World Live is calling for you to help build up a […]

This year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed (June 23-26) will host the global debut of the first design model of the current generation of MINIs, MINI Seven. Taking its name from the very first Mini, the 1959 Austin Seven, MINI Seven has been designed to fuse the brand’s classic heritage with modern design and technology. MINI Seven joins the current MINI Hatch range in 5-door or 3-door form and features specially designed exterior and interior looks unseen before on this generation’s model line-up.

MINI USA is proud to introduce the new MINI Seven, the first special edition of the latest MINI generation which presents a striking combination of the brand’s traditional values and the progressive product quality of the current models. Exclusive design features on the exterior and interior underscore the British origins, hallmark driving fun, premium character and extrovert appeal that make the new MINI Seven a more exceptional phenomenon in urban traffic than ever before.   The 2017 MINI Seven special edition will be available in both Cooper and Cooper S variants of the MINI Hardtop 2 Door and 4 Door models in late summer. Pricing will be announced closer to the vehicle’s arrival in market.