1967 Austin Mini Cooper on 2040-cars

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2020 Mini Cooper S E electric car's reveal date announced

Although we've pretty much seen the production 2020 Mini Cooper S E electric hatchback, we've been in the dark about when the car, and more importantly its specifications, will officially be revealed. But now the company says we'll see it on July 9, just a few weeks away. As you can see above, the car pulls many design cues from the Frankfurt concept such as the mostly filled-in grille with a yellow-green stripe and the nifty four-spoke wheels. Of course it's also clearly and closely based on the regular Mini Hardtop, and it even features the Mini Cooper S hood scoop. That's another indication that Mini intends for it to be comparable to a sporty gas-powered model. We're most anxious for confirmation on performance specifications. In our prototype drive, we learned that the motor is based on the one from the BMW i3S, so it should make about 181 horsepower, just 8 shy of the gas-powered Mini Cooper S. But the range estimate given during the prototype drive was a rather low 120 miles. That's actually a little less than the 150 miles of the prototype Mini E from about a decade ago. More finalized numbers should be available after the official reveal.

2013 Mini Countryman gets updates

It's been two years since the debut of Mini's Countryman crossover. In that time, the general public has indeed warmed to the idea of a big Mini - we grew to rather like it during our long-term test - and for 2013, a few small, thoughtful updates are on tap for the brand's range-topper.
The big change for the Countryman concerns the power window toggles, though Mini would also like you to notice the new Carbon Black ring around the center speedometer and new interior colors. Mini window controls have long resided in the center console, lost among the number of other buttons. The new Countryman breaks with that trend by moving the buttons to the door armrest, where it is located on most other passenger vehicles. We first saw this on the production Paceman that debuted in Paris earlier this year. This location also allows for a multi-button panel on the driver's side door. Previously, opening and closing all windows meant hitting each button individually.
Also of note is the removal of the two standard bucket seats in the second row, instead being replaced with a bench seat. Those who appreciate the customizable center rail in four-seat models can still select rear bucket seats, however. The 2013 Countryman is scheduled to hit European dealers sometime in November with US sales to follow shortly thereafter.

2014 Mini Cooper

If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone from Mini refer to 'go-kart-like handling,' I'd be retired, living on a beautiful piece of coastline somewhere in the Caribbean. Perhaps even on the shores of Puerto Rico, where Mini chose to launch its latest Cooper and Cooper S hatchbacks. As with so many frequently used phrases, though, there is indeed some truth to the cliché - while the Mini Cooper has never actually handled quite like a go kart, it has always had a certain directness in its movements, reacting to steering inputs with an immediacy and fervor unlike most any other automobile meant primarily for the street.
Combine those unique driving dynamics with a sense of fun that permeates the entire brand from pre-sales marketing to the actual sales process itself and you end up with a marketplace success. As an ex-Mini owner myself (a 2009 Cooper S Convertible), I can attest to the kinship felt between fellow Mini drivers who share in the knowledge that they are having more fun than the poor appliance-driving masses sharing the highways and byways of these United States. It's no surprise that the style-conscious US continues to be the marque's single largest market year after year.
This enviable brand perception hasn't been attained without its own fair share of flaws, however. Though the quirky design and massively customizable bits and pieces that have made up the Mini brand's interior philosophy since it was reborn in 2001 have proven somewhat endearing, the Cooper Hardtop's ergonomics have always been an unmitigated disaster. Plus, this is a very small car, with a rear seat that's practically uninhabitable by adult-size occupants. While that adjective seemingly goes hand-in-hand with the brand's name, the modern Cooper has never been as ingeniously packaged as its 1959 forbearer, which offered up as much interior space as possible through innovative engineering and minimalist design. Further, parent company BMW has positioned Mini as a premium brand, so the Cooper's diminutive size has never equated to low prices. And for being such a small car, the Cooper historically hasn't been well-known for its fuel efficiency.