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Mini Countryman X-Raid gets some off-road chops courtesy of the Dakar team

Mini trades on its heritage quite a bit, particularly when it comes to racing. But one aspect of its motorsports history has been difficult to capitalize on: Dakar off-road racing. That's understandable, considering the disparity between Mini's road-going cars and the Mini-branded trucks built by X-Raid that do the racing. X-Raid itself seems to have figured out how to bridge that gap with its own set of upgrades for the Mini Countryman. X-Raid's example for its off-road upgrades is a Mini Cooper S Countryman All4, though we would expect the various parts could just as easily be fitted to other Countryman variants such as the base 134-horsepower Cooper Countryman. The S makes more sense for a racing company what with its 189-horepower turbocharged four-cylinder and the All4 offers off-road friendly all-wheel drive. Though Mini doesn't go into specifics about the suspension and chassis upgrades, we know that there is some level of suspension lift, as well as 28-inch all-terrain tires mounted on what appear to be 17-inch beadlock wheels. These modifications give the Mini Cooper S Countryman Powered by X-Raid (yes, that's the actual full name of the car) an extra 1.6 inch of ground clearance. As with the parts list, Mini and X-Raid haven't given precise pricing or availability for the parts. X-Raid is a German company, and we suspect it's only planning on selling the parts in Europe, but we wouldn't be surprised if there were a way to have them ship to the U.S. If you're interested in getting your own, Mini says to contact X-Raid directly for more details, and you can find their contact info at their official site, linked here. Related Video:

2025 Mini Aceman previewed as the brand's first standalone EV

Mini's first standalone electric model, the Aceman, will make its debut in the coming months. It was developed to fill the gap between the Cooper and the Countryman, and photos of a camouflaged prototype give us a better idea of what to expect when it lands in showrooms. If the name Aceman rings a bell, it's likely because Mini introduced it on a concept unveiled in 2022 and designed to preview the production model. The pictures suggest that the crossover hasn't changed much over the past two years: while the brand tweaked some of the design details, including the headlights, the front bumper, and the door mirrors, the overall proportions remain roughly the same. The funky-looking trim on the wheel arches carries over as well, though it looks like the EV lost ground clearance as it transitioned to a production model. Mini stresses that the Aceman will be all-electric, all the time; it won't be available with a gasoline-burning engine. It stretches about 160 inches long, 69 inches wide and 59 inches tall, meaning it's around 14 inches shorter, three inches narrower and six inches lower than the new second-generation Countryman. It's built on a 54.2-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, but additional specifications aren't available. Somewhat tellingly, the aforementioned dimensions make the Aceman about the same size as the original Countryman launched in 2010. This likely explains what Mini had in mind when it made the new model much bigger than its predecessor; it carved out space for the EV. There's no word yet on precisely when the Aceman will lose its psychedelic camouflage and show its sheet metal; Mini notes that the unveiling will take place "in just a few months." While nothing is official yet, we wouldn't be surprised if the model lands in showrooms later in 2024 as a 2025 model. Details such as pricing, driving range, and where production will take place will emerge in the not-too-distant future. Related video:

Mini Cooper SE ditches ‘Corona Spoke’ wheel name for obvious reasons

We’ve recently spent time in the all-electric 2020 Mini Cooper SE, and weÂ’ve found it to be plenty of fun. It packs all the Mini charm with none of the tailpipe emissions. Part of its quirky appeal is its styling, and the top Iconic trim has those funky 17-inch wheels that resemble a U.K. power outlet, ringed in a bright yellow circle. Those wheels, called “Corona Spoke,” are getting a name change. TheyÂ’re now called “Power Spoke.” As a Mini spokesperson told CarBuzz, “This was done to ensure Mini remains sensitive to all those experiencing the widespread impacts of Covid-19,” despite the naming coming long before the coronavirus pandemic. Indeed, MiniÂ’s press release from last July applies the “Corona Spoke” name to the asymmetrical, “aerodynamically optimized” alloy wheels. The Monroney sticker for our recent tester also listed the "17" MINI E Corona Spoke 2-tone" wheels. The name change is a minor footnote in the saga of the coronavirus pandemic, but it's understandable. So with any handwringing over an unfortunate naming coincidence thwarted, we can get back to appreciating the electric Mini for the joy it is. We should note that in addition to being a fun little EV, we also discovered that the Mini SEÂ’s electric range is very conservative — we were able to handily best its 110-mile EPA rating. Related Video: