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2022 Mini Hardtop Brick Lane Edition is inspired by London's East End

Mini announced three special-edition models in February 2022, and it's not stopping there. It unveiled a fourth car called Brick Lane Edition that draws inspiration from London's East End to give the two- and four-door variants of the Hardtop Cooper S more flair. Visually, the Brick Lane Edition stands out from the standard Hardtop with White Silver Metallic exterior paint, a Soul Blue roof panel, black door mirror caps, and chrome trim. Soul Blue, Frozen Blue, and Mint graphics on the hood add a finishing touch to the look while creating a link between the car and the bricks that Brick Lane gets its name from. Mini also added 17-inch wheels painted black, decals above the rocker panels and edition-specific badges on both sides. These changes are relatively minor, but they give the Mini a cool look. Leather-upholstered and heated front sport seats are among the highlights in the cabin. The long list of standard features also includes a panoramic moonroof, piano black interior trim, a dual-zone automatic climate control system, and a Harman-Kardon surround-sound system. You won't find bricks or blue accents in the engine bay. Power comes from a stock, Cooper S-sourced 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that's turbocharged to develop 189 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. It spins the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission, but a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic linked to a pair of shift paddles is available at no extra cost. Mini dealers across the nation will begin receiving the Hardtop Brick Lane Edition in March 2022. Pricing starts at $36,525 for the two-door model and $37,525 for the four-door, figures that include a surprisingly reasonable $850 destination charge. This isn't the first time that a British brand unveils a special-edition model inspired by London's East End. In late 2021, Triumph channeled the "the vibrant, custom-classic motorcycle culture of London's East End" into the head-turning Street Twin EC1 Special Edition. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Mini could go even bigger with next Countryman

We recently reported that the new family of Minis could balloon from eight models to ten or more, but it's not only the model line that's expected to grow: so too could the largest model itself. That, of course, would be the Countryman, which is already bigger than anything else ever to wear the Mini badge. But if you think the current Countryman is already big enough, the latest reports suggest that it could get even bigger. Apparently parent company BMW feels a larger Mini crossover would better compete with more mainstream models in the marketplace.
The Countryman, however, will only be one of the new variants to spin off of the new third-generation Mini. Expect the new Hardtop hatchback introduced in LA to be followed by a new Cabriolet, Roadster, and Paceman. A five-door version of the base hatchback will also join in addition to the new Clubman, which is tipped to get a split tailgate instead of the single hinged aperture on the current model. The jury's still out on the Mini Coupe, which has largely failed to impress, while a convertible crossover could be back in the mix along with the rumored plug-in hybrid version.

Porsche tops JD Power APEAL study for 12th time

JD Power's 2016 Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) study hasn't changed much this time around with Porsche coming in at No.1 for the 12th consecutive year, while BMW was close behind in second. Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz tied for third with Land Rover, Lexus, and Lincoln tied for No.5. The APEAL Study, according to JD Power, measures owners' level of excitement and emotional attachment across 77 parameters. Brands and cars are rated on a 1,000-point scale. The study found that new cars with modern safety features including low speed collision avoidance and blind spot monitoring have higher APEAL scores than vehicles without the features. The overall industry score increased from 798 to 801, which JD Power claims was helped by the launch of a variety of new vehicles. This year, 22 out of 30 new or redesigned cars received a higher score than the vehicle's respective segment average. Porsche is once again at the top of the list as the automaker's score increased by three points to 877. BMW outscored Jaguar to take second place with a score of 859, while the British automaker dropped three points from last year with 852 points. Volkswagen overtook Mini to become the top-ranked non-premium brand with 809 points, while the latter automaker trailed behind by one point. At the end of the scale, Smart came in at the very bottom for the second year in a row with a score of 745 points, which represents an increase of 62 points over last year. Fiat's score increased by six points to 755, but still confined the automaker to second-to-worst place for a consecutive year. Mitsubishi's score increased to 770, up from 755, to become the fourth-worst brand, while Jeep fell to third-worst with a decrease in seven points to 756. General Motors received six segment-level awards, followed by Hyundai with five, and BMW and VW earning four apiece. Surprise segment victories include the Chevrolet Camaro, which outscored the Dodge Challenger, and the Lexus RC which ranked above the BMW 4 and 3 Series. For more information on how the automakers ranked, check out the official release on the 2016 APEAL Study below or visit JD Power's website to analyze the graphs. Related Video: Porsche Ranks Highest in APEAL for 12th Consecutive Year; General Motors Receives Six Segment-Level Awards, Hyundai Motor Company Receives Five DETROIT: 27 July 2016 — Popular driver-assist technologies help make vehicles considerably more appealing to their owners, according to the J.D.