on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Mini Minor to be co-developed with Toyota

It was back in 2011 when Mini first showcased the prospect of an even smaller hatchback with the Rocketman concept at the Geneva Motor Show. In the nearly four years since, parent company BMW has hemmed and hawed on the possibility of putting it into production, but the latest word from Europe has it that the project is a go. According to Automobile magazine, Mini is realigning its product portfolio into five pillars: the essential hardtop we've already seen (available in two/three- and four/five-doors), the convertible, the upcoming new Clubman wagon (coming this summer with full-size auxiliary suicide doors on both sides), the next-gen Countryman crossover in 2016 and two new model lines. One will be the production version of the Superleggera roadster concept, earmarked for 2018. The other will be the Minor, a smaller city car reviving a long-gone model name and presaged by the aforementioned Rocketman concept. But for that last one, Mini won't go it alone. To develop the mini Mini, BMW will reportedly turn to its partnership with Toyota. The relationship is already set to yield a new Supra and Z4 and share fuel cell and other technologies. But this would broaden the partnership to include a small hatchback. However rather than use the existing (or next-gen) Aygo, which is already built under joint venture with PSA Peugeot Citroen (with which BMW previously had a joint engine venture), word has it that the BMW and Toyota will develop a new platform for the project – one that will be used by both partners. The new product plan doesn't leave much room for the Mini Coupe and Roadster (which have already been discontinued), for the Paceman three-door crossover (which will suffer the same fate) or for the projected seven-seater minivan. But the addition of the new Superleggera roadster and super-mini Mini aren't likely to leave us wanting for either. Related Video:

2016 Mini Clubman First Drive [w/video] [UPDATE]

UPDATE: After playing with the newly launched Clubman configurator, we've revised the as-tested estimate to what we think is a more accurate $40,250, based on how our Swedish tester was equipped. Mini had a good idea when it introduced the last-generation Clubman, offering a slightly bigger, more versatile vehicle, with its own unique styling traits. Sounds good, right? Well, as it turned out, that wasn't necessarily all for the best, and not because there was any problem with the car itself. Mini's fleshed out model range, which now includes both the all-wheel-drive, four-door Countryman and the new four-door Hardtop has rendered the original Clubman idea rather obsolete. Enter the new Clubman. Gone is its awkward club door, and in its place are an extra pair of real, traditional doors. But even more than changes to its body, Mini has taken the original Clubman idea – to build a more versatile version of the beloved Hardtop – to its logical extreme, going larger. More importantly, this 2016 model represents a more premium, comfortable direction for the Mini brand. But don't worry, loyalists, this is still very much a Mini. The 2016 Clubman is the longest vehicle Mini has ever made. As was the case with the previous Clubman, this new model rides on a longer wheelbase than the Hardtop's. The 105.1-inch span is arguably more maxi than mini, offering buyers anywhere from 2.9 to 6.9 inches of extra space between the axles. It also makes the Clubman the longest vehicle Mini has ever made. But at 168.3 inches in length, this new model is still significantly shorter than a compact wagon like the 179.6-inch Volkswagen Golf SportWagen, or even another C-segment hatch, like the five-door variants of the Ford Focus (171.6 inches) and Mazda3 (180.3 inches). On top of the extra length, Mini stretched the body by a full three inches, while the track has been increased by 2.4 inches at both ends of the car. Taken as a whole, the Clubman is exceptionally roomy, considering its footprint. The suspension, a multi-link rear with front struts, is softer than that of a Mini Hardtop, but that's not saying a lot – handling is significantly sharper than in the vehicles listed above. And we're betting it will stand out against the brand's intended targets – a list that ranges from the Volkswagen Golf to the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. Feedback through the wheel is on the low side for something wearing a Mini badge.

2025 Mini Cooper four-door makes more room for the people in the back

There seems to be no end to the new Minis. The new compact range has dispensed from the Munich HQ like Pez since last September. Here's another one: the 2025 Mini Cooper four-door (or five-door, depending on where you live) with the internal combustion powertrain. This is the longer and more-doored version of the two-door Cooper and Cooper S revealed in February for our market. An additional 2.8 inches of wheelbase and 6.8 inches of length makes more room for second-row passengers and cargo room. The automaker says designers made the rear "noticeably wider" inside, giving three-up accommodations more room to swing their elbows. Using European measurements, cargo capacity stands at 9.7 cubic feet with the second row up, 32.7 cubic feet with the second row down. The U.S.-market Cooper S four-door gets a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 201 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, same as in the two-door, those numbers 21 hp and 15 lb-ft better than the outgoing Mini's turbo 2.0-liter. This trim is going to cost $34,195 after the $995 destination fee when it reaches dealers in about three months. Come January 2025, Mini will add a Cooper C trim with four doors. It will use the same engine as the S but with a lower output, and be priced under the S.  International markets will also get a turbocharged three-cylinder engine as the entry-level motor, that mill making 154 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. The outgoing 1.5-liter three-cylinder in the base U.S.-market Mini makes 134 hp and 162 lb-ft, so buyers are in for improvements no matter what market they're in and which engines they get. The European trim step will be Essential, Classic, Favored, and JCW. Omitting the three-cylinder here, we'll enjoy Classic, Favored, and JCW in a choice of 11 body colors and three contrasting roof treatments; the Favoured theme includes the option of a multi-hued roof with a three-color gradient. If wheel sizing matches the two-door, U.S. buyers can choose from 17- and 18-inch aero wheels, but not the 16-inchers on sale elsewhere.  Related Video This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.