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2014 Mini Cooper S Paceman [w/video]

Not Too Odd, Not Too Maxi. Is This Mini Just Right?
We recently got our first time behind the wheel of the latest iteration of the Mini Countryman, the 215-horsepower John Cooper Works model, and were left less than enthused despite the inherent fun factor that a JCW badge brings. Our time with the crossover suggests the Countryman is just too weighty and soft to properly wear the badge.
We have also spent loads of time in various Mini Clubman trims and, despite the oddity of its configuration, this model may be our overall favorite in the current Mini lineup. But it is decidedly not a volume seller, which Mini needs.

BMW, Mini to offer Amazon Alexa in all models beginning next year

Voice recognition has been available in cars for years now, but the technology has improved, and found its way into our pockets and our homes. With applications like Siri and gadgets like the Amazon Echo essentially acting as digital personal assistants, the ways we interact with technology through our voice have advanced significantly in recent years. BMW plans to take advantage of the evolved voice technology, and will offer Amazon Alexa in every BMW and Mini model beginning in the middle of 2018. Drivers will be able to use the usual Alexa features (or "skills" in Amazon speak) to get the latest news and weather, provide entertainment, or remotely control their smart home gadgets. Alexa will also perform car-specific duties, such as navigation or locating nearby businesses. Users can also check on movie times, request specific playlists or even order products from Amazon through Alexa. View 5 Photos It's the logical next step for BMW, which has allowed owners to check the status or control features of their car through Alexa's BMW Connected skill since last year. Users won't need to bring their smartphone along for the Alexa to work, as BMW and Mini models will be equipped with their own SIM cards. Alexa will be available in cars in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany. As our friends at Engadget point out, the timing is important, as Amazon risked being left behind by the likes of Apple and Google, which offer their technology in vehicles via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Amazon would do well to expand access beyond the three markets in-car Alexa will launch in, for exactly the same reason. Check out the video above for how BMW envisions users interacting with Alexa. We really hope some lucky M4 owner does, in fact, actually order a pizza while drifting on the deck of an aircraft carrier. That's a future we want to live in. News Source: BMW, Engadget Auto News BMW MINI Technology Videos Amazon Amazon Alexa alexa

Next Mini Convertible spotted on flatbed truck

Mini is well underway testing the third-generation of its four-place Cooper Convertible, as evidenced by these photos, showing the new droptop riding along on a flatbed.
Codenamed the F57 - as opposed to the "F56" designation for the Hardtop - the Convertible will ride on the same UKL front-drive architecture that will underpin its hardtop brother, not to mention its German cousins, the BMW 1 Series GT and X1. According to our spies, it'll share more than a few of the BMW i's lightweight technologies and will include such advanced features as electronically adjustable dampers. That seems like some high-dollar tech for a droptop Mini, but we'd be quite happy to see it arrive all the same.
From the beltline down, we can expect the Convertible to feature almost identical styling to the Hardtop. Based on the spy photos, there's not a lot to see above the belt line, either. The roof carries roughly the same shape, and will probably fold in a similar Z-pattern to the current canvas top.