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Mini sells 500,000th car in US

Mini has officially sold 500,000 vehicles in the United States. The achievement came just a few days after the company commemorated its 11th anniversary in America. When the automaker first opened its doors to US buyers in 2002, it sold just 24,590 unis. Last year, the automaker moved 66,123 vehicles thanks in part to an expanded lineup that now includes the Clubman, Countryman, Coupe, Roadster and Paceman in addition to the stalwart Hardtop and Convertible. The company plans to have some 130 dealerships nationwide by the end of 2013; there are currently 116 Mini dealers in the US.
Mini helped reignite an interest in small cars with plenty of personality when it debuted the Cooper 11 years ago. The move helped pave the way for machines like the Fiat 500, Ford Fiesta and Chevrolet Sonic. Check out the quick press release on the 500,000th Mini model below.

BMW 2 Series gets 3-cylinder Mini engine

BMW just keeps lopping off cylinders from its engines and sliding the ever-more-diminutive mills into its models. This spring, Europeans will get some of the automaker's smallest yet thanks to a new entry-level 2 Series that will share a powerplant with the Mini Cooper. The Bavarian company will also introduce a few other tweaks to the compact coupe across the pond. The 218i is the new 2 Series base model, and it shares its 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder with the latest family of Minis. The engine makes the same 134 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, but BMW does have some tiny changes for it. First, the orientation is swapped to fit lengthwise under the hood and drive the rear wheels. Just as importantly, buyers can order it with an eight-speed automatic, rather than the six-speed in the Minis. BMW claims that the little engine gives the 218i a 50:50 weight distribution, and it takes around 8.8 seconds to reach 62 miles per hour with the standard six-speed manual – tack on another tenth for the automatic. Either way, top speed is still a perfectly respectable 132 mph. Those acceleration numbers, incidentally, are over a second slower than what the latest Cooper is quoted at. Beyond this new base model, BMW will bring a few other additions to the 2 Series for Europe. The 220d oil burner will be available with xDrive all-wheel drive, and the company will introduce several new equipment bundles called Advantage, Luxury Line, Sport Line and M Sport. Each will bundle various options and trims together to appeal to buyers. No word yet on whether the 218i will eventually make it to North America, but we aren't holding our breath. Scroll down to read BMW's lengthy release about all of the changes set for the 2 Series. The BMW 2 Series Coupe: New entry-level engines, new model variants, even greater individuality. Premiere of the BMW 218i Coupe with 3-cylinder petrol engine from the new BMW Group engine portfolio and the BMW 220d xDrive Coupe – new and varied range of equipment features for model variants Advantage, Sport Line, Luxury Line and M Sport. Munich. From March 2015, new entry-level engines, a further four-wheel drive model and additional equipment options will increase the diversity of features available for the BMW 2 Series Coupe. With the market launch of the new BMW 218i Coupe, a three-cylinder petrol engine from the BMW Group's latest engine family will be featured for the first time in the brand's sporty and elegant compact model.

Mini Vision concept presages next-gen Cooper Hardtop

Mini is preparing to launch the third-generation of its trademark three-door hatch, and while we've already shown you that car mostly devoid of camouflage in spy shots, the BMW-owned brand has still seen fit to release a concept that previews the new design. Called the Mini Vision, it looks broadly similar to the cars we showed you at the beginning of the month, aside from a few concepty styling pieces.
The Vision is a well-balanced blend of the stylish hatch that rebooted the Mini brand in 2002 and the more bloated model that arrived in 2007. It's more rounded than the 2002, but seems decidedly more muscular than the 2007, and features modern accents like full LED headlights inspired by the sadly not-for-production Rocketman concept. Mini's traditional floating roof soldiers on, while the concept wears side grilles that seem borrowed from the Countryman and Paceman. Based on what we've seen in the spy shots, however, that treatment isn't going to make production, at least not on the models we've seen.
It's safe to say that the interior on this concept bears only a slight resemblance to what we'll see on the production car. The integrated Union Jack straps in the door panels are a cool touch, but the Vision's cabin looks like something out of a flying saucer. We'd expect only inspirational traces to arrive on the production model.