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2020 Mini Cooper models see a price jump across the board

No matter what Mini model you may have had your eyes on, they all get more expensive for the 2020 model year. Most new Minis increase by $1,500, including every version of the 2020 Mini Hardtop (two-door and four-door versions) and the convertible. As such, the cheapest Mini, the 2020 Mini Cooper Hardtop two-door, now starts at $24,250 including destination fees. Pricing for the Clubman and Countryman models varies more. The Clubman actually drops the base non-S version, leaving just the S and and John Cooper Works versions. The S trims jump $2,000, while the John Cooper Works Clubman climbs $3,500. That bigger price increase does also come with a substantial increase in power and torque, going from 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque to 301 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque. The Countryman retains all its models, and most have the $1,500 price increase like the smaller Hardtop and Convertible versions. The exceptions are the Cooper S E Countryman plug-in hybrid, which only increases by $1,000, and the John Cooper Works which jumps $3,600. The hybrid gets a bigger battery, going from 7.6 kWh to 9.6, bringing electric-only range up 4 miles to 16, and the John Cooper Works Countryman gets the same 301-horsepower engine as the Clubman. Aside from the John Cooper Works and hybrid drivetrain upgrades, there aren't many other major changes to the Mini lineup. All Minis now get a group of driver assist features called "Active Driving Assistant," which includes adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beams and automatic emergency braking. Also, the six-speed automatic available on Cooper and Cooper S models is now being replaced with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. For the full breakdown of prices, check out the chart below.    

New Zealand SPCA teaches rescue dogs how to drive a Mini

No, this isn't an April Fool's joke or some sort of wacky car commercial. It's the SPCA Auckland (located in New Zealand) coming up with an innovative way of proving that it's possible to teach a rescue animal new tricks. Monty, Porter and Ginny are all dogs rescued by the SPCA Auckland, and each was taught the ability to drive a Mini Countryman around a track.
After being strapped into the driver's seat, the dogs are able to use their paws to start the car, steer it and work the gas and brake, which have been modified similar to a car setup for a special-needs driver. These dogs aren't being trained to drive on the street as any sort of driving-eye dogs, rather it is just a demonstration of how smart and docile rescue dogs can be regardless of how they ended up there. Porter was found wandering the streets, Ginny was abused by her owners and seized by the SPCA and Monty was surrendered by his owners to the rescue. Ironically, Porter and Ginny initially got carsick during the exercises, but have since gotten over this.
Think it's a joke? Scroll down to watch four videos showing the dogs in action and another to see what mods were made to get the Mini ready for canine duty. In the first video, you can also see that Porter does a better parking job than most humans!

EPA: Four 2014 Mini Cooper models need to drop mpg numbers

After the huge problems that Hyundai/Kia experienced with its mislabeled fuel economy labels, you'd think that any time an automaker has to adjust its mpg numbers, heralds would be shouting from the rooftops. But, after Ford admitted to three big mistakes with its numbers for the 2013 C-Max Hybrid and Mercedes-Benz had to lower the fuel economy rating for the C-Class, we understand if those heralds are a bit tired by now. The models affected include the 3-door and the 3-door S. Still, today's news is that BMW has to lower the fuel efficiency numbers for four versions of the 2014 Mini Cooper thanks to an audit conducted by the EPA and then some joint re-testing. The models affected include the 3-door with the 1.5-liter engine and the 3-door S with its 2.0-liter powerplant, with both manual and semi-automatic transmissions. As with the Benzes, the rating changes are not big ones, around one or two miles per gallon. The big exception is the manual S 3-door's highway number, which lost four mpg from 38 to 34. You can see all the numbers, new and old, in the press release below, but the EPA isn't saying what caused the problem this time. The Agency's new test procedures can't come fast enough. It should be noted that the 2015 Mini Cooper was recently delayed a bit because of the extra time it took to get the EPA numbers right. There's no confirmation that these two items are connected, but we would not be surprised to hear they were. EPA Requiring BMW to Correct Fuel Economy Labels for Four Mini Cooper Vehicles Washington - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is revising estimates for four 2014 BMW Mini Cooper vehicles to ensure consumers are given accurate fuel economy values. The EPA performed a fuel economy audit on the BMW Mini Cooper and obtained values that differed from those BMW submitted to EPA for certification. With EPA oversight, BMW conducted new emissions and fuel economy testing, and EPA conducted its own testing at its National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As a result of this subsequent testing, EPA is requiring BMW to relabel four of its 2014 Mini Cooper models with lower fuel economy values. The specific changes to fuel economy stickers are listed in the table below.