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Mini teases third-gen hatch to debut next week

All it takes is a small spark to set off a fire. Just look at what has happened since BMW brought back the Mini in the early 2000s. What started with a hatchback has since spawned more bodystyles than we care to count and almost as many imitators. The second generation followed in 2007, and now Mini is preparing to launch the third.
The new Mini is scheduled to debut a week from now on November 18 at the Oxford plant in England, just days before the LA Auto Show and Tokyo Motor Show kick off and on the birthday of the original's designer Sir Alec Issigonis.
The third generation of the popular retro hatchback is expected to closely follow the lead set by the Mini Vision concept revealed a few months ago, but then we already knew that, having seen numerous undisguised photos of the new car in action. Still, the half-minute teaser video embedded below does a decent job of drumming up some enthusiasm, so if you're enamored of the Anglo-Saxon retromobile, head on down to check it out.

Mini Clubman finally released with All4 all-wheel drive

Update: Mini has just revealed US pricing. The Mini Cooper Clubman All4 will start at $26,750, and the Cooper S Clubman All4 will start at $30,300. Both prices include destination. By now, you're surely familiar with the joke about how cars from Mini are no longer... well, mini. We won't repeat it here (oops, too late), except to say that the first vehicle that really pushed Mini's historic boundaries was the original Clubman in 2008. That machine featured a stretched wheelbase, an extra door on one side and an unconventional barn-door-style rear opening. For 2016, the Clubman recipe was revised with an even longer wheelbase and more conventional side doors, though still with the split rear hatch. Now, finally, the Mini Clubman is available with all-wheel drive. As you would expect from Mini, the new Clubman carries All4 branding. A propellor shaft sprouts from the front differential, and a new rear diff is added with an electrohydraulic clutch to send power to the rear wheels when needed. Mini promises that its All4 system will not only be a boon in inclement weather, but will also aid high-speed handling. We look forward to putting those claims to the test. Drivetrain options are borrowed from the standard front-wheel-drive Clubman range. A 134-horsepower three-cylinder comes in base Clubman models, and a 2.0-liter mill with 189-hp powers upgraded Clubman S models. An eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters and launch control is optional, though shift-yourself purists will surely opt for the standard six-speed manual. Mini says the Clubman S All4 can record a 0-60 time of 6.6 seconds with the automatic, or 6.7 with the manual. That's a couple tenths quicker than the front-drive Clubman S. Cargo space remains at 17.5 cubic feet with all seats in place, or as much as 47.9 with the back seats folded, so the rear differential and propellor shaft don't impinge on passenger space. Fuel mileage figures haven't yet been released, but we'd expect a small drop from the standard Clubman's 25 city and 35 highway ratings. We'd also count on a price increase of a few thousand dollars to get all-wheel drive. Feel free to peruse the press release below for more information. SUPREME DRIVING FUN IN EVERY SITUATION: THE NEW MINI CLUBMAN ALL4 Woodcliff Lake, NJ – January 19, 2016 – The market launch of the new MINI Clubman sees the latest model generation of the British brand embark on its advance into the premium compact segment.

Mini John Cooper Works wears a racing suit for the Nurburgring

Mini is returning to the Nurburgring 24 Hours, one of the most grueling races in the world, after a decade-long hiatus. The BMW-owned British firm is supporting a private team called Bulldog Racing that's entering a heavily-modified John Cooper Works Hardtop into the event. The track-bound hatchback doesn't look, sound, or feel like a standard John Cooper Works Hardtop. Several modifications were made to prepare it for the race, including fitting the turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine normally found in the Clubman and the Countryman. It develops 306 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque, and it spins the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission with an integrated differential lock. For context, the standard John Cooper Works Hardtop is rated at 228 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The engine slurps fuel from a bigger, 26-gallon tank and it exhales through a modified exhaust system. Dialing in more power wouldn't be much use without suspension and braking modifications to keep it in check. To that end, the Hardtop gains an adjustable suspension system, reinforced Uniball bearings for all moving chassis and suspension parts, and more powerful brakes from BMW M Performance. Bulldog Racing also installed a full body kit that looks like the one worn by the John Cooper Works GP, which is limited to 3,000 units. It includes a front splitter, flares over the wheel arches, an adjustable rear wing, and a rear diffuser. There's more than initially meets the eye: we're told that the underbody is completely covered as well. Makrolon windows replace the production car's glass units to reduce weight. Inside, you won't find many components that still carry a Mini parts number. Open the driver's door, which now features a carbon fiber panel, and hop over the full roll cage to settle into an OPM racing seat that faces a KMP quick-release steering wheel. The digital instrument cluster and, somewhat surprisingly, the infotainment system's screen remain, but the rear seats and most of the trim pieces have been removed. Bulldog Racing will continue to fine-tune the track-bound Hardtop in the coming weeks. Some tests will be performed on the Nurburgring, while others will take place on the private test track that BMW operates near Miramas, a town in the south of France. The hot hatch is scheduled to make its competition debut at the 50th edition of the Nurburgring 24 Hours taking place in Germany from May 26 to 29.