1972 Mini Cooper Vtech Engine on 2040-cars

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Mini Clubvan axed after just 50 sales

Well, that didn't last long. According to Green Car Reports, Mini has discontinued the Clubvan from its model range in the United States.
Nathalie Bauters, Mini's US communications manager, cited "relatively low demand and the effect of an excessive 25-percent tax on vehicles for commercial use (known as 'the Chicken Tax')" as the key reasons for axing the Clubman from our market, GCR reports. The 2013 Clubvan launched in the US earlier this year, and to date roughly 50 examples have been sold.
The Clubvan, based on the Clubman model, features a flat load floor behind the two front seats, with blacked-out (well, body-colored) side windows. This nifty little cargo wagon could carry up to 33 cubic feet of goods, which while useful, pales in comparison to more capacious offerings like the Ford Transit Connect van.

Next-generation Mini Cooper electric car caught in spy photos

Though the current generation of Mini Hardtop just got a refresh, it seems a new generation is around the corner. That new model appears in the spy photos above, and in electric form no less. At first glance, it doesn't look very different, but there are many small changes that add up to make it distinctly its own. At the front, the headlights appear to be more circular than the slightly ovoid units of the current model. They look as though they wrap a little more around the fenders, too. The grille appears to be enlarged a bit to match the bigger headlights, and the changes give the car even more of a cute, wide-eyed appearance than before. Other interesting things to note are that the hood scoop may be going away, as the one on this car is a fake. The hood cut lines also seem to go through to the wheel arches. Other subtle changes are revealed in profile. The front overhang looks slightly reduced, and the windshield looks more raked. Part of that appears to be because of the base being moved slightly forward. Not only has the windshield become more raked, so has the rear window. It's hidden by the newly added aerodynamic fairings below the rear spoiler. Finally, we can see the chrome, refrigerator-style door grab handles are gone in favor of more flush-fitting handles, and the charging door has changed sides to the left of the car. The back doesn't reveal much unusual, but the taillights have more square-like proportions, and they seem to fit more flushly to the body. There also appear to be some cut lines through the taillight area, so there may be more going on under the camouflage than we can see right now. We also get a small glimpse of the interior. It looks like there's a wide screen across much of the dash. It's in keeping with current car design trends, but is a major departure from the retro-inspired design of past Minis. The prototype we see here looks pretty far along in development. With that in mind, along with recent reports, the new model may be launched in 2023. It will likely be accompanied by gas-powered versions, since 2025 is the cut-off date for the last new gas-powered Mini option, and 2030 is the point where the brand will be fully electric. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

BMW's Connected Drive feature vulnerable to hackers

BMW is working to fix a cyber-security flaw that has left 2.2 million vehicles worldwide vulnerable to hackers. Cars equipped with the automaker's Connected Drive remote-services system are affected, according to the German Automobile Association (ADAC), which first discovered the problem. Researchers found they could lock and unlock car doors by mimicking mobile communications and sending phony signals to a SIM card installed in affected vehicles. An attack could be launched "within minutes" of accessing the system without the perpetrators leaving a trace, according to their report, in part because once they had gained access to the network, the communications were not secure. In response to the security gap, BMW says it has been upgrading software via over-the-air updates over the past week, so no visits to dealerships are needed to remedy the security hole. In fact, owners of affected cars may not have even noticed the updates taking place. The problem affects BMW, Rolls-Royce and MINI vehicles equipped with Connected Drive since 2010. Flaws were first reported to BMW last year by ADAC, which is the country's equivalent of AAA. ADAC says it withheld a public announcement until the car company could address the problem. While BMW has pushed the software patch to most affected vehicles, the organization said it's possible some at cars in the United States had not yet been updated. BMW did not respond to a request for comment Monday. In a written statement, the automaker said it knows of no real-world breaches. 2015 Off To Dubious Start The hack could raise the eyebrows of industry leaders: Cars are now the equivalent of mobile computers and cyber-security experts have been warning that the auto industry has been slow to close its security holes. BMW's breach marks the second time in 2015 that researchers have found a popular automotive feature with little or no security precautions. Last month, experts said a popular device made by Progressive Insurance that allows motorists to track their driving habits contained no security whatsoever. Like the Connected Drive smart-phone app, many automotive components and infotainment features were conceived and produced at a time when industry executives never considered the possibility someone might want to hack into them. But increased connectivity brings increased risk. Going forward, BMW says its Connected Drive features will now operate by using encrypted communications via the HTTPS protocol.