1974 Austin Mini 1360cc on 2040-cars

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2020 Mini John Cooper Works Clubman, Countryman crack 300 horsepower

Mini got our attention a few months ago when it announced the upcoming Mini John Cooper Works GP would get over 300 horsepower. But apparently Mini's ultimate hot hatch isn't the only car getting a major power infusion, as the company announced the 2020 Mini John Cooper Works Clubman and Countryman are both getting 300-horsepower engines. Specifically, they'll make 301 horsepower each along with 331 pound-feet of torque from a revised 2.0-liter inline-four. That engine features a stronger crankshaft, new pistons and rods and a lower compression ratio to handle extra boost. All the power is sent through a standard all-wheel-drive system that comes with a mechanical limited-slip differential up front. Like past all-wheel-drive Minis, the system mainly operates in front-drive mode until slippage is detected, at which point power goes to the rear. The all-wheel-drive system has been beefed up with stronger gears and rear axles. Launch control is a standard feature, too. Also standard, a bit disappointingly, is an eight-speed automatic transmission. No manual will be offered on these models. Hopefully manuals will still be offered on later JCW Hardtop and Convertible models. These engine and drivetrain changes help the Clubman and Countryman improve their 0-to-60 mph times by about 1.5 seconds. The Clubman now gets to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, and the Countryman in 5.1 seconds. Both Minis are the first to be given a 155-mph electronic speed limiter, too. Previous models didn't have enough power to reach that mark. Mini John Cooper Works Countryman View 4 Photos Mini also made some upgrades in the handling and stopping departments. Both models get additional chassis bracing along with small suspension revisions. A package with electronically adjustable shocks is available. The rear brakes now feature fixed four-piston calipers. Front brake rotors are 14.2 inches in diameter, while the rears are 13 inches. Despite these major mechanical upgrades, visual changes are extremely subtle. The Clubman has a different main grille insert and the new Union Jack taillights, but the Countryman is effectively identical to the current model. The interiors on each are basically unchanged as well. Pricing and availability have not been announced yet. Since large portions of the vehicles are shared with the current model, we would expect to see them go on sale at least within the year, possibly in the next few months. Prices likely won't change too much from the current model year.

Mini Yours parts-ordering service lets you personalize your car

Mini is stealing a page from more upmarket luxury brands by offering customers the opportunity to add individualized parts starting next year. The Mini Yours Customised service will let owners create and order customized side scuttles, dashboard trim panels, and LED-projected door sills and door projectors that illuminate a welcome design or message or their choosing, all via a configurator on an Online Shop. Customers will be able to choose different colors, patterns, surface finishes, icons, texts and even their own signature into the designs. Imagine customizing your Hardtop to read "Melissa's Mini" or maybe "Willyz Wheelz." The custom parts will be manufactured in Germany using 3D printing and laser etching, then delivered within a few weeks. They can then be installed either by the customer or a Mini dealer. If the vehicle is sold to someone else, the new owner can order new custom designs. Mini says the service will be made available over the course of 2018 "in Europe and other large markets," presumably including the U.S., though Autoblog is seeking clarification on that point. Mini says the move is in keeping with the spirit of individualization the brand is known for. "This unparalleled freedom of design allows customers to transform their Mini into a unique special defined by their personal style and their own creativity," the company said in a release.Related Video:

Mini Seven Special Edition looks back to the days of Austin

Mini is back at the game of special editions with the Seven, the first of its kind for the third-generation Hardtop. Named after the original Austin Seven – one of the two original Mini models, alongside the Morris Mini Minor – the new style pack is available on both the two- and four-door and the Cooper and Cooper S models. But where past Mini special editions have been largely homogenous, the new Seven has a surprising array of options, especially as it relates to colors and upholsteries. Owners can choose from four different paint schemes – Lapisluxury Blue (shown above), Pepper White, Midnight Black, and British Racing Green. The options continue in the cabin, where owners can select the Seven-specific Diamond Malt Brown fabric/leather upholstery, or they can go with straight leather in Cross Punch Carbon Black, Lounge Satellite Grey, or MINI Yours Lounge Carbon Black. There are four dash trim options, too, with standard Piano Black, and optional Dark Cottonwood, Fibre Alloy, and Off-White. Below the trim strip, owners can have either a Malt Brown color line or Carbon Black. A set of 17-inch, two-tone alloys are standard, and regardless of which exterior paint you opt for, you're stuck with a Melting Silver roof. The decreasing-width stripes match the roof and have what Mini claims are Malt Brown rules, but we're seeing red trimmings in these photos. Heated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, Comfort Access, a Harmon/Kardon stereo, park-distance control, power-folding, auto-dimming mirrors, and a 6.5-inch Mini Connected system are all standard features as part of the Seven package, while additional options will be available, like on any other Cooper or Cooper S. Mini's press release, for example, specifically calls out the larger 8.8-inch Mini Connected XL and adaptive dampers as available options. Mini will announce prices for the Seven package nearer to its late summer on-sale date. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.