2013 Mini Cooper Clubman S 8k Miles Sunroof Htd Seats Ac Am/fm Auto One 1 Owner on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Mini would still like to make a standalone sports car

The head-turning Superleggera Vision concept Mini unveiled in 2014 will remain a one-off model, but the BMW-owned company affirmed it still has its sights set on a standalone, range-topping sports car. It's understandably not a priority, and there's a chance it won't arrive with a turbo four if it receives the green light for production. Mini's current flagship is the limited-edition John Cooper Works GP, a 301-horsepower hot hatch that sounds as angry as it looks. It's based on the Hardtop, but there's space in the Mini range for an even more hardcore sports car that's not built on an existing architecture. Andreas Lampka, the head of the company's communications department, shared what's on his team's wish list while talking to Australian website Motoring. "If we give our engineers some more spare [time and resources], they'll come up with a mid-engined car," he explained. If launched, it would stand out as the first series-produced mid-engined model in the Mini's 61-year history; every single Mini-badged car built has been front-wheel drive, and we doubt engineers are giving the mid-engined layout a lustful look just to channel the power back to the front wheels. It'd likely be rear-wheel drive. Lampka suggested a range-topping sports car could arrive with an electric powertrain, like the Superleggera Vision (pictured), rather than with an evolution of a gasoline-powered engine currently found in the company's arsenal. While a head-spinning, instant torque-fueled zero-to-60-mph time is difficult to argue against, the executive didn't explain how engineers will offset the weight added by the battery pack. It's too early to provide concrete details. Though this is pure speculation, it could share parts with future electrified JCW models. Similarly, there's no word on when we might see Mini's halo model. The company has more pressing issues to solve; global sales fell by 4.1% in 2019, and executives recently confirmed they've delayed the next-generation Hardtop. If the model does arrive, we don't expect to see it until about halfway through the 2020s at the earliest. Related Video:     Featured Gallery Mini Superleggera Vision Concept View 27 Photos Green MINI Convertible Coupe Electric Performance

New Mini Countryman shows its big bones

The latest crop of Mini models are larger than their predecessors, and these spy shots let us check out the upcoming Countryman, which could be the biggest vehicle from the diminutively named brand yet. This test car drops some camouflage from the previously spied examples, which gives us a much better look at the new design. Up front, the swirling camo panels do nothing to hide the Countryman's broad, mesh grille, and you can easily make out the shape of the oval headlights. These shots offer a clear look at the lower air dam, with round foglights flanking the central intake. At the rear, the Countryman gets Mini's traditional big taillights, and the exhausts poke out from each corner of the bumper. The next-generation Countryman grows longer and wider to increase interior volume, but the crossover rides on BMW's UKL platform like the rest of Mini's latest vehicles. We also anticipate it to share the same choices of three- and four-cylinder turbocharged engines. Like the recently revealed Clubman All4, expect all-wheel drive as an additional option. After the launch of the standard version, which could happen at the Paris Motor Show in October, the brand likely plans to fill out the Countryman range with a performance-oriented John Cooper Works variant and a greener plug-in hybrid model.

Did BMW drag its feet on Mini recall?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is opening an investigation into BMW's reporting of a recall for 30,456 examples of the 2014-2015 Mini Cooper Hardtop, Cooper S, and the 2015 John Cooper Works. According to the government, "it appears from a review of NHTSA's databases that BMW may have failed to submit recall communications to NHTSA in a timely manner." The automaker issued the recall in July because crash tests showed the models didn't meet side impact requirements for passengers in the back seat. While there were no reported injuries at the time, the company decided to install energy-absorbing material in the space between the rear interior panels and the exterior. However, NHTSA has decided to investigate whether this campaign should have started much earlier, given the evidence the company had. According to the government's report, the Cooper Hardtop failed side-impact tests in 2014, although one of these tests was five-miles-per-hour faster than the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. The agency claims: "In January 2015 BMW verbally committed that it would conduct a service campaign to add padding to the rear side panels of MY 2015 Mini 2 Door Hardtop Cooper models. However, BMW did not initiate the service campaign and failed to inform NHTSA of its failure to do so." A subsequent crash test of an example with this fix showed it to make the vehicle compliant with the rules. Mini spokesperson Mariella Kapsaskis told Autoblog: "Regarding the NHTSA audit query, BMW Group is evaluating the request and will respond to NHTSA as appropriate." INVESTIGATION Subject : BMW Reporting & Timely Recall Execution Date Investigation Opened: SEP 24, 2015 Date Investigation Closed: Open NHTSA Action Number: AQ15004 Component(s): STRUCTURE All Products Associated with this Investigation Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) MINI COOPER 2014-2015 MINI COOPER S 2014-2015 MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS 2015 Details Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC SUMMARY: NHTSA is opening this AQ to better understand and evaluate BMW's process(es) for its notification procedures and for timely and efficient execution of its safety recall campaigns. In mid-2014, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) had side impact moving deformable barrier (MDB) tests performed on two model year (MY) 2014 Mini 2 Door Hardtop Coopers. These two tests were performed at a speed 5 mph higher than required by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 214, Side impact protection.