2003 Mini Cooper on 2040-cars

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BMW tops Consumer Reports 2023 Brand Report Card

Feels like we wrote about Consumer Reports' 2022 Brand Report Car and 10 Top Picks a few weeks ago, but it was last April. So the mag is back with a ranked roster of 32 brands and 10 vehicles in four categories for your debating pleasure. Starting with the brands, last year's top three were Subaru, Mazda and BMW. This year, the Munich crew climbed two spots to win the prize thanks to "Superb road test scores and solid results in CR’s reliability and owner satisfaction surveys." Subaru narrowly fell to second, maintaining its four-year run in the top three. Mini, eighth last year, jumped five spots to get the last step on the podium. The rest of the top 10 were Lexus (up one spot from last year), Honda (down one spot from last year), Toyota (up three), Genesis (up 12), Mazda (down six), Audi (down three) and Kia (up eight). The magazine and testing outfit says its Brand Report Card "[reveals] which automakers are producing the most well-performing, safe, and reliable vehicles based on CRÂ’s independent testing and member surveys," and that "Brands that rise to the top tend to have the most consistent performance across their model lineups." Last year's top 10 had six automakers from Japan, three from Germany (giving Mini credit for England), none from the U.S. or South Korea, and five luxury brands. This year's list counts five makes from Japan, two from Germany because Porsche fell out of the top ten, two from South Korea, still none from the U.S., and four luxury brands. Buick again ranked as the best domestic, dropping to 12th after being 11th last year. The big mover was Lincoln, its 10-place jump up to 16th attributed to better reliability from the Corsair and Nautilus. Tesla's improved overall reliability saw it climb six spots to 17th. Dodge climbed one spot to 15th. Jeep got out of the penalty box in last to come second-to-last. Land Rover fell three places into the penalty spot.  CR's top 10 vehicle models The 10 Top Picks list is practically a new list. Only two holdovers made it to 2023, those being the Subaru Forester and Kia Telluride.

The Mini Rocketman could be reborn as an EV

Ask Mini fans what their favorite concept has been over the past 15 years, and you're likely to get one of two answers – the tiny Rocketman hatch, or the Superleggera roadster. The two cars are perhaps the best representations of the Mini brand's values, offering a tiny, efficient package in one vehicle and a stylish performer in the other. And they might finally see production. Okay, so that's an awfully big "might," and it's based on hints offered by Mini product boss Ralph Mahler to Autocar about expanding the company's range. The bad news? The Superleggera is facing long odds, Mahler said, because "roadster segment is small and demand is going down, with new markets opening up. The growth is not there, so it's always a challenge". "It fits perfectly into the brand, but we're a small [sales volume] car brand and have to be focused and know what we want to have," Mahler said, keeping hopes alive. "The Superleggera is playing a role but no decisions." Things are looking much rosier for the Rocketman, which could see a future as sort of a Mini-branded BMW i3. Originally introduced as a more elemental, affordable Mini, Mahler said it's "inspiring us as of today, especially as an EV in the future." Using the lessons learned by its parent company with the i3, Mini could adopt that car's creative packaging to make a roomy three-door with a remarkably small footprint. But even with that knowledge, building a Rocketman EV could be a tall order. "It was something that was ahead of its time but is still inspiring," Mahler told Autocar. "With a smaller car, it's a bigger challenge. With Rocketman, and talking EV in the future, as the EV engine gets more portable, it's give and take [for such a small EV]. Related Video:

Mini Oxford gives birth to 3-millionth car [w/video]

With the latest generation of Minis having only recently launched a few months ago, the company's Plant Oxford has found another reason to celebrate as it reached two major milestones almost simultaneously. Since production of the new, BMW-revived version began there in 2001, the factory has produced 3 million of the retro-looking models and 2 million vehicles exported outside of the UK. Just four years ago, it was celebrating building 1.5 million of them.
The three-millionth model was a Mini Cooper S five-door hatchback with a special Union Jack paint job. At about the same time, the factory hit its two-millionth exported Mini to leave there, as well. It was a standard Mini hatchback in Volcanic Orange heading for a buyer in Japan.
UK Transport Minister Baroness Kramer attended the ceremony and said: "I congratulate the workers at Mini Plant Oxford on reaching this remarkable milestone. The Mini is a British icon and is a major part of a thriving automotive industry spearheading the growing British economy."