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Mini John Cooper Works Convertible gets a belated show debut

Mini originally introduced the new John Cooper Works Convertible way back in January. But since the German-owned British outfit wasn't attending the Detroit Auto Show, we were stuck waiting to see it until today at the 2016 New York Auto Show. The JCW Convertible is something of an anomaly, lacking any real competitors, but that doesn't make it any less enticing. Like the standard JCW Hardtop, the 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder is good for 228 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The cab will hit 60 in 6.4 seconds, which is slower than perhaps its closest competitor, the Mazda MX-5. The trade off here, of course, is a lot more space, style, and optional extras than the cozy MX-5. Mini's hugely diverse options catalog is present and accounted for with the JCW Convertible, giving interested consumers a degree of customization that every automaker short of Porsche and hand-built exotic brands will have trouble matching. Of course, it comes with a frankly absurd sticker price – Mini's top-end droptop starts at $36,450, including the $850 destination charge. That figure swells fast. Expect at least $40,000 for a decently equipped example. You can play with the JCW Convertible's configurator, or just check out our first round of live images of Mini's latest high-performance model. Related Video: EXTREME DRIVING FUN, INTENSIVE OPEN-AIR PLEASURE: INTRODUCING THE NEW MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS CONVERTIBLE Woodcliff Lake, NJ – January 14, 2016... When passion for motor racing is the driving force and intense open-air pleasure the goal, the new MINI John Cooper Works Convertible takes the ideal line from the word go. The second John Cooper Works model of the latest generation combines engine and suspension technology optimized for use on the race track with distinctive design and equipment features as well as the extensively refined qualities of the new MINI Convertible. This lends even greater fascination to the vehicle concept of an open-top 4-seater with outstandingly sporty performance properties that is still unique in the small car segment. The latest version of the MINI John Cooper Works Convertible offers the most exclusive way of enjoying extreme driving fun. With its spontaneous power delivery and highly emotional sound, the most powerful engine in the British brand's portfolio with 228 bhp is strikingly impressive. The fully electrically operated textile top is particularly low-noise, open or closing in just 18 seconds at the press of a button.

Car Club USA: Minis On Top

Car Club USA heads to New Hampshire for Minis On Top, an annual Mini owner event at the base of Mt. Washington. Owners meet, greet, and compete for best of show honors, and then make the thrilling ascent to the top of Mt. Washington. "You get about halfway up the mountain and all the sudden you can't see," remarks one driver of the sometimes treacherous conditions. Events like Minis On Top have been bringing together this tight-knit automotive community for years. "When I bought it, I really... didn't know it was a car that came with friends," said Eric Ruiz, one of the event coordinators. "I have no idea where my life would be had I not bought that Mini off the dealership floor," said Emily Martian, who struck up a long-distance relationship with fellow Mini driver Steve Nikitopoulos at another owner event. "So, yes, technically Minis brought us together." Each Car Club USA episode features a different car club or event from across the US, where passionate owner communities gather to share automotive experiences and embark on incredible adventures. From Main Street cruises to off-road trails, catch all the latest car club activity on Autoblog. MINI Driving Ownership Car Club USA Videos Original Video

BMW, Mini aim to sell million cars off new FWD platform

Mini sold 301,526 cars in 2012; BMW sold 1.54 million of its own models. According to a piece in Autocar, analysts say the coming UKL1 platform that will form the skeleton of the third-generation Mini Cooper and coming front-wheel drive BMW 1 Series could be responsible for "more than 900,000 cars per year" all by itself.
That sale fire is fueled by the UKL1 wearing up to twenty-three bodies in total between the two brands, 11 for Mini and 12 for BMW, rendering hatchbacks, sedans, coupes, convertibles, wagons, crossovers and people-haulers from about 12.5 feet to 14.5 feet. In April the VP of Mini USA said we might find some current models don't make it to a next generation, but a graphic accompanying the Autocar story has them all there. If it's correct, then those 23 models will only base model lines and don't account for different engines and four-wheel-drive options for each model.
The big changes that would perhaps mean big sales for the Mini line are a five-door hatch with two smaller rear doors for children, the sedan talked about last year for Asian markets and an MPV perhaps wearing the "Traveler" name that could send the Countryman in a more SUV-like direction.