2003 Mini Cooper on 2040-cars

Auto blog

JCW Tuning Kit comes to Mini Countryman and Clubman

Mini devoted one line in the middle of its SEMA press release to the limited-edition Ice Blue Cooper S Hardtop on show at SEMA. We'll give it a few more lines: the Ice Blue hue hasn't been available since 2013, and Mini's being coy about how long the color will hang around. Available on two-door Cooper models, the Ice Blue package adds optional features beyond color, like custom wheel caps and Mini Connected, and adds a few thousand dollars to the MSRP depending on which Cooper you start with. Ready for the big Mini news? The John Cooper Works Tuning Kit will soon be available for Cooper S and Cooper S ALL4 Countryman and Clubman; before now, the kit could only be had for the Cooper S hardtop and convertible. The kit juices horsepower up to 208 hp from 189 hp, and throws in another 14 pound-feet of torque to top out at 221 lb-ft. The stainless-steel exhaust reduces exhaust gas back pressure, and can be controlled via Bluetooth for Sport or Sport+ auditory response. Sport, we're told, is safe for any road, while Sport+ makes a track-only kind of cacophony. The back-end growl gets piped through either chrome or carbon fiber tailpipes. The JCW Tuning Kit goes on sale in January 2018 for $1,950, and can be installed at any Mini dealer. Related Video: Featured Gallery Mini Ice Blue Cooper S Hardtop View 10 Photos Related Gallery Mini John Cooper Works Tuning Kit Aftermarket SEMA Show MINI Coupe Performance mini clubman mini cooper s jcw

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.

Recharge Wrap-up: Mini Superleggera decision delayed, Denza begins production

A decision on whether or not to build the Mini Superleggera has been pushed back. Earlier this year, Mini's Peter Schwarzenbauer hinted that the electric roadster concept could eventually make its way to production. Now, Schwarzenbauer is saying that a possible call is still at least six months away. "To really investigate seriously," Schwarzenbauer says, "you look into several different options, you come to the question: do we produce it ourselves, do we give it to somebody else?" Mini is considering whether or not to expand its seven-car lineup to 10 models, or scale it back to five "superheroes," which still wouldn't rule out more models. Read more at Reuters. The first EV from Daimler and BYD's joint venture, Denza, is set to go on sale this month, with production already starting. The 50/50 partnership said earlier that it was "well on track" to begin sales in September 2014. Now, Daimler has announced that the first Denza has rolled off the production line. According to Daimler, the cars will be sold through an independent dealer network. The Denza, which has a range of about 186 miles, will start at about $60,000. China's generous subsidies could help bring that cost down quite a bit (by nearly $20,000) for customers. Read more at Want China Times, or in the press release from Daimler, below. Local Motion wants to help organizations pool their transportation resources through fleet-sharing, with a focus on EVs. The company uses software to manage and track vehicle use, diagnostics, energy consumption, vehicle reservations and the like. The keyless technology allows employees to reserve and use the right vehicle for the job, and allows companies to save on vehicle ownership and maintenance. Local Motion is working with companies like Nissan to encourage the adoption of emissions-free driving, as well. Read more in the press release below, or at the Local Motion's website. DENZA rolls off production lines in China marking another key milestone for Daimler - Daimler's joint venture with Chinese partner BYD is the first Sino-German joint venture dedicated to electric vehicles in China. - Hubertus Troska: "DENZA is by far the most serious local electric vehicle effort in China, and a key pillar of our electric vehicle strategy in the country." - DENZA is manufactured at a modern production line that follows Daimler's proven production management system.