2007 Mini Cooper on 2040-cars

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Why BMW doesn't plan to integrate Apple's iOS in the Car

While watching Apple introduce iOS in the Car during its WWDC keynote on Monday, we wondered how automakers, even the 14 who've already signed up to integrate this new in-car functionality of iOS 7, will feel about having the Cupertino company's mobile operating system supplant their own in-car systems. After all, some OEMs like Ford, General Motors and many luxury automakers have sunk millions of dollars into developing their own advanced infotainment, navigation and communication platforms like MyFord Touch, CUE and older systems like iDrive.
One automaker has now spoken up. A BMW spokeperson was interviewed by someone in the news department of British auto dealer group Arnold Clark and confirmed that the company would not be getting in line to integrate iOS in the Car anytime soon. The reason, as we suspected, is that BMW believes its own products developed over the last decade are both plenty good and already so deeply integrated with other systems of the car that, as told to Arnold Clark, "it would not be that straightforward to start changing all of the architecture of a car as has been implied [by Apple]."
While BMW isn't interested in spending more money to integrate Apple's services and functionality over its own, it has spent a good bit already to integrate iPhone functionality in its cars, including the relatively rare ability to support iPod Out and display Apple's own interface on Mini models with the optional Mini Connected feature, as well as committing to integrate Siri 'Eyes Free' functionality.

Mini John Cooper Works GP will have over 300 horsepower

The Mini John Cooper Works GP concept from the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show was one extreme-looking vehicle, and we now know it's because the real one will, in fact, be really extreme. The company announced that the production car will be the most powerful Mini with over 300 horsepower. In fact, it will be the most powerful Mini by a large margin, as the most potent models so far have only made 228 horsepower. And of course, it will be within striking distance of equally widened and winged cars such as the Civic Type R and Focus RS. Exact numbers haven't been revealed yet, but we wouldn't be surprised if it uses the same turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder from the BMW X2 M35i, which makes 306 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. In fact, the engine would be ideal, since the X2 is front-drive based and shares underpinnings and less-powerful engines with existing Mini products. The X2 M35i is also all-wheel-drive, which naturally brings up the idea of the GP also powering all four wheels, but Mini might choose to stay with front drive to reduce complexity and weight. Sticking with front drive would also mean that Mini could challenge the Civic Type R's record Nurburgring lap. It looks like the spirit of the concept's design will make it to production, too. The teaser images Mini released show a pretty wild looking split wing that's just a bit narrower and missing some of the concept's extraneous fins. We can also just make out fat fender flares, a big rear diffuser, and the GP's trademark four-spoke wheels. The Mini John Cooper Works GP will go into production in 2020, and Mini will only be building 3,000 examples. That's a low number, but it is more than the 2,000 units of the two previous GP generations. And considering the high output and low production, the GP will undoubtedly be a pricey hot hatch. Related Video:

2019 Mini E Countryman Review | Not a great plug-in hybrid, but still great

At first glance, the 2019 Mini E Countryman plug-in hybrid is wildly unimpressive. It can only go a meager 12 miles on electricity alone, and when out of plugged-in electrons its turbocharged three-cylinder engine manages an EPA-estimated 27 mpg in combined driving. Pretty good for a compact SUV, but crap for a hybrid. Its price tag is eye-watering. Although it starts at $37,750, including $850 destination, my test Countryman hit the register at $45,750 and still didn't have power seats, leather, satellite radio, adaptive cruise control, and other items that should be included on a vehicle at this price range in this segment (compact SUVs like the Mercedes GLA or Volvo XC40). Admittedly, if you skip our test car's $2,000 John Cooper Works Appearance package (not a bad idea), you can add some of those extra niceties instead, but the price would still be steep. An E Countryman, or 2019 Mini Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 as it's officially and ridiculously known, is roughly about $4,000 more than a comparable gas-only Cooper S Countryman ALL4. There are some functional disadvantages as well. The plug-in hybrid lacks the regular Countryman's sliding back seat that adds cargo space without folding the seat backs and therefore wiping out passenger space (see video below). It also has only about 30 percent of the under-floor storage available in the cargo area, the result of the batteries needing to go somewhere. Now, Senior Editor Alex Kierstein reports that he found the E Countryman to still be perfectly space efficient. There was sufficient room for his wife to sit up front with a rear-facing baby seat behind her and a big stroller in the trunk. Still, he would've had even more room in the regular Countryman. The bottom suitcase in the right photo would not fit in the E Countryman since it lacks this regular version's removable floor panel. Really, all the above issues make the plug-in hybrid version of the Countryman a little hard to recommend ... at first. At second, third and fourth glances, it actually starts to make a lot more sense. Sure it only went between 10 and 12 miles on electricity after I recharged it, but hey, that's still 10 to 12 miles further than any other Mini can muster. You can even utilize the "Save Mode" that allows you save that electric range for times when you know it'll be most beneficial (say, the urban-driving conclusion to the morning commute).