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2014 Mini Cooper goes to the dogs

We wouldn't buy a car to make a dog happy, but Mini's latest commercial, Bullheaded, would have you believe that dogs like the new 2014 Cooper as much as humans. Regardless of the commercial's target audience (Spike The Bulldog, or his owner?), it does show a couple new tidbits about the car, such as the new center dial touchscreen, ambient lighting and the nifty tinted pop-up display on top of the dashboard that reminds us of the head-up display on the new Mazda3.
Head below to watch Spike and his owner drive the Mini in Downtown Los Angeles (and the back lots of Paramount), and to get a behind-the-scenes look at how the commercial was made.

2019 Mini Cooper 4-Door will have new head- and taillight designs

Squint hard and you'll still probably see the exact same car. Squint really hard, then pull up multiple side-by-side photos on multiple screens, call in a buddy, and then you just might be able to see how the 2019 Mini Cooper will differ from the current model year. This is a midcycle refresh of a Mini - if you were expecting something different, we don't like your odds in Vegas. But, let's take a look at what is clearly new on the test mules spotted by spy photographers in Germany. Although the camo is doing a bang-up job, the taillights are different than the circular, bubble-like elements that are currently on the Cooper and that we saw in our last 2019 Cooper spy photos. The reverse light seems to be in the same position, but the bold horizontal LED strip could indicate the Cooper will be adopting the Union Jack-inspired taillights from the Mini John Cooper Works GT Concept unveiled at Frankfurt in September. On the other hand, those concept taillights did not have the large vertical element of this camo'd test mule, nor can we see any evidence of diagonal elements. Maybe they're just going with an English flag homage, to hell with the rest of Britain? Maybe not. Up front, the headlight clusters are also different, but they do seem to be the same upgraded headlights we saw on that Mini test mule back in May. There is without question a visual similarity between these and the JCW GP Concept - albeit without the red color. We're not sure what the rest of the camo might be hiding up front, but it doesn't seem to be anything major. Back at the rear, there seems to now be a bit of a lip built into the trim piece above the license plate. As for mechanical and interior changes, we wouldn't expect anything big on that front, either, as Mini has rarely made noteworthy updates mid-way through a generation. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2019 Mini Cooper 4-Door: Spy Shots View 9 Photos Spy Photos MINI Hatchback mini cooper s

BMW will show Mini EV concept at Frankfurt

A month ago, BMW announced that it would electrify all its brands and model lines, including the Mini hatchback. A forthcoming full-electric Mini will enter production in 2019 at the Mini plant in Oxford, England, where the production line would join a German-built electric drivetrain with a British-built body. BMW notes that this will happen exactly 60 years after the original Mini hit the streets. View 5 Photos As the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show is upon us, BMW has introduced the concept version of the aforementioned electric Mini. The manufacturer says the color scheme chosen for the concept matches the previous electrified Mini, the experimental Mini E of 2008. That car was produced in a trial run of 600 units, and it provided BMW with valuable data as it was developing the i3 model, currently on the market. The Mini Electric Concept is powered by a lithium-ion battery, but no numerical specifications or range figures have been announced. It will be interesting to see whether the driving fun inherent to Minis can be translated, as a battery electric vehicle will undoubtedly be heavier than a fossil-fuel hatchback. The closed front grille stands as testament for doing without pistons or a need for engine cooling. Related Video: Related Gallery MINI Electric Concept Image Credit: BMW Green Frankfurt Motor Show BMW MINI Technology Emerging Technologies Hatchback Concept Cars Electric Frankfurt 2017