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Mini to skip 2016 Detroit, Geneva Auto Shows

Following a report from the team at MotoringFile, rumors have been swirling that Mini will join Jaguar Land Rover and abandon this year's North American International Auto Show. We can officially confirm that the BMW-owned brand will be passing on not only next month's Detroit show, but also Europe's flagship Geneva Motor Show. It all has to do with positioning. See, auto shows can be two things – they can be news events, or they can be consumer events. On the consumer side of the equation, we have the sprawling Chicago Auto Show, while both Geneva and Detroit lean heavily towards being a source of breaking news. Based on Mini's official statement, it looks like it was that positioning that led the brand to pass on two of the world's most important auto shows. "The BMW Group confirms it has decided Mini will not be represented at the shows in Detroit and Geneva. This decision reflects Mini's new product and brand strategy, which was presented to the public on June 24, 2015," Mini USA spokesperson Mariella Kapsaskis told Autoblog in an official statement. "Part of the new brand strategy is focusing on selected auto shows and an increased engagement with events that increase MINI's access to other relevant target groups." Max Muncey, PR manager for NAIAS, corroborated the statement from Mini. "The North American International Auto Show is one of the few shows to carry the international moniker. As such, we focus on making news with global media outlets rather than serving as a consumer show," Muncey told Autoblog. "Mini's decision reflects this positioning." According to Muncey, Detroit hosted 5,000 journalists last year, while its media coverage was roughly double that of LA, where Mini held the world debut for the new Convertible and the US debut for the Clubman last month. In our opinion, with both those debuts out of the way and not much else coming down the pipe in the near future, prioritizing auto shows based on consumer attendance rather than media attendance seems like a sound strategy. Here's hoping Mini returns to the frigid wastes of Detroit for the 2017 installment of the North American International Auto Show.

Mini shows how to camp in style

If you're the type of person who loves spontaneous road trips and camping, and Volkswagen's Camper Vans aren't your style (or you can't find one for sale in the US), then Mini has what you're looking for: the Clubvan Camper, Cowley caravan or Countryman ALL4 Camp. Unfortunately, Mini says there are no plans to offer any of them for sale. And no, this doesn't seem to be a recycled April fools joke, in which Mini touted the Swindon Roof Top Tent and Cowley.
Let's start with the Clubvan camper, a curious prototype that has a sleeping area for one and an extendable kitchenette featuring a stove and chest fridge. And we say curious because, in addition to not being offered for sale anywhere at this point, the Camper is based on the Clubvan, which was just pulled from US dealerships due to low sales volume. This thing definitely isn't coming to the US.
The Cowley caravan, named after Mini's historic factory in England (known today as Plant Oxford), can be towed behind a Mini vehicle and features a sleeping area for two, a twin-burner gas stove and a water tank complete with pump and sink facility. It looks quite comfortable in there. The Cowley uses a solar panel to charge its onboard battery, and it has a 230-volt connection to power the fridge and entertainment equipment.

BMW will electrify all brands and model lines, including Mini

BMW has announced that it plans to produce a fully electric version of the three-door hatchback Mini. The car will go into production in 2019, and the battery electric drivetrain will be produced at BMW's Bavarian facilities, then transported to Plant Oxford where it will join the cars. BMW says there will remain a diesel variant in addition to the petrol, plug-in hybrid, and EV versions of the Mini. No prototype shots have been released of the upcoming cars; the current one was unveiled in late 2013. The UK production location isn't the only place where BMW builds Minis, as the former Volvo/Mitsubishi/Smart NedCar plant in the Netherlands has been tooled to build some of the 360,000 Minis built yearly. According to the BBC, UK Business Secretary Greg Clark considers the choice to build EV Minis in Britain a "vote of confidence" despite Brexit, and that it would see battery technology development boosted in the UK. By the time the EV version starts production, UK will likely have already left the European Union. The electrification of the Mini is part of BMW Group's continuing addition of full-electric or plug-in versions to all its brands and model series. Of all the vehicles it will sell in 2025, 15-25 percent will be electrified in one way or the other. Similarly to Volvo, BMW sees flexible production to be in a key position in the future: The facilities would have to be able to build all versions at the same time, as markets fluctuate depending on incentives and infrastructure. If EVs sell strongly, the production process can quickly respond to the demand. An electric Mini underwent trials back in 2008, so the full-scale production vehicle would have over a decade's worth of engineering behind it. Green BMW MINI mini ev bmw group