2010 Red! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Mini reveals refreshed Paceman in Beijing

It was just a few days ago that Mini unveiled its refreshed Countryman at the New York Auto Show, and now it has followed up with the revised version of that model's coupe counterpart, the Paceman. Revealed today at the Beijing Motor Show, the new Paceman adopts all the changes applied to the new Countryman - which is to say, not a whole lot, but maybe enough to keep it current for the masses of customers in the market for a three-door version of a vehicle that's bigger than its stablemates but smaller than most other crossovers.
Pictured here in Piano Black (one of three new shades on offer alongside Midnight Grey and the Jungle Green in which the new Countryman was featured), the mildly refreshed Paceman has, like its five-door counterpart, been so subtly updated that we can scarcely tell the difference... even after sorting through the press release below. There are some minor revisions to the exterior, the cabin features slightly updated equipment, and the Cooper S gets an extra few horsepower. And that's about all she wrote, folks.
Mini will offer the updated Paceman worldwide with a wide array of four-cylinder engine options. With no budget-oriented One model, the Cooper is the base model with a 122-horsepower version of the brand's ubiquitous 1.4-liter four and the John Cooper Works sits at the top of the range with 218 hp. The two diesel specs are present as well, and buyers cam choose (on most models) between front- and All4 all-wheel drive.

Magna Steyr to assemble as many as 70,000 BMW 5 Series models yearly

Soon, not all BMW 5 Series models will be assembled by BMW. Yes, we know that sounds strange, but it's not at all uncommon. For instance, the Mini Paceman and Countryman hatchbacks – and remember, the Mini brand is owned by BMW – are assembled in Graz, Austria, by Magna Steyr, a company that specializes in building cars for other automakers. Soon, though, the contract Mini has with Magna Steyr will be coming to an end, and that means the Austrian company will have excess capacity on its hands. That production capacity will be filled soon enough, however, by BMW 5 Series models, according to a report from Automobil Produktion in Germany. Magna Steyr will build between 50,000 and 70,000 of BMW's mid-level model, according to the report, but there's no indication of which 5 Series model or models (and there are many shapes and sizes to choose...) will be moved to Austria from BMW's plant in Dingolfing in southern Germany. With 373,053 units sold in 2014, the 5 Series is BMW's second-most-popular model, after the 3 Series. BMW told Automotive News Europe that it doesn't comment on those kinds of reports, which, as is usually the case, is neither confirmation nor denial. It's worth noting that the two-door Mini Paceman isn't a part of the brand's plans moving past 2015, though the Countryman soft-roader that currently stands as the largest member of the automaker's family will soldier on. Related Video: Related Gallery 2014 BMW 5 Series sedan View 29 Photos News Source: Automobil Produktion via Automotive News Europe - sub. req.Image Credit: Markus Leodolter / AP Plants/Manufacturing BMW MINI Hatchback Wagon Luxury Performance Sedan austria

This classic electric Mini costs $100,000, but just look at it

We all love the original Mini, so when a British company decided to develop an electric version of it using a restored original body, we took notice. Enter the Swind E Classic Mini. Electric cars are allowed to have a soul, and this one is just as cute as a Mini with a little gas motor. Swind, a UK-based tech and engineering company, didn't just produce a half-baked version of an electric Mini. The powertrain is a bespoke, in-house design developed by the company's own engineers. The body has contemporary corrosion protection to make sure it doesn't rot like an original from the 1960s. Also, new brake and suspension parts ensure it'll feel relatively modern to drive. Don't expect any mind-blowing specs and numbers from the little EV, though. It uses a 24 kWh lithium ion battery pack and the electric motor produces 110 horsepower. Zero to 60 mph is achieved in 9.2 seconds. That's not impressive on today's world, bu is still quicker than this Mini would have been with its original gas engine. Top speed is 80 mph, and range is rated at an impressive 125 miles. That's plenty for this little city runabout — road trips won't be this Mini's job anyway, especially if you have to run it near top speed just to keep up with traffic. Swind says it'll get to a full charge in four hours via its fast charging capability. Weight is kept to only 1,587 pounds, so this will be one of the lightest electric cars on the road. The benefits of modernizing and electrifying the Mini help out in other areas, too. You can check option boxes for an infotainment system with navigation. USB ports come standard, as do heated leather seats. Curiously, air conditioning is an option. If you prefer no power steering, that's possible; performance tuning packs are available, but there's no explanation for what that entails. There's more space in the boot for stuff with the gas tank removed, and weight distribution is improved at a 57/43 split (it was 68/32 originally). Now we move onto the less desirable portion of this Mini: The price. Converted from pounds sterling, this Mini goes for $100,970. You can buy a whole lot of car for that money, or you can have an electric Mini. At least Swind is really building it, unlike the one-off shown by Mini at the NY Auto Show last year. Production is limited to only 100 cars that all come with a one-year unlimited-mile warranty.