Mini Cooper Hatchback, Sunroof, 6spd, Bargain!!! on 2040-cars

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BMW sold 2.49 million BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce vehicles in 2018

FRANKFURT — German carmaker BMW on Tuesday said it achieved record sales of 2.49 million BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce vehicles last year. "BMW Group achieved record sales in 2018. 2.49 million vehicles mean the BMW Group is the world's leading premium automotive company for the 15th year running," Chief Executive Harald Krueger said. In 2017, BMW Group sold 2.46 million vehicles. Daimler has not yet released annual sales figures for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars, so it remains unclear whether BMW brand overtook Mercedes-Benz in terms of sales in 2018. Sales of BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce cars were higher than Mercedes-Benz in 2017.

Xcar takes the Mini Challenge, and it sounds awesome

The third-generation Mini is well and truly on sale in markets across the world. The new four-door model should be arriving soon, if it isn't already on sale in your neck of the woods, and the latest John Cooper Works model made its official debut just a few weeks ago at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. We aren't going to be talking about any of those right now, though. That's because our chums at Xcar took it upon themselves to sample the third-generation Mini Challenge racecar, a 275-horsepower, hardcore, fully committed competition version of the otherwise adorable Mini Cooper S. At roughly 30,000 British pounds (about $45,200 at today's rates) there's a lot to like about the Challenge car. Aside from a gutted cabin and aggressive aerodynamic kit, the racer has been fitted with slick tires, a Quaife sequential gearbox, adjustable dampers, Alcon brakes and a consequently lower curb weight – under 2,600 pounds with an average-sized driver. It's fair to say the Challenge driving experience figures to be unlike your typical road-going Mini. And considering that, we think the folks that built the car, Total Track, have fulfilled their promise of delivering a "touring car experience at a fraction of the cost." Have a look at the Xcar video and let us know what you think. Be sure to crank up your speakers, because the Challenge sounds excellent.

Mini STRIP gets Paul Smith's help with graceful sustainability

For the 40th anniversary of the original Mini in 1999, British designer Paul Smith created a vintage two-door Mini overlaid with the multicolored stripes he's known for. You can buy still buy a set of his "Artist Stripe" Mini-Car Cufflinks at the Paul Smith site. For Mini's newest collaboration with the knighted Royal Designer for Industry, the partnership dropped the "e" from "stripe" to create the one-off Mini STRIP concept. Given the tagline "Sustainable design with a twist," if you wanted to show off the possibility of combining high design with unprocessed, renewable materials, the Mini STRIP is a sensational way to do it.  The project started with the steel bodyshell of a battery-electric Mini Cooper SE. Everything added to the shell needed to satisfy the themes of simplicity, transparency, and sustainability, which meant eliminating anything that could be eliminated, and rethinking the materials and forms of the rest. Outside, the STRIP bears its naked steel, complete with the grinding marks from the finishing process. There's naught but a layer of transparent paint to shield the metal against corrosion. The duller, contrasting hue in places like the front and rear apron and hood intake are from 3D-printed parts. The grille trim has been fashioned from recycled Perspex, same as the panoramic roof and the aero covers on the wheels. The silver screw heads in the black trim are intended to highlight and ease the process of dismantling the car when it's time for bits to be recycled. The only color outside is a splash of neon green that hides under the charging port cap. The cabin hardware is nothing but the indispensable, lightly trimmed. Smith insisted on painting the steel shell a vivid blue. The instrument panel is a single semi-transparent piece, a smartphone replacing Mini's usual large center gauge. The only switchgear consists of five toggles hanging above the area that's clearly missing its center tunnel. The dash and upper door pads, plus the sun visors, are made from recycled cork without any synthetic filler. The door pulls are wound climbing cord, the door openers made of milled, recyclable aluminum, same as the steering wheel spokes. The seat surfaces and piping are knitted fabric, tying in with mesh panels used on the lower doors, the airbags running along the roof, and the cover over the airbag in the steering wheel. That wheel is wrapped in bicycle tape, a nod to Smith's taste for cycling.