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Mini Hardtop Oxford Edition priced as the range's value champion

Mini has released pricing information for the 2022 Hardtop Oxford Edition, a value-oriented trim level positioned as the entry point into the range. Offered with two or four doors, it's surprisingly just as affordable as it was in 2018. The Oxford Edition is an evolution of the Classic trim, which was updated with a new-look design for 2022. It comes standard with 17-inch wheels, LED headlights, leatherette upholstery, heated front seats, an 8.8-inch touchscreen, a digital instrument cluster, and several electronic driving aids. It's the cheapest Mini, but it's clearly not cheap in every sense of the word. Buyers have six exterior colors to choose from, and they can select black or gray wheels. Oxford Edition models share their drivetrain with the standard Hardtop Cooper. Power comes from a turbocharged, 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine, which produces 134 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. It spins the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. Light and nimble, the Cooper is close in spirit to the original Mini. Pricing for the 2022 Oxford Edition starts at $20,600 for the two-door model and $21,600 for the four-door, figures that include a mandatory $850 destination charge. In comparison, the 2019 models launched in 2018 cost exactly the same; even the destination charge hasn't increased, which is extremely unusual in the automotive industry. Mini notes the Oxford Edition represents a $6,150 value. Ordering a standard two-door with the aforementioned features would increase its price to $26,750 including destination, while a four-door would cost $27,750. Buyers willing and able to stretch their budget can order the Oxford Plus package, which bundles a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and a panoramic sunroof (two of the Hardtop's most popular options) for $1,500. While the first Oxford Edition was initially only for college students and recent graduates, and later also for military members and recent retirees, Mini told Autoblog the 2022 model can be ordered by all buyers regardless of where they work, if they work, and whether they go or went to college. It's available now across the nation.

Honda engines and giant killing in the classic Mini Cooper

Electric Federal has taken a fresh look back at the enduring legacy of original Mini with a video interview with Heritage Garage's Graham Reid, one of the foremost experts on classic Minis. As Electric Federal points out, it's important to remember that the Mini did not start out as a performance car. It was built in response to the Suez Canal crisis of the mid-50s, which had a similar effect on British gas prices as OPEC did on American prices in the 1970s - rationing and rapid price jumps.
Through the years, Minis have grown from their budget roots to become seriously competent performance machines. As Reid says, a 150-horsepower Mini on the right track should have no problem outpacing a contemporary Porsche 911.
For some time now, classic Mini owners have been dropping Honda engines under the tiny hoods of their classics. With up to 250 horsepower pulling a car that tips the scales at barely 1,200 pounds, the upgraded Mini is "a real sleeper," Reid says. Interestingly, Reid doesn't mention another increasingly common swap in the Mini community - Suzuki Hayabusa-powered Coopers.

British company announces turn-key EV conversion kit for classic Mini

Swindon Powertrain unveiled a turn-key EV conversion kit that makes electrifying a Mini built between 1959 and 2000 relatively easy. It bridges the gap between the original model and the Cooper SE released earlier in 2020. Available in December 2020, the kit consists of an electric motor mounted on a modified Mini front subframe, and purpose-designed inner CV joint housings designed to work with regular-production half shafts. Swindon notes no modifications are required; installing the kit requires removing the original front subframe, probably selling the stock engine and the transmission in the local classifieds, and bolting the new subframe to the Mini's body. Rated at 107 continuous horsepower, but programmed to offer a peak output of 160 horsepower, the motor spins the front wheels via a single-speed transmission, which seemingly settles the debate over magic wand, direct, and remote gear changes. It offers more power than any four-cylinder fitted to the Mini by the factory. After tightening the subframe bolts, owners need to source additional powertrain components, like the battery pack, the motor controller, the on-board charger, and the DC-DC converter. All of these parts are available directly from Swindon Powertrains, or from a growing list of aftermarket vendors, but they're not included in the kit. Electric technology isn't cheap, and Swindon's kit is no exception. It's priced at GBP8,850 (about $11,500) before taxes and shipping enter the equation, meaning it's more expensive than rebuilding an original four-cylinder engine. Viewed in this light, electrification is better suited to some of the high-zoot custom builds (like the stunning Remastered available from David Brown Automotive) priced in the six digits than to a beater 1980s City model.