Supercharged, Hardtop, Low Miles on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2014 Mini Cooper interior spied uncovered in China

As we approach the November 18 debut of the new Mini Hardtop, the trickle of news is starting to increase. We've already shown you the exterior of the new hatchback, and now we can show you the interior. These images, captured by Car News China, show a cabin that maintains a few key Mini styling items, but is a fairly progressive evolution of the current R56 model.
Mini's most iconic interior treatment, its center-mounted speedometer, is now gone. The new speedo sits atop the steering column, flanked by a (too tiny, in our opinion) tachometer. In the speedometer's former position are the radio controls. Our friends in China put it best when they say, "The large dial is much uglier than before." There's a mass of buttons and unfriendly black plastic that, at first glance, look far cheaper than the rest of the cabin. Of course, we'll wait to see how this is all ironed out for the production-spec car.
The other parts of the interior, however, look quite good. There's a small bank of toggle buttons at the bottom of the center stack, and the checkerboard dash insert looks clean as well. The seats sport extensions for the bottom cushions, meaning there'll be the option of more support for drivers with longer legs. GTI fans might also notice the plaid bolsters on the seats. Mini's treatment is a bit more subtle than what you'd see on a Volkswagen, though.

Last chance to order an R56 Mini Hardtop

Mini will be ending custom orders of the current R56 Cooper Hardtop ahead of the retooling process for the new F56 Mini. That means owners who aren't enamored with what they've seen of the model's new look but still want a personalized version of the tossable hot hatch had best get down to their local Mini dealership and submit their order post-haste.
According to Mini enthusiast site Motoringfile, all orders must be submitted by August 28 in order to get a custom build. Orders are also locked in after that, so if you do get one of the spots, make sure you're absolutely content with the car you order. This cutoff will affect all models of the Hardtop, including the John Cooper Works model.
After August 28, owners will need to wait for the new Hardtop to arrive, which Motoringfile estimates will be in March of 2014. If you miss out on this final allocation of hardtops, all is not lost, however. Mini will still accept personalized orders on other bodystyles, which won't be replaced by F56-based models for some time.

Mini Countryman plug-in hybrid out for a snowy stroll

When Mini launched the Countryman in 2010, it emerged as the brand's first all-wheel-drive model. Now there's a new Countryman on the way, and it's also set to mark a Mini first by incorporating not just a mild hybrid system, but a plug-in hybrid powertrain. And that's just what we're looking at here. How do we know this prototype is packing a hybrid powertrain, you ask? A fair question, and we'll tell you: because the manufacturer chose to mark "Hybrid Test Vehicle" on the door. And because parent company BMW is already known to be working on a PHEV system for the 2 Series Active Tourer on which the new Mini crossover will be based, it's fairly safe to say it won't be developing a separate system for the Countryman. Expect the hybrid mega-Mini to combine a 1.5-liter inline-three driving 136 horsepower to the front wheels, and an electric motor good for another 102 hp on the rear wheels for through-the-road all-wheel drive and a combined output of nearly 240 hp. That's more than even the John Cooper Works performance model has offered. Scope out the spy shots in the gallery above, where you'll also find an interior shot of a conventional next-gen Countryman.