Whoever said minivans were lame? Well, count on MINI to make its own version with the Vision Urabanaut. Last year, BMW-owned MINI unveiled the Vision Urbanaut as a purely computer-generated concept. But now, they’ve produced…
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MINI’s latest vehicle isn’t for sale, but it’s worth mention because it… is… awesome. This electric Cooper SE is the official pace car of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race series. It’s basically…
The post MINI Electric Cooper SE Formula E Pace Car first appeared on Cool Material.
BMW has released more than a few interesting concepts in the past handful of years, but few of them compare to the sheer absurdity that is the recently unveiled Mini Vision Urbanaut Concept. Designed from…
MINI wants to be more than just cute. They’ve partnered with Germany’s X-Raid to create a rugged off-roader that pulls directly from X-Raid’s MINI ALL4 Racing Dakar Rally SUVs. The base vehicle MINI Cooper S…
A new range-topping, special edition Mini has been released at the Los Angeles Auto Show 2019, the Mini John Cooper Works GP. The GP has been teased for a long time with teaser runs up the Goodwood hill climb earlier this year and plenty of leaks.
The Mini John Cooper Works GP is the most extreme production Mini to date. It is set to give bigger hot hatches a run for their money!
The Mini Cooper receives a variety of modifications to its design. The most noticeable is the wheel arch trim. Made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic, it is the first time BMW has used this material. It is made using material recycled form he BMW i8 and BMW i3 production, making it highly efficient. It flares the wheel arch in a new and distinctive way.
Other changes include a new set of wheels and black painted trim pieces. At the rear is a massive rear spoiler, the biggest we’ve ever seen on a production Mini. The rear gets a redesigned rear diffuser and a smaller set of air outlets.
Under the bonnet sits a 2.0 litre, twin-turbocharged, 4-cylinder engine. Power is pushed up by 75 hp to 306 hp and 450 Nm of torque. It sits on a new engine mount with new tunnel bridges.
The power is achieved through a variety of changes. The turbocharger is also new. Fitted to the exhaust manifold, a divert-air valve helps it achieve better response times. The compression ratio is lower by 0.7, but the system has increased boost pressure. The intake air duct is all-new with enlarged inlet and flow cross-sections.
The injection system is revamped too. New multi-hole injectors are arranged centrally and push at increased flow rates with an injection pressure of up to 350 bar. The final modification is an all-new engine oil sump. The modifications to the engine mean that the Mini should be more responsive.
The reinforced crankshaft uses an enlarged main bearing diameter, specific pistons, bushless connecting rods and a torsional vibration damper with enhanced cooling.
The John Cooper GP Works hits 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds and a top speed of 265 km/h (with no limiter). Naturally, Mini have installed a new exhaust system with a fuller, more sonorous sound. The system is unique to the GP Works and with a straight pipe, large rear silencer and two 90 mm brushed aluminium stainless steel tailpipes.
Power is routed to the front wheels through an 8 speed Steptronic transmission as standard with an integrated differential lock. The mechanical differential distributes traction between the right and left wheels. It locks up to 31 per cent under load and the helps counteract any loss of traction.
Changes have also been made to the suspension setup. The single-joint spring front suspension and rear multilink axle receive a completely new tune. The track width is wider and the body is lowered by 10 millimetres.
New swivel bearings are installed which increaser front wheel and rear wheel camber. Rigidity is enhanced through a stiffer rubber support bearings.
A special GP mode in the DSC settings allows increased stability intervention through the brakes to improve agility. Talking about brakes, those are completely new too. At the front, you have 4-piston units with a floating-calliper. At the rear, a single-piston, both made of aluminium. They are hidden by a set of 18 inch forged wheels.
The Mini John Cooper Works GP gets its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show 2019 this week.
It will be replicated 3,000 times with production set to get underway in March 2020. Pricing has been announced at 45,000 euros in Germany, £33,895 in the UK and $44,900 in the US.
The hot hatch market isn’t as buoyant as it has been in the past, yet the Mini Cooper GP Works has no shortage of competition.
The Renault Mégane RS Trophy is clearly Mini’s immediate benchmark. The British marque is keen to lap the Cooper GP Works around the Nurburgring faster than Renault’s 7 minutes 40.1 seconds earlier this year.
At this price tag, the Honda Civic Type R, Volkswagen Golf R and Ford Focus ST. Of course, all three are considerably larger than the dominative Mini Cooper.
A while back, Mini unveiled an all-electric car, pleasing fans all over but also devastating them. Why? Well, because it wasn’t real. Fast forward to now and people will actually soon be able to buy a Mini electric ride. And not only that, it’s got a truly competitive range and purely electric drivetrain. Meet the Mini Cooper SE.
It’s the brand’s first-ever truly electric car, featuring a range of between 235 and 270 kilometers, or 146 to 148 miles. It supports fast-charging of up to 50kW, as well. Acceleration is zero to 60 in just over seven seconds. Certainly not sportscar fast, sure, but pretty cool for an electric car, still. The engine under the hood is capable of delivering an equivalent of 181 horsepower.
Unfortunately, the performance of the Mini Cooper SE doesn’t hold a candle to more popular electric cars, like the Tesla Model S. However, the classic Mini Cooper design is in full swing here, which might be the biggest draw. Pricing is around $36,400 when converted from the €32,500 starting cost. That means Mini isn’t gunning for the elite crowd here. This is a fairly inexpensive Mini for those who want the luxurious aesthetic and environmental awareness.
It’s also the first car in the BMW Group to offer the driver a choice between regenerative braking or light. You can tweak how aggressively the car zooms when the foot is off the gas. BMW says it’s going to start shipping these bad boys as soon as possible. Likely delivery date is March of next year.
Photos courtesy of Mini
Don’t get your hopes up yet–this delicious-looking Classic Mini Electric is not for sale; it’s a one-off model that is most likely to never reach production. Still, it serves as great inspiration for those looking to electrify their vintage Mini’s.
Unveiled at the ongoing New York International Auto Show, the unique vehicle illustrates the British marque’s commitment to sustainable urban mobility. Its electric motor (of which we know nothing about) is touted to match admirably the go-kart handling experience of the original, while the look is spot-on 1960s icon, with a retro red color and characteristic silver roof, bonnet strips and matching wheels.
The only visual details giving away this Mini’s electric nature are a few plug logos placed on the body and a charge point instead of the petrol cap.
