MINI Roadster – Automobiles Review

2012 MINI Roadster by Franca Sozzani – an inspiring design

2012 MINI Roadster by Franca Sozzani is the special car, designed by Franca Sozzani (chief editor of Vogue). This exquisite MINI car was made to mark the 20th anniversary of the Life Ball charity event in Vienna.

MINI Roadster served as a base model for this inspiring floral design of the vehicle. In fact, the Roadster is the first open-top two-seater in the brand’s history. It comes with 184 horsepower (135 kW) and has a top speed of 227 km/h (141 mph).

Franca Sozzani decorated the roof of the Roadster in a stylishly intricate floral design. All those floral motives are harmoniously combined with the trendiest color of all the Deepest Purple. It was applied as a matt paintwork over the car, and in addition is complemented by gold hallmark MINI rally stripes.

As you can see the overall appearance of the vehicle is more than impressive. In my opinion it is even a work of art.

The interior of the car is as inspiring and exceptional as the exterior itself. For instance, for the instruments and brass-colored touches on the circular elements is used printed leather.

The designer Sozzani spoke about the inspiration behind this unique design, which will stay in the history of the MINI:

“The concept behind the MINI customisation is inspired by the beautiful and elegant women who in the past used to wear a scarf draped around their head when driving a convertible. Flowers are a symbol of joy and life. And the Life Ball is always fighting for life and joy.”

2012 MINI Roadster by Franca Sozzani Interior

Source: MINI

May 21, 2012

2012 MINI Roadster by Franca Sozzani supports the Life Ball in Vienna

2012 MINI Roadster by Franca Sozzani is the lasted design concept which however has some unique qualities and is made with an aim of a special contribution.

For eleven years already, MINI brand has been a partner of the Life Ball, which annually takes place in Vienna. What is very specific about this event is that every year one special design comes under the imagination of a renowned designer to support the event.

For the 20th anniversary of the Life Ball the tradition is continued, with the donation of a vehicle which has been creatively transformed by an international celebrity. All the proceeds of this car will go to projects fighting HIV and AIDS.

In details, all in all the auctioning of these one-of-a-kind MINI models has accumulated inclome of more than 500,000 euros for this charitable purpose.

It is important to mention as well that these models have been designed in previous years by international fashion designers like: Joseph Corré for Agent Provocateur, Donatella Versace, Renzo Rosso for Diesel and Missoni, Mario Testino and The Blonds for Katy Perry.

The latest Life Ball MINI is created by the gifted Franca Sozzani, who is the chief editor of Italian VOGUE and UN Goodwill Ambassador for Fashion 4 Development.

He describes the creative process and speaks about the inspiration which has provoked this unique design the following: “I thought at MINI as a beautiful woman who put a scarf on her head when she drives a Roadster.”

The Deepest Purple matt paintwork gives the MINI Roadster a thoroughly unmistakable look as are doing floral motifs and mannequins. Nevertheless the highlight of this year’s Life Ball MINI is the floral design on the roof of the MINI Roadster.

As you can see there are also added some steel-coloured accents on the exterior mirrors and alloy wheels. The typical MINI rally stripes are also in the same colour and they elegantly round off this unusual colour concept.

On the other hand the interior of the car is said to include the highest-quality of materials and a sophisticated seat design.

2012 MINI Roadster by Franca Sozzani will be auctioned in the Hall of Ceremonies at Vienna’s Hofburg palace as part of the AIDS Solidarity Gala.

Source: MINI

May 3, 2012

Yet Another MINI – The Clubvan Concept

At MINI, a plan for an ultimate automotive integration is under development. We already have the MINI Roadster, Convertible, MINI E, Coupe, Countryman, Clubman and now a new concept: The MINI Clubvan – Moving out with style. Set to debut on the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, this fun yet professional MINI is targeted at an audience which, up until now, never had any use of the brand.

Simply put, the Clubvan is a Clubman with some more loading space and fewer seats. The cargo area starts at the hind split doors and goes all the way to the sole pair of seats at the front but not before being properly separated with a partition grille. As a whole it is well adopted for a variety of goods because of the completely flat floor and the elasticized straps of the six attachment loops recessed into the load compartment floor. That with the solid aluminum base partition and the mesh above make sure things on board do not move about and cause mayham.

From the outside, one notices that the Clubvan still has the mad 5-door set up – one for the driver, two scissor doors for the passenger (despite being rather redundant here) and two rear hinged doors at the back. The Clubvan Concept leaves an impression the way only a MINI can – it lets people know that it is what it is. However, people do not need to know what hides at the back, hence the rear side windows which are mere body panels, Polycarbonate sections coordinated with the body color. At the same time, the backdoor windows are heavily tinted to keep prying eyes away from the precious cargo. That way, more opportunities for customization open as seen in this instance where on the side panels there is the logo of a local company which does signwriting and can write pretty much anything on the car. That makes the Clubvan ideal for small and medium-sized businesses. Imagine a fleet of zippy, frugal and stylish Clubvans going around doing catering or mail deliveries. Electricians and photographers can also use it as a type of personal transport with enough space for personal equipment. This is the new target audience, MINI has been talking about. It is a vision of streets swarming with MINI cars.

Source: MINI

February 20, 2012

2012 MINI Roadster: the first open-top two-seater model

2012 MINI Roadster will be launched this spring. It is the first open-top two-seater in MINI history and aims to bring more elegance, sportiness and compactness to the customers. Next to the stylish exterior design, the vehicle is also equipped powerful engine and precision suspension.

MINI has made a significant reproduction of its hallmark design language within the proportions of a roadster, bestowing on the open-top two-seater. Moreover the MINI Roadster’s soft-top can be easily opened by hand. In addition, the car has a 240-litre boot which offers versatility of loading options. The padded stainless steel roll-over bars and the windscreen frame are making the MINI look even more elegantly, while at the same functioning in safety terms.

What is more here, are the powerful engines in tandem with precisely tuned suspension systems. The front-wheel drive works in collaboration with the chassis technology thus ensuring excellent driving fun. In addition there is also included a standard-fitted Dynamic Stability Control system and optimal aerodynamics. And can you believe that even with the top down the MINI Roadster reaches 80 km/h (50 mph). This is due to the active rear spoiler.

The new MINI Roadster comes with an enhanced range of standard equipment, which features air conditioning, electrically adjustable exterior mirrors, Park Distance Control, height-adjustable seats and an MP3-capable audio system with CD player and AUX IN connection. The paintwork on the front of the exterior has a palette of two non-metallic and six metallic shades to choose from, as well as three Sport Stripes variants for the bonnet, boot lid and rear aprons. The soft-top is of course in black. On the other hand, on the inside, the MINI Roadster delivers again a big range of design options, with seat and upholstery variants ranging from sporty, to compact, to elegant. They include exclusive piped sports seats in the color shade Toffy, as well as black sports seats in Punch Leather with beige perforations, and any of six different trim strip options.

The model variants which are going to be available on the market are in four sporty versions, which feature: the ultra-sporty MINI John Cooper Works Roadster with a handsome 211 hp (157 kW), the elegant MINI Cooper S Roadster, the MINI Cooper Roadster, and MINI Cooper SD Roadster, which requires just 4.5 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres (62.77 mpg imp)!

Source: MINI

February 7, 2012

2012 MINI Roadster US Price – $24 350

MINI has announced the US price list for the Roadster model, which starts at just $24 350 for the entry level and rising all the way up to $27 350 for the top-of-range Cooper S Roadster. The prices exclude destination tax.

2012 MINI Roadster is powered by a 1.6 liter four-cylinder petrol with VALVETRONIC delivering 122PS (90kW) at 6000RPM and 160Nm (118 lb-ft) at 4250RPM. From 0 to 100 km/h in 9.2 seconds and a top speed of 199 km/h (124 mph). It is pretty decent performance for cheap roadster with small engine. Furthermore, it returns 49.6 mpg (5.7 liters per 100 km) and 133 g/km of CO2.

The top-of-range Cooper S Roadster has a 1.6 liter turbocharged petrol with 211PS (150 kW) at 6000RPM and 260Nm (192 lb-ft) at just 1850RPM. From 0 to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 237 km/h. With this engine, the open-top MINI becomes a real sports vehicle. The average fuel consumption is 7.3 liters per 100 km (38.7 mpg) and 169 g/km of CO2.

Specifications:

MINI John Cooper Works Roadster:

Four-cylinder petrol engine with MINI TwinPower Turbo technology and numerous technological details carried over directly from motor sport.
Displacement: 1,598 cc, output: 155 kW/211 hp at 6,000 rpm,
max. torque: 260 Nm/192 lb-ft at 1,850 – 5,600 rpm (280 Nm/207 lb-ft with Overboost at 2,000 – 5,100 rpm). Acceleration 0–100 km/h (62 mph): 6.5 seconds, top speed: 237 km/h (147 mph). Average fuel consumption according to EU: 7.3 litres/100 kilometres (38.7 mpg imp), CO2 emissions: 169 g/km.

MINI Cooper S Roadster:

Four-cylinder petrol engine with
MINI TwinPower Turbo technology. Displacement: 1,598 cc,
output: 135 kW/184 hp at 5,500 rpm, max. torque: 240 Nm/177 lb-ft at 1,600 – 5,000 rpm (260 Nm/192 lb-ft with Overboost at 1,730 – 4,500 rpm). Acceleration 0–100 km/h (62 mph): 7.0 seconds,
top speed: 227 km/h (141 mph). Average fuel consumption according to EU: 6.0 litres/100 kilometres (47.1 mpg imp), CO2 emissions: 139 g/km.

MINI Cooper Roadster:

Four-cylinder petrol engine with fully variable valve management based on the BMW Group’s VALVETRONIC technology. Displacement: 1,598 cc, output: 90 kW/122 hp at 6,000 rpm, max. torque: 160 Nm/118 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm. Acceleration 0–100 km/h (62 mph): 9.2 seconds, top speed: 199 km/h (124 mph). Average fuel consumption according to EU: 5.7 litres/100 kilometres (49.6 mpg imp),
CO2 emissions: 133 g/km.

MINI Cooper SD Roadster:

Four-cylinder turbodiesel with MINI TwinPower Turbo technology. Displacement: 1,995 cc, output: 105 kW/143 hp at 4,000 rpm, max. torque: 305 Nm/225 lb-ft at 1,750 – 2,700 rpm. Acceleration 0–100 km/h (62 mph): 8.1 seconds,
top speed: 212 km/h (132 mph). Average fuel consumption according to EU: 4.5 litres/100 kilometres (62.8 mpg imp), CO2 emissions: 118 g/km.

Exterior dimensions:

Length: 3,734 millimetres (MINI Cooper Roadster: 3,728 millimetres, MINI John Cooper Works Roadster: 3,758 millimetres)
Width: 1,683 millimetres
Height: 1,390 millimetres (MINI Cooper Roadster: 1,384 millimetres, MINI John Cooper Works Roadster: 1,391 millimetres)
Wheelbase: 2,467 millimetres

Source: MINI

January 28, 2012

MINI Roadster Concept

MINI Roadster Concept: fresh ideas for an intense driving experience. MINI evokes new fascination and a wonderful new experience time and again. For each model in the range offers unique opportunities to enjoy supreme driving pleasure and unmistakable style.

Now the MINI Roadster Concept once again sets a new trend for individual mobility borne out by the brand. A purist vehicle concept, elegant design and fascinating, sporting driving characteristics all come together in this unique car to offer the vision of an open two-seater catering for the demands of a modern and self-confident target group.

The new concept car carries over the features typical of MINI to a new segment, the MINI designers thus bringing out yet another attractive facet in the character of the brand. So the world debut of the MINI Roadster Concept at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show will add a new perspective to the future of the MINI brand, presenting yet another great path of development.

The MINI Roadster Concept takes up features typical of the brand and re-interprets these unique strengths in a refreshingly new manner. Individual style, premium quality and a perfect match of driving pleasure and efficiency just right in this day and age determine the character of this compact two-seater. And through its design alone, the MINI Roadster Concept reflects the focus on maximum driving pleasure with nothing but the sky above.

The MINI Roadster Concept is clearly recognisable at very first sight as a MINI. At the same time, with its two seats, a tight-fitting soft roof and innovative rear-end design, the new model opens up new perspectives both in the context of the brand and in the segment of compact roadsters.