In the spirit of providing iPhone and iPod touch users with some MINI-centric fun, all while encouraging them to hold onto more of their coin, MINI Financial Services today launched “MINI Liquid Assets,” MINI’s take on an old-school favorite, available for download at no charge from the iTunes App store. (more…)
Tag: MINI
-
MINI Financial Services Launches Game for iPhone and iPod Touch
-
The AC Schnitzer Limited Slip Differential for BMW 1, 3 series and MINI
There’s no driving pleasure without the right engine power: But what’s the use of pressing the gas pedal hard, if the power doesn’t get to where it’s needed? (more…) -
New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg Announces Use Of MINI E Electric Cars
New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced in his State-of-the-City speech that BMW Group will loan a fleet of 10 MINI E electric zero-emissions cars to the City of New York. (more…) -
MINI One Clubman
New basic models of the MINI and MINI Clubman, new equipment package with attractive price benefit – world premiere at the International Automobile Salon in Geneva, market launch in March 2009.Munich. The MINI Clubman provides additional ways of enjoying driving pleasure so typical of the brand. Now the capabilities of this model can be experienced in a particularly economical way. The MINI One Clubman is to be launched as the new basic model. It is powered by a 70 kW/95 bhp 4-cylinder petrol engine which already impressively demonstrated its efficiency in the MINI One. Parallel to this, a new entry-level version is also being presented for this model: the MINI One with 55 kW. With these two new models, presented for the first time at the International Automobile Salon 2009 in Geneva, entry into the MINI world is now even more attractive. Both models combine the fascination of MINI’s characteristically agile handling and the unmistakable style of the brand with maximum economy. With fuel consumption and CO2 emission levels as per EU test cycle of 5.4 litres per 100 kilometres and 130 grams per kilometre for the MINI One Clubman and 5.3 litres and 128 grams for the MINI One with 55 kW, the two models highlight the brand’s aspiration to combine product substance, safety and driving fun at premium level with ecological and economical qualities which are in line with contemporary needs.
The market launch of the two new models will take place in March 2009. The MINI One with 55 kW will then be offered in Germany at the price of 15,200 euros. The price for the MINI One Clubman is 18,200 euros.
With the market launch of the MINI One Clubman and the MINI One with 55 kW in March 2009, a new equipment package will also be presented. The Earl Grey Package includes a metallic paint finish in Dark Silver, sporty decor stripes at the body sides, specially designed wheel trim panels and white direction indicators. It is offered at a particularly attractive price not just for the MINI One with 55 kW, but also for the MINI One, the MINI Cooper and the MINI Cooper D as well as for the MINI One Clubman, the MINI Cooper Clubman and the MINI Cooper D Clubman.
MINI One Clubman: perfect entry – in both senses of the word.The MINI Clubman has become established as a member of the MINI model family within a short period of time. Its unique body concept offers completely new ways of enjoying characteristic MINI driving fun. The MINI Clubman re-interprets the classic shooting brake concept in a modern way, highlighting sporty flair and functionality with its strikingly elongated roof line and unique door arrangement. As compared to the MINI, the MINI Clubman has a wheelbase which is 80 cm longer. At the rear of the vehicle, passengers enjoy exactly this amount of additional leg space. Entry into this “lounge” is facilitated by an additional door, the Club door at the rear on the right-hand side of the vehicle. The rear seat is offered as a three or two-seater for the MINI One Clubman, too. At the rear of the MINI One Clubman, the dual section split door with wings opening to the right and left enables very easy loading of the generous luggage compartment.
The 4-cylinder engines available for the MINI Clubman are in line with the current status of engine development. In the vehicle segment of the MINI and the MINI Clubman, they set worldwide standards for impressive power delivery and efficiency. This also applies to the 1.4 litre 4-cylinder in-line engine now used in the MINI One Clubman. It was derived from the 1.6 litre engine of the MINI Cooper Clubman and like the latter has a fully variable valve control system which was developed on the basis of the unique VALVETRONIC technology of the BMW Group. What is more, in order to increase efficiency the aluminium engine has been fitted with a volume-flow-controlled oil pump and a coolant pump which can be deactivated and is only powered when the engine of the new MINI One Clubman has reached optimum operating temperature. As in the MINI One, the 4-cylinder of the MINI ONE Clubman reaches its maximum output of 70 kW/95 BHP at an engine speed of 6 000 rpm. Its maximum torque is 140 Newton metre as is available at 4 000 rpm.
As standard the, the new MINI One Clubman is fitted with numerous measures to increase efficiency which have a positive effect on fuel consumption and exhaust emission levels as well as on driving performance. This includes brake energy regeneration, where the generation of electrical power for the vehicle power supply is focused on periods during which the vehicle is braking and coasting, the Auto Start/Stop Function which switches off the engine when the vehicle comes to a halt at traffic lights and at crossroads, and shift point display. For acceleration from zero to 100 km/h the MINI ONE Clubman requires 11.6 seconds. Its forward thrust ends at a top speed of 183 km/h. The average fuel consumption based on the EU test cycle is 5.4 litres per 100 kilometres, with CO2 output at 130 grams per kilometre.
6-speed automatic transmission as an option for the MINI One Clubman.
The new MINI One Clubman is fitted as standard with a precise and smooth 6-speed manual transmission. For the market launch, a 6-speed automatic transmission is also available as an option. The automatic transmission is characterised by a particularly direct link to the engine, providing sporty and sharp gear shifts. In manual mode it gives the driver the opportunity to influence gear selection by use of the selector lever.
The MINI One Clubman gains its visual distinctiveness from the individual design of its front section. Like the MINI One it has a specific version of the characteristic hexagonal radiator grille. The frame of the grille is in chrome, and the MINI One Clubman is also distinguished from other models by its black cross ribs. Its air intake is the same as that of the MINI Cooper Clubman. It is three-dimensional in style and shows a slight upward incline. As standard, the exterior mirror caps of the MINI One Clubman are in black.
With the market launch of the new model version, new colour variations of the MINI Clubman are also offered for all engine types. In future it will be possible to combine a rear door surround either in black or silver with the relevant body colour. This means that a more homogeneous colouring is now available as an alternative to the attractive contrast effect which was previously obligatory. In terms of interior design and special equipment features, extensive and high-quality individualisation options are available for the MINI One Clubman which enable every MINI to be turned into a personally configured, unique specimen.
MINI One with 55 kW: maximum efficiency in a new performance category.
The new MINI One with 55 kW likewise lines up for its market launch offering genuine driving fun in the unmistakable style of the brand. In addition to its visual appearance it also shares the chassis technology and all other equipment features of its 70 kW/95 bhp sibling in the same model series. Only the 6-speed automatic transmission, optionally available for the MINI One and the MINI One Clubman, is not available for the MINI One with 55 kW. The new entry level model thus not only provides even greater variety in the MINI World, it also places a new emphasis on efficiency in yet another performance category of the small car segment. Among the comparable petrol engine models of its class, the MINI One 55 kW has the lowest fuel consumption and the lowest level of exhaust emissions, combining this leading position with the unique qualities of a premium automobile.
The MINI One with 55 kW is powered by 4-cylinder petrol engine whose technical components are identical to those of the engines in the MINI One and MINI One Clubman. High revving qualities, low weight and an outstandingly high level of efficiency are typical of this 1.4 litre aluminium engine. Its technical features also include fully variable valve control, a volume-flow-controlled oil pump and a coolant pump which operates according to needs. In this new specification, the engine achieves its maximum output of 55 kW/75 bhp at an engine speed of just 4 000 rpm. The maximum torque of 120 Newton metres is available at 2 500 rpm.
In order to optimise its efficiency level, the MINI One with 55 kW is also fitted as standard with brake energy regeneration, Auto Start/Stop Function and shift point display. A 6-speed manual transmission is provided to transfer engine power to the front wheels in characteristic MINI style. The MINI One with 55 kW accelerates in 13.2 seconds from zero to 100 km/h, its maximum speed is 175 km/h. With these performance figures together with an average fuel consumption on the EU test cycle of 5.3 litres per 100 kilometres and a CO2 output level of 128 grams per kilometre, it is not only the sportiest but also the most economical representative of its performance category.
Attractive combination: the equipment package Earl Grey.
The standard fittings of the new entry-level model are the same as those of the MINI One. The wide range of special equipment features and accessory options enables individualisation of the MINI One with 55 kW, too. Parallel to the market launch of the MINI One with 55 kW, the new equipment package Earl Grey is also available. In this package, attractive individual options are combined at particularly low prices. In addition to a metallic paint finish in Dark Silver, the Earl Grey Package includes specially designed wheel trim panels and white direction indicators. A striking addition is provided by the black-and-white decor stripes at the body sections which were exclusively designed for the Earl Grey Package. They emerge from the side direction indicators and stretch dynamically to the rear light clusters, with the two black stripes tapering off into the area of the rear side panel.
The Earl Grey Package is a particularly attractive way of individualising the MINI and the MINI Clubman. It is not only available for the MINI One with 55 kW, but also for the MINI One, the MINI Cooper and the MINI Cooper D as well as for the MINI One Clubman, the MINI Cooper Clubman and the MINI Cooper D Clubman.
-
MINI at the 2009 Detroit NAIAS
The presentation of the MINI brand at the 2009 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit is characterised in particular by the world debut of an unusually thrilling model and the breakthrough of the brand into a new age of mobility. (more…) -
The new MINI Convertible
The driving pleasure and individual style that are MINI’s signatures have been tapped to create the next-generation MINI Convertible. With its evolutionary design and increased functionality, specially tuned suspension, powerful, efficient engines and enhanced safety technology, the latest version of the four-seat convertible raises the bar. (more…) -
MINI At The 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show
The BMW Group will be the world’s first manufacturer of premium automobiles to deploy a fleet of some 500 all-electric vehicles for private use in daily traffic. The MINI E will be powered by a 150 kW (204 hp) electric motor fed by a high-performance rechargeable lithium-ion battery, transferring its power to the front wheels via a single-stage helical gearbox nearly without a sound and entirely free of emissions. Specially engineered for automobile use, the battery technology will have a range of more than 250 kilometers, or 156 miles. The MINI E will initially be made available to select private and corporate customers as part of a pilot project in the US states of California, New York and New Jersey. The company is looking into expanding the MINI E pilot to include Europe. The MINI E will celebrate its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 19 and 20.
The MINI E’s electric drive train produces a peak torque of 220 Newton meters, delivering seamless acceleration to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 152 km/h (95 mph). Featuring a suspension system tuned to match its weight distribution, the MINI E sports the brand’s hallmark agility and outstanding handling.
By introducing the MINI E, the BMW Group is underscoring the resolve with which it works towards reducing energy consumption and emissions in road traffic. The BMW Group is drawing on its unique technological expertise in the field of drive systems to develop a vehicle concept enabling zero emissions without renouncing the joy of driving. Putting some 500 cars on the road under real daily traffic conditions will make it possible to gain widely applicable hands-on experience. Evaluating these findings will generate valuable know-how, which will be factored into the engineering of mass-produced vehicles. The BMW Group aims to start series production of all-electric vehicles over the medium term as part of its Number ONE strategy. The development of innovative concepts for mobility in big-city conurbations within the scope of “project i” has a similar thrust, as its objective also includes making use of an all-electric power train.
The energy storage unit: cutting-edge lithium-ion technology engineered specifically for use in the MINI.
Based on the current MINI, the car will initially be available as a two-seater. The space taken up by back-seat passengers in the series model has been reserved for the lithium-ion battery. When in use in the zero-emissions MINI, the battery unit combines high output with ample storage capacity and a small footprint with power ratios that are unrivalled in this field of application so far. The lithium-ion storage unit will have a maximum capacity of 35 kilowatt hours (kWh) and transmit energy to the electric motor as direct current at a nominal 380 volts. The rechargeable battery is made up of 5,088 cells grouped into 48 modules. These modules are packaged into three battery elements that are compactly arranged inside the MINI E.The energy storage unit’s basic components are based on the technological principle that has proven itself in practice in power supplies for mobile phones and portable computers. The MINI E’s lithium-ion battery can be plugged into all standard power outlets. Its charge time is strongly dependent on the voltage and amperage of the electricity flowing through the grid. In the USA, users can recharge a battery that has been completely drained within a very short period of time using a wallbox that will ship with every MINI E. The wallbox will be installed in the customer’s garage, enable higher amperage, and thus provide for extremely short charging times. Wallboxes fully recharge batteries after a mere two-and-a-half hours.
Driven by electricity: reliably, affordably and free of emissions.
A full recharge draws a maximum of 28 kilowatt hours of electricity from the grid. Based on the car’s range, a kilowatt hour translates into 5.4 miles. Besides the benefit of zero-emissions driving, the MINI E thus offers significant economic advantages over a vehicle powered by a conventional internal combustion engine as well.The heavy-duty battery delivers its power to an electric motor, which transforms it into thrilling agility. Mounted transversely under the MINI E’s bonnet, the drive train unleashes its full thrust from a dead standstill. This provides for the car’s fascinating launch capability. The MINI E’s intense driving experience is augmented by its dynamic deceleration potential, which is also directly coupled to the accelerator pedal. As soon as the driver releases the gas pedal, the electric motor acts as a generator. This results in braking force, and the power recovered from the kinetic energy is fed back to the battery. This interaction ensures extremely comfortable drives – especially at medium speed with constant, but marginal, variation. In city traffic, some 75 percent of all deceleration can be done without the brakes. Making substantial use of this energy recuperation feature extends the car’s range by up to 20 percent.
Signature MINI agility in a new guise.
Weighing in at 1,465 kilograms (3,230 lbs), the MINI E has an even weight distribution. Minor modifications made to the suspension ensure safe handling at all times. The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system has been adapted to this model’s specific wheel loads.The MINI E’s brake system comes with a newly developed electric underpressure pump. Its Electrical Power Assisted Steering (EPS) is the same as the one used in mass-produced MINIs. Both brake and steering assistance react to driving conditions and are thus extremely efficient. Even the air conditioning’s electrical compressor only operates if desired or necessary.
Design: unmistakably MINI, undoubtedly new.
At first glance, the MINI E is obviously an iteration of the brand. But its design, which is the blueprint for the zero-emissions two-seater, has been complemented by a number of visual cues that point to its revolutionary drive concept. All of the units produced for the pilot project will have the same paintwork and bear a serial number next to their side turn signal lights.The MINI E’s coachwork sports an exclusive combination of metallic Dark Silver on all panels but the roof, which is clad in Pure Silver. What distinguishes the zero-emissions MINI is a specially designed logo in Interchange Yellow, depicting a stylized power plug in the shape of an “E” set against the silver backdrop. It has been applied to the roof, in smaller dimensions to the front and back, to the charger port lid, the dashboard trim, and – combined with the MINI logo – to the door jamb, in slightly modified form. The color of the roof edges, mirror housings, interior style cues and seat seams will match the logo’s yellow tone as well.
Moreover, the central gauge and the battery level indicator behind the wheel of the MINI E, which replaces the MINI’s rev counter, feature yellow lettering against a dark grey background. The battery level is displayed in percentage figures. The central gauge includes an LED display indicating power consumption in red and power recuperation in green.
MINI E customers will be part of a pioneering mission.
A 500-unit, limited-production MINI E series will be manufactured through the end of 2008. The project will thus attain an order of magnitude that clearly exceeds the size of currently comparable test series. Putting the MINI E on the road on a daily basis will be a pioneering feat to which both the drivers and engineers of the first zero-emissions MINI will contribute as a team.MINI E customers will join forces with BMW Group experts to assist in the project’s scientific evaluation. MINI E engineers accord high importance to staying in touch with the drivers on a regular basis, as this will help them analyze driver behavior besides vehicle characteristics in order to gain the most accurate and realistic picture of the demands placed on a vehicle with a purely electrical drive in the select usage areas.
Special charging station and full service for every MINI E.
The cars will change hands based on a one-year lease with an extension option. Monthly lease installments will cover any required technical service including all necessary maintenance and the replacement of wearing parts. At the end of the lease, all of the automobiles belonging to the project will be returned to the BMW Group’s engineering fleet where they will be subjected to comparative tests.The MINI E’s lithium-ion battery can be charged using a wallbox provided to MINI customers. Only lockable garages or similar buildings will qualify as homebases and power stations for the MINI E.
Maintenance by qualified specialists.
The electric drive’s high-voltage technology requires that maintenance work be done by qualified personnel using special tools that are not included in MINI service partners’ standard toolboxes. In light of this, a service base will be set up on both coasts, staffed by service engineers that are specially trained to perform maintenance and repair work on the MINI E’s electrical components. In the event of drive malfunction, these experts will provide professional support at the customer’s local MINI dealer or the service base’s specially equipped workshop. Technical inspections will take place after 3,000 miles (just under 5,000 kilometers) and at least after six months.Production in Oxford and Munich.
The MINI E has already gone through the major phases of product development for mass-produced vehicles and passed numerous crash tests on the way. Aspects investigated besides passenger protection were the impact of collision forces on the lithium-ion battery and finding a non-hazardous location for it in the car. The MINI E’s energy storage unit emerged completely unscathed from all of the crash tests mandated by US standards, which are especially high.Production of the approximately 500 cars will take place at the company’s Oxford and Munich sites and is scheduled for completion before the end of 2008. MINI’s UK plant will be responsible for manufacturing the entire vehicle with the exception of the drive components and the lithium-ion battery, with the brand’s series models rolling off its assembly lines concurrently. The units will then be transferred to a specially equipped manufacturing complex situated on BMW plant premises where the electric motor, battery units, performance electronics and transmission will be integrated.
-
Rare cars and bikes get ready to excite Classic Motor Show fans this weekend
A lovingly restored Panther 6, one of only two produced; the only Unipower GT on the road in Europe. Prefer two wheels? How about the Texas Cee-Gar or Little Miss Dynamite, the ace Café racer? Just a few of the extremely rare cars and motorcycles that will be on display at the Classic Motor Show, which starts Friday 14th and runs until Sunday 16th November at Birmingham’s NEC. (more…) -
A New Experience – Driving Pleasure Without Emissions: The MINI E
The BMW Group will be the world’s first manufacturer of premium automobiles to deploy a fleet of some 500 all-electric vehicles for private use in daily traffic. The MINI E will be powered by a 150 kW (204 hp) electric motor fed by a high-performance rechargeable lithium-ion battery, transferring its power to the front wheels via a single-stage helical gearbox nearly without a sound and entirely free of emissions. (more…) -
MINI Aldridge Special makes public debut at Design Museum
A unique MINI featuring a visually stunning exterior designed by legendary artist, illustrator and graphic designer Alan Aldridge, is now on show at the Design Museum in London. (more…) -
The MINI Crossover Concept
The MINI brand is continuing its overwhelming story of success – now taking a new approach with the MINI Crossover Concept.
This Design Study offers a fascinating outlook at a new facet of the brand powerfully expressed by a truly innovative body concept – the fourth body variant, to be precise, following the classic two-door, the MINI Convertible, and the MINI Clubman. (more…) -
HAMANN presents its tuning programme for the current MINI
Already since 1986, HAMANN-Motorsport develops and manufactures products for the individualisation of BMW automobiles. Therefore, it is only consistent that the technicians of the Laupheim-based company also focus on the “small relative” in the BMW family and develop an extensive tuning programme for the MINI. The result: a powerful performance increase, road holding aerodynamics components, striking 18-inch light alloy rims and noble interior modifications in aluminium and carbon. (more…)
