Quick Spin: 2010 Mini E

Electric cars are nothing new. Once the horseless chariots of upper class society women, they are now back en vogue thanks to a renewed interest in achieving zero-emissions, minimal-compromise driving. Enter the 2010 Mini E, an electrified Mini Cooper that will go on limited lease availability to select customers early next year.

First things first, the Mini E is not a mass-market electric car. Five hundred applicants mostly in Southern California and the greater New York City area - get your name in now - will be selected to lease Mini Es at $850 a month for a year. That fee includes all maintenance and an in-home charging system , as well as all the gasoline required to fuel the Mini E for the year (just checking to see if you are paying attention).

Under the Mini E’s hood is a 150kW (a little over 200 horsepower) electric motor that is “fueled” by a back seat-mounted rechargeable lithium-ion battery. A single-stage helical gearbox transfers the power to the front wheels. The Mini E’s suspension has been modified to compensate for the revised weight distribution - those batteries out back add a few pounds, but a careful diet cut the overall curb weight increase to around 100 lbs.

Aside from badging and stickers, there isn’t much outside to hint to drivers that your motoring is not consuming any gasoline. The fuel filler door is still there, except on this Mini it’s where you plug in a cable from the in-home charging system. Like any electric car, the Mini E emits only a high-pitched whine when it is running, so be careful sneaking up on your fellow shoppers in the Kroger parking lot.

Inside, the changes are more obvious. Your friends who argued over who got shoved in the back seat will now have to drive themselves since the Mini E’s huge battery packs take up the rear accommodations and most of the cargo area. There’s just enough room for a bag or two of groceries but nothing else in this minimized Mini. Don’t expect to take a cross country trip unless you can pack lightly and want to stop often for charges.

Speaking of charging, the Mini E goes up to 150 miles between charges, which take about two hours to complete. A full recharge takes about 28 kilowatt hours of electricity - about 5.4 miles per kWh.

Climb aboard and the Mini E feels like any automatic-transmission Mini Cooper, aside from a charge gauge where you’d normally find the tachometer, a power gauge where you’d normally see the fuel gauge and a distinct lack of whiny rear seat passengers. Those batteries back there are quiet, free of smell and you don’t even have to worry about asking for them to pitch in gas money.

Put the gear lever in drive, let off the brake and you won’t go anywhere, although you might roll a little if you’re not on flat ground. The Mini E’s gas pedal isn’t particularly linear in its operation, which will require a little getting used to for most drivers to avoid head-snapping acceleration. Hey, at least there’s only one passenger to worry about. Let off the gas and the Mini E will slow down quickly rather than slowly coast to a stop like in a conventional car. In this mode, the electric motor acts as a generator, recovering some kinetic energy and feeding it back to the battery. Because of this, Mini recommends using the deceleration feature as a brake to come to a stop.

With upwards of 200 horsepower on tap, the Mini E moves forward rapidly enough to induce some wheelspin and torque steer and, with no rev range to worry about, more power is instantaneous from any speed.

Braking is grabby and a little nonlinear, but is still better than in some inexpensive cars and even the Toyota Prius. Again, it takes some getting used to, but by the end of our short downtown Los Angeles driving circuit, we had it down to a science.

The Mini E is one of few cars that allows you to pull up next to a Prius, like the one with the personalized “LESS OIL” license plate we saw on our test drive, and smugly look down upon the gas-guzzling heathen behind the wheel. The Mini E uses no oil other than a few drops here and there for moving parts lubrication. Take that, Prius.

With a limited range and limited cargo capacity, the Mini E is a strictly in-town commuter car, and at that it excels. Handling is mostly on par with a standard Mini, though it’s possible to get the front end a little more squirrely here than in the gas version.

The future of the Mini E is the million dollar question, though. BMW and Mini executives are tight-lipped about the project, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see the lessons learned from this trial project applied to a larger, more utilitarian vehicle in the near future.

Words by Andrew Ganz. Photos by Mark Elias and Mini.

MINI Cooper S pimped with almost 40,000 Swarovski crystals

The Mini Cooper you in the picture above is more a work of art than a car. The MINI Cooper S by designer Marco Mehn turns heads with its space-frame style , along with up to 20 hand-applied paints, three finishes and 40,000 Swarovski crystals. The gleaming MINI is an amazing combination of art and automotive enthusiasm. The car is a part of the Heim + Handwerk fair in Munich, where sparkling runabouts will be shown to the public. The MINI can sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in approximately 7.1 s and reaches a top speed of 225 km/h. Marco Mehn, on his artistic creation, said…

The purpose of my art is always, emotions and arousing the viewer to touch. The MINI gives me the opportunity to create a work that people not only with the eyes can perceive, driving for many people is emotion and pure luxury, which they feel with all your senses.

Via: OpenPR

MINI E lease price is set at $850 per month

Over 9,500 people signed up for more info on the 2009 MINI E. Only 500 MINI E’s will be making it to the United States. Each MINI E should be good for a total of 150 miles(240 kilometers on one charge before having to be recharged via a special wallbox which will need to be installed in a customers garage.


Timing for a recharge via the wallbox will ring in at 2 and half hours. Then it is time to “motor on.”

Now MINI USA has revealed that the new MINI E will be a one year lease priced at $850. No information yet who will be chosen out of all these people who showed interest.


This sounds like a lot at first considering all the other cars you could lease with the same amount. Would we lease one? Absolutely, as it is a very rare low volume car, plus you will never have to stop at your local gas station.
According to MINI, “only lockable garages or similar buildings will qualify as homebases and power stations for the new MINI E. Maintenance for the car can only be done by qualified specialists which will be revealed when a customer signs up for the car.

The MINI E will give its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 19 and 20, 2008. 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 possibility of offering the MINI E in other markets is currently being considered.

2010 Mini Crossman SUV spied

The Mini Crossman SUV is quickly approaching the final stages of its development, with our photographers snapping a rather interestingly camouflaged production version for the first time.

The paradox of a Mini SUV is aimed at launching the brand into new territory, with BMW hoping it will become a more “masculine” alternative in the hotly contested crossover market.

Since our last look at the Crossman, Mini has revealed the new model as a concept at the Paris Auto Show, which is likely to reveal subtle details which will appear in final production model.

With Mini rapidly running out of space at their current facilities, this new vehicle will also mark the first time a Mini has been assembled outside the UK, with Austrian manufacturer Magna Steyr set to take on that role.

The Mini Crossman SUV is set to be released in 2010, with reportedly no plans for a fifth model in the Mini line-up.

BMW launches Mini E electric car

BMW's Mini brand has joined the growing number of car-makers saying they will have EVs ready for private individuals to buy. BMW announced Oct 18 it will build 500 units of the Mini E model by the end of 2008, for a US pilot program.

The car will make its public debut at the Los Angeles car show next month, which -- at a guess -- means the battery powered Minis will start to hit streets in early 2009. It will be sold to both corporate customers and some private individuals in California, New York and New Jersey, BMW said.

BMW says the Mini E's lithium-ion batteries can be recharged in only two-and-a-half hours -- most EVs today take 6-8 hours -- using a special 'wallbox' outlet. The wallbox is one touch that makes the Mini E stand out from the EV crowd. Mini will install the boxes in tester's garages and they'll provide greater amperage than a standard mains socket. Hence the fast charging time.

One obvious drawback here is that the batteries are bulky, even though they’re a big improvement over earlier generations of batteries. The conventional Mini Cooper is a four-seater, but the Mini E is only a two-seater, with the rear seat taken up by batteries.

The Mini E’s electric motor generates 204 hp and BMW says the car has a range of up to 150 miles. Top speed is 95 mph, but driving that fast cuts the range.

MINI’s Tricycle

The 2008 Olympics in Beijing has magnetized thousands of tourists. Well known in China, the trishaw or tricycle, bringing tourists around the streets. But it looks like Mini was involved in this traditional Chinese transport. Obviously it is heavier than others standard trishaw, I wondered if that man give a higher charges if you seat on his leg-powered Mini.

[via BrainStorm9]

MINI John Cooper Works Viral Video No.2

After the first installment of MINI's John Cooper Works viral campaign titled, NOT EXTREME ENOUGH?, we weren't sure if we were going to follow through with installment No.2. So, we decided to present No.2 to you and let you decide if installment No.3 should be passed over.
In this installment, two Japanese tourists are visiting a zoo. Suddenly, a crazy guy jumps over a hedge into the tapir park of the zoo. He does some karate moves behind the tapir, followed by a prostate check.

Somehow, we like this second viral video, not because of the punchline (no pun intended), but instead the faux Karate moves - always good for a laugh.

But we will let you decide. Please leave a comment below and let us know if we should continue with installment #3 or not.

Source: MINI

MINI Clubman Cooper D

The desirable Cooper D is a very funky way of going green.


On the road price: £15,400
For : Superb economy, fine drive, stylish looks, extra practicality
Against : High prices, still not as practical as a supermini
Driving
The Clubman Cooper D’s driving enjoyment and performance are first rate. As with petrol versions of the sporty Clubman, it has precise steering, great body control and bags of character. The 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine is refined and never has to be pushed hard, while the ride is superb. BMW has got the balance of efficiency and pace spot-on – the Cooper D proves it’s cool to be green.


Marketplace
Whereas many manufacturers dress up eco brands with specific badges and bonnets, BMW prefers instead to spread its plant-friendly technology across its entire range. EfficientDynamics has led the way in making quick and effective reductions in emissions on many of the make’s models – and every new MINI. Features include a regenerative braking function, which uses brake energy to recharge a hi-tech battery via the alternator, which results in less engine drag. The MINI is even more economical than conventional diesel superminis – ‘green’ competition instead comes from the SEAT Ibiza ECOmotive, Polo Bluemotion and Skoda Fabia GreenLine. It is also a cool alternative to a Toyota Prius, whose 109g/km CO2 emissions figure it shares.


Owning
From the driver’s seat, it’s hard to tell you’re in the greenest MINI Clubman, as the stylish layout is carried over. The six-speed gearbox shifts just as keenly, and is not saddled with over-long ratios, which can make for frustrating twisty-road progress. EfficientDynamics does add a gearshift indicator though, while the stop-start system’s operation is indicated by a warning symbol in the rev counter. The benefit of the Clubman is that extra rear door, opening onto a roomier rear cabin, while the twin rear doors reveal a larger boot than the standard hatch, too. But this extra practicality comes at little cost. Our test model averaged 57mpg – an excellent result, and better even than the Polo Bluemotion and SEAT Ibiza ECOmotive. Retained vales are also excellent.

500 electric MINI Coopers for California

The german car maker, BMW, is planning on bulding about 500 electric versions of MINI Coopers for California. The cars will be build at MINI’s Oxford, England plant but without egines, gearboxex or fuel tanks. They will be shipped to Munich, Germany to be fitted with electric powertrains.

10 MINI Coopers will be used as show cars for advertising and the rest, 490, electric MINIs will be making their way to California for selected customers. A source from BMW said that the electric MINIs will be painted silver with a yellow roof.

This program is a part of Project I established by BMW to test and develop low-emission cars. This project will focus on dealing with strict smissions requirements and restricted access to town and cities.

Soon, BMW will announce if they are going to build electric vehicles or not later this year.

The Mini Cooper USB drive

This 1:48 scale replica Mini Cooper USB drive has a light up headlights when you shove them to you USB port. You can’t get your luggage in but you can store images, songs and videos in. No words on pricing and the capacities, it will be available in vavolo.com coming August. More pictures after the break.


[via Technabob Techeblog]

MINI John Cooper Works Viral Video

What appears to be the first video in a series, two friends plan an incredible stunt on a construction site: One of them films, the other men sneaks up to a huge compaction crane.He places a self made catapult next to the crane. The weight rushes down and the force hurls the guy high up into the sky.NOT EXTREME ENOUGH?MINI John Cooper Works

Source: BMW

Top Secret Mini Colorado Project

BMW is preparing to launch it R57 next generation MINI convertible in late 2008. But this are not the only news coming: BMW is currently looking at making the Colorado (almost surely to be tagged internally as the R58 when finalized) an all-wheel drive vehicle that sits higher and can be used for light off-roading without sacrificing much of the typical MINI performance.

MINI Colorado will be based off an SUV version of the 1-series. If BMW goes down this path, expect the Colorado/R58 to usher in a new and potentially exciting time for the brand, where more is possible than just a simple two-door hatch.

It may be manufactured at BMW’s extremely versatile plant in Spartanburg South Carolina or Magna Steyr, the Austrian company that BMW outsources X3 production to.

Aznom Mini Clubman S ‘Chateau’

Italian coachbuilder Aznom used the recent Top Marques Monaco event to unveil its new ‘Chateau’ hatch based on the new Mini Clubman S. The custom Mini will be produced in a limited run of just 12 examples and will keep the elegant wood trim and shockproof wine cellar (capable of holding six bottles) of the concept model.The interior of the Aznom Chateau features aged gaucho leather and Alcantara trim, while its exterior surfaces have been covered in a custom iridescent brown and gold paint. Wood trim has been used both on the exterior and in the cabin
Other features include 18in TSW ‘Pace’ alloy wheels wrapped in 205/40 Yokohama S-Drive rubber. As a final touch, each of the 12 cars will have their owner’s name printed on a numbered plaque.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a Mini dressed in wood trim. Back in March, Castagna revealed its own wooden Mini - aptly named the ‘Woody Wagon’ – at the Geneva Motor Show.

Mini Life Ball Special Edition

Mini revealed today the first image of the Life Ball 2008, a special edition build in cooperation with the British company Agent Provocateur, a cult lingerie company founded by Serena Rees and her husband, Vivianne Westwood’s son, Joseph Corre.
First Mini-Life Ball cooperation was made eight years ago. The mini Life Ball Special edition will be built in only one unit that will be auctioned on ebay from 5 to 15 June. The model will make its official debut on May 17 at the biggest charity event organized by Life Ball.
"I love the highly erotic yet stylish pin-up look of Agent Provocateur!", says Life Ball initiator Gery Keszler. The Agent Provocateur MINI will feature a black paint and pink ’police’ paint scheme, reflective rear window, prison bars in the side door windows, fishnet stocking roof decal and a black leather interior with ’stimulating’ details.

Soap-box MINI goes up for sale in e-bay

Now this is what I call a genuine MINI – a cardboard made 2007 Mini Cooper soap-box with the compliments of MINI itself! From what I could make out by reading the German-only press release, it seems that this one of a kind piece is auctioned on e-bay in cooperation with Autobild magazine and all funds will be given for charity. The current bid is set at 1.000 EUR or about 1.290 USD and the final bidding date is on Monday, the 27th of November.

MINI, sorry, I mean.. BMW, thought about the less fortunate too as they’ve uploaded a large pic of the car (see pic bellow) which you can print, cut, fold and glue, creating your own personal desktop soap-box MINI. Cool!

PS: Allow me a bit of nagging. We know that Mini is owned by BMW and that’s fine with us. But that doesn’t change the fact that Mini is a British company so, could someone explain to me why do all Mini press releases come out first in German and later on–or to be exact, very, very later on, in English?

MINI “El Camino” Pick-Up by Pioneer

The customized MINI Pick-Up truck you see in the picture above will make a special appearance at Pioneer’s stand at the forthcoming Paris Tuning Show on February 29. It is equipped with a series of Pioneer products including a high-end navigation system. Unfortunately, we don’t have all the details in our hands, but from what we made from the French press release, Pioneer’s MINI Pick-Up features a wide-bodykit from MS-Design, a lowered suspension kit from Spax and 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped around 215/40 tires. –More pics after the jump

MINI Trigger Special Edition – It’s Not For U.S.

Adding to an already impressive list of special edition models, MINI has launched yet another version of its successful premium hatch. Available for the time being in Italy, the MINI Trigger is distinguished on the outside by the twin white stripes running throughout the upper part of the body which is available in three color variants – black, red and blue. Moreover and apart from the Trigger badges, the special edition MINI features a chrome grille adorned by a set of additional lights, white indicators, 17-inch alloys, a roof spoiler and a chrome exhaust tailpipe. -Continued
Inside, the Trigger’s dashboard gets a brushed aluminum trim and a three-spoke leather steering wheel. Despite what its name suggests, the Trigger is powered by MINI’s entry-level 95Hp 1.4-liter engine that propels it from zero to 100 km/h or 62 mph in 10.9 sec and on to a top speed of 185 km/h or 115 mph.