A symbol of British ingenuity

The MINI at its heart is a lesson in British innovation. The MINI, designed by Sir Alec Issigonis for the British Motor Corporation, was the result of a car designed as an answer to the post war lack of fuel and their need for family transportation that was near enough affordable. Originally it was intended to be a practicable vehicle for city driving, specially adapted to the narrow streets of Britain. A boxy form with ample room in a small footprint, and wheels positioned out at the far corners of a car focussed on function as well as flair, the MINI represented a rare blend of British design tenets.

Staying true to its roots

And that’s why the MINI is ever so popular one of the reasons is consistency. Over the years though the MINI has continually adapted, it has always managed to stick closely to its core design principles. However modern everything has become, this still has that iconic look and flavour about it, with a real sense of identity that’s immediately recognizable. When BMW bought the MINI brand in 2000, it gave it a 21st century redo while never letting it forget its British roots. The original MINI celebrated its classic design with every new generation, with cutting edge technology all wrapped in retro into a car which looks retro and performs like a modern machine.

And as such, the MINI lineup has offered a range of other body styles in recent times, like the MINI Clubman and Countryman, so that you have more choices, but maintain the DNA.

The driving experience

One of the biggest selling points of the MINI is its well established reputation for a unique driving experience. The MINI is known for its go kart like handling and while it will never be a relaxing, sedate drive it is an incredibly responsive, nimble drive that is very rewarding on a winding road or through city streets. This is a car that’s as practical as it is fun to drive – something which will appeal to those who feel that cars should be fun to drive.

When it comes to feeling engaging and spirited, the MINI’s low centre of gravity and tight handling clearly plays into that. It’s a small car packing grunt. It’s not the biggest car in the world, but the MINI can stand toe to toe with larger cars, delivering power and control even surprise first time drivers, and the familiar fans.

A global favourite

Of course the MINI is a British icon through and through, but that’s by no means the only country where it resonates. It struck a chord with drivers in London, Paris, Leningrad, San Francisco, or Sydney and it became true international success, whether you were starting at the end of the taxi rank or the beginning. Australian, Canadian, Andorran and Ukrainian consumers also cited the MINI as their favourite car brand, according to research by car insurance experts Compare the Market. The popularity of the MINI, too, is evident from statistics: over 5 million classic MINIs have been sold worldwide between 1959 and 2000. Since BMW took over production in 2001, it has delivered more than 5 million MINIs, with 295,400 MINIs sold last year alone.

MINI’s sustainability efforts

Because of the increasing eco consciousness around the world, MINI has also aligned itself with the sustainable drive, thereby introducing fully electric MINI Electric. Now, with MINI you can reduce your carbon footprint by choosing a car with zero emission driving available as an option. Yet, MINI’s Oxford plant has 11,500 solar panels installed on it and 100% of the CO2 free, green electricity used to produce the MINI Cooper SE at the plant comes from renewable sources. All of MINI’s plants receive 100 percent of their electricity from renewable resources. As a result, MINI has become more and more attractive to those who crave classic old style with values of today.

Because the MINI is more than just a car; it’s an icon across the world and continues to well and truly steal people’s hearts. British style met with universal appeal, it’s no wonder, then, that the MINI remains a top choice in the UK, Australia, and Canada.

Some eyebrows were raised over the news about the electric Mini because the brand had previously unveiled the Cooper SE Convertible concept a couple of years ago. Having followed the development of the car for quite some time now, many enthusiasts were expecting to get a glimpse of the production version, but it seems all hope was a wipeout. Although it is unclear why the company recently canceled the electric version of Cooper Convertible, industry insiders point to attributes such as concerns over profitability and heightened Chinese competitors as potential reasons for this action.

Convertibles have long fought for a small market niche share, and this struggle seems to increase with the lineup of electrification moves. The decline in sales of gas-powered Cooper and Cooper S convertibles shows how hard Mini would have had it if it sought to sell an electric version of the Cooper Convertible; the agency revealed that in the US alone, the sales of the two fell by 89.1% in the third quarter to a mere 127 cars.

However, 2023 went a little better for the Coopers Convertible, which saw an increase in sales by 64.8% to 5,331 units, making it the top three for Mini cars. However, this is not enough to counterbalance the other problems that exist in the sector.

The delay in dropping the electric Cooper Convertible is not the only recent issue that Mini has had to deal with, as the car manufacturer has postponed the introduction of the Aceman and Cooper SE in the American market. This has been more to do with policies such as a 100% tariff on Chinese made EVs and not the demand for EVs. These delays further expanded the understanding of the challenges of manufacturing and bringing electric vehicles into the marketplace.

However, Mini will not discontinue building a new gas-powered Mini Convertible, which is expected to arrive in showrooms early next year with the manufacturer’s suggested retail price starting from $33,950. This variant comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a horsepower of 161 and torque of 184 ft/lb. This engine is combined with a seven-speed automatic transmission and enables the car to possess a 0 to 60 mph time of 7.9 seconds.

In conclusion, even though one might have thought that there would not be an electric Mini Convertible, at least for a while, Mini is quite keen on creating beautiful and exciting automobiles for its fans. Enthusiasts will have a new gas-powered convertible to enjoy, and it still could be some time before Mini revisits the electric drop-top idea. For now, the fans will only be served with the updated gas-powered model, which well deserves a place in Mini’s portfolio and serves as proof of the company’s dedication to the concept of fun behind the wheel.

The concept was unveiled at the 2011 Geneva International Motor and production was expected to begin soon. However, the plan never went through and the project was abandoned. Now, it seems we could see the Mini Rocketman come back to life thanks to Great Wall Motors and their agreement with Mini to produce cars in China.

Production prices in Mini’s conventional dwelling, the United Kingdom, are sky-high and so a Chinese plant seems an attractive investment.

The Mini Rocketman will have a single electric motor that will make 135hp. The motor will be backed by a 35-kilowatt-hour battery capable of offering above 150 miles of range. The specs are very similar to what customers get in the cutesy Honda E sold overseas.

Other than the Mini Minor, the brand is expected to make an electric powered John Cooper Works Hardtop previewed a short while ago. It is then that the entire lineup will be revealed and we will see how many of the vehicles are battery powered and how many are electric.

There will be two further entrants to the market. One of them will be an electric crossover that will resemble the Countryman and it will be released in China. The other one will be larger than the Countryman and will be for the North American market.    It is expected that by 2030, Mini’s entire offerings will be purely electric. The brand confirmed in March that it will make its last internal-combustion car in 2025 and then move-on.

Highest rated was the Mini Cooper Convertible (62%), typically driven by a mature female fan of singer Olly Murs – dubbed ‘The Mini Cougar’.

Lowest rated was the Nissan Juke (30%) – typically driven by a younger woman who cheers herself up listening to Rod Stewart on her way to Furniture Village in Inverness.

Ford Focus drivers are outed as big Take That fans. Vauxhall Insignia guys are glued to This Farming Life.

While the typical Range Rover Evoque owner turns out to be a young man who loves reality TV, shops at Cartier and lives in Newcastle – labelled ‘The Geordie Shore Cruiser’.

Some drivers have more in common than you might expect. Owners of the Nissan Juke and BMW 3-Series both like to curl up with Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.

The Mini Cougar – Mini Cooper Convertible (£8,718)

The typical Mini convertible driver is a mature woman (56-74) humming to cheeky chappy Olly Murs with the wind in her hair on the way back to her Northampton home to watch Flog It!

The Mini Cougar knows what she likes, which includes a bargain (Gumtree is one of her favourite brands), presenter Gaby Roslin, film star Kevin Costner, and her blue Mini, giving it the highest satisfaction score of all our cars (62%).

Synth-Pop Dreamer – Ford Fiesta (£7,306)

The typical Ford Fiesta driver is a middle-aged woman (39-55) who has a yen for the 80s – Erasure and Phil Collins are often heard playing in her black hatchback. She lives in the East Midlands and likes to get her thrills watching Traffic Cops or anything Adrian Chiles.

Despite giving her Fiesta our second highest positive rating (54%) – Oh L’amour! – her favourite brand is Bentley. Everyone needs goals.

The Boy Bander – Ford Focus (£8,634)

The typical Ford Focus driver is male, young and old (20-74) and seems to have been a big Take That fan back in the day – he loves banging out his Robbie Williams tunes, and Gary Barlow is one of his fave celebs.

How deep is his love? Well, he’s mostly happy with his Focus (52%), and is a bit of softie really – an animal lover, he’s often found visiting Pets at Home in Tunbridge Wells and watching David Attenborough’s Planet Earth.

The Swindon Spy – BMW 3-Series (£11,881)

A young male (21-38) sipping Evian water while drumming his fingers to Louise Redknapp on the leather trim steering wheel of his white 3-Series BMW. The Swindon Spy is an awfully big fan of Kingsman star Colin Firth, cyclist Mark Cavendish and Qatar Airways.

Endearingly, for all his jet-setting sophistication, the BMW 3-Series driver likes nothing better than to slob out to Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.
The Swindon Spy gives his BMW a 47% satisfaction rating.

The Geordie Shore Cruiser – Range Rover Evoque (£18,813)

The Evoque driver is a young man (21-38) who likes to make a statement and turn heads. He loves Cartier and JD Sports, Noel Gallagher and Kourtney Kardashian.

After a hard day’s cruising around drawing attention to himself, he likes to relax watching reality TV such as Britain’s Got Talent and I’m a Celebrity.

He lives of course in Newcastle, home to the hit partying reality TV show Geordie Shore.

He gives his black Evoque a 43% satisfaction rating. Canny decent, like!

Give it Some Welly – Vauxhall Insignia (£8,185)

The Insignia driver is a young male (21-38) who follows Chelsea Football Club and furry TV chef Anthony Worrall Thompson tops his menu of celebs. Sitting in his grey Insignia he taps his foot to Kylie Minogue and Mel B, but that foot might be in a welly as his favourite telly is This Farming Life.

Living in South Wales, he is the second unhappiest with his car (31%). Though cynics might suggest this dissatisfaction has more to do with his choice of football team.

I Don’t Wanna Talk About It – Nissan Juke (£8,700)

The Juke driver is a young female (21-38) who is a fan of actress Anne Main and supermodel Janice Dickinson.

However, she doesn’t seem to regard her model of car as super – awarding it our least favourable rating (30%). But she cheers herself up listening to Rod Stewart on her way to Furniture Village in Inverness.

If that doesn’t work, she watches Ross Kemp on Gangs.

The reason for this particular change, and only in the United States, is the slow drop in sales for Mini in favor of bigger vehicles. Having in mind the recent change in car consumer tastes, the folks over at BMW have decided to try to attract a different buyer segment altogether. With this in mind the officials at BMW believe the new electric Mini will attract those interested in fuel consumption and in a small, agile car. Whether or not this strategy will succeed is something that we will have to see.

What is certain is that BMW has already begun work on an electric version of the Mini that is to be released in 2019. BMW has also been on the look for partners that would be interested in developing the needed technology to transform the familiar mini in an efficient all-electric vehicle. So far nothing else is known about BMW’s plan regarding the electric Mini model. The concept is without a doubt bold, as it is interesting. Fans of the brand in the United States will embrace the new direction BMW is planning to take, for sure.

The idea of an electric Mini is a turning point in the brand’s developing history. Without a doubt, there will be a hefty amount of pressure on BMW regarding this bold move. So far the direction BMW is planning for Mini seems to be well thought. Only time will tell if the move was indeed a good idea in order to boost sales in the United States of America. No matter how you look at it, the perspective of an electric Mini is enticing.

Without a doubt BMW is signaling its attempt to adapt the Mini brand to the different automotive markets it is present in. While it may seem like a bold new direction, the end result might just prove successful, apart from revolutionary. Regardless of how it will turn out, we’re quite close to the release of the first all-electric Mini which will be the first step towards BMW’s goal of turning Mini in an all-electric vehicle, at least in the U.S. for now.

The latest report comes from Autocar, stating that the BMW`s main subsidiary MINI is planning the introduction of their fifth sedan in North America and China alone. Base on the Clubman, the new MINI sedan would be much larger than this one.

This means that we might be looking here at an overall of 4,300 mm, with most of the bits being taken from the Clubman, except for its own trunk. This would make room for a wide array of three- and four-cylinder turbocharged engines, also found on other MINI models.

The report comes shortly after MINI CEO Peter Schwarzenbauer hinted at the idea that a sedan might suit all the clients` needs in terms of volume and cargo capacity.

With all that, we are not sure if MINI will ever come up with the largest sedan ever built. On the other side, BMW is finishing the China-only 1-Series Sedan with front wheel configuration, the model soon getting ready to hit other markets as well, like Europe and the United States. So, we believe that MINI might do the same with its Riley Moniker. Only time will tell.

The base model starts at $24,100 and comes with 16-inch forged alloy wheels, rain-sensing wipers and a quite long list of equipment inside.

To be more precise, we talk about a 6.5-inch display part of the Connected infotainment system, Carbon Black leatherette upholstery as well as a dual-zone climate control and a multi-function steering wheel that got some leather inserts.

If the MINI Cooper Clubman is not enough for you and you also got extra $3,550, then you can buy the Cooper S Clubman which stands out thanks to the larger alloy wheels measuring 17 inches as well as new fog lights and a set of sport seats.

In terms of power, there’s a pretty standard 1.5-liter TwinPower Turbo unit with 134 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque. The 0-100 km/h sprint is possible in 8,9 seconds with a top speed limited at 204 km/h. The all-new MINI Clubman is expected to hit the showrooms early next year, namely in January.

The MINI Countryman Cooper D ALL4 Business stands out from the crowd with an exquisite black finish as well as some slight features carried out at the body, which makes it really special, the entire design being complemented by the Triangle Spoke 17-inch alloy wheels.

Inside, the cabin of the MINI Countryman Cooper D ALL4 Business is also easily distinguishable, thanks to the leather wrapping on the steering-wheel, the interior lights, automatic air conditioning, windscreen wipers, park distance control and so on.

Under the hood, the MINI Countryman Cooper D ALL4 Business will fit the 1.6-liter turbo diesel unit, with 112 horsepower and 270 Nm of torque, meaning that it will take just 11.6 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, at a topping of 180 km/h. All the power is sent to all wheels, which makes it one of the most economical cars in the UK.

This figure is obtained with a manual transmission while the automatic one is even faster at 6,1 seconds. At the exterior, the new MINI JCW benefits from LED headlamps, a new front grille as well as a Rebel Green body finish.

The sports exhaust is also visible in the back as well as the rear apron and rear spoiler.

Besides the looks, MINI offers 17-inch John Cooper Works Race Spoke alloy wheels, a high-performance Brembo brake system, an improved suspension and electromechanical power steering.

We’ve seen the concept model earlier this year at Detroit but we were really curious to see what features will be carried on the production model.

It delivers 220 horsepower and 340 Nm of torque, an improvements of 28 hp and 60 Nm of torque. The additional power was obtained by upgrading the ECU and installing a stainless steel spots exhaust and a valve exhaust system.

Moreover, there are some styling tweaks as well, with new 18-inch Schmidt Shift alloy wheels shod in 215/35 R18 tires being the most important ones.

“With this newly gained steam, the Maxi-Tuner MINI has even broken the prestigious speed limit of 250 k.p.h. sonic barrier,” says MINI.

Special H&R lowering springs bring the model closer to the ground. Maxi-Tuner’s MINI Cooper S package costs around €3,400 but you can get the parts separately if you don’t want the whole package.