MINI News

While automatic transmissions are more efficient than ever before -- and many now beat manual transmissions on gas mileage -- fans of stick-shift gearboxes are quick to point out that guiding your car into the right gear with your right hand is a sure-fire way to give you an enjoyable, efficient...

We've always liked small vans, especially those derived from wagons--as rare as wagons are these days. But it turns out that the latest small van--the 2013 MINI Clubvan--both arrived in the U.S. and departed again, pretty much before anyone noticed. We had dropped a line asking about the little...

Every once in a while, we end up driving a car that leaves us utterly confused. The 2013 MINI Cooper Paceman John Cooper Works ALL4 we drove for a day last week is one such vehicle. It's striking, but far less functional than the MINI Countryman from which it's derived. The handling is decent, but...

We're into the second day of the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, and the launches are still rolling in. MINI has launched the Paceman in L.A, and we can now bring you live images of the current range-topper, the Cooper S Paceman. Adding a turbocharger to the regular Cooper Paceman's 1.6-liter gasoline...

MINI is set to launch the 2013 Paceman crossover on its North American debut at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. Based on the same platform as the Cooper Countryman hatchback, the Paceman has been liberated of a couple of doors and granted a lower, sloping roofline. MINI has also announced a...

At last week’s Paris Auto Show, BMW unveiled the Concept Active Tourer, a compact plug-in hybrid wagon powered by a combination of battery power and a 3-cylinder gasoline engine. At the moment, BMW’s new 1.5-liter, 3-cylinder engine, designed in part for use in its upcoming i8 plug-in...

If you were to compile a list of the greatest American cars ever, it's unlikely you'd find many gas sippers near the top. But in Europe, where small cars rule and gas has long been more expensive, some of the continents most iconic cars were also fairly green in their day. That's why readers of...

The 2012 Olympic Games might be based in London this year, but the official car sponsor is distinctly German, with BMW supplying all the official games vehicles. Still, Brits can take some solace that a selection of MINIs make up part of the fleet, adding a traditional touch to the games. Forty of...

You only need to take a look at the current MINI range--with its hatchbacks, convertibles, coupes, roadsters, crossovers and more--to see that it's quite a challenge designing a range of cars based on a small, 1959 minicar. It's sure to make the job of updating the MINI quite a challenge--and one...

Earlier this month, BMW confirmed that the Mini Paceman two-door coupe concept car we saw at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show would go on sale in the U.S. early next year. But according to Automotive news (subscription required), the new car -- essentially a coupe version of the existing Mini Countryman...

When it debuted at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, the original MINI Rocketman Concept was quickly embraced for its very MINI mini-ness. It was also speculated to be on its way to production--a rumor that was quickly shot down by BMW, MINI's parent brand. But a MkII version of the concept revealed...

Small vans are big business in Europe. In cities with tight streets and for businesses with only lightweight cargo to carry, the small van is the convenient and importantly, tax-friendly answer. It's no surprise that MINI is interested in entering the market then. It's expected to do so with a...

MINI head, Dr. Kay Segler, recently told Car and Driver that diesel models for U.S. customers are a "medium term" consideration for the automaker.

I took possession of my 2009 Mini E electric car (serial number 250) on June 12, 2009. At the time, I signed up for a one year lease, which is all BMW was offering. It was made perfectly clear that after 12 months, we would have to give the car back and that there would be no exceptions. One...

Life is so unfair sometimes. Car companies have been dangling the carrot of smaller and more fuel efficient vehicles in front of us for a few years now and though we've managed to grab vehicles like the MINI, Honda Fit and Ford Fiesta (and the Chevrolet Spark is on the way), we're still denied many...

The 2012 Olympics to be held next summer in London may be the greenest yet, with spectators and many participants moving by mass transit among the various venues. Still, automotive partner BMW plans to provide up to 4,000 vehicles for use during the events. Now we learn that 200 of those will be...

When BMW launched the new MINI back in 2001, the U.S. market wondered if anyone could actually sell a car that small. The proof has been in the pudding--the new MINI sold quite well--but the company hasn't stopped there, adding models left and right. Now, leave it to the folks over at MINI Central...

The recent study of Mini E drivers may need to be taken with a few grains of salt.

BMW can’t be accused of rushing into the electric car market. After nearly two years of BMW Mini E testing and countless hours of feedback sessions from test participants, BMW is just about to start its second round of electric car testing with its 1-series based Active-E. But if you want to...

We know that the Mini lineup will expand into several sizes, Now an executive at BMW (which owns the iconic British brand) has said there may be as many as 10 different Mini models in future. The Mini lineup for 2011 already includes four models: There's the Mini Cooper three-door hatchback and...