MINI News

Small cars aren't always cheap; increasingly, automakers are breaking that link with well-equipped and desirable compacts and subcompacts. Nor are small cars always green, though there's often a correlation. Now Nissan has said it will bring not one but two sub-$10,000 cars to the U.S. The company...

Yesterday's Chevrolet press conference at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show was a pretty muted affair. While Chevy unveiled one concept car--the Aveo RS--the photos and details had been released several days before, so there seemed to be little real news. The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze was also there, but it...

Nothing Like a Recall For the Holidays

The MINI Moke Makes a Comeback?

We've covered the 2013 Chevrolet Spark a couple of times before, but now there's a drive report of the European version, courtesy of Motor Trend. We're not entirely sure we agree with their conclusion, though. Granted, the Spark is the smallest Chevy ever. But Motor Trend winds up its road test...

We’ve Done Small Cars, Features and Now Its Time For EVs

Being Automotive By Nature, Our Thanks Have a Motorized Bend

As European manufacturers get more serious about cutting emissions and attacking climate change, some very interesting small, fuel-efficient cars are starting to emerge. The latest news from Europe is that apparently there will be an ultra-luxury version of the Mini Cooper, to be trimmed out at the...

Well, this is encouraging. A new study of luxury car buyers commissioned by BMW finds that even luxury car buyers are beginning to reject conspicuous consumption, with more and more choosing their purchases for "social, political, or environmental reasons". BMW and Mini executives, in a...

Every Celebration Needs a Mission Control, Right?

Much of the auto world is waiting eagerly for Wednesday, November 4. That's when Chrysler will release the detailed product and business plan that Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne promises will take the company to profitability within two years. Now comes the rumor that the two companies plan to build an...

  Suzuki says that their cars are as much fun as their bikes. Now they're trying to make one model just as fuel efficient. The Japanese automaker plans to unveil a plug-in hybrid version of the Swift hatchback at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. Suzuki's subcompact already has a loyal following in...

Sure, Porsche is planning an electric vehicle, but it won't be in showrooms for years, and it probably won't ever be as charming as this 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster. If a carbon neutral vintage Porsche replica turns you on, check out this eBay listing posted by Jack Rickard. Jack is an EV...

Being a pioneer isn't easy. Just ask BMW North America CEO, Jim O'Donnell. As the German automaker continues to test 450 electric Minis (aptly called Mini Es) in New York, New Jersey and L.A., creating the charging network has proven challenging. "We are learning a heck of a lot just about the...

If the Mini Convertible Wasn’t Your Speed Maybe the Roadster Will Be

On Wednesday, August 26, 1959, a new type of small car was unveiled in Austin and Morris dealerships across Britain. Many buyers didn't know quite what to make of the Morris Mini-Minor and Austin 7even (yep, that's what they called it--for a very short while). It had seats for four, it was just 10...

Among the many vehicles shown, described, or teased at this morning's big General Motors press briefing was this unusual green concept from GM Labs, called 'Bare Necessities'. The two vehicles--a car and a truck--are meant to be maximally minimal. While the event itself focused on the next two...

Does the Clubman Have the Edge Over the Standard MINI Cooper?

This Competition Is Being Kept In the Family

We like green cars, and we define the term loosely. Sure, the 2010 Toyota Prius is green. But so's the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid pickup truck, because a full-size truck that gets 20 miles per gallon is much easier on the planet when you need a pickup truck. But try as we might, there are a...