Jan 2nd, 2012
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Something funny happened after Michael and I finished our last podcast for BimmerFile. We started talking MINIs. And as we’re prone to do, we quickly started talking about future cars and the direction of the brand. What followed was the most efficient use of ten minutes possible to MINI fans. In short we break down when you’ll see the next generation MINI, what will be under the hood, and what will happen to the rest of the MINI range through 2015. IF you’re a MINI fan, you’ll not want to miss this one.
Nov 23rd, 2011
The current 1.6L MINI engine wasn’t quite born out of the strange bed-fellow partnership that the previous power plant was. The Tritec came to MINI from of Chrysler (where it was engineered and designed in Detroit) via Brazil (where it was produced). It just so happened that it turned out to be a robust and characterful power plant that suited the R50 and R53 rather well.
In comparison the Prince family of engines has quite the pedigree. Designed and engineered by key members of the same team that had just finished work on the famed M54 inline six BMW engine, the Prince engines introduced MINI to a number of new technologies. BMW even enlisted the help of the then BMW F1 team and some of their engineers when it came to a few key components within the JCW version.
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Jul 28th, 2011
Official Release: Driving pleasure, premium quality and reliability guarantee the latest models from the BMW and MINI brands the highest acclaim in international automobile markets. That has been confirmed yet again in a recent study conducted by international market research firm J.D. Power. In its latest customer survey – the Automotive Performance and Layout Study (APEAL) – assessing satisfaction levels among North American new car buyers, the BMW 5 Series range, BMW X3, BMW Z4 and MINI Countryman emerged as winners of their respective vehicle segments. In addition, four more models from the BMW Group finished in the top three of their category. This tally means the BMW Group boasts the highest number of segment winners of all manufacturers in the latest APEAL survey.
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Jul 11th, 2011
Head of Development at BMW Klaus Draeger has cleared up some questions around the new N37 3 Cylinder engines for Autocar. Yes they are bound for the UKL platform which includes the front wheel drive 1 Series and the F56 MINI. However BMW will not be producing a variant suitable for a rear-wheel drivetrain any time soon. That even means we won’t see the N37 on the rear wheel drive 1 Series either.
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Jun 21st, 2011
It was my second stint on the track when it happened. A gentle lift of the throttle sent tail out and the JCW Coupe (with rear wing raised) gently drifted out and onto the rumbled strips on corner exit perfectly blending into the straight. It was that perfect track moment that sticks with you for days and week later. And it’s the kind of moment that defines the soul of the car like the Coupe.
More importantly it was exactly what I wanted and exactly what I expected the car to do. And no other stock MINI could have done it so easily and looked so good doing it.
Since it was shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009, the MINI Coupe has reached almost mythical status among MINI enthusiasts and fans. It was a car that looked fast at stand still in a way no MINI had previously. Its design seemed to promise what many MINI (and even a few BMW enthusiasts) seem to be in constant search for; a faster, unique and (ultimately) exciting car that delivers more of the motoring experience we’ve all grown to love. From the coupe shape to the rumored lighter body, it all served to create a mystique about a car no one had seen much less driven. And now that we’ve seen and driven it extensively on the track, I’m here to report we were all wrong.
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Jun 14th, 2011
Ever wonder if an electric car could really work in your daily driving routine? Take heart, a recently released study from UC Davis and BMW Group found that the MINI E met the daily driving needs of 90% of the trial participants. The study also found that 95% of participants drove fewer than 80 miles in a given day. In terms of commuting and even general errand running, this isn’t particularly surprising, but the results are noteworthy because of most people’s so-called “range anxiety.” Read the full summary after the jump.
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Apr 18th, 2011
Over the last one to two years a handful of automotive publications (including MotoringFile & BimmerFile) have been reporting that BMW intends to share platforms and engines going forward. And while we’ve known for some time the generalities of the plans, we’re starting to get a much a much better view of the future.
For starters BMW intends on using a common platform to underpin up to a dozen cars for both the MINI and BMW brands. UKL as it’s known internally will handle all front and all wheel drive small car needs for BMW and MINI in the years ahead. In fact there are some that believe UKL will even be used for the next generation 1 Series after the F20 – yes that means a front wheel drive 1 Series. But that’s getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s talk about BMW’s first steps with the new platform.
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Mar 22nd, 2011
Autonews.com has a few new details (more confirmations than anything) on the upcoming range of 3 cylinder engines. For some background BMW will be releasing a family of 3 Cylinders in the upcoming 1 and 3 Series along with the next generation MINI. The engine will use twin-scroll turbo technology first seen by BMW on the Prince series of MINI engines currently found in all MINI models. But the 1.5L 3 Cylinder will produce as much power with substantially more efficiency as compared to the current 1.6L four cylinder MINI engine.
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