Palm Springs, CALIFORNIAHardtop, soft-top, wagon or coupe, Minis come in more flavours than ice cream. Few Minis, however, have been bonkers-fast or able to attack a race track as well as other front-wheel-drive cars like the Honda Civic Type R or Golf GTI Clubsport, to name just a few.Sure, the 2012 MINI John Cooper Works GP and the 2006 MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP kit were tantalizing and speedy cars for their time.Built in limited numbers, they were quick enough to become sought-after jewels in the Mini portfolio. But neither were able to crack the 8-minute mark at the worlds benchmark for speed the Nürburgring’s legendary Nordschleife circuit in Germany.The 2020 Mini GP, however, scraps all that and sets a new benchmark for the brand, becoming the fastest, most powerful Mini ever produced for on-road use able to run the Ring in an impressive 7:56.69. Thats BMW M2 territory. Priced at $51,990 in Canada and limited to 59 units for the Great White North, only 3,000 Mini GPs will be produced worldwide. At BMWs Performance Center West test track in California, the 2020 Mini GP starts with a low gurgle that could be louder for us juveniles. Powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder in-line turbocharged engine with 302 horsepower and 332 lb.-ft. of torque going only to the front wheels, the GP feels remarkably at home on the track. A larger-volume intake, free-flowing exhaust and a tweaked turbocharger help boost power, and an upgraded oil and cooling system help keep internals from overheating. The suspension has been reinforced for track use and rigidity.Check Out All Our Latest Auto Show CoverageMini says the new JCW GP will sprint to 100 km/h in 5.1 seconds. To be sure, the GP stays flat in the corners and brakes hard before the turns. Its more than enough car to compete with the Honda Civic Type R, yet exudes a lot more class.First seen in Frankfurt in 2017 as a concept, and then again at the 24 Hours of Nrburgring last summer in a camo-wrapped version that ran around the track as a teaser to the real thing coming this spring, the 2020 production version was revealed to us a day ahead of its world-wide reveal at the L.A. Auto Show, looking a lot like the original prototype. And what a cool-looking car it is, cutting a silhouette that looks part aircraft, part racing machine, part sea serpent. A massive carbon-fibre front apron, flared wheel arches, carbon-fibre side skirts with moulded air deflectors crowned by a prominent roof spoiler underscore the fact this is not your divorced aunts car. Black Jack Anthracite paint is complimented by Curbside Red metallic bits to accentuate the racing look.Theres a bit of boy racer here, but it still looks good while still looking like a Mini. Elliptical headlights and a hexagonal honeycomb grille sharpen its identity. The 19-inch wheels look perfect in the wheel arches.Unfortunately, there is no manual transmission, only an eight-speed automatic with manual shift mode and paddle shifters the same gearbox that resides in the Countryman and Clubman. But the transmission has been modified to meet the demands of the GP, and the mechanical limited-slip differential helps with traction.A 64-36 weight balance to the front keeps understeer to a minimum. Acceleration is strong but never overwhelming. The biggest take away is the go-cart handling that, with proper tires, makes the GP a proper track car that can still be driven to the mall on Sundays.Inside, the rear bench seat is conspicuous by its absence. Luxury touches abound in the black-and-white knitted seats. A digital instrument cluster and heads-up display makes relevant information easy to see and digest. The suspension can be adjusted with the touch of a button. Traditional MINI toggle switches with start/stop button maintain some footing in the analog world.While all Minis bring a degree of fun to driving, the GP raises the stakes with track credentials that should elevate the brand, and the car, to a status not seen since the last GP in
Origin: First Look: 2020 Mini John Cooper Works GP
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First Look: 2020 Mini Cooper S E
The 2020 Mini Cooper S EGraeme Fletcher What is it?Based on the Mini three-door hatch, the Cooper S E is a new all-electric ride that promises to put a smile on the drivers face. The electric motor twists out 181 horsepower, 200 foot-pounds of torque from rev one and drives the front wheels through a single-speed transmission.Throw in a super low centre-of-gravity and specially tuned suspension and you have the makings of a proper little racer.The combination gives the Cooper S E the wherewithal to run from rest to 60 kilometres an hour in 3.9 seconds; it hits 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds and has a top speed of 150 km/h, and this in spite of the fact it is 150 kilograms heavier than its gas-powered sibling.As with the BMW i3, the Cooper SE will offer a one-pedal drive. Where it differs is the driver can pick the regen level through a typical Mini toggle switch. Inside, the traditional dials also go away in favour of a 5.5-inch colour screen. Why does it matter?One of the keys to the Cooper S E is its next-generation lithium-ion battery it delivers a driving range of up to 270 kilometres. The same battery technology is found in the revamped Mini Cooper S E Countryman All4 plug-in hybrid. The battery size jumps from 7.7 kilowatt/hour to a 10.0-kWh unit that extends the electric-only range by 30 per cent it now rates 57 kilometres.When will Canada get it?No official word on when it comes to Canada, though Minis confirmed we are getting it and will let us know more in a few months. But production of the Cooper S E begins later this year with the first units hitting European roads early 2020. Hopefully, it will hit Canada mid-year.Should you buy it?The Mini Cooper S E electric promises to be a hoot to drive. Combine the low centre-of-gravity with the instant-on electric torque, and the SE might just deliver the ultimate go-kart-like driving
Origin: First Look: 2020 Mini Cooper S E
Mini’s first all-electric Cooper debuts, arrival date in North America uncertain
Mini took the covers off its all-electric Cooper SE early July, showing off a hatchback designed to make city driving emissions-free.Sporting classic Mini styling, you probably wouldnt notice at first glance that the Cooper SE is an all-electric vehicle.The EV makes a respectable 181 horsepower and 199 lb.-ft. of torque from its 135-kW electric motor; thats enough to dodge and weave through downtown traffic.Its also enough to get the small hatch to 96 km/h from zero in 7.3 seconds, which is about the same as a turbocharged three-cylinder Mini.The Mini is based on the older i3 platform, which BMW says fits perfectly where the engine used to be. The 32.6-kWh battery will help the SE reach a range of about 183 miles, which is slightly down on what were seeing with other brands recent EVs. The battery can be charged up to 80 per cent in 35 minutes or less when using a fast charger, and can also be charged using a standard 120-volt house outlet or Level 2 charger. Inside the cabin, the Mini is standard fare: not much has changed in here except for some colour-matched switches and lights. The large central information screen is still there, with touchscreens available in 5.5-, 6.5- and 8.8-inch sizes. Apple CarPlay and wireless charging are also available.While Mini has said we should expect the Cooper SE to show up on North American shores, it hasnt released a timeline for when thatll happen. As for the price? We arent sure yet, but we expect it to be a little more expensive than the Cooper S. Think of all the money youll save on
Origin: Mini’s first all-electric Cooper debuts, arrival date in North America uncertain
Mini teases electric Cooper SE by using it to—pull a cargo plane!?
The Cooper SE electric prototype might be Mini by nature, but it’s still got big power. Mini made a show of its new electric hatchback’s towing power, hoping to change the perception of small EVs as gutless, by using it to pull a Boeing 777F cargo plane down the runway at Frankfurt airport. The Lufthansa plane weighs approximately 136 tonnes, but the hot hatch’s instant electric torque has it rolling steadily in short order. The BMW Group put together a video of the stunt introducing the “muscle car,” showing it in a yellow-and-black camo wrap pulling the massive aircraft a short distance before being loaded into the plane’s cargo area. “Having been the epitome of thrilling mobility in the urban environment for 60 years, the MINI brand will in future combine locally emissions-free driving in city traffic with a unique emotional experience,” the brand wrote in a press release. “In this way, the MINI Electric will be a driving force for future drive technology. Helping the MINI Cooper SE perform its muscle car role, the performance characteristics of the electric motor combine spontaneous power delivery with a high level of torque available directly from standing.” It’s anticipated that Mini will borrow the BMW i3’s electric powertrain for the build. That makes 70 horsepower and 184 lb-ft. of torque in the BMW, using a 33-kWh battery with a range of around 160 km. The plane-pull stunt is the first of a series of videos amping up the car before it debuts in July, goes into production at the British plant in Oxford in November and lands in North American driveways by the end of the year.
Origin: Mini teases electric Cooper SE by using it to—pull a cargo plane!?
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