MINI2

Exclusive: We put MINI2 members questions to the head of MINI Design

Late last year MINI extended the offer of answering a selection of questions from MINI2 members concerning the exterior design of the second generation MINI. We now have the answers to some of your questions from Gert Hildebrand, MINI Chief Designer. Obviously not all questions could be put forward, but we trust these are a fair representation of your enquiring minds!

Continue reading Gert Hildebrand – MINI Chief Designer Answers Your Questions

True to form, the new MINI is among the safest Superminis on the Market Today

Euro NCAP and MINI today revealed the second generation MINI has achieved a 5 Star Euro NCAP crash test rating for occupant protection. In addition, the MINI scored a reasonable 3 stars for child occupant protection, and 2 stars for pedestrian impact.

Very good results in head-on and side-on/pillar crash tests showed risk of injury to occupants to be minimal. The new MINI Cooper achieved 13 out of 16 points for deformation behaviour in a head-on collision, and 16 from 18 points in the side-on and pillar collision. In the offset frontal crash test, the structure of the passenger cell was maintained. 4,000 individual welding points in the body shell optimise the MINI Cooper’s structural safety. Continue reading MINI Cooper Earns 5 Star Euro NCAP Rating

Little Engine, Little Car. A Match Made in Heaven?

The MINI One first time around was an interesting little motor. Basically it was figured out very early on after it’s release to market that the 1.6 litre version of the MINI One was basically a MINI Cooper with an “un tweaked” ECU and more basic trim. Although never as popular as the Cooper, probably purely as a result of lower performance figures and the lack of the heritage appeal the Cooper badge carries, the MINI One was a popular choice. This was no doubt enhanced by the fact for a relatively small outlay you could have the engine management poked about to give performance equal to or better than the more expensive Cooper.

First time around the MINI One and MINI Cooper came first, the S we all had to wait for. For the second generation the base model is one of the last (alongside the Cooper Diesel) to come to market.

Continue reading Exclusive: MINI2 Drives the new MINI One

The MINI Tries to be Fun, Yet Frugal. Can it pull it off?

We never quite got the MINI One D. As you can see in our report from the original launch, so the idea of the historic, racing pedigree name of Cooper being placed next to the now familiar MINI “D” logo did leave us with some doubts when rumours first began of this unholy matrimony.

Turns out though we really need not have worried, at least, not that much.

The first thing that impressed us about the original MINI One D was the noise. Or rather, the lack of noise. This, however was not the case with the new Cooper D. In fact if one criticism could be leveled at the new car it’s that the refinement we found with the original, less gutsy One D doesn’t seem quite as good.

Continue reading Exclusive: MINI2 Drives the MINI Cooper Diesel

Auto Express receive confirmation from “MINI Spokeswoman” that rear passengers get road side door only for home market

It’s been one of those “known but not confirmed” items regarding the MINI Clubman (also referred to as Estate, R55, or Traveller) that models destined for all markets will only have a rear suicide door on the right hand side of the vehicle for access to the rear (both both front seats will fold forward “hatchback style” as well).

Auto Express however have had it confirmed on the record that this is indeed the case.

They also quote said spokeswoman as saying “There are valid arguments for not having the doors on either side of the car, of which cost is one”. Frankly, we’d love to know the other valid arguments that make it a good idea to only have a rear door on one side. As we’re sure would be many others from the UK, Australia, South Africa and Hong Kong (to name but a few).

Continue reading MINI Confirm Clubman Door Configuration

We broke the story eariler in the day, but here’s the official press release, and a few big pictures

Record sales in March for MINI UK

Six years after the start of series production, the one millionth MINI has rolled off the production line at Plant Oxford. This represents another milestone in the car’s history and highlights the continuing success story as rising global demand for the British-built car heads for new production and sales records.

MINI UK will see its biggest monthly sales record since the car went on sale in July 2001. Preliminary figures indicate 7,854 sales in March. The previous record month was in March 2006 with 7,687 sales. The new record signals the successful launch of the second-generation MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S in November 2006 and orders are strong for the forthcoming MINI One and MINI Cooper D (on sale from 14 April). 2007 also sees the launch of the new MINI Clubman. This will be the third model in the increasing MINI range, joining the Hatch and Convertible.

Since its launch MINI has defined a new market segment – the premium small car with a worldwide presence and a comprehensive range of customisation options. From Chile to China, MINI is enjoying growing popularity among customers across 80 markets around the world. Almost 80% of MINIs, which are all built to individual customer orders, are currently produced for export. While initial forecasts suggested a market for 100,000 units per year, sales have totalled more than double that figure reaching a record of 200,428 units in 2005.

Developments at Plant Oxford have reflected MINI’s success. In 2001 some 2,400 associates worked in single shift operations to build up to 300 cars a day. Today more than 4,700 associates work 24/7 to produce as many as 700 MINIs per day. During the same period maximum production capacity for the plant has risen from 100,000 to over 200,000 units per year, and in the medium term, annual capacity is planned to reach 240,000 units. In total BMW Group has invested £380 million into Plant Oxford since 2000 to increase production capacity and to prepare for new MINI derivatives. Continue reading The success story continues: MINI makes a million

And it hardly feels like Yesterday when number 100,000 was freshly made!

We received a tip-off at the weekend that the one millionth MINI was due to be produced on Tuesday 3rd April. Well, a MINI2 member who attended a factory tour last night was informed that the car had indeed rolled down the line on good time.

According to our sources MINI One Million will be kept by BMW/MINI heritage. It is also coloured Pepper White with a new shade of Green for its roof!

Incredible as it may seem to those who’ve been with MINI and MINI2 since the early days, it is nearly five years since MINI number 100,000 was produced (as reported on MINI2 at the time). One thing seems certain, it wont take nearly as long one million to be manufactured, with an increasing model range and insatiable appetite of the public for all things MINI.

BMW Group (USA) Reports 1st Quarter Sales Figures

MINI USA has reported March sales of 3,655 automobiles, down 5.1 percent from the 3,851 cars sold in March 2006. Year-to-date, MINI reported sales of 8,073 automobiles, 14.9 percent less than the 9,485 cars reported in the first quarter of 2006.

However, for the group as a whole, things look more positive in North America, the BMW Group (BMW and MINI brands combined) reported year-to-date sales of 75,433 vehicles, a 3.9 percent increase over the 72,588 sold in the first quarter of 2006. The BMW Group also reported an increase of 2.2 percent in March sales, for 28,980 vehicles over the 28,352 vehicles reported in March 2006.

In case anyone was wondering “Where’s the updates”, we thought we’d better you fill you in.

In January we filed what we planned to be the first of many reports on our first hand experience owning and living with the second generation MINI Cooper S. If you were watching, and waiting with baited breath for the next chapter, I’m sorry to report it wont be coming.

You can see our initial problems in the previous report, in particular the fact the car was not water tight and the steering was making a strange noise that nobody seemed able to pin-point (in addition to some iffy finishing touches). Sadly, within a very short time the problems didn’t improve, and after quite a disparaging and disheartening encounter with MINI Customer services, MINI agreed that the car was faulty from the start, and, in short, wasn’t of the quality anybody should expect from a premium brand such as BMW/MINI.

Continue reading Long Term Short Term Cooper S Report - The First 1000 Miles

MINI “to remain as British as a Full English Breakfast”, while being produced World Wide?

Following on from our story of rumors that a MINI SUV may be produced in Austria, member of the BMW board, Dr.Streichmeister, has made some strange and very interesting comments in an address to members of the press at the opening of BMW’s new production facility in India.

While the ears and eyes of the motoring media focused on the words of Dr. Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, it was comments made by Dr.Streichmeister that caught our eyes. During his speech he included MINI when speaking of the success of BMW’s international production, alongside the parent company’s other brands.

When later pushed for further explanation on this apparent slip up, Dr.Streichmeister commented “We simply see no reason why the new MINI will not be produced globally, say, within the next 10 years”. When asked if that would undermine the unique British Flavour and appeal of our favourite little car, he commented “A BMW produced in the USA is just as German to me as one produced in Germany, and a MINI Clubman made in the USA, or a 4×4 in Austria, or a Hatchback coming from this very plant (Chennai, India) will be every bit as British as one produced in Plant Oxford”. Addressing a gaggle of British Journalists, he said, bizarrely “If you’re in a hotel in Germany and order a Full English Breakfast, you don’t question that the bacon is Danish and the beans from North America, it’s still an English Breakfast, and the MINI will be a British Car, where ever it’s final assembly may be”.

As this has come to light on a Sunday nobody from BMW or MINI Press are available to comment. But you can, in the MINI2 forums.