MINI2

Here’s another bit of old(ish) news for you while waiting patiently for the John Cooper Works information to be released just a smidge after midnight UK time.

Again, it’s a BMW press release, so may be a little BMW centric, but does include a lot of positive information on the BMW group’s efficient dynamics programme and the effect it is having on the group’s CO2 emission ratings.

BMW reduced actual output of CO2 emissions last year at a faster rate than other manufacturers, highlighting the practical benefit of the company’s wide reaching EfficientDynamics strategy.

According to respected UK automotive magazine Autocar, BMW performed best, reducing CO2 output in 2007 by 24,879 tonnes, closely followed by MINI which reduced CO2 output by 23,617 tonnes.

Combined, BMW and MINI cut total CO2 emissions in the UK by over 48,000 tonnes, accounting for almost 50 per cent of the total reduction by the entire industry.

The magazine calculated the reduction of CO2 emissions of each manufacturer’s models between 2006 and 2007 and then multiplied that by the number of cars sold and an average usage of 16,000km to calculate total CO2 savings.
Average CO2 emissions for BMW vehicles in the UK dropped from 190.3 g/km to 177.6 g/k whilst MINI emissions fell from 178.2 g/km to 147.3 g/km.

According to the magazine,

some makers have a real challenge to cut CO2 by as much as BMW has.

At the heart of every BMW is our commitment to extracting maximum driving pleasure from a minimum of fuel, while reducing CO2 emissions

said Tom Noble, General Manager Marketing, BMW Group Australia.

BMW’s EfficientDynamics strategy has been lauded previously for its widespread contribution to reducing emissions.

Last year BMW was honoured with the ‘Green Award’ by UK-based CAR magazine in its annual Car of the Year awards.

Beating competition from other manufacturers including those with hybrid models, BMW received top honours for its EfficientDynamics programme because its ‘green measures are simple, widespread and hugely beneficial’.

What Car? Magazine has also commended BMW’s EfficientDynamics programme. The publication’s end of year roundup entitled ‘Green Heroes’ looked at 45 ‘planet saving cars’ you can buy today. Between BMW and MINI, the firm’s products were the best buy choice for six models and a recommended choice with four more models. By comparison no other premium manufacturer came close in terms of offering a wide range of economical, low emission vehicles.

EfficientDynamics has also helped BMW win other prestigious awards.

The first ever ‘Green Steering Wheel’ award for environmental excellence in the automotive industry was presented to BMW by Bild am Sonntag, Germany’s best-selling newspaper.

Before the big John Cooper Works MINI news due in about eight and a half hours time here on MINI2, we thought we should do a quick catch up on some recent good news for MINI owners and fans living in and around England’s capitol.

Apologies for the BMW centric reporting, this is verbatim of the official press release…

BMW and MINI’s market positions as the number one premium cars within their segments in London were strengthened today with the Mayor of London’s announcement of a new charging structure for entering the capital in a car.

New legislation that comes into effect in October means drivers of vehicles emitting less than 120g/km will be Congestion Charge exempt. Drivers of cars emitting between 120g/km and 225g/km will continue to pay the standard £8 a day fee, while those driving vehicles that record more than 225g/km will pay an increased daily charge of £25.

The change in charging structure means BMW and MINI owners will be financially better off than owners of other prestige cars. All MINIs and most BMWs will remain within the £8 threshold, but there was further good news for many BMW and MINI owners. The new BMW 118d, the MINI Cooper D and the MINI Clubman D all fall into the new sub 120g/km Congestion Charge free bracket. This means that from October 2008 an owner of one of these models will save £2,040 a year driving in the capital compared to owners of non-exempt rival products.

BMW 118d three- and five-door, MINI Cooper D
and MINI Clubman D exempt from Congestion Charge:
Four of BMW Group’s most fuel efficient production cars of modern times have set a new benchmark courtesy of advanced engineering. The three- and five-door BMW 118d now record an impressive 62.8mpg on the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 119g/km - putting it into the Band B category for Vehicle Excise Duty. The BMW 118d now costs just £35 a year to tax.

The 110hp MINI Cooper D and MINI Cooper D Clubman both better these impressive figures. The MINI Cooper D is currently BMW Group’s most fuel-efficient car recording 72.4mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of just 104g/km. The MINI Cooper D Clubman nearly matches these statistics recording 68.9mpg and 109g/km. Both cars are Band B in relation to Vehicle Excise Duty tiers and cost just £35 a year to tax.

All four vehicles employ technologies such as Brake Energy Regeneration, Auto Start-Stop and Electric Power Steering under the EfficientDynamics banner to help cut fuel bills and emissions. An optimum gearshift change indicator is included to encourage economical motoring. These innovations are in addition to high-precision direct injection engines on some models that further aid engine performance.

Jim O’Donnell, Managing Director of BMW (UK) Ltd, said: “While other manufacturers might claim to be environmentally-friendly, it is BMW who has followed through on its promise to lower CO2 emissions. Instead of producing one-off models or the odd concept car BMW has introduced EfficientDynamics across almost all of its range in 2007.

“No other manufacturer comes close to BMW in terms of combining the benefits of good fuel economy and low emissions while at the same time offering improvements in output and performance. This position was backed up recently in Autocar, who stated that BMW and MINI combined cut CO2 emissions in 2007 by nearly as much as all other manufacturers combined. Quite an achievement.”

Diesel-powered BMW X5 and X6 owners celebrate
and save £4,335 a year:
The BMW X5 3.0d and 3.0sd are now the only conventionally-powered vehicles in the segment with automatic transmissions as standard with CO2 emission figures that fall below the 225g/km band for Congestion Charging. The X5 3.0d has a CO2 emission figure of 214g/km, while the sportier twin-turbo X5 3.0sd posts a 216g/km figure.

The introduction of new legislation means the owner of a new diesel-powered X5 will save £4,335 a year in Congestion Charge fees compared with rival, non-hybrid Sports Activity and Sports Utility Vehicles. The low emissions rating for the X5 3.0d and 3.0sd also qualify it for Band F instead of Band G Vehicle Excise Duty, saving owners a further £95 a year. This benefit is set to increase to £190 a year from 1 April 2008 when the VED charge for Band G cars increases. The cost savings for X5 owners are considerable as diesel-powered models account for 95 per cent of annual UK sales.

The BMW X6, the world’s first Sports Activity Coupé, is another model from the BMW line-up to slip under the 225g/km threshold for Emissions Related Congestion Charging in London. The BMW X6 xDrive30d and the X6 XDrive35d have CO2 emissions figures of 217g/km and 220g/km respectively. Despite boasting rakish looks and on-paper specification & handling akin to a sports car, BMW’s EfficientDynamics technology ensures that these exciting high-performance diesels remain in the £8-a-day charging tier.

Cleaner than a London black cab:
By comparison the latest diesel-powered BMW X5s emit less CO2 than the Mayor of London’s preferred means of transport, the black cab. While the X5 3.0d and X5 3.0sd emit 214g/km and 216g/km respectively, the very latest LTI Vehicles TX4 2.5 produces 233g/km. By contrast the biggest selling BMW X3, the 2.0d automatic, produces just 178g/km.

It’s a similar story with regard to fuel consumption. On the combined cycle the X5 3.0d achieves 34.9mpg compared to a black cab’s 32mpg. The X3 2.0d trumps this by recording 42.2mpg. The X5 covers 9% more miles per gallon and emits 8.2% less CO2 than the black cab while the X3 covers 32% more miles per gallon and emits 23.6% less CO2. The average owner of a BMW X5 will do less than 10,000 miles a year, while the average London black cab will cover considerably more.

BMW Group cuts car CO2 emissions more than any other manufacturer:
Independent research* has revealed that BMW is the manufacturer which cut its UK new car CO2 emissions the most between 2006 and 2007. Figures show that BMW and MINI together managed to slash CO2 emissions by 48,496 tonnes in a 12-month period following the widespread introduction of EfficientDynamics measures on its cars.

To calculate the figures researchers took the average CO2 of each manufacturers’ models offered between 2006 and 2007 then multiplied that number by the number of cars sold. The resulting figure was then multiplied by an average annual mileage of 10,000 miles per car to calculate the overall CO2 figures and the savings.

In stark contrast to the efforts of the BMW Group some rival manufacturers actually increased their CO2 output during the same period.
*Autocar, 6th February, 2008

Well, we said it would happen, and now it’s official:  

The new MINI Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) will be built by Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik in Graz, Austria. The vehicle concept, devised by MINI Design and BMW Group engineers, has been entrusted to Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik for series development and for later production.

The cooperation with Magna Steyr is an efficient way for BMW Group to ensure the planned profitable growth through new model launches set out in the company’s strategic alignment.

By outsourcing production of the MINI SAV, BMW Group is able to increase flexibility within its own production network. This allows the lead plant for MINI production in Oxford to fully direct its midterm capacity of 260,000 units towards meeting demand for the three core models MINI, MINI Convertible and MINI Clubman. It is this outsourcing of MINI SAV production that makes the extension of the MINI family possible. Frank-Peter Arndt, Head of Production and Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, explains the advantages:

By using Magna Steyr for production, we are able to give our own Production Network some breathing space to respond fully to market needs. This solution will also allow us to bring the MINI SAV to the market as quickly as possible.

Magna Steyr is an experienced partner of BMW Group, having already produced the highly successful BMW X3. Speaking about the new contract, Siegfried Wolf, co-CEO of Magna International, sees this as a

huge recognition of the work that Magna Steyr has achieved so far through its partnership with BMW Group. Above all, I’m delighted for our employees, as this will allow us to set another milestone in our long-running and successful cooperation with BMW Group. As we have done before, we will work on this vehicle programme with our fullest commitment to ensure that we meet BMW Group’s high expectations.

As with all partnerships, BMW Group itself will be steering all aspects concerning the brand and the concept of the MINI SAV project. Thus, the majority of the drive train development will be realised by BMW. In addition, BMW Group will design the supply contracts with the suppliers whilst Magna will be responsible for call-offs during series production. The MINI designers will ensure that the vehicle will be a true MINI.

MINI2 predicted this news in February of this year, as you will see in this article.

Official MINI Press release (slightly belated, apologies!)….. 

The 2008 MINI Clubman, an all-new addition to the MINI model line, has recently made its North American debut at the Los Angeles International Auto Show, bowing to the audience most unconventionally, with its rear-end first! With a little more room in the back and an innovative door configuration, the eagerly anticipated MINI Clubman defies convention in its concept and style. This all new addition to the MINI family will go on sale in the US February 16th, 2008 as both a Cooper and a Cooper S model. The MINI Cooper Clubman will be offerd with a MSRP of $20,600, while the MINI Cooper S Clubman will come with a MSRP of $24,100. Both prices include a $650 Destination charge.

The MINI Clubman paves the way into a totally-new market segment, offering new opportunities for the MINI brand and showcasing, yet again, MINI’s leadership in the premium small car segment. With its hallmark design elements, the MINI Clubman is clearly a MINI from every angle. Yet it is the MINI Clubman’s unique rear-end design and new proportions that distinguish it from other members of the MINI family and make it unlike anything else on the road today.

Compelling Design and Five Doors in a Brand-New Configuration.
MINI is well known for its combination of successful attributes - a truly unique design; agile driving characteristics; premium quality; a high level of safety; a wide range of customization options, and outstanding efficiency. Now the all-new MINI Clubman offers another compelling attribute - an additional 9.45 inches in body length and wheelbase extended by 3.15 inches that helps create more space in the rear legroom area. What makes the MINI Clubman truly unique is its innovative five door configuration with the conventional driver’s and front passenger’s door supplemented by an additional rear-hinged door on the right-hand side of the car and the two split-rear doors in the back.

The MINI Clubman extends an open welcome to rear-seat passengers with the “Clubdoor”, a rather ingenious door configuration on the right side of the vehicle. The Clubdoor swings open in the opposing direction relative to the main passenger door to dramatically increase the access to the rear seating area. Behind the front seats, the new MINI Clubman offers remarkable rear seating comfort and flexible use of space. Rear seat passengers now enjoy 3.15 inches more legroom compared to the MINI hardtop. Without an exterior handle, the Clubdoor is integrated unobtrusively into the body design of the MINI Clubman and for safety, can only be opened with the adjoining front door open. The MINI Clubman comes to the US in a four passenger configuration.

The split-rear doors at the back of the MINI Clubman are another unique design element of the MINI Clubman and open up to offer easy and convenient access for larger parcels and equipment such as sports gear. In addition to increased functionality, the split-rear doors represent a modern interpretation of an authentic detail seen on MINI’s classic forerunners. The rear doors are further highlighted with the C-pillars painted in a contrasting silver or black finish. Inside, the generous luggage compartment may be further extended with a flexible rear seat configuration, offering very easy and convenient loading options thanks to the two rear doors.

The MINI Clubman is the modern successor to the legendary classics Morris Mini Traveller, Austin Mini Countryman, and Mini Clubman Estate. However, the MINI Clubman retains all the functionality, handling and performance characteristics that one expects in a thoroughly modern MINI.

Enhanced Function With MINI Performance and Driving Characteristics.
MINI has developed the new MINI Clubman specifically for the active and passionate individualist wishing to consciously stand out. The MINI Clubman retains its sporting character, while offering new and flexible options in interior use and practical value. Despite its slightly longer proportions the MINI Clubman retains MINI’s typical “wheels at the four corners” stance and the car’s driving characteristics still offer the legendary go-kart feeling unique to MINI.

The MINI Clubman will be available in the U.S. with two different engines:
* Powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with twin-scroll turbocharger, direct gasoline injection and maximum output of 175 hp at an engine speed of 5,500 rpm, the MINI Cooper S Clubman offers the highest level of performance.
* The MINI Cooper Clubman, benefiting from its 1.6-liter four-cylinder developing 120 hp at 6,600 rpm and featuring fully variable valve management, offers impressive performance and economy.

More Than 40 Color Combinations for the Individualist
Motoring in a MINI is more than just getting from A to B - it is an expression of ones’ lifestyle - a genuine attitude towards life. In particular, it is the focus on the enjoyment and experience of driving combined with an appreciation of powerful, trendsetting design. The MINI Clubman offers the enthusiast even greater options in personalizing his or her style, with more than 40 combinations of the exterior paintwork alone. Add to that the full compliment of options and features and the possible combinations a MINI Clubman can be configured becomes almost limitless.

The website Clean Green Cars has published complete tables of sales-weighted CO2 performance for all manufacturers, models and segments in the UK up to September 2007.The tables reveal overall performance is improving, but slowly. The average CO2 output fell from just 0.8% from 116.1 g/km to 164 g/km in the first nine months of 2007 compared to the same period of 2006.

The best performance came from Mini which cut its average CO2 by 17.1% to 150.8g/km, partly due to the development of their highly efficient diesel engines. By 2008 Mini could have the lowest average CO2 output of any mainstream manufacturer.

Publisher Jay Nagley commented,

As CO2 performance is such and important topic it is vital to have accurate and timely information for the UK market. Clean Green Cars is the only independent body to publish this information, which is produced by correlating slaes of every single model in the UK with its official CO2 output to give a sales-weighted average.

The full tables can be found on the Clean Green Cars website.

According to insider reports, initially posted on the MINI2 forums, the second generation MINI Convertible (internal code R57) has begun its test production at BMW Group Plant Oxford in Cowley, UK.

Every new MINI goes through several stages of production and pre-production, this merely being the first stage of “in-house” production at the facility in Oxford, where full production is expected to begin next summer.  Early production cars are as much as test of the manufacturing process as of the design and build of the car itself, and is a highly sensitive and critical step on the way to full series production of the finished models.

Apparently the first new MINI Convertible to roll down the lines at the Cowley plant was a dark blue model.

Left Lane News have some good quality spy shots from KGP photography of the forthcoming MINI SAV model, codenamed Colorado.

The sequence of photos shows the jacked up and flared arched MINI Clubman drive by, revealing front, side and rear profiles.  Of most interest to MINI watchers will be the treatment at the rear and underside of the vehicle, where several factors indicate a variety of AWD system is being tested.

Read the full story, ogle the photos at Left Lane News.

MINI UK has achieved a record sales month; the highest since MINI went on sale in July 2001. 150 UK dealers sold 8,764 models in September 2007, beating the previous record set in March this year. Year-to-date figures are running higher than the previous record year of 2005, at 36,969 models, making the outlook for a new record sales year certainly look more likely than snow on Christmas day. As announced at Frankfurt Motor Show last month, global sales figures are heading for the 220,000 mark in 2007.

The record sales show the continuing success of the MINI brand and the public appreciation of the second-generation MINI hatch and MINI Convertible models. Soon to join the line-up is the new MINI Clubman: on sale from 10 November.

One of the strengths of the MINI hatch (and Clubman) models is the brand new engines which are even more fuel efficient and boast lower CO2 emissions. From August of this year, those figures became even more impressive with the addition of a number of engine revisions including Brake Energy Regeneration, Auto Start-Stop Function and Switch Point Display.

This technology has contributed to MINI being the ‘Most Improved Manufacturer’ in the table comparing sales and CO2 performance, according to data from cleangreencars.co.uk. Since 2006, MINI has reduced CO2 output per car by approximately 14 per cent. The next nearest manufacturer has improved by 8.9 per cent.

MINI’s leading emission and fuel consumption improvements are featured in the forthcoming SMMT report ‘The Evolution of the Car’, due to be published next week on 9 October. For example, from the first generation MINI Cooper in 2001 to the current model today, MINI has cut CO2 emissions by over a fifth.

MINI Canada reports best ever September, sales up 10%.

September was an excellent month of sales for MINI with the strongest ever sales. A total of 320 new vehicles were delivered to customers, an increase of 10.0% compared to September 2006.   Year-to-date, MINI sales are up 10.7% ahead of the same period last year achieving a new year-to-date record of 2,837 units.

We’ve had this book for a while and read it pretty quickly, so apologies to Rob for the late review.  This book is the latest instalment in the Mini/MINI story from Rob Golding, who has been writing about the Mini since his 1979 book entitled simply “Mini”.

In simple terms, MINI: 50 Years is one of the best Mini books we’ve ever had the pleasure to read.  It’s a fantastic mix of new and old, of story telling and fact.  Even if you’re not the most ardent of MINI anoraks you’ll find something to enjoy as Rob takes not only a technical and statistical approach to his books, but also gives a fascinating insight into the people behind the scenes, both from MINI/BMW and from the wider MINI scene worldwide.

There are possibly more complete encyclopaedia of MINI knowledge out there, and if you’re looking for advice on buying, selling, restoring or modifying your MINI then there is also probably better options, but if you want a really good yarn about the MINI (and Mini, although this book is aimed primarily at the “new MINI”) then you cant get much more complete, and more enjoyable to read and look at than Golding’s latest publication.

The book has a clever hardback design and is well illustrated with many interesting Mini and MINI photos.  Perfect for those who know little about the Mini and its history as well as those who are just hungry for MINI stories, this is book that no serious MINI fan should be without.

For those who like to buy online, here’s a link to Amazon (and Amazon UK).  So why not treat yourself (or the one you love, hey, it’s almost Christmas you know!).