May 8th, 2013
The cladding is coming off and the true shape of the 2014 MINI is starting to become more clear.
Gone is the dramatic front overhang. And in its place are new details like a “Rocketman” style front grille,
headlights and an almost bullet side profile in the front. And perhaps the best news for MINI fans? The F56 will be approximately the same size as the current MINI. While we’ve been reporting that for years now it’s nice to see some further confirmation. All this and more thanks to these new photos courtesy of Autoexpress. Check it all out after the break.
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May 4th, 2013
It’s all theoretical of course but when asked about BMW’s new 1.5L three cylinder architecture the head of BMW M was unusually candid about the possibilities. According to an interview Dr. Friedrich Nitschke gave to Car and Driver the new engine is capable of more than we initially thought. Quite a bit more. continued →
Apr 25th, 2013
For years we’ve been reporting that MINI’s line-up will expanding. And as you know it has, going from one model to seven models in as many years. But recent comments by MINIUSA head Jim McDowel and several BMW Board members have underlined the fact that more changes are foot. continued →
Mar 28th, 2013
We’ve seen glimpses of the interior before but none quite like this. Snapped by a Reddit user what we see above is a full view of the base F56 interior. When we say base we’re specifically referring to one of the two sizes of LCD screen that will likely prevalent on most MINIs sold. What we see here is the cheapest spec interior (there will be four total). The higher spec interiors will actually feature different and improved soft dash materials similar to the new 1 Series BMW.
Then there’s the odd looking bezel around the central stack. That bezel is a bit more than the simple piece of plastic it may seem. The strip around the circular portion of the centre stack is actually mood lighting which lights up and swirls around when you engage the keyless ignition (now standard).
And yes, the center speedometer is gone. Instead it’s replaced by a larger digital unit behind the wheel directly in the driver’s line of site as well as the traditional analog unit. The new tack will be a smaller, semi-circular gauge attached to the left hand side of the speedometer. It’s a more contemporary design, and frankly, a little funky. continued →
Feb 11th, 2013
Exclusive: Over the past year we’ve given you an in-depth look at the 2014 F56 MINI through a series of articles detailing the high-level technology, engineering and design behind the car. With that now behind us it’s time to start getting into the details.
What we have for you today is a detailed glimpse at a car that won’t launch in the US for another 13 months.
We’ve pieced together data from various international sources to create a detailed preview at the what options are coming on F56. continued →
Feb 9th, 2013
We’ve been getting closer and closer to all the details behind the body cladding of the 3rd generation MINI (the F56). Now we have some independent corroboration of a few key details. And the good news is that this information lines perfectly up with what we’ve heard through a couple well informed sources over the past 18 months. Let’s start with launch models and the highly anticipated engine outputs. continued →
Feb 7th, 2013
The secret has been out for years now that MINI and BMW will be introducing a new family if 1.5L three cylinder engines destined for small front wheel drive cars. But would MINI be replacing all four cylinders with equivalent 3 bangers? Our sources are now telling us that the three cylinders are just part of the story. According to people internal at MINI familiar with the matter, the next generation of Cooper S and JCW models will be powered by the entirely new 2.0L four cylinder that will be shared across all front wheel drive BMWs and MINIs. Power and MPG are expected to be up as well as potential for tuning. And while both engines represent big leaps for MINI, we believe it’s the the massively more capable 2.0L that will get enthusiasts salivating.
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