MINI Named in Kelly Blue Book’s Top 10 List
MINI Release: The MINI Cooper family of products has been awarded top honors in the compact car category of the 2009 Best Resale Value Awards presented by Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com, a leading provider of new- and used-vehicle information. Additionally, the MINI Cooper has been named to the Top 10 models list, which recognizes best resale values across all vehicle segments.
These latest honors from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com mark the sixth year in a row that the MINI Cooper has won in either the compact car, hatchback or convertible categories, and also the sixth time it has earned a spot in the overall list of Top 10 models.
“Primarily, people are attracted to MINI on a very emotional level – for go-kart-like handling, iconic design and nearly endless opportunities for personalization,†said Jim McDowell, Vice President of MINI USA. “However, in these uncertain economic times it is reassuring to MINI owners to know that their cars also represent a sound financial choice, delivering fuel economy up to 37 miles per gallon and retaining value during ownership.â€
“We are excited to have the MINI Cooper models recognized by Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com again this year for leadership in resale value,†McDowell said.
Kelley Blue Book established its Best Resale Value Awards in 2003 to complement the company’s Residual Value Guide. Kelley Blue Book derives its resale value projections from current vehicle data, sales data, market conditions for each vehicle, competition within vehicle segments, expectations of the future economy and the combined experience of Kelley Blue Book’s team of market and pricing analysts. Values reflect projected wholesale pricing for clean, reconditioned vehicles at the end of a five-year lease or ownership period.
“The MINI Cooper has been nothing less than a true phenomenon since its entry into the U.S. marketplace,†said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com. “The fact that the car is again a winner in resale value just reinforces that notion, and its excellent resale value record is just one of its many strong suits. Being a blast to drive and inexpensive to own is a nice recipe for success, and that describes MINI to a T.â€
Mitsubishi Partnering with California and Oregon to Bring Electric Cars to Market
Author photo Written by Nick Chambers
Published on November 21st, 2008
7 Comments
Posted in Electric Cars (EVs)
After my test drive of the Mitsubishi i MiEV at the 2008 LA Auto Show yesterday, I walked away with the distinct feeling that Mistubishi has designed a sporty, relatively spacious, and well-thought-out winner of an electric car.
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Mitsubishi is currently testing the i MiEV in California in collaboration with Southern California Edison. Additionally, according to Mitsubishi executive, David Patterson, the company is in negotiations to partner with Oregon after Nissan announced its new electric car partnership with the state on Wednesday. I guess everybody wants to get in on the Oregon action.
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My feeling that the i MiEV — regardless of its awful name — is a winner, was heavily reinforced after comparing the it to the Mini E electric car in a different test drive later in the day. Of the two, it seems the engineers at Mitsubishi have a better grasp of what people will like in an electric car and took care to make sure consumers had the choices they’ll want..
For instance, the i MiEV has room for four adults (and some storage space in the back of the car to boot). It also has a way to switch between an economy mode, in which the driving range is extended and regenerative braking is used to it’s fullest, and a normal mode where the car behaves more like a conventional car when it comes to braking (see my post from yesterday about the Mini E to learn more about this issue).
The i MiEV has a top speed of 81 mph, making it highway legal, and can go up to 100 miles on a single charge. The car is based on Mitsubishi’s “i†gas-powered compact car already on sale in Japan. The 47 kW (63 hp) electric motor has improved handling and acceleration characteristics over the 64 hp gas engine in the “i†car, and is powered by a 330 volt lithium ion battery.
When I asked David Patterson about an expected on-sale date to the general public in the US, he said that there’ll probably be about a year and a half of testing the i MiEV in Southern California (and maybe Oregon) before they can start thinking about releasing it to the general public. So I’m guessing it’ll be at least 2010 before you’ll be able to purchase one in the US — and even then it might be restricted to certain geographic locations.
Tags: automobile, BMW, electric cars, electric vehicles, EV, i MiEV, mini, mini e, mitsubishi, transportation