World Premier: The Refreshed 2022 MINI Hatch & Convertible
The future of the MINI brand starts here. Today MINI has taken the wraps off of the aggressively redesign MINI hatch and convertible showing a new design direction for the brand. With a distinctive exterior design and a host of interior and technology changes, MINI is aiming to redefine the current generation ahead of the all new 2024 MINI. And as refreshes go, this is a big one. In fact it might just be MINI’s biggest since the R50/R53 LCI in late 2004.
The idea for a 2nd refresh (or LCI) started back in October of 2017. The decision had been made to delay the introduction of the fourth generation MINI due to a change in strategy and a new partner. MINI knew a fairly rigorous refresh was in order to keep the current hatch and convertible feeling fresh well past it’s original seven year model cycle. What you see here is the result of that thinking.
The substance in the current platform is pretty good and the quality is perfect. But from a design perspective we knew there would be a need for modernization inside and out.
Oliver Heilmer, Head of MINI Design
2022 MINI: Exterior Design
The visual differences are dramatic and create a more minimal yet aggressive look. The front of the car has been simplified by the reduction of the lower lights (which are now integrated into the standard LEDs) and the center crash structure has been made body colored. The “mouth” is now larger but also a bit better integrated into the shape of the car itself – especially on the Cooper S and JCW models.
One thing you’ll notice is a lack of faux vents and textures on the front. Oliver Heilmer and his team have gone to great lengths to reduce ornamentation and focus on functionally driven design inside and out. To that point they’ve eliminated the unnecessary lower lights and their bulbous enclosures and introduced inlets to create the air curtain effect around the front wheels reducing drag. On the Cooper S there’s also additional ducting for fresh air into the brakes and room for the lower mounted radiator.
2022 MINI: Interior Design
MINI hasn’t just altered the exterior design. Inside MINI has refined and simplified the overall design and interface. Much like they did on the 2004 LCI, MINI has made the interior simpler while adding functionality. Specifically MINI is offering (finally) a heated steering wheel for the first time as well as a standard lane departure warning system (both coming to the entire MINI range for 2022).
The revised infotainment system debuts in new UI complete with widgets that allow for quicker views into navigation, audio and the like. The system promises to be better integrated with MINI’s drive modes with functionality launching as you go into Eco and Sport modes.
There are several new colors that will be introduced along side the LCI; Rooftop Grey, Island blue and Zesty Yellow (exclusive on the convertible for the first year). Perhaps the most interesting new color is actually a series of colors. The multi-tone top is a wet on wet paint job that is the first of its kind in the industry. It’s the result of MINI trying to further differentiate as other automakers have begun offering their own MINI-like contrast roof options. The first iteration is a is a mix of two blues and a black. However MINI has given us indications that, if the option is popular, other combinations will follow.
2022 MINI: Frequency Selective Damping
There’s really only one material change and it has nothing to do with the engine, transmission or even battery in the Cooper SE. All small MINIs now features frequency-selective damping as part of the optional adaptive chassis.
It achieves an optimized balance between sportiness and ride comfort through the use of continuous frequency-selective damping. An additional valve acting on the traction side takes over the task of smoothing out sudden pressure peaks within the damper. Making this possible is the speed of the adjustment – within 50 to 100 milliseconds.
Depending on the driving situation and road conditions, the damping forces
can be reduced by up to 50 percent. This is intended to significantly increase ride comfort and handling composure over rough roads. The result should be that sport mode should be less punishing on rough roads while still delivering the aggressive feel of the current system. The new damper technology is available for all model variants except the MINI One First, the MINI One and the MINI Cooper SE.
2022 MINI: Pricing
In a surprising move MINI USA has held the line on most pricing for the range. Despite the new standard equipment upgrades, including the addition of LED Headlights, a new Digital Instrument Cluster, Lane Departure Warning and all the aesthetic updates, the MY 2022 MINI Hardtops and Convertibles will see only a $500 increase across most trim levels. At the same time, several highly popular trim levels will see no price increase from MY 2021 to MY 2022, including the Signature and Iconic trims on the MINI Cooper S Hardtop and MINI Cooper S Convertible, the Iconic trim on the MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop and MINI John Cooper Works Convertible. The Signature trim for both the MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop and the MINI John Cooper Works Convertible received a larger increase due to the addition of optional equipment to those trim levels.
For the third straight year, the MINI Cooper SE will not see a price increase and will remain at a with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $29,900 plus an additional $850 Destination & Handling fee. The 2022 MINI begins production in March of this year with US deliveries likely happening in late Spring.
The 2022 MINI refresh is the largest we’ve seen in almost two decades. From the design to the functionality, MINI has taken the an already good product and further modernized it. While the more aggressive design might irk some of the MINI faithful, the more we look at it, the more we love the new direction.
We’ll have much more on the new LCI including a interview with Head of MINI Design Oliver Heilmer, video walkthroughs and quick guide to all those changes. Until then see the full gallery and read the full press release compete with US market pricing below.
Official 2022 MINI Photo Gallery
OFFICIAL RELEASE
MINI USA today unveiled the new MY 2022 MINI Hardtops and MINI Convertibles. The modern interpretation of the brand’s most iconic models, the new MINI Hardtops and Convertibles receive significant updates to the exterior, interior and infotainment and driving safety features while remaining authentic to the elements of the MINI DNA, including fun to drive, expressive design and personalization.These new Hardtop and Convertible models will start production in March 2021 and will include the MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper SE and John Cooper Works), the MINI Hardtop 4 Door (Cooper and Cooper S) and the MINI Convertible (Cooper, Cooper S and John Cooper Works) variants.
Exterior Design Highlights.
The new MINI Hardtops and Convertibles come with an array of brand-new exterior content that will excite both loyal MINI enthusiasts and new customers interested in getting behind the wheel of the definitive, premium small car in the U.S.At the front end, the new MINI Hardtops and Convertibles feature the integration of air curtains on the front bumper and removal of the fog lights to further enhance the clarity of the front end and provide improved aerodynamics. The front end now also features a new single unbroken hexagon front grille that extends low to the road with the safety bar now hidden underneath a body color panel, further accentuating the look of the iconic and recognizable face of the MINI. To meet the need for increased air cooling, the Cooper S and John Cooper Works variants also include a pair of air intakes with high-gloss black surrounds to the left and right of the central intake.
The new rear bumpers also feature visual changes that give the MINI a widened geometry to emphasize a wider stance and sportiness. The rear apron also picks up the hexagonal graphic from the front end, while the iconic twin-tailpipe exhaust system is framed to sophisticated effect in one sweeping movement by body-colored surfaces. The MINI John Cooper Works also now features an eye-catching diffuser to provide the tail of the car with dynamic racing intent.
The MINI Hardtops and Convertibles also feature new side scuttle designs and wheel arch trims also help emphasis the sportiness of the vehicle. The existing wheel portfolio is also enriched to include new 17” and 18” wheels, including the new 18” Circuit Spoke 2-tone and the new 18” Pulse Spoke 2-tone.
In addition to three new exterior colors, including Island Blue, Rooftop Grey and Zesty Yellow, the new MINI Hardtops are available with a Multitone Roof, a color gradient of Soul Blue, Pearly Aqua, and Jet Black in combination with black mirror caps. This is a unique feature in the automotive industry thanks to a new, innovative painting technology at Plant Oxford.
The new MINI Hardtops and Convertibles also come standard with LED headlights with a high global back inner housing. Along the side, the new models have a modernized side scuttle design including LED indicators and model specific inserts. Standard LED Headlights are coupled together with our unique Union Jack LED Taillights, which will also be included in every new MINI Hardtop and Convertible. For those seeking even more personalization and style, the optional Piano Black Exterior is now available on door handles, fuel lid (Cooper S/JCW), exhaust end pipes (Cooper/Cooper S), MINI Logos and model badges (Cooper/Cooper S/Cooper SE) in black.
The new MINI Hardtops and Convertibles also come standard with LED headlights with a high global back inner housing. Along the side, the new models have a modernized side scuttle design including LED indicators and model specific inserts. Standard LED Headlights are coupled together with our unique Union Jack LED Taillights, which will also be included in every new MINI Hardtop and Convertible. For those seeking even more personalization and style, the optional Piano Black Exterior is now available on door handles, fuel lid (Cooper S/JCW), exhaust end pipes (Cooper/Cooper S), MINI Logos and model badges (Cooper/Cooper S/Cooper SE) in black.
Interior Design Highlights.
The new MINI Hardtops and Convertibles also include a variety of new features and content in the interior, with a strong focus on Infotainment & Digitalization.
When hopping into the cockpit, the driver and passenger will no doubt notice the 8.8“- screen embedded in the center instrument design, which is now standard on all models. It is combined with the all-new user experience with a completely modernized look & feel, configurable live widgets and two available color schemes (Lounge & Sport). New for the updated models, Sirius Satellite Radio is now also standard on all MINIs across the range as of Model Year 22. The new and contemporary interior atmosphere is rounded off by the new MINI Ambient Light with 6 different colors always matching perfectly to the selected mode.
In the cooler climates, the driver will also quickly notice the heated steering wheel that guarantees warm hands and comfort for maximum driving experience, even on the coldest days. The newly designed steering wheel also comes with horizontal spokes, buttons integrated in even surface with Piano Black finish, as well as a new design for the lower spoke in both steering wheel variants & sport steering wheel in leather is standard.
The new MINI Hardtops and Convertibles will now also feature increased safety with our Driving Assistant available as standard on all U.S. bound MINIs, with the inclusion of Lane Departure Warning which can actively alert the driver through steering wheel vibration. Drivers can also enjoy the comfort of our extended Active Cruise Control, which is now able to break down to 0 mph (only with automatic and dual clutch transmission).
The New MINI Cooper SE.
The new enhancements made to the MINI Hardtops certainly does not exclude the MINI Cooper SE. The fully electric variant of the MINI Hardtop will get the same exterior updates to the front and rear bumpers, side scuttles and front grille, along with the Piano Black Exterior contents mentioned above and the Multitone roof. The MINI Cooper SE creates its own identity with its yellow-accented ‘S’ and closed-off radiator grille. Additional wheels will be available for the MINI Cooper SE as of March 2021, including 16” Victory Spoke black, 17” Tentacle Spoke black and 17” Scissor Spoke 2-tone.
The MINI Cooper SE will also receive most of the interior updates as well, including the new steering wheel design, new center instrument design with 8.8” screen, heated steering wheel, lane departure warning, and Sirius Satellite Radio as standard.
MINI Electric Collection 2021.
With the MINI Electric Collection 2021 we will be introducing a unique and progressive limited edition for the MINI Cooper SE. Carefully selected adaptations on interior and exterior underline the Collection’s individual character and uniqueness.
That front end makes me want a 2021.
I’m actually really liking the changes.
Super digging this!
I absolutely hate the huge, piano-black mouth. wtaf.
Really ugly grill, with the black plastic coming around the sides where it didn’t before. Looks like a weird, open-mouthed fish. Do these designers EVER ask potential buyers what they like/think is attractive? Apparently not. I’m in an online Mini group where UNIVERSALLY every single member who saw this dislikes it. SMH
IMO, the Cooper S is an improvement vs the lower front jutting out on the earlier F56 Cooper S (which I own), but the new Cooper design is a downgrade from the very classic-looking F56 Cooper design.
I don’t disagree. Waiting to see more of the Cooper but the Cooper S and JCW are clear winners here.
<blockquote>MINI Design Team has worked hard to create a greater distinction between the normal line-up and the hottest MINIs.</blockquote>
That’s the good part of this update, for sure.
I haven’t decided if it’s maybe a bit too aggressive for a MINI… need to see it more… but it’s good for it to be differentiated from the Cooper S, and I think it’s an improvement over the old look.
As with most MINIs, how it looks it going to depend greatly on the spec.
The Rooftop Grey Cooper S just has way too much going on with the black stripes on top of the black trim and then the alternating black/machined wheels. It’s visual overload.
The Zesty Yellow convertible looks much cleaner, partly because of the lack of stripes, and partly because you can’t see the crazy wheels, but I think it give a good indication that the right spec won’t look as busy as the Rooftop Grey car.
I will say that “piano black” at the lowest point of the front of the car seems like it’s going to be tough to keep looking good. Hopefully they made that lower surround section easy to replace.
Blurb says the redesign was delayed due to “change in strategy and a new partner.” What’s the new strategy and who’s the new partner? BTW, the new MCS looks great with the single exception of the two-tone “Pulse Spoke” wheels…dreadful.
This is old but it gives you the background: <a href="https://www.motoringfile.com/2019/11/29/electric-mini-china/">It’s Official: BMW To Build The Future Electric MINI Range In China</a>
It’s terrible !!
Wow, MINI has a perfect track record for making every new release uglier than the last.
The JCW looks good the others I’m reserving judgement till I see one in person.
I like everything Oliver says, but then I look at that grotesque front end and think: really? (I read someone elsewhere compare it to a boxer with a mouthpiece shoved in his piehole and that about sums it up).
Look at the beautiful front end of the roadster in the photo accompanying this article and compare it to this new MINI and tell me it’s an improvement…. yikes
(If I buy one of these I guess it will be in the darkest color they offer so as to hide that snout).
No question: that snout needs hiding. It is grotesque.
Sadly there’s nothing that can be done in this generation due to the structural hard points of the F56 and how it is designed to handle pedestrian safety regulations.
I hope has the Apple Car key like other BMW. I not sold on the look of the front in all colours seem to work best for light shades. It did need a fresh
Don’t love it, don’t hate it. The battle with the front overhang can’t be won with this design update. Overall this design definitely favors the darker colors with less contrast between the “mustache” and the body color. I like the blue SE the best because of the lack of air scoops in the front.
I am hoping that the upcoming electric gen car will give the designers the opportunity to again lower the bonnet (R50/53) without running afoul of the pedestrian impact rules.
That’s my hope/expectation. Also for me the digital cluster is fantastic on my daily in that it simply is conveying more information in a better way. But it’s all let down by the non-glare screen coating unfortunately.
Who else welds in designer sweaters? ?
No big loss there, IMO. The Leatherette is a better material than leather for most use cases, anyway. Alcantara for performance applications, too.
The renderings are obviously pure fantasy with huge wheels, rubber band tires and no wheel gap. I do wish the plastic wheel arches would actual curve out to give the car a more muscular vibe. The F56 version is just flat trim with a bit of a lip.
Thanks for sharing the sketches. Very cool!
Is it just me or does it look like a bad day in the paint shop. ?
It looks good in the overhead photo of the blue car, but that’s probably because they have carefully lit the car so that the light on the hood echoes the mixed tones of the roof.
In the other shots it reminds me of airbrush painting, which is inherently cheesy (imo). I’ve seen cars with ugly custom paint jobs like that around Los Angeles, so rather than maybe a bad day at the paint shop, it looks like aftermarket bad taste to me. I think it’d work a lot better if the effect was much more subtle, like 1/3 of the difference in tone from front to back.
Does “Soul Blue” = “BMW San Marino Blue”?
Some articles claimed it was “San Marino Blue -> Pearly Aqua -> Jet Black”.
I have both an ’04S and a GP1. I really miss the ’04’s lower lighting and seeing the edges of a narrow and unlit road at night when driving the GP. I do hope these are not lost on the new refresh as mine get a LOT of use on my ’04.
Not these wheels ?
<a href="https://www.motoringfile.com/171-paddy_hopkirk_r56_special_edition/" rel="ugc">https://www.motoringfile.com/171-paddy_hopkirk_r56_special_edition/</a>
Why would they upgrade the wheels? This “Special Edition” is a sticker pack.
Those are from the JCW version in Europe.
Thank you 🙂
Could we have a link… can’t find it searching for Motoringfile in Overcast (which uses the Apple Podcast database I think)
Apple has yet to formally approve the new podcast (it takes a week or two) so there’s nothing official to link to yet. Watch this space.
Cheers Gabe ??
Podcast player updated with subscription link to show!
Great, looking forward to hearing this conversation and subscribing to this podcast.
Is White Roof Radio officially dead then? Looking forward to listening and subscribing once it shows up on Apple Podcasts. I miss White Roof.
Absolutely not! WRR is officially on a hiatus and I miss it too. We all talk daily and in fact almost pulled the trigger on a last second show a couple of days ago. Think of MMP (see what I did there) as a solo artist releasing their own albums now and again.
You can subscribe in the player above or here: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motoringfiles-mini-podcast/id1553819907" rel="nofollow ugc">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motoringfiles-mini-podcast/id1553819907</a>
Excellent!
Would have loved to see the 128ti powertrain in this one, as I think it’d be more competitive in the segment. However, I am guessing more people would be upset by the loss of the manual than would be made happy by the extra HP… Ultimately I chose more power and have had my GP3 since August.
MINI has just launched a new, model-specific tire/wheel package for its flagship COOPER JCW GP 3 model, that will allow owners to experience the performance of the wild-looking JCW GP “even on snowy tracks”.
The package includes a set of Hankook 195/45 high-performance winter tires that are specially developed for the JCW GP and are mounted on model-specific 18-inch light-alloy wheels. MINI GPs normally come with 225/35 summer tires on wider 18-inch alloy wheels.
<a href="https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/749b24d71f426f17f6ef919887e74a2feaee88988190f6b474c8dcf0368bec29.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc">https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/749b24d71f426f17f6ef919887e74a2feaee88988190f6b474c8dcf0368bec29.jpg</a>
I used to run summer performance and winter tires for the three MINI’s I’ve owned, but the year I changed tires back and forth 3 or 4 times one fall (as the Blizzak winter tires were supposed to not be run over 45 degrees) cured me of that. Since I don’t really “need” the full performance aspects of the summer tires, I switched over to the Sport Pilot All -Season until it gets full on snow season (after Thanksgiving in
Duluth) so I have SOME ability to get around with light snow or cold temps on my JCW Coupe. My wife’s Clubman runs the Pirelli All Season year round as we head to SC in winter now. <a href="https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3472b74aadb9adf1e94c94c87adc5d9d43b1eec65709810964c132edab7e3794.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc">https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3472b74aadb9adf1e94c94c87adc5d9d43b1eec65709810964c132edab7e3794.jpg</a>
Hmmmm it’s late in the season for this. I’ve been unable to get a replacement winter tire right around this time of year. That said, would these fit an F54 JCW? There’s always next winter.
“.., would these fit an F54 JCW?”
Seemingly not. According to MINI, the package of 195/45 high-performance winter tires and 18-inch light-alloy narrower wheels have been specially developed for the JCW GP 3.
They likely would given that the brakes They would need to clear on both are identical.
The wheels might well fit, but according to MINI the package is “JCW GP 3 specific” and tailored specially for its front-wheel-drive dynamics.
Somewhat of a tangent but does anyone recall what color roofs were allowed on R52 cabrios (besides black)? I know green was an option and I’m curious what else could be out there.
Would prefer an affordable electric conversion for my R52. Don’t need super long range, just enough to zip around town and have a good time.
I am so glad their paint guy kicked his depression and included some bright colors once again!
Yawn. Next will be an article about synthetic manual-transmission.
Can you imagine Tesla announcing it wants to offer an synthetic-ICE option or add manual transmission to make driving more engaging?
I keep checking this site periodically searching for a ray of hope. But at this point, am doubtful that this brand will exist in 2030.
I’d be curious to know what brands you think will exist? Some alternative fuel will need to exist for ICE powered cars to continue even as pleasure devices. Horses had other uses and their fuel was prevalent in nature, cars won’t have that going for them. I hope to be able to drive my R53 for years, but I agree that the pathway for that seems unlikely.
Is it just me, or has as anyone else noticed that the refreshed LCI MINI now has an octagonal shaped grille surround? Not the chromed insert as shown on the MINI Cooper, which is six sided, but the larger gloss black grille surround, which is quite clearly eight sided.
Nice!
As a matter of interest, Automotive News Europe is reporting that according to unnamed sources, MINI is intensifying its transition to battery-powered cars. One of them even said that the last combustion-engine-powered MINI will come out in 2025, while the British automaker expects half of its sales to be electric by 2027. Come 2030, the BMW-owned company will exclusively produce battery-electric vehicles.
One of Automotive News Europe informants added that BMW CEO Oliver Zipse will be announcing the plan on March 17, along with the company’s annual report.
<a href="https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/bmws-mini-brand-will-go-all-electric-2030-report-says" rel="nofollow ugc">https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/bmws-mini-brand-will-go-all-electric-2030-report-says</a>
Currently, the MINI Electric has a range of around 100 miles. According to MINI’s boss Bernd Körber, however, the next generation MINI Electric launching in 2023, will have a range of “250 miles plus”.
250 miles is plenty for the vast majority of use cases, IMO, if it also has ~150kW charging. That’s the downfall of the Bolt, IMO. Range is long enough. 55kW charging is trash for trips, though.
Honestly, 250 miles almost sounds like too much. I hope it doesn’t weigh 3500lb or something to get there.
I’d love a ~200-mile MINI w/ 100kW charging that’s <3000lb.
FYI the 250 mentioned is in relation to the WTLP standards which is far more strict compared to what the EPA has. The EPA range will surely be less.
Ah, yep, total brain fart on that. Thanks.
Hope they can keep the weight down and the charge rate up if they’re trying to switch completely over to EVs.
Thanks for that. If I remember correctly, Bernd Körber was referring to the next generation of batteries that will not only be more powerful, but will be lighter and much faster to charge, and should be ready in time for the 2023 MINI Electric being co-developed with Great Wall Motor in China. Sounds promising.
Range estimates from Germany are likely WLTP, not EPA … 250 miles WLTP is probably around 200 miles EPA.
edit: LOL, yeah, what Gabe said while I was typing. =)
Reporting on its 2021 Annual Conference held on March 17, BMW confirmed that :
“By the early 2030s, the entire MINI range will be fully electric”
This differs in a subtle but important way, from what Automotive News Europe reported in its earlier scoop that :
“The MINI brand will go all-electric by 2030”
<a href="https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/40bb492efe2b5ef5204d4fdc88057d928573883cc12c04252a6718e019de640f.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc">https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/40bb492efe2b5ef5204d4fdc88057d928573883cc12c04252a6718e019de640f.jpg</a>
Hmm… it’s a little unclear to me whether there will be any 4th gen all-Electric Hardtops built in Oxford.
When it says:
<blockquote>MINI BEVs will also be produced in China… from 2023 onwards</blockquote>
Does the “also” mean:
In addition to the BEV Countryman, there will also be a Hardtop BEV which will be built exclusively in China.
OR
In addition to Oxford production of the Cooper SE, there will also be Chinese production of the Cooper SE starting in 2023.
I agree that the report appears to leave the future of MINI Plant Oxford up in the air.
The R60 Countryman was always built under contract by Magna Steyr in Austria, and the F60 has always been built under contract by VDL NEDCAR in the Netherlands, together with the F57 Convertible. BMW has decided not to renew that contract when production of the F60 ceases, and to build the all-new G60 Countryman in-house in Leipzig Germany, and the G55 5-dr Crossover (effectively the replacement for the F55) on the same production line that currently builds the i3.
Neither the F54 Clubman or F57 Convertible is being replaced, so that leaves only the all-electric G56 3-dr Hatch to, hopefully, be built in Plant Oxford, in addition to the Great Wall Motor Plant in China.
Good clarification.
I hope they still build some G56 BEVs in Oxford. I mean, if Oxford is just building gas hardtops, then by 2030, there won’t be anything left for them to make unless they build BEVs there. Also, with the F55 getting replaced by the G55 and built elsewhere, they’re probably going to have excess capacity way before 2030. Hopefully they fill it with G56 BEVs.
There is some reassurance to be found in the statement by Dr Nicolas Peter, Head of Finance at BMW :
“MINI Plant Oxford will remain the heart and home of MINI manufacturing, while the Spotlight Automotive joint venture will provide additional capacity and flexibility”.
“More urban areas” wouldn’t actually include cities where Minis live on streets, in public garages, or in tight shared driveways where there’s little near-term hope of installing charging infrastructure. So if your idea of an “urban area” is Phoenix, sure, but if it’s Philly or Boston, where Minis are thicker on the ground, think again. Politicians’ and car companies’ visions are racing far ahead of the actual infrastructure. 2027 isn’t very far away. This is reminiscent of California’s ZEV mandate of 1990. Politicians assured us then that the technology was advancing rapidly and we’d be all-electric by now. Except we aren’t. Not close. The relevant infrastructure is still a twinkle in someone’s eye (few solid plans, much less permits) there are serious questions about the grid supporting it once we actually get serious about building it, and if we’re lucky, the 2023 launch version of the Mini might, might just barely be capable of a white-knuckle run from the Boston suburbs to Grandma’s place on Long Island on a cold, range-sapping Christmas eve if the traffic in Fairfield County isn’t too bad. Assuming a full charge to start, of course, and that Grandma thoughtfully installed a charger that her 12-year-old Accord doesn’t need. Weekend trips haven’t required that much planning since, oh, 1952. Not every vehicle can be a “cool toy” third car sitting next to a Range Rover and an E-Class in a heated Bethesda garage. Reality check coming soon.
BMW wouldn’t consider Phoenix or similar urban but instead Chicago, Boston or NYC as you mentioned. The charging issues (to your point) are real given how many times you’re parking on the street or in shared space. It all comes down to infrastructure.
<blockquote>So if your idea of an “urban area” is Phoenix, sure, but if it’s Philly or Boston, where Minis are thicker on the ground, think again.</blockquote>
With 200+ miles of range, if you live in the city, you’re probably not driving much, so a 15 minute recharge will get you 100 miles of range once a week or so and that will probably cover it.
There are issues to work through, for sure, but not everyone necessarily needs 240V home charging. Occasional DC Fast Charging or 240V while grocery shopping or similar could cover many people who don’t have home charging.
<blockquote>if we’re lucky, the 2023 launch version of the Mini might, might just barely be capable of a white-knuckle run from the Boston suburbs to Grandma’s place on Long Island on a cold, range-sapping Christmas eve if the traffic in Fairfield County isn’t too bad. Assuming a full charge to start, of course, and that Grandma thoughtfully installed a charger that her 12-year-old Accord doesn’t need. Weekend trips haven’t required that much planning since, oh, 1952.</blockquote>
That trip really isn’t a huge deal, even if Grandma doesn’t have a charging station or even an outlet you can use.
Using the Audi E-tron as a stand-in for the 2023 MINI (~200 miles of range and 150kW charging), you’d have to stop to charge for 24 mins on the way (on a 4-hour drive) and 20 mins on the way back.
Lots of people would make a stop each way, anyway, and they’re going to have to make a gas stop anyway. So, what’s this adding, really? 30 minutes to the trip, if that? It’s really not a big deal. Doesn’t mean everyone will agree, like the people who ‘need’ a 3-row crossover because they have a single kid, now, but it’s not actually a big deal.
I like to take MINI road trips. Until the range, availability of charging stations and time to “fill up” becomes comparable to what we have now with gasoline, I will not have an electric car. I live where at home charging is not possible.
Imagine some future MINI Takes the States with mostly electric MINIs and several hundred MINIs all in one place needing to charge up overnight to be ready for the next leg of the trip.
<blockquote>I like to take MINI road trips. Until the range, availability of charging stations and time to “fill up” becomes comparable to what we have now with gasoline, I will not have an electric car.</blockquote>
MINIs will be able to within a few years. Taycan/eTron/Tesla already add very little time to trips in the ~500 mile/day range.
<blockquote>Imagine some future MINI Takes the States with mostly electric MINIs and several hundred MINIs all in one place needing to charge up overnight to be ready for the next leg of the trip.</blockquote>
Yeah, when there are a few electric MINIs, it might be OK, but when there are 50, if they’re all trying to charge at the same location, that could be such an outlier that there’s an issue. Really depends on how quickly the cars can charge, what chargers are on the way and at the destination, total distance covered per day, etc.
I think we are forgetting how Americans buy cars. Something suitable for “the majority of use cases” is a third car. It goes in the garage spot formerly occupied by the Harley or the ’68 MGB we messed with on weekends. The SUV analogy is being spun the wrong way around. If Americans cared about “the majority of use cases,” large SUVs would constitute a tiny fraction of the market, 4WD/AWD would be limited to ski resorts and the forest service, and Miatas (fun, inexpensive, frugal, fine for commuting) would be everywhere. We buy for the 99.9% use case. If we’re shelling out >$30K for a car, we’re not going to stand in line with the hordes at Alamo on Thanksgiving week even if that use case is only once a year. Even many second cars are bought to the 95% use case. Why? Well, maybe we sometimes drive separately to the summer place, maybe we alternate picking up the kids, maybe we’re not sure where we’ll park when we move in 18 months, maybe we intend to pass it on to Johnny once he graduates. Maybe we just don’t want to be stuck with the minivan for every long trip. Who knows, but look in driveways. Look at non-Tesla EV sales (and look at who is buying Teslas and what else they own). How long will I have to wait for that “24 minute quick charge” on I-95 if even 10% of the vehicles need it? Will I have 1000 potential stop points, or just three? On the return from Grandma’s, I’ll need to make two stops, turning the 4 hour trip into 5 hours. Back to the ’50s. I don’t want to be Debbie Downer, guys, but the infrastructure challenge is MASSIVE, and a sub-300 mile range is still a problem. Joe Schmo doesn’t want his next dishwasher or fridge to be “a little less convenient,” and we’re kidding ourselves if we think cars are different.
Completely agree.
This seems like a response to my previous posts since you quote me multiple times, so I guess I’ll respond.
<blockquote>I think we are forgetting how Americans buy cars. Something suitable for “the majority of use cases” is a third car. It goes in the garage spot formerly occupied by the Harley or the ’68 MGB we messed with on weekends.</blockquote>
I’m not forgetting that. I literally mentioned it in my post that people make illogical decisions about buying giant SUVs just in case sometime in the future their baby will have friends and they might need to transport all of them at once AND they might all be on a hockey team AND going out on the boat after the game.
Further, I made a similar decision recently. I like EVs, but I wanted to be able to do MOTD and MTTS, so I illogically bought a slower, more expensive to buy/maintain/fuel MINI Cooper S instead of a Cooper SE.
That being said, there’s a world of difference between a 110-mile 50kW EV and a 200-mile 100kW+ EV. They’re barely comparable, in reality. One is a second car. One is a legitimate primary vehicle. One would add hours to the trip. One would add just 30 mins or less to an 8-hour trip.
I’m not saying people will be happy about adding 30 minutes or less to an 8 hour drive, but I’m simply clarifying the common implication that it’s some super difficult, arduous task to piddle along in an EV adding hours and hours to one’s trip. It’s often not, at least not in an EV with 200+ miles of range and 100kW+ charging.
Many people very well may STILL not want to mess with it, as I already admitted, but the planning and stops and delays for trips of that length are often exaggerated, so it’s better that people are working from accurate depiction of the situation so they can make a better decision. Again, they may still chose gas, but they should have the real data to start with.
<blockquote>The SUV analogy is being spun the wrong way around. If Americans cared about “the majority of use cases,” large SUVs would constitute a tiny fraction of the market, 4WD/AWD would be limited to ski resorts and the forest service, and Miatas (fun, inexpensive, frugal, fine for commuting) would be everywhere. We buy for the 99.9% use case.</blockquote>
Again, I already stated this same thing: that people buy based on what-ifs and scenarios that might happen once every couple years, if that. So, they drive a monstrosity for years and years so they can get something from home depot that they could have rented a truck for $50 to accomplish.
For EVs to take over, part of the switch will have to be people seeing the pros of EVs and weighing that against the cons, just like they do when they say, “Well, this MINI is super small, but you know what, it’s worth it because it’s great to drive.” AND they should do this comparison with actual, accurate information rather than vague, scary what-ifs.
<blockquote>If we’re shelling out >$30K for a car, </blockquote>
The MINI Cooper SE is $22,400 after tax credit, FWIW.
<blockquote>we’re not going to stand in line with the hordes at Alamo on Thanksgiving week even if that use case is only once a year.</blockquote>
More vague claims presented as factual or a given. There have been a couple stories of this… for Teslas… near California… over a holiday weekend… with another major road closed that forced them all to the same location.
Someone recently drove an etron cross-country. They saw literally zero other cars charging during the trip.
I’ve driven several long trips in EVs. I’ve never waited to charge.
Sure, those are anecdotal, but so is the Tesla story. The reality is that it’s not normal to wait, let alone wait any meaningful amount of time.
<blockquote>Look at non-Tesla EV sales</blockquote>
Look at non-Tesla EVs. How many of them are:
-Available nationwide
-Have 200+ miles of range
-Have 100kW+ charging
I’ll tell you: Audi etron, Porsche Taycan… and some cars that are just coming out now: Mach E, ID4, XC40, Polestar, etc.
So, yeah, non-Tesla EV sales in the US have been trash… because they don’t meet the requirements I noted or they’re relatively new or they’re very expensive. Or more than one of those things.
<blockquote>and look at who is buying Teslas and what else they own</blockquote>
Another vague implication. What are you even getting at? That they have other cars to drive, maybe? If so, plenty of Tesla owners use them as their primary vehicle, or even have other, shorter-range EVs as their other cars.
<blockquote>How long will I have to wait for that “24 minute quick charge” on I-95 if even 10% of the vehicles need it?</blockquote>
There will be tons more infrastructure by the time EVs are 10% of all vehicles. Because even when EVs are 10% of sales (5 times what they are now), they’ll still be a smaller percent of the total fleet. But exactly how much? Who knows? This is another vague what-if issue.
If we’re making up possible issues, how many gas stations will have gone out of business by then? Because by the time EVs are 10% of the fleet, they’ll probably be 30%+ of annual sales.
How will resale be on gas cars if we’re at that point? Don’t want to get stuck with one that no one wants. Bum bum BUM
<blockquote>On the return from Grandma’s, I’ll need to make two stops, turning the 4 hour trip into 5 hours.</blockquote>
What’s the second stop?
<blockquote>Joe Schmo doesn’t want his next dishwasher or fridge to be “a little less convenient,”</blockquote>
Sounds like Joe Schmo might be getting biased information. If you have home charging and aren’t taking LONG trips constantly, EVs are arguably more convenient, not less, on balance. Eliminating 30x gas station stops per year evens out with having to stop for a few extra minutes on infrequent trips.
Again, Joe may still resist change, but it’s better he have accurate information to make an informed decision than just hear scary what-ifs from one side.
choosing a car that has the range to get you there and back is in no way comparable to buying a 3-seat SUV when you have one kid…
We are all perfectly capable of making logical decisions about what kind of car suits us and if MINI goes all-electric too quickly, I believe they will find out the hard way that most American MINI customers are not going to put their love of the brand over practical concerns, especially where safety is concerned. (Driving through a rural Montana blizzard, or car camping in the Mojave desert, two things I have done more than a few times, make it a safety issue.)
<blockquote>choosing a car that has the range to get you there and back is in no way comparable to buying a 3-seat SUV when you have one kid…</blockquote>
For some people and use cases, it is. For some, it isn’t.
If you have a history of driving way out into the desert where there’s no electricity, then buy the car accordingly. That’s an actual use case. It’s an extreme outlier use case, though, to be fair (just like rural Montana blizzards), so the vast, vast majority of buyers don’t have a similarly extreme use case to consider. But, if that’s your actual use case, then you may have a good reason to stick to gas or EVs with extreme range. (Also, for what it’s worth, Mohave National Preserve has 7 DC Fast Charger sites on its borders).
On the other hand, you have people who are like the 3-row-SUV-with-one-kid buyers who make up a scenario that might happen once in a blue moon where an EV might add a couple hours to a spontaneous 1000-mile trip, and then buy something that’s worse in many ways, just to avoid a couple hours per year of inconvenience that may or may not even happen.
THEN you’ve got people who don’t actually know much about EVs at all, how they are used, what the charging infrastructure is like, how long they actually take to charge, etc., making vague statements as if they’re facts, making up hypothetical future situations and pretending like they’re inevitable… overall just muddying the waters with nonsense and making it harder for people to make accurately-informed decisions.
EVs aren’t for everyone, yet. There are still some legitimate use cases where they aren’t viable and more where there are trade-offs, etc. I literally just bought two gas MINIs, myself, because I want to do MOTD and MTTS and the current Cooper SE is… not great for those. An ID.4/Taycan/Tesla would absolutely work, though because they’re 200+ miles of range and 125kW+ charging, like the G56 BEV hopefully will be.
I’m not saying EVs are great for every use case, now. They aren’t. And there are missing market segments, and market segments and companies without long range options (MINI), etc. MINI doesn’t have a mainstream-acceptable trip-capable MINI, yet. There are no long range, all-electric vans. No long range, all-electric trucks. The list goes on.
But my points are: 200+ miles and 100+kW charging covers a huge number of use cases (not all), and it’s better to give people accurate info to base their decisions on rather than push a bunch of vague hypotheticals so people end up buying a car that’s not really the best fit for them based on bad info.
I just bought a 21 MINI. The thought when I bought was that it could be the last gas powered car I buy new. I test drove Tesla’s and strongly considered one. 4 to 5 years from now, it should be an easier decision. For me it’s more about changing and infrastructure and today Tesla is the only viable option, watching YouTube where people who are true EV geeks ( a compliment btw) struggle with software errors, handshake issues, barely making it to charging stations on trips isn’t something I’m ready for. 250 miles of range is enough with a good charging network, but Tesla is the only one with one, and yes their car is fast, it even handles alright, but I didn’t enjoy sitting in one.
I’m excited about other offerings though. The Canoo pickup is really interesting. If designs like that, or an electric Mini with 250 miles of range and JCW class performance lands I’ll be excited and interested.
Pretty much agree with all of this.
Most EVs aren’t quite there, yet, for mass adoption in the US.
But once they get the kinks worked out of the Mach E and ID4 when plugging into the Electrify America chargers, they’ll pretty much be there. In 4-5 years, for sure, there will be a lot more 250+ mile, fast-charging EV options, and the charging infrastructure will be dialed in way more as far as being user-friendly and sufficient coverage.
The difference between 4-5 years ago and now for the non-Tesla network is insane, really.
I did a trip in an i3 in 2015 and the cops showed up to question us twice in one night because it was apparently sketchy that we were charging a BMW at BMW charging stations. Oh, and some of them were 200 miles apart. And I don’t think any of them were the same network, so we needed several apps/cards. And some were just 6kW 240V…. or just 22kW DC Fast Charging (vs EA that maxes at 350kW, now).
The landscape will be very, very different in 4-5 years. You’re totally right.
Oh, and I like that Canoo pickup, too. Reminds me of the i3, which makes sense since the same guy designed both.
Can’t wait was so excited when I heard this.
This is great news! By the time MINI is done selling gas cars the charging network will be on the way to where it needs to be as long as it is a priority for our lawmakers. I drive a PHEV that gets 35 miles range on chicago winter days to 70 miles when the weather is nice. For most of my driving I never use gas but when a weekend comes around I may use a gallon or two. I looked at the MINI SE and I loved it but I had just picked up my PHEV and it is the only car we own at the moment apart from my R52 but that is not a car I will drive in the winter. Our next car will be some kind of EV, Tesla or Bolt or the MINI SE because we have that backup gas burning vehicle ready for the 2000 mile road trip if we want to take it.
We’ll see the tipping point well before 2030. And by tipping point i mean EVs that are cheaper and have better range than ICE.
When the market hits that tipping point, the flip to all EV production will happen fast.
Hopefully MINI will have some really good EV options far before 2030. Otherwise it won’t survive the next 9 years.
I don’t know why, but I really love that yellow.
It’s because it’s awesome in general, but also unique in a sea of boring colors! I love it.
Nice article. Looks like you did a little copy and paste action with several paragraphs a few times.
I’m pretty sure I know the answer but it never hurts to ask.
Can an earlier model F56 be upgraded? I realize that means a new head unit as well as, potentially, a new processor that has more memory. Not sure how a big change with that system would translate out to other sensors and functionality either.
Not inclined to trade up because I have my MINI setup with the JCW Pro suspension and I really don’t want to buy that again.
Thanks!
I cannot be upgraded to this new system unfortunately.
I agree that the profile is improved with the shorter front overhang. Looking closely at the front pics I think the round headlight trim seems to be just stuck to the camo wrap, so I hope the real headlights are a bit more in scale with the car. The hood shut lines seem to indicate a traditional pop up hood, not the clamshell. That’s a shame but probably a budget item. Promising overall.
In the middle of nowhere hood line….. What a disaster!
The hood should end at the grille not before.
The MINI 3-dr Hatch is the heart and soul of the MINI Brand. In the words of MINI’s boss, Bernd Körber, “.. don’t screw with an icon, its our 911.”
“The 911 had to be carefully developed over time because it’s what Porche stands for. Likewise, the entire MINI portfolio needs to have the DNA of MINI and stay true to its core, and that is the 3-dr Hatch”, said Körber.
Ironically, both the MINI 3-dr Hatch and the Porche 911 were insufficiently profitable for their respective makers, and it was the diversification into SUVs, the Cayenne and Countryman, that saved both companies from extinction.
Further revelations, said to be from a BMW insider, have been reported by Autocar in the last few days.
The first is that the all new smaller 3-dr Hatch G56 is likely to carry the name ‘MINI Minor’, a throwback to the all new small Morris Minor launched in 1948 and designed by Alec Issigonis, who also designed the classic Morris Mini-Minor launched in 1959.
The second revelation is that the new MINI Minor will benefit from a flat floor enabled by the battery pack as well as the new all-in-one electric power units being developed by BMW. Codenamed ‘Heat’, these units combine a water-cooled motor, power electronics and a single-speed transmission into a single module that fits into the space of a typical internal combustion engine. The expected output will be around 135bhp.
The car’s small size and relatively low weight suggest it will accommodate a battery of about 35kWh capacity and have a 170 mile best-case range. The BMW insider suggested that the typical average use of 23 miles per day would allow a city-based driver a full working week’s worth of use without recharging.
Excited to hear the on-again, off-again convertible likely a go.
Don’t get too excited! At this year’s BMW Annual Conference held on March 17, there was no mention whatsoever of there being a replacement for the current F57 MINI Convertible, which will cease production in 2023. MINI’s boss has said that he hopes that there will be another MINI Convertible, “… sometime in the future”.
There is, however, a problem with that. Sales of Convertibles are falling worldwide, and in the age of global warming, cruising around in an open-top car is no longer cool, especially in Asian countries. As we know, BMW has big plans for manufacturing electric MINIs in China through ‘Spotlight Automotive’, the Joint Venture with Great Wall Motor.
Asia is the world’s largest consumer of anti-aging skin products, a market that is currently worth $7.5 billion a year, and expected to grow to $24 billion by 2027. Asia also has a burgeoning aspirational middle class with money to spend. Are they likely to want to cruise around in open top cars in the tropical sun? Of course not. Hardtops and SUVs with powerful aircon and tinted glass are what they want.
<a href="https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b6f9ca52571fead4f8ce2be475b90c99ef254ec4cbbd4310ab3e8720f04c3932.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc">https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b6f9ca52571fead4f8ce2be475b90c99ef254ec4cbbd4310ab3e8720f04c3932.jpg</a>
No doubt convertibles are a niche market within the “fun car” segment, and they’ve never sold well in the polluted cities of Asia. But how many SUV-intenders will rush to the brand whose avowed strategy is to offer “the smallest vehicle in each segment?” Why would anyone pay a premium for a greyscale electric SUV from Mini over one from two dozen other brands? The ethos of Mini is built around “fun to drive,” premium prices follow from that. But strip away high-revving ICE motors, manual transmissions, small-and-nimble chassis, quirky interiors, and, yes, convertibles and similar ‘niche’ offerings, and there’s no there-there. Much, much bigger market, sure, but Mini doesn’t have the international brand equity of Porsche or Benz to carry the value proposition on the badge alone. And if the reduced range of small cars are simply dumbed-down appliances from Great Wall that ape historical Mini exterior styling cues, what brand equity Mini has won’t last very long.
Thanks for that. The R60 Countryman was sufficiently popular in Asia for it to be assembled locally in India, Malaysia and Thailand from CKD kits shipped out to those respective countries, using some local content.
The current F60 Countryman is also assembled in those three countries, and is a common sight on the roads in Malaysia where we have a winter second home. I can detect no difference in the build quality compared to my own Countryman in the UK.
The whole MINI range is on sale in Malaysia, but the Countryman enjoys the benefit of lower taxes, due to it being assembled locally and so, understandably, is the best selling MINI.
I am confident that the next generation all-electric MINI 3dr Hatch and 5dr Crossover, to be built and sold in China, as well as being sold in the ASEAN region, will sell like hot noodles 🙂
<a href="https://paultan.org/2021/02/26/2021-mini-countryman-facelift-launched-f60-cooper-s-cooper-se-phev-aeb-standard-rm237k-to-rm251k/" rel="nofollow ugc">https://paultan.org/2021/02/26/2021-mini-countryman-facelift-launched-f60-cooper-s-cooper-se-phev-aeb-standard-rm237k-to-rm251k/</a>
<a href="https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202101/1212785.shtml#:~:text=ASEAN%20countries%20have%20jumped%20to,partner%20for%20the%20first%20time" rel="nofollow ugc">https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202101/1212785.shtml#:~:text=ASEAN%20countries%20have%20jumped%20to,partner%20for%20the%20first%20time</a>
Thanks for that. The R60 Countryman was sufficiently popular in Asia for it to be assembled locally in India, Malaysia and Thailand from CKD kits shipped out to those respective countries, using some local content.
The F60 Countryman is currently assembled in those three countries, and is a common sight on the roads in Malaysia where we have a winter second home. I can detect no difference in the build quality compared to my own Countryman in the UK.
The whole MINI range is on sale in Malaysia, but the Countryman enjoys the benefit of lower taxes, due to it being assembled locally and so, understandably, is the best selling MINI.
I am confident that the next generation all-electric MINI 3dr Hatch and 5dr Crossover to be built and sold in China, as well as being sold in the ASEAN region, will sell like hot noodles 🙂
<a href="https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202101/1212785.shtml#:~:text=ASEAN%20countries%20have%20jumped%20to,partner%20for%20the%20first%20time" rel="nofollow ugc">https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202101/1212785.shtml#:~:text=ASEAN%20countries%20have%20jumped%20to,partner%20for%20the%20first%20time</a>
Thanks for that. The R60 Countryman was sufficiently popular in Asia for it to be assembled locally in India, Malaysia and Thailand from CKD kits shipped out to those respective countries, using some local content.
The F60 Countryman is currently assembled in India, and in Malaysia from where it is also exported to Thailand. It is a common sight on the roads in Malaysia where we have a second home. I can detect no difference in the build quality compared to my own Countryman in the UK.
The whole MINI range is on sale in Malaysia, but the Countryman enjoys the benefit of lower taxes, due to it being assembled locally and so, understandably, is the best selling MINI.
I am confident that the next generation all-electric MINI 3dr Hatch and 5dr Crossover to be built and sold in China, as well as to be sold in the ASEAN region, will sell like hot noodles.
ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) is comprised of ten independent countries with a combined population of 650m. Together with over 1.3bn population in China, that’s a potential free trade market of 2bn!
Deserves far more sales than it will probably get. Helpful tweaks in several areas, the digital display is the only real weak point.
a) yes, please!
b) I keep getting a 404 error when trying to load any of the gallery photos
it would seem the gallery was corrupted. It’s been fixed.
We have to endure all these shit ads here on motoringfile and can’t link the pictures… this site has really gone downhill. Hey gabe, how about starting a Pateron and skipping all the ad cancer?
No modelcars? Again?
So, to recap, slower 0-60 than a stock S despite being stripped down to buckboard minimalism and specially prepped for race duty, presumably enough range to make at least a couple of laps around the track. Can’t blame them for spending most of the text on the colors and scoops and diffuser and wings and visual what-not. Eight model years until the real-world lineup goes all-electric.
Not sure how going all electric will pan out as I don’t think there is any country that is prepared for the energy requirements for charging electric cars.
I am in Perth Western Australia and we have already decommissioned a couple of coal power plants as the States energy consumption was dropping. Combining this with the insane increase in solar panel over here the problem has been maintaining the grid due to the unpredictability of the excess power from the solar panels. Too much power going into the grid at different times. Some numbnut in the eastern states even suggested charging people to export to the grid.
The amount of energy required to charge a high percentage of electric vehicles is just not available without billions of dollars being spent on infrastructure such as battery storage. This will result in higher electricity prices for everyone including businesses which will result in higher prices for all goods we buy.
I do hope that before all this happens that there is a breakthrough in battery tech that is lighter, more efficient, cheaper and not as environmentally destructive.
As we have seen with Tesla, electric drivetrains are capable of much more. Was it a deliberate choice not to explore this, or was it a technical limitation, be it hardware or software?
Weight, cost, MINI-style driving experience. These are at adds with large batteries.
Is there any information available about the powertrain, other than the 32.6 kWh battery size? What kind of motor is being used, what software libraries, controllers, battery chemistry, suppliers, etc? I am getting the impression that performance on this model is not actual performance. If the limited battery means the car can not be fast without having a 100km range, perhaps that should be noted rather than obscured. It does look fantastic, amazing job by the design team.
The powertrain is that of the SE
All this fuss for just a lighter SE…
The Cooper SE borrowed the motor from the BMW i3S, and this maintains that.
The batteries are from CATL.
IMO, the power level is OK. The “official” numbers are very conservative. Motor Trend, I believe it was, got 6.0s 0-60 for the Cooper SE that’s rated at 7.3s, so this is probably under 6s, which is quick enough, IMO.
The bigger issue than power is cooling: The Cooper SE cooling is insufficient, so it quickly pulls ~50% of power on track. No good for a JCW or GP.
Also, the charge rate is too slow to reasonably get anywhere and keep charged.
Better cooling may help solve both of those issues.
Of course, range is not great, also, and I’m sure is substantially worse with all the aero and big wheels, performance tires, etc. But for keeping weight down, 50% more range (~150 miles) may do the trick if it also has better charging/cooling for a niche car like an electric GP.
150 miles range wouldn’t keep me from buying one if it had faster charging.
What better way to whet our appetite for the much rumored road legal MINI JCW GPE
Just a heads up. I own a 2017 2 Door S. The App does not recognize my VIN nor respond to being plugged in to my car. App does not mention any vehicle information prior to 2018. Calling the Mini Support, they state the App has no support for vehicles older than 2019.
Yes. For pre-2019 MINIs, the old MINI CONNECTED app is still valid. I believe any enhanced functionality re: location, status like windows, doors etc. is tied to cars that come with the 4G onboard chip which started in 2019 model year cars.
It is well understood by now that MINI’s CEO has aspirations to turn John Cooper Works into a real electric performance brand, with the first offerings going on sale in 2024.
In the meantime, Autocar has reported in the last 48 hours that, according to a source inside BMW, “.. a toned down version of the Pacesetter will be launched at the end of 2021 and will go on sale in early 2022”.
A limited edition Cooper JCW GPE will not only be a superb swansong for the F56, it also will establish the necessary provenance for the future JCW Electric sub-brand.
Something I didn’t know, which appeared in ‘autoevolution’ yesterday, is that 3 of the 32 MINIs used in the 2003 remake of ‘The Italian Job’ movie, were converted to all-electric drivetrains. This was necessary because it was the only way that the authorities would allow the MINIs to be filmed in the LA Subway scene.
Those MINIs have floated around LA for awhile. Not sure where they are now.
My first reaction to this was surprise that BMW had not promoted “The World’s first all-electric MINIs”, but then again BMW had nothing to do with them. It was the movie’s production team who commissioned the conversion from ICE to all-electric.
If these electric MINIs, built eighteen years ago, still survive it would be fascinating to compare them to the current Cooper SE.
See below for pictures of electric motor and battery pack installed in ‘The Italian Job’ MINIs.
<a href="https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/92a29cd923312fb400e3d271b088ded5875574d8aabcdf1f1c6fa597f9189339.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc">https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/92a29cd923312fb400e3d271b088ded5875574d8aabcdf1f1c6fa597f9189339.jpg</a>
Honestly impressive that they managed to shuffle 810 convertibles, given how few there are on many dealer lots.
I’m back in, baby!
MINI has the chance to be the FIRST attainable BEV that’s 100% focused on performance, and I really hope they go for it!
Emailed my Motoring Advisor or whatever to see if I can get on “the list” for this car, if they do it right.
For this to work, they need to get the cooling figured out so it doesn’t throttle power like the Cooper SE does so soon.
It’s probably going to need some additional battery capacity, too, otherwise it’s going to be <100 miles range with the aero/wheels/tires compared to the 110 mi Cooper SE.
Hopefully with those two changes they can bump up the charge rate some, as well, for travel and mid-track-day charging.
Honestly, I'm less worried about more power than I am about the cooling and charge rate.
Pumped for this car.
I went on a first date with a MINI driver, we test drove the R59 Roadster. Nothing came of it.
That BMW has secured a deal for the MINI ‘Pacesetter’, effectively a souped up MINI JCW GPE, to be the Safety Car for this season’s Formula E, is pure genius!
<a href="https://youtu.be/aSiwVFnqA5A" rel="nofollow ugc">https://youtu.be/aSiwVFnqA5A</a>
Securing a deal for the MINI Electric ‘Pacesetter’ (effectively a souped-up version of the forthcoming MINI JCW GPE) to serve as the Official Safety Car for this season’s Formula E, is pure genius!
Honestly you get to watch a Formula E race in its entirety ? Not me
Formula 1 spectator numbers and TV viewing numbers have been falling steadily over the past few years, whereas Formula E numbers have been rising steadily and are attracting younger spectators.
I watched this season’s first race in Rome on TV on Saturday April 10, and I have to say that the MINI Electric ‘Pacesetter’, the first ever MINI Official Safety Car, looked spectacular on screen, and as a promotional vehicle for future JCW Electric Models it will undoubtedly attract attention.
I noticed with the 2022 refresh, the piano black trim on the iconic package now includes badges and door handles. This appears to be the case on the 2022 Clubman as well. I’m waiting on a 2022 JCW Clubman (just made it to the port from the factory today) and I’m curious if this is indeed the case.
I have the 306hp clubman in Silver white. The badges and door handles are indeed black, along with the headlight trims. Hope this helps – you’ll love the car – I swapped it for a GP3 which was too harsh for me, as well as not feeling planted on the road. The clubman is fantastic!
A little biased, but I think I lucked out getting an early 2019 JCW. Managed to get the good exhaust with the upgraded headlights and infotainment. This new LCI 2 feels too over-designed. Wish they spent more time on mechanical upgrades or weight reduction.
The swan song for Mini in America ?
Is it me or do these look weird, unfinished, or something? They look like what a knockoff MINI would look like in a video game so they don’t get sued.
I can’t even put my finger on the problem, but these look weird.
$39,900 for a JCW HT with Iconic Trim
$39,500 for a JCW CNV with Signature Trim
Is there someone who has the ecu file for the jcw sound kit ?
I’m finding the new configurator VERY clunky on my new (fall 2020) iMac — both technically glitchy (i.e. changing the car’s color when I add stripes or change the rims) and just generally unfun. And I’ve had a lot of fun with the MINI configurators ever since the R53 configurator made its debut with “Root Beer” as one of the colors…
Every time I go to the configurator I get an error saying “Oops! Someone unplugged the configurator.”
I just went the the BMWUSA site and used the configurator, which appears to be the exact same one used by MINI now (which the article mentioned). It runs technically flawlessly, while also being not very much fun. They might be having server issues creating lag, and obviously have some bad code that is changing the paint color or deleting stripes with certain interactions.
it’s a shame to make the Mini “normal”…
#NOTNORMAL
“slightly more bulbous hips” is the key phrase in my book, hopefully the next generation will offer a more proper trim as in proportion trimming because the current F56 is aesthetically hideous in my eyes…
…not since the Daimler SP250 has there been a more fishfaced car! LOL
And sadly it is compounded even more problematic because the rear end ain’t pretty either with those oversized cartoonish taillights.
Too many nits to pick from me so I’ll just stop there. Old man yelling at clouds? Yes. I blame MINI designers for corrupting a beautiful design language and transforming it into a fat parody of itself.
That they often like to blame new EU ped safety regulation for the compromises only illustrates further that they lack creative vision because they could not overcome those mandated obstacles with clever workarounds.
It is probably cheaper and a little heavier than the GP carbon plastic kit
Can we have some specs? Suspension, wheel/tire size? Just curious.
Hey Gabe, is there any breakout data on how MINI’s electric offerings – SE Hardtop and PHEV Countryman S E – are selling in the US?
This is great news! I only hope that the next one is a bit more pleasing to the eye than the current offering.
Glorious. Hoping they’ll do one more round with an IC Engine, I’ll be happy to purchase this.
Rube Goldberg is smiling.
<i>And if the energy reserves do run low, this is no problem either. Many campsites are now equipped with charging points.</i>
We are reassured then.
This is the first I heard that the Golf is going away in the US… pretty shocking… but they are apparently going to continue selling GTIs and Golf Rs in the US.
But I’m confused… is the Golf/GTI a “small premium car” or not? Because you mention they are going away as if so, but also say MINI was the only such car in the US in 2002, while in fact GTIs were being sold here continuously before, during and after that date. (I know because I bought one in 2000).
What I can tell you is that hatchbacks were considered “too unclassy” for American consumers in 2000. Ridiculous then, and ridiculous now, and moreso because the crossovers that everyone is driving these days are just hatchbacks with truck ride-heights (yuck).
Besides the ugly aesthetics of American roadways these days, the prevalence of truck-height vehicles is a real drag if you are in an actual car, because you can hardly see anything when you are surrounded by SUVs except their exposed suspensions. In fact I can remember 10 years ago telling a friend that at some critical mass nobody would want to drive anything except a truck simply because that’s the only way you can see over the car in front of you to tell what color the light is. We have passed that critical mass and then some.
Maybe in the US consumers still associate hatchbacks with the Ford Pinto, the AMC Pacer, etc. In Europe you have many single car households and it just makes sense to have car with that addtl. utility of a hatch. Also the concept of the luxury compact and hot hatch simply don’t get much traction here.
Spell check the headline and write-up? Pirelli – Not Perelli
Where can I find more info on the tent for the hardtop?