Opinion Archives - MotoringFile

2026 MINI Cooper Paul Smith Edition: Why This Special Edition Feels Different

Oct 28, 25Oct 27, 25

For MINI fans, special editions are nothing new, but few carry the kind of design heritage this one does. The upcoming 2026 MINI Paul Smith Edition isn’t just another paint-and-sticker package; it’s...

Why the Next MINI Cooper JCW GP Should Be the Manual Halo for MINI

This week we’re exploring the future of shifting in MINIs — from manuals to DCTs to even EVs. First we gave you our opinion on the future of shift paddle design, then...

Aug 14, 25Aug 14, 25

4th Gen MINI Cooper | 2024 - 2031 J01 MINI Cooper (Electric) J05 Aceman | 2025-2032 Opinion

Future MINI Cooper EVs Could Revive The Manual Driving Experience

This week we’re exploring the future of shifting in MINIs — from manuals to DCTs to even EVs. First we gave you our opinion on the future of shift paddle design. Today...

Aug 13, 25Aug 13, 25

4th Gen MINI Cooper | 2024 - 2031 4th Gen MINIs | 2024-2031 F65 MINI Cooper 5 Door F66 MINI Cooper (ICE) F67 Cooper Convertible (ICE) MINI Cooper MINI Countryman Opinion U25 MINI Countryman

MINI Cooper and Countryman Paddle Shifting Needs a Rethink – Here’s How

This week we’re exploring the future of shifting in MINIs — from manuals to DCTs to even EVs. First up – paddles. From the original 1959 Austin Seven to the R53 Cooper...

Aug 12, 25Aug 11, 25

MINI Concept Cars MINI Design Opinion

Top 5 MINI Concepts That Should Have Made Production

After chronicling every MINI concept from the past three decades, one question kept surfacing in our inbox (and frankly, in our own heads): which ones should have been built? So we went...

May 19, 25May 19, 25

MINI Competitors Opinion

Does Slate’s “Truck” Channel the 1959 Mini (And Could MINI Learn from it)?

Sometimes the best tech is no tech. The best user interface? No interface at all. And sometimes the biggest disruption in a bloated market comes not from more features, but from asking:...

Apr 27, 25Apr 27, 25

MINI Cooper Opinion R53 Two-Door Hardtop (Cooper S)

Why the 2006 MINI Cooper S Might Be the Best Modern MINI Ever Built

There are MINIs that are good. There are MINIs that are fast. And then there’s the R53 MINI Cooper S— so immediate, so brutally charismatic, and so Mini, it might just be...

Apr 10, 25Apr 10, 25

F54 Clubman | 2015 - 2024 MINI Concept Cars Opinion

The Forgotten JCW Concept: MINI Clubman Vision Gran Turismo

In 2014, MINI Design slipped the leash. Freed from crash regs, pedestrian safety rules, and the dull thrum of real-world feasibility, they built something wild—but only in pixels. The MINI Clubman Vision Gran...

Apr 5, 25Apr 5, 25

F65 MINI Cooper 5 Door F66 MINI Cooper (ICE) F67 Cooper Convertible (ICE) J01 MINI Cooper (Electric) J05 Aceman | 2025-2032 MINI Aceman Opinion U25 MINI Countryman

Why MINI’s New Navigation System Could Be Better Than Google or Apple Maps

Let’s be honest—when automakers boast about their in-car navigation systems, most of us roll our eyes and reach for our phones. Google Maps and Apple Maps have been the gold standard for...

Mar 17, 25Mar 16, 25

J05 Aceman | 2025-2032 MINI Aceman Opinion

MINI Aceman – Why it May be MINI’s Most Important New Model

Despite the fact that the new MINI Aceman EV isn’t sold in several key markets, including North America, it’s a big deal for the brand for several reasons. The most obvious is...

Feb 28, 25Feb 28, 25

MINI Countryman Opinion U25 MINI Countryman

Opinion: It’s Time for the Countryman Hybrid to Return and Here’s How To Do It

Last year, we posed the question: Did MINI make a mistake by not keeping a plug-in hybrid in its lineup? With EV sales varying by market and charging infrastructure still a major...

Jan 30, 25Jan 29, 25