MINI Makes A Million
Six years after the start of series production, the one millionth MINI has rolled off the production line at its Oxford plant.
MINI UK will see its biggest monthly sales record since the car went on sale in July 2001. Preliminary figures indicate 7854 sales in March. The previous record month was in March 2006 with 7687 sales. This is due to the successful launch of the second-generation MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S last November. The new MINI One and Cooper D are due to go on sale from 14 April and this year also sees the launch of the MINI Clubman.
Like all MINIs, the one millionth car was produced to customer order. In this case the customer is BMW Group's heritage division, Mobile Tradition. The colour of the landmark MINI Cooper S is Pepper White with a specially-developed paint for the roof, Almond Green, accentuated by a "million" graphic extending onto the bonnet. The interior matches the roof with leather seats, steering wheel and gearknob all in Almond Green leather.
(Source: www.carkeys.co.uk)
Record sales in March 2007 for MINI UK
Six years after the start of series production, the one millionth MINI has rolled off the production line at Plant Oxford. This represents another milestone in the car’s history and highlights the continuing success story as rising global demand for the British-built car heads for new production and sales records.
MINI UK will see its biggest monthly sales record since the car went on sale in July 2001. Preliminary figures indicate 7,854 sales in March. The previous record month was in March 2006 with 7,687 sales. The new record signals the successful launch of the second-generation MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S in November 2006 and orders are strong for the forthcoming MINI One and MINI Cooper D (on sale from 14 April). 2007 also sees the launch of the new MINI Clubman. This will be the third model in the increasing MINI range, joining the Hatch and Convertible.
Since its launch MINI has defined a new market segment – the premium small car with a worldwide presence and a comprehensive range of customisation options. From Chile to China, MINI is enjoying growing popularity among customers across 80 markets around the world. Almost 80% of MINIs, which are all built to individual customer orders, are currently produced for export. While initial forecasts suggested a market for 100,000 units per year, sales have totalled more than double that figure reaching a record of 200,428 units in 2005.
Developments at Plant Oxford have reflected MINI’s success. In 2001 some 2,400 associates worked in single shift operations to build up to 300 cars a day. Today more than 4,700 associates work 24/7 to produce as many as 700 MINIs per day. During the same period maximum production capacity for the plant has risen from 100,000 to over 200,000 units per year, and in the medium term, annual capacity is planned to reach 240,000 units. In total BMW Group has invested ?380 million into Plant Oxford since 2000 to increase production capacity and to prepare for new MINI derivatives.
With the launch of the second generation MINI towards the end of 2006, the MINI Production Triangle was formed as the UK plants Hams Hall and Swindon became an integral part of MINI production. Hams Hall, near Birmingham, supplies petrol engines and Swindon supplies pressings and sub-assemblies to Plant Oxford. Together they bring the total number of MINI production associates in the UK up to 6,800.
Another area in which MINI has continued to develop is in the efficient use of natural resources in the car’s production. Since the first full year of production in 2002, Plant Oxford?s energy consumption and CO2 emissions have both gone down by 20%, while water consumption has dropped by more than 30% per unit. In addition, more than 25 different waste materials from production are recycled.
Like all MINIs, the one millionth car was produced to customer order. In this case the ‘customer’ is BMW Group?s heritage division, Mobile Tradition. The colour of the landmark MINI Cooper S is Pepper White with a specially-developed paint for the roof, Almond Green, accentuated by a ‘million’ graphic extending onto the bonnet. The interior matches the roof with leather seats, steering wheel and gearknob all in Almond Green leather.
(Source: www.askaprice.com)
2007 Mini Cooper pricing announced
BMW has just announced pricing for the upcoming 2007 Mini Cooper S model. As it was predicted, the new Mini will be slightly more costly in comparison with the outgoing model, where the most significant price difference is shown on the least expensive Mini Cooper.
The 2007 Mini Cooper, KickingTires is reporting, will cost start at $18,050, which is $600 more than the price of the comparable older Mini. More expensive (and dynamic) 2007 Mini Cooper S will cost only $300 more and will start at $21,200.
Surprisingly, both Cooper and Cooper S convertibles will cost you exactly the same money as the outgoing open-tops ($22,600 and $26,050 respectively) and are effectively sold at a discount, considering the level of U.S. dollar devaluation over the last years.
BMW still doesn't say anything specific about when the new Minis will in fact come to dealerships, talking about "early 2007" term.
(Source: http://autoreview.belproject.com/)
First Drive: 2007 Mini Cooper S
The following story is abridged from an article appearing in the Aug. 2 issue of Autocar magazine.
Turbocharged Cooper version engine now develops 175 horsepower.
BMW wasn’t sure that the New Mini would be a success. After the long-running farce of its Rover sell-off and the need to switch production of the Mini to Oxford, the car arrived late on the market in the summer of 2001. There were plenty of people at BMW who were worried that the car would be a flash in the pan. Corporate nerves were reflected in the bargain entry-level price for what was a particularly sophisticated small car.
But BMW needn’t have kept its headquarters’ lights burning into the Munich night. The Mini took off, not only in Europe but, unexpectedly, in America. In the first full year of production the Oxford plant made 140,000 cars. In 2005 it made just over 200,000 Minis. Up to June this year, 831,412 Minis have been built.
True, these figures may be modest by supermini standards, but you can’t judge the Mini by ordinary supermini standards. Much of the European car industry has enviously eyed BMW’s ability to sell a Mini at maxi prices. Rival makers – such as Audi – are preparing their own prestige babies.
So, five years after we drove the first new Mini, comes the second-generation model. And, despite the mildly modified looks, it really is new. Indeed, one senior BMW official told us that it is effectively a new car. Although the bulkhead and floor structure have been carried over from the current Mini, virtually everything else is new, or substantially modified, from the front bumper to the rear lights.
Autocar spent a day with the new Mini Cooper S at Holland’s Zandvoort racetrack. We couldn’t try the Mini on the open road, but the high-speed track work and low-speed handling course told us a lot about the car.
New dashboard uses the same design theme as the old car, but is also new.
All change under the hood
Starting at the front end, the Mini has got a brand-new drivetrain in place of the old Tritec engine. Co-developed with Peugeot/Citroen, the all-aluminum 1.6-liter unit gets direct injection and a twin-scroll turbocharger. The upshot is a maximum output of 175hp and 177lb ft of torque at just 1600rpm. Under hard acceleration, an overboost system delivers a brief 192lb ft slug of torque.
All Minis get a six-speed manual Getrag gearbox and the option of an efficient six-speed automatic transmission. Paddle shifters will be an option but the continuously variable transmission (CVT) has been killed off. The Cooper S is also available with a limited-slip differential.
Incidentally, the Mini Cooper will use the same engine, but it will be fitted with BMW’s unique Valvetronic intake system. Without a turbo, this engine will deliver 120hp and 118lb ft of torque at a peaky 4250rpm. The entry-level Mini One will also get the new engine; the Mini convertible, however, sticks with the old Tritec engine.
As soon as you pull on the distinctive door handles and the frameless window jumps down half an inch, you get a sense that the new car exudes a sense of polish and precision that the original didn’t have. True, the first car – mostly developed by the old Rover Group in the UK – had immense character and endearing eccentricities, but it was also riddled with quirks and outright faults. For some drivers, quirks are a car’s character; for others, they’re reasons not to buy.
Although the interior of this pre-production car is disguised, improvements are clear. The driving position remains straight-ahead excellent, and there’s noticeably more room in the footwells. The Cooper S seat is better; it is now wide enough, sensibly bolstered and smooth to adjust.
The new dashboard uses the same design theme as the old car, but is also new. The central speedo is even bigger and houses (rather small) fingertip controls for the radio and trip computer. The new climate control panel is also small and uses distinctive rocker switches for fan speed and temperature control.
Looks are similar, but '07 Mini is practically an all-new car.
To fire up the car, you push the large, circular key into a slot in the dashboard and press the stop/start button. All the controls, indicators, rocker switches, the handbrake and the control weightings are a step forward over those on the old car.
On the low-speed handling course (which was broken up enough to imitate public roads) the Cooper S demonstrates much greater civility than the outgoing car. The ride is very compliant, and at low speeds the electrically assisted steering is beautifully weighted. You may complain that the steering lacks real feel; it’s certainly much lighter at the rim. This, says BMW, is because many female drivers requested it. More sporting drivers might lament the loss of effort required, but the Mini can be positioned with outstanding fingertip ease, and it’s quick enough, with just 2.7 turns lock to lock.
The comfort of the new Cooper S is also a surprise. Thanks to redesigned front suspension and taller suspension towers, the new car has an extra 8mm of front wheel travel. That and the lighter engine transforms the front-end ride.
This is a quick car without doubt, but the smoothness of the engine’s response and turbo’s near-seamless integration makes driving the new Cooper S less of an event than in the old model. Although the old supercharged version wheezed and rattled a bit, it felt alive. The new Cooper S is more refined and very quick, but it lacks the visceral thrills of the old car.
Then again, once I had sorted out which gear I needed for which corner, the Cooper S sang. Its effortless progress and steering accuracy made it a real pleasure to use the full width of the track. Like any road car, the Cooper S understeered strongly in extreme circumstances, but its chassis settings fared remarkable well.
From what could be gleaned at Zandvoort, the Cooper S is easy and satisfying to drive quickly. Excursions onto the rumble strips failed to encourage a single rattle or squeak in the cabin. If there was one complaint while bouncing off the redline, it was the engine’s characterless blare.
So, until the official launch of the car in October, that’s what we know about the second-generation Mini. It’s much newer than it looks, better built, more comfortable, more refined, and slicker in every way.
(Source: http://www.speedtv.com/)
2006 Mini Cooper S Model Update: A Quicker Cooper
The S coupe and convertible are faster than the standard Mini Cooper, thanks to a supercharged engine.
The Mini Cooper S is a more powerful version of its twin, the Mini Cooper, with a 168-hp supercharged four-cylinder engine and a stiffer suspension for sportier handling. Changes are minor for 2006.
The base Cooper makes115 hp and for $500 can be optioned with the same sport-tuned suspension as found on the S model.
Consumer Reports now rates the Mini Cooper and Cooper S as having average reliability, whereas they had been rated with poor reliability in the past.
Convertible renditions of the Cooper and Cooper S were added to the line for 2005. Both feature a fully automatic soft top that incorporates a heated, glass rear window and a unique power-sliding sunroof feature. The latter allows the top to slide open half way, like a sunroof, with the side rails still in place.
Mini offers a high-powered supercharger and other go-fast upgrades for the Cooper S to boost performance. They were developed by renowned U.K. performance shop John Cooper Works, which has a long history with hot-rodding the original Mini.
The base price of the Cooper S coupe increases by $300 and of the convertible by $500. The John Cooper Works tuning kit, available only on the Cooper S coupe and convertible, is now offered as a factory option in addition to still being offered through, and installed at, dealers. Besides boosting engine output to 207 horsepower from the standard 168 hp, the tuning kit includes beefed up brakes and a limited-slip differential.
A new Checkmate package features checkered exterior side decals, a rear spoiler and hood stripes, as well as uniquely patterned cloth sport seats with leather trim, a leather wrapped wheel and a high-gloss, specially patterned dash panel. It also includes a performance wheel and tire package, front fog lamps and Dynamic Stability Control, which helps minimize wheel slippage and prevent loss of control during extreme handling maneuvers.
New interior options include English Leather upholstery, a high-gloss black dash panel and a special Park Lane dash appearance. Exterior options include a silver roof, mirror caps and hood stripes, and new paint choices: Solar Red, Royal Grey and Space Blue. Two no-cost, 15-inch wheel packages are also new.
The Cooper S comes powered by a 168-hp, supercharged, 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels via a slick-shifting, Getrag six-speed, manual gearbox. This enables the car to reach 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, which is a full 1.7 seconds quicker than the standard version. A six-speed automatic with steering-column mounted paddle shifters for manual gear selection is a $1,350 option.
A functional hood scoop; unique body-color front and rear bumpers; a rear spoiler; twin center-mounted, chrome-plated tailpipes; side grilles; a chrome-plated, fuel-filler flap; and 16-inch, light-alloy wheels distinguish the Cooper S from the base model.
The Cooper S rides on run-flat performance tires and an upgraded sport suspension for improved handling. The trade-off is a slightly rougher ride with greater tire noise than with the standard version. Antilock brakes with cornering control and Electronic Brake Distribution, as well as front-side airbags, come standard. Dynamic Stability Control is optional.
The car's interior is as stylish as its exterior, with metal toggle switches for some function controls. Well-equipped even in its base form, the Mini offers such high-end options as a navigation system, premium Harmon-Kardon stereo, run-flat tires and Park Distance Control. A number of novel custom paint schemes and interior color combinations are also available, as well as a litany of practical, performance and purely cosmetic accessories.
The Mini Cooper is a modern-day embodiment of the original Mini, which debuted in 1959 as a tiny four-seat car designed to efficiently navigate the U.K.'s narrow roadways. It gained prominence throughout the 1960s via its championships in international rally racing, as well as its mushrooming image as a fashionable petite car, owned by the likes of the Beatles, Peter Sellers and even Enzo Ferrari.
The car was sold only briefly in the U.S. during its 1960s heyday, but it was offered in the U.K. and elsewhere abroad in one form or another through the late 1990s. BMW bought and relaunched the Mini as a line of premium small cars in 2001 (as 2002 models), updating the vehicles' classic styling and proportions with contemporary underpinnings and a sporty character. It quickly caught on with trendy urban dwellers, motoring enthusiasts and those looking to downsize their rides without compromising cachet.
The Mini Cooper S performs well (four out of five stars) on every National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash test.
Is the Cooper S for You?
| Buy this Vehicle if | You like to think small; you live in a densely populated city; high style and high efficiency are a priority; you primarily need seating only for two with the occasional need for space for two other passengers and minimal gear; you enjoy nimble, sporty handling; you feel safer in smaller cars because their sharp reflexes can quickly get you out of harm's way. |
| Keep Looking if | You need seating for five; you need a large trunk or cargo hold; you prefer high power over high efficiency; you feel safer in large cars. |
| Who Fits? | With an interior that's actually roomier than you might think, two full-size adults fit comfortably in the supportive front seats while two more can squeeze in the back without too much discomfort. But rear-seat ingress and egress can be torturous and rear foot room is minimal. Both seat and steering wheel have ample adjustments to accommodate drivers of all shapes and sizes. |
| Options Worth Splurging on | If you live in chillier climates, the Cold Weather Package ($300); for enthusiasts, the performance-enhancing John Cooper Works package ($6,300). |
| Closest Competitors | Acura RSX Honda Civic Si Scion xA Volkswagen New Beetle Volkswagen GTI |
(Source: http://www.forbesautos.com/)
2005 Mini Cooper Test Drive: The Return of the Mini
The 2002 Mini Cooper is the maximum--and a killer deal to boot.
This review applies to all model-years in the current generation of the Mini Cooper, which launched in the U.S. in March 2002 as a 2002 model.
So much flowery prose has been spilled so far in the automotive press over the new Mini Cooper that we were starting to get skeptical.
And so when the time for a test drive came, we were both pleasantly surprised to find out how capable the car really is and also a bit taken aback by one aspect we think hasn't been well explained: Contrary to what some prognosticators have claimed, this isn't a car that will do battle with VW's New Beetle or Chrysler's PT Cruiser. They aren't even in the same league.
This is a tight, corner-scorching sports sedan. Meanwhile, the pretending competition is just that, poseurs with a soft, touring-car chassis (the Beetle) and lousy, under-juiced engine (the Cruiser).
By contrast the Mini Cooper does everything a sports sedan should do -- upshift sharply, steer smartly, corner hard, accelerate quickly -- and at an unheard-of base price of $16,850.
We knew the price since BMW announced it in January. (Yes, that's right, BMW, which has owned the Mini brand since 2000.) We also knew that some in the automotive press have trashed the Mini for being gratuitously nostalgic. But, after having driven it, what we didn't know was that the Mini Cooper is in reality a heavily camouflaged BMW 3-Series on a smaller frame that sells for little more than half the dough.
Sorry, but there's just no competition for that kind of deal anywhere else on the planet. Not bad for a vehicle that was originally designed in 1958 to be a cheap family car for an economically depressed Britain.
Sound a bit breathless to you? It is, and the downside to all that sportiness is a ride that we think will catch many buyers off-guard.
After all, about 10,000 of the 20,000 annual Mini Cooper and Cooper S allocation has been pre-sold (more on the latter below), and if any of those folks think they're getting a cute, little soft-riding subcompact a la the Honda Civic or Toyota Echo, they're in for a shock. The Mini Cooper may be cute, but it's also built ready for Sports Car Club of America racing. (It's already been certified for that duty, in fact; regional Mini Cooper racing clubs are bound to start springing up by summer.)
If you're not hot to race, then, will you like this car? How "mini" is it, really? Can you drive it if you're over 6 feet tall? Should you hold out instead for the more potent, supercharged Mini Cooper S for $19,850? Keep on reading.
From The Driver's Seat
Whenever there's a lot of buildup about a car, there's almost a mandatory letdown when time finally comes for a drive. We experienced that with the Mini Cooper. At least at first.
We were heading off from San Francisco when we found the five-speed transmission did not shift as fluidly as a BMW's. (Only the Cooper S will get the proper Getrag-sourced BMW six-speed; the Cooper five-speed comes from less legendary ZF Friedrichshafen AG.) And the rearview mirror, which is cutely oval rather than square, cuts off vital parts of aftward vision.
The combination of oh-no-I-need-second-gear-now and oh-no-is-there-someone-in-my-blind-spot proved a bit disconcerting in city traffic. But as we said, that was at first blush.
As we headed north (inland rather than up the overcrowded Highway 1), picked up speed and grew accustomed to the controls, the Mini became both more delightful and more comfortable.
But first we needed to adjust to the tight pedal box -- the space where the clutch, brake and gas live. It's meant to be tight for tricks like racer-oriented heel-toe braking, but even small-footed drivers will find themselves fumbling around a bit with the pedals. As we said, this isn't a Honda. Nor is that kind of thing really a BMW characteristic. We daresay, although many of the Mini's attributes have a German feel, little quirks like the pedal box, the slightly rough road-feel and even the upright driver position and high-mounted steering wheel seem distinctly British.
If we seem shocked by that, it's because BMW doesn't really do quirky. Yet it's refreshingly clear that they listened to the folks at the Oxford, England, plant where the Mini is produced, because to our gratification some real English traits manage to shine through quite brightly.
The next thing to adjust to is the harder ride. If you get the optional run-flat tires (lower-profile 55-series rather than standard 65-series) on the larger 16-inch rims, you'll never worry about getting a flat tire. That's because you can travel 80 miles on a punctured run-flat without deflation. But the penalty is a more tooth-rattling ride, and this was just on pothole-free Northern California roads. In the Northeast or the Midwest this ride may be too punishing for most.
The good news is that while the standard rubber on the stock Minilite wheels is less sporty because that rubber is softer, the cornering is just as grippy as it is on the lower, optional tires without the attendant harshness. And all Mini Coopers, even ones without the run-flat tires, get a standard flat-tire sensor. It works off the ABS system and monitors the rotation of the wheel; if any wheel gets out of balance the sensor warns you that you need to stop and check for a flat.
Also, although most front-wheel-drive cars suffer from torque steer (jump on the throttle in a turn and the car gets yanked around by the front wheels), the Mini Cooper has equal-length driveshafts that essentially tame this to the point of being an afterthought. In fact, you have to drive the Mini Cooper like a real idiot to even find any untoward evidence of front-wheel drive.
As for the aforementioned shifter, we did adjust to the slightly longer throws and quickly came to like this transmission, especially when running the nifty, steering-column-mounted tach up to the 6,500-rpm redline, then grabbing the next higher gear. The only negative we could find was in quick third-gear-to-second gear downshifts, like just before a corkscrewing turn when engine braking was crucial.
Here we found out two things: First, getting into second gear soon came easily once we adjusted to the longer throws between gears. Also, this suspension is amazing, because even without the engine slowing us down we could toss this car around almost any bend and the worst we'd induce was mild understeer and a little chirping from the tires. That's no accident: The front suspension uses McPherson strut design specially tuned for this duty. And a multi-link Z-axle rear suspension is essentially derived and downsized using BMW M3 technology, which may be overkill but sure works splendidly.
Still, this is the smallest car in America. And although you think it might be prone to spinning, the very wide wheelbase (a track as ample as that BMW 3 Series) means the Mini sticks like glue in corners, and the harder you push the more you're entertained. We found this out the hard way -- one hazard with the Mini is it's so entertaining you wind up tossing it around without even thinking about it -- in a tight bend we came upon way too urgently. There wasn't time to think, only steer with white knuckles and clenched jaws, and yet all the Mini did was heel over hard on its wheels and carve a beeline through the bend. Needless to say, we had to try that again -- and again.
Meanwhile the 1.6-liter engine isn't as clean as what BMW would build if it started from scratch -- the unit comes from a joint venture between DaimlerChrysler and BMW. However, it revs quite freely and only gets loud well above 5,000 rpm, while the torque comes on much sooner, between 3,000 and 4,500 rpm. That means you can drive the Mini fairly conservatively, not flog the 115-horsepower engine too much and still move along easily.
Should You Buy This Car?
We haven't even mentioned the interior of this car, in part because we have already written about it and in part because we think it's very clever, and self-evidently so. But you should know how it all fits together and that we can tell you it is pretty much great, with a few minor warts.
First, the front seats are excellent, supportive and comfortable, and adjust for both height and rake. So tall drivers can get farther from the wheel and still be comfortable and also lower themselves in the cabin so they're not bumping their heads on the ceiling. Second, although the speedometer at the dash center point might seem disconcerting, it's so big you can't really miss it.
You can ignore it, however, as we did when a California highway patrolman happened to notice we were doing 70 in a 55 mph zone and nabbed both us and the Mini chase vehicle that carried the head of Mini PR. Oh well, we were more concerned that the 400-pound (no exaggeration) CHiP was going to try to climb aboard our test vehicle than whether he was going to throw us in the clink.
Not that the Mini Cooper isn't spacious; it really is, at least up front. Shoulder room is excellent, since the car is so wide, and we never felt, as we do in some cars, that we were being crowded in by the incline of the windows. Also, even tall drivers can get comfortable, as we said. And even if you get the optional sunroof, it nips out over top of the car rather than sliding into the roof, so it doesn't impinge on headroom.
Warts? There's a row of toggle switches nestled at the bottom of the neatly sorted center console, and although these toggles look great, getting used to using them to lower/raise the windows just isn't second nature. Again, that's one of the English things about this car, and it's neat, but you might grow tired of the novelty and want more function. And in that vein, although the door grab handles are a sharp piece of functional architecture (they serve double duty by further bracing the doors in case of an accident), a roof-mounted grab handle would be great too, especially for the passenger.
And of course there's the cargo room, or lack thereof. Five cubic feet of trunk volume is about on par with a Porsche 911 -- which is not known as the roomiest car in the world. OK, that luckily increases considerably when you fold the rear seatbacks flat, making this car far more convenient for light-duty cargo missions like grocery runs and even weekend jaunts to the beach house than almost any two-seater. However, while we're on the subject, those backseats would be fine for kids, and an adult can certainly climb aft more easily than into the aforementioned Porsche backseats. Just don't ask the in-laws to dinner and suggest they ride in back.
So, should you get one? Depends. We say if you're young and want a fun, fast ride, go for it. Ditto if you've got a hankering for a third set of wheels and were thinking convertible or sports car. We also say if you're an empty-nester or a kid-less couple you should check it out so long as your other car is better at the more pedestrian duties of moving people and things. And what the heck, we also say it's such a steal, you'd better be darned sure you really don't want one, because the Mini Cooper is the most seriously cool thing to come along in quite a while. Just remember to drive it first, because it's more sporting than it looks and that takes some adjusting to.
Also, if you want an even more serious sporting car, you might want to check out the Cooper S. That will cost more, as we said, but will have a beefier suspension plus a 165-horsepower version of this motor (supercharged). There's also the Getrag six-speed transmission that no doubt will shift more smoothly and make the cabin a bit quieter at speed (at 70 mph the base Cooper is a tad loud).
Still, there's a lot of competition we'd start to look at for close to $20,000 (or above after adding on some options), while the Cooper itself is already a great thrill ride. Just do us a favor: No matter what Mini you get, opt for the white top (you can get it in all body color instead). It looks even sweeter that way.
Specs
Manufacturer contact: www.miniusa.com
Color options: jet black, chili red, liquid yellow, cosmos black, dark silver, pure silver, British racing green, silk green, electric blue, india blue
Suspension type: front: McPherson struts; rear: Multi-link Z-axle
Acceleration: 0 to 60 mph: 8.5 seconds (estimated)
Engine type: displacement: in-line four; 1.6 liter
Horsepower: 115 @ 6,000
Torque: 110 @ 4,500 rpm
EPA mileage: city not available/35 highway (estimate based on European testing)
(Source: http://www.forbesautos.com/)
The History of Mini
A potted history of Mini production 1959-2000.
1959 – 1961
Production of Austin Se7en
1959 – 1967
Production of Morris Mini-Minor
1959 – 1969
Production of Austin and Morris Minis
1960 – 1961
Production of Austin Se7en Countryman and Austin Se7en Van
1960 – 1967
Production of Morris Mini-Traveller Mk1
1960 – 1969
Production of Morris Minivan
1961
Production of Austin Se7en Pick-Up
1961 – 1967
Production of Austin Se7en Cooper, Austin and Morris Mini-Cooper 997cc and 998cc Mk1
1961 – 1969
Production of Austin Mini Pick-up, Morris Mini Pick-up, Riley Elf and Wolseley Hornet
1962 – 1967
Production of Austin Mini Mk1
1962 – 1967
Production of Austin Mini Countryman Mk1
1962 – 1969
Production of Morris Minivan
1963 – 1964
Austin and Morris Mini-Cooper 'S' 1,071cc
1964 – 1965
Production of Austin and Morris Mini-Cooper 'S' 970cc
1964 – 1967
Production of Austin and Morris Mini-Cooper 'S' 1275 Mk1
1964 – 1968
Production of Austin and Morris Mini Moke
1966 – 1968
Production of BMC Morris Mini Moke (Australia)
1967 – 1969
Production of Austin Mini Mk2, Morris Mini Mk2, Austin Mini Countryman Mk2 and Morris Mini-Traveller Mk2
1967 – 1969
Production of Austin and Morris Mini-Cooper Mk2
1967 – 1970
Production of Austin and Morris Mini-Cooper 'S' Mk2
1968 – 1970
Production of BMC Mini Moke (Australia)
1969 – 1980
Production of Mini 850
1969 – 1980
Production of Mini Clubman and Mini Clubman Estate
1969 – 1980
Production of Mini 1275 GT
1969 – 1982
Production of Mini 1000
1969 – 1983
Production of Mini Van and Mini Pick-up
1970 – 1971
Production of Mini Cooper 'S' Mk3
1970 – 1972
Production of BMC Moke (Australia)
1972 – 1981
Production of Leyland Moke (Australia)
1976
Release of Mini Limited Edition
1979
Release of Mini 110 Special
1979 – 1980
Production of Mini 850 City
1980 – 1989
Production of Mini Moke (Portugal)
1980 – 1992
Production of Mini City 998cc
1982 – 1992
Production of Mini Mayfair 998cc
1983
Release of Mini Sprite
1984
Release of Mini 25 1984
1985
Release of Mini Ritz
1986
Release of Mini Chelsea and Mini Piccadilly
1987
Release of Mini Park Lane and Mini Advantage
1988
Release of Mini Red Hot, Mini Jet Black and Mini Designer
1989
Release of Mini Racing, Mini Flame, Mini Rose, Mini Sky, Mini Thirty and John Cooper Garages approved Cooper tuning kit for 998cc UK Minis
1990
Release of Mini Racing Green, Mini Flame Red, Mini Check Mate, Mini Studio 2 and Rover Mini Cooper (RSP, carb type, LE), Rover Mini Cooper (mainstream, carb)
1991 - 1996
John Cooper Garages approved Mini Cooper S conversion and handling pack launched, Mini Cooper 1.3 SPi launched
1991
Release of Mini Neon and Mini Cabriolet
1991 – 1993
Production of Moke (Portugal)
1992
Release of Mini British Open Classic and Mini Italian Job, launch of John Cooper Garages Si conversion
1992 - 1996
Production of Mini Sprite and Mini Mayfair 1,275cc
1993
Release of Mini Rio and Mini Tahiti
1993 - 1996
Production of Mini Cabriolet
1994
Release of Mini-Cooper Monte Carlo (January Edition), Mini 35, Mini-Cooper Monte Carlo (July)
1994 - 1996
Production of Cooper Grand Prix
1995
Release of Sidewalk, John Cooper Garages Cooper S conversion
1996
Release of EquinoX and Cooper 35LE, end of production of SPi models, launch of Rover Mini and Mini Cooper MPi
1998
Release of Rover Mini Paul Smith, Rover Cooper Sports
1999
Release of John Cooper Garages Cooper S conversion, John Cooper Garages Cooper S Touring conversion, John Cooper Garages Cooper S Sport 5 conversion, John Cooper Garages Cooper S Works, Rover Mini 40 and John Cooper LE
2000
Rover Cooper Sport 500 LE, last Mini built at Longbridge 4/10/2000 was a Cooper
(Source: http://www.miniworld.co.uk)
Pictures of Rover Mini