Section: Efficiency
Jul 23rd, 2008
MF Exclusive: A MINI Diesel is Coming to the US Market but it’s not the Cooper D some might expect. Instead MINI has been working on a new model designed from the ground up with an engine that will comply with laws in all 50 states. You know it as the R60, the public will know is as the MINI crossover.
The diesel powered R60 could use a new BMW derived 4 cylinder engine and will feature an urea injection system similar to the one seen on BMWs. The R60 is expected to launch worldwide in late 2009 as a 2010 model in a range of petrol engines (including the new JCW 1.6L turbo) and we would expect the diesel to be at least six months behind that schedule.
Jul 21st, 2008
The electric Minis are in production as we speak and have been for the previous 6 or 7 weeks. They are assembled as pretty much normal cars, then shipped out to Munich to have the electric motors fitted. Once completely in Munich, BMW plans to ship 490 to California.
The Electric MINI’s will be able to be spotted by their exclusive Interchange Yellow roofs and mirror caps. continued →
Advertisement
Jul 18th, 2008
When the R57 goes on sale next spring it will receive an exclusive color much like the launch of the R52 convertibles in the latter half of 2004. Like the R52 the MINI convertible will get two new colors to call its own; one metallic and one a non-metallic. The non-metallic addition to the line-up will be called Interchange Yellow.
It’s a non-metallic yellow/green that’s almost the same color as a hi-liter pen but not quite so luminous. Also something to note, it’s the same color that will be used on the upcoming electric MINI’s mirror caps and roof. continued →
Jul 14th, 2008
Bosch sure is being generous with it’s handing out of the test drives on the MINI Cooper D they have in the US for testing. This time, NextAutos gets a shot.
We at Winding Road and NextAutos are always eager to test the diesel offerings from global manufacturers and we were grinning with excitement when the folks at Bosch offered us the keys to a Mini Cooper with a 1.6-liter diesel engine. According to Bosch, this Mini will achieve fuel economy numbers in upwards of 50 miles per gallon, which will shame many hybrid offerings currently sold in the States.
continued →
Advertisement
Jul 11th, 2008
Official BMW Press Release: Over the next months, the BMW Group will be carrying out various series of tests on electrically powered vehicles to determine the alternative drive of the future. Several hundred MINI brand vehicles are being prepared for this. The cars, built in the Oxford plant, will be modified accordingly in Munich and fitted out for trials. continued →
Jul 9th, 2008
According to Autoweek, BMW plans to build a few electric MINIs and send them to the states to help meet the need for zero-emissions vehicles sold in California.
BMW plans to export nearly 500 electric versions of its Mini car to California, company sources said.
The electric Minis are being built at the Mini factory in Oxford, England, without engines, gearboxes or fuel tanks, then shipped to Munich, Germany, where they are being fitted with electric powertrains.
BMW sources told Automotive News Europe that 490 of the Minis will be leased to selected customers in California and 10 will be used as show cars.
continued →
Advertisement
Jul 9th, 2008
A great story recently posted at the paper of record about how the price of fuel is affecting those with 25 gallon (and larger) fuel tanks.
By late spring, owners of pickups and sport utility vehicles with 30-gallon tanks, like the Cadillac Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Suburban, started paying $100 or more to fill a near-empty tank. As gas prices continue to rise — the national average stood at about $4.10 a gallon Saturday — membership in the triple-digit club is growing. Now, even not-so-gargantuan Toyota Land Cruisers and GMC Yukons can cost $100 to fill up.
continued →
Jun 28th, 2008
With more and more people trying to get into more fuel efficient cars, resale values of used cars is going up. From Forbes.com.
It’s not just used hybrids seeing a price increase, however. This year’s Mini Cooper buyers expecting to find a lower-priced used 2007 Mini were in for a big surprise. They paid, on average, $2,300 more for a used Mini in mid-June, a 12% increase over the average transaction price on Jan. 1 of this year. The car has proved its value during the past six months; it gets an average EPA estimated 29 mpg. continued →
Advertisement
Jun 5th, 2008
Not for sale in the United States, Bosch has one here as part of it’s in-house Euro Diesel fleet. And MPGoMatic got to drive one in Las Vegas Nevada.
While a 0-62 time of 9.9 seconds might not seem overly impressive, the MINI D feels faster then the numbers tell. The car is quick off the line, with the little diesel mill providing plenty of torque throughout the range. Unlike many small-displacement gasoline engines, the the MINI D’s 1.6 liter four-cylinder diesel engine is infinitely drivable, producing 110 horsepower (HP) and approximately 177 foot pounds of torque between 1750 and 2000 RPM (and a touch more than 191 with overboost).
They even have video to prove it.
continued →
Jun 5th, 2008
I’m sure you have heard this already.
G.M.’s chairman and chief executive, Rick Wagoner, said G.M. will cease production at four North American assembly plants that make S.U.V.’s and pickups by 2010.
And in a humbling admission that the S.U.V. era is all but over, G.M., Detroit’s leading automaker, said it was considering selling the gas-guzzling Hummer brand it once regarded as a pillar of future growth.
And Ford started their production cutting last month. Switching, like GM, to building more cars.
continued →
Jun 2nd, 2008
We start off with some rambling, some MTTS stuff and a reminder that we do accept, quite gladly in fact, beverages of any type.
Todd does go through the hypermiling techniques that he is using to get close to 25mpg out of his 3 Series Wagon in the city. It helps that he is battling with his wife, who is getting 32mpg out of an ‘03 R53! I still have him beat with my 30mpg in the city, but I didn’t want to rub it in.
MTTS is almost here! We are going to be everywhere with our recorders, cameras and laptops posting all kinds of things here and at MF. But, if you want to make sure you get all of it when it happens, here are a few other places to stalk db follow along.h
continued →
May 22nd, 2008
CNNMoney.com has put together an interesting list of cars they think would be good replacement for the gas-guzzling SUV found in many driveways across the country. As expected, the Ford Escape Hybrid, Saturn Vue Green Line and Mazada 5 are on the list.
So is the MINI Cooper Clubman.
Meanwhile, the Clubman offers a handy extension on the regular Mini Cooper. It’s about 10 inches longer than the regular Mini, and most of that goes into usable storage space behind the back seats. It also gets an additional door that opens backward on the passenger side.
It’s still a Mini - and the barn-door-style tailgate can be an annoying hassle to use - but it makes the fun-to-drive Clubman a viable utility player.
Thanks Frank for sending this in!
[ 8 fuel-sipping SUV alternatives - MINI Cooper Clubman ] CNNMoney.com
May 17th, 2008
As we mentioned last week, we Americans are doing what we can to get out of those huge gas guzzling SUVs and into smaller, more fuel effecient cars. This from Boston.com
The sale of new SUVs and pickup trucks has dropped precipitously in recent months amid soaring gas prices and a weakening economy: SUV sales for the month of April alone fell 32.3 percent from a year earlier and small car sales rose 18.6 percent. This fundamental shift comes against a backdrop of relentless gas increases, and growing concerns over the environment and US oil consumption, according to auto analysts and car dealers.
“The SUV craze was a bubble and now it is bursting,” said George Hoffer, an economics professor at Virginia Commonwealth University whose research focuses on the automotive industry. “It’s an irrational vehicle. It’ll never come back.”
continued →
May 8th, 2008
A great article via the Paper of record. It would seem that those SUV drivers are really getting tired of having to swipe their credit cards twice to fill up their tanks.
In what industry analysts are calling a first, about one in five vehicles sold in the United States was a compact or subcompact car during April, based on monthly sales data released Thursday. Almost a decade ago, when sport utility vehicles were at their peak of popularity, only one in every eight vehicles sold was a small car.
Amazing stats. Oh, but there’s more.
Sales of Toyota’s subcompact Yaris increased 46 percent, and Honda’s tiny Fit had a record month. Ford’s compact Focus model jumped 32 percent in April from a year earlier. All those models are rated at more than 30 miles per gallon for highway driving.
Not to mention MINIUSA Sales up almost 40% for April.
continued →
May 5th, 2008
We’ve discussed BMW building a smaller, city-type car, in the past. It looks as though they mean to build it. And, according to Left Lane News, bring it to the US.
In order to comply with upcoming regulations in California as well as major city centers around the world that require zero-emissions vehicles, BMW is preparing its smallest vehicle in recent memory. The small city car, would be called Isetta and be a result of the recently launched Project i unit, charged with developing the car.
In other news outlets it’s probably worth noting that there are reports that this car still has an outside chance of being branded a MINI. You can read more below.
[ BMW to Launch Electric Car by 2012 ] Leftlanenews.com
Browse Pages:
Next Page »
