Mini Confirms It Will Build Two New Models

Surprise, surprise. In advance of the Frankfurt Motor Show where Mini will show off its Coupe Concept (above), which we brought you last week, the company says it will in fact build two new models. These are in addition to the traditional Cooper, Cooper Convertible and Clubman.

BMW’s chairman Norbert Reithofer confirmed that the Coupe Concept will go into production as will another model, which will be unveiled Sept. 15. That will most likely be the Mini SUV that has been spotted in testing all over the world, even in California. A photo of the SUV concept is below.

Mini's Cash for Clunkers Bumper Sticker: Yay or Nay?

Mini is offering its dealers a bumper sticker shown here that reads “My Other Car Was Demolished by the Government” to give to customers taking advantage of the federal government’s Cash for Clunkers program. It’s a tongue-in-cheek promotion the brand is known for, but is it too much?

The base Mini Cooper hardtop gets 28/37 mpg city/highway, which automatically qualifies it for the top $4,500 Cash for Clunkers credit. It also made our list of cars worth trading your clunker in for.

However, the program may be ending shortly if new funding cannot be found.

MINI's Snarky Cash For Clunkers Bumper Sticker Is Awesome (Jalopnik)

Mini Cooper Crossover Spied in California

In one of the worst-kept secrets in automotive history, Mini has been working on an all-wheel-drive crossover. A concept was unveiled last year, and since then it’s been captured many times in spy photos shown on sites all over the web. But never on ours.

We typically don’t run spy photos, as they’re usually far from what a finished product will look like. (Of course, in Mini’s case, they kind of all look the same regardless.) But then, we don’t want to turn down anyone who sends us something as crystal-clear as this shot — especially intrepid family members of Cars.com staffers.

It’s also one of the few times the prototype has been seen testing in the U.S. Here it was seen in Camarillo, Calif., heading down the 101 toward Los Angeles.

To offer our consumer bent, the official version will be shown at the Frankfurt auto show this fall and will go on sale sometime in 2010.

Mini Considering Diesel Model for U.S.

USA Today has gotten the powers that be at Mini to confirm the company is considering a diesel car for the 2010 or 2011 calendar year. A diesel Mini is still far from a reality, though, as the company’s diesels already on sale in other markets wouldn’t meet the stringent clean-air regulations in the U.S. That means a diesel Mini in this market would have to sport a next-generation diesel power plant.

A Mini representative did say that if a diesel engine arrived it would be an option on all Mini models, including the standard hatchback, the convertible and the new Clubman, along with the much-rumored future Mini SUV.

The Mini Cooper already gets an impressive 32 mpg combined; a diesel could be 20% to 40% more efficient.

Mini confirms it is considering a diesel for U.S. market (USA Today)

Up Close: 2009 Mini Cooper Convertible

Two years after the Mini Cooper hardtop got there, the convertible is in the second generation of its rebirth. For a completely different car, it doesn’t look completely different. The casual observer wouldn’t know the difference between the two generations. The same was true with the hardtop, and it’s mostly a positive in both cases.

Along with the larger headlights and taillights, the convertible exclusively gets really cool graphite-colored alloy wheels. The main drawback is that the ragtop gets the larger, less-legible center-mounted speedometer.

Recall Alert: 2007-08 Mini Cooper S

BMW is recalling 28,450 Mini Cooper S cars from the 2007 and 2008 model years due to centrally located tailpipes that protrude too far past the rear bumper. If the tailpipe is hot and someone walks by, they could be inadvertently burned.

The recall will begin in January, and Mini dealers will replace the tailpipe with a shorter one free of charge.

Owners can contact BMW/Mini at 800-831-1117 with questions.

Mini E Electric Car Arrives in NYC

The fanatical Mini groupies at MotoringFile have confirmed that the first Mini Es have arrived from Europe for distribution in the U.S. We haven’t heard any confirmations of Mini contacting anyone on the waiting list to lease one for $850 a month, but with the cars officially here, we think these announcements will be forthcoming.

You can check out our first drive of the Mini E in a video below.

First Look: 2009 Mini Cooper Convertible

• Competes with: VW Eos, VW Beetle, Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, BMW 1 Series
• Looks like: Last year’s Mini Cooper convertible
• Drivetrain: 118-hp four-cylinder or 172-hp, turbocharged four-cylinder, both with six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission
• Hits dealerships: March 28, 2009

We’re not sure Mini knows this, but there was a big automotive show a couple weeks ago in L.A. where a new Mini Cooper convertible might have gotten a lot of attention. Instead of debuting the next-generation convertible in sunny Los Angeles, however, the car will roll out in Detroit next month, where it probably won’t be sunny.

However, the company has already released most of the details, including pricing, of the new convertible, and it promises to be as big an improvement as the new hatchback has been. And because it’s hard enough for buyers to get their hands on a new Mini hatchback, we’re guessing the company isn’t too worried about when or how it introduces a new model.

How To Sign Up For The Mini E Electric Car

Yesterday, we delivered the first news about Mini’s new electric car, the Mini E. Today we’ve found out where you can sign-up for updates about the car and how to get a test-drive application.

There still isn’t more information about what test drivers will do exactly: Will this be a long-term lease, an extended loan of a few weeks or an overnight test drive? We’re not sure, but if you sign up at MiniSpace, you’ll probably find out more than we will.

With only 500 Mini Es hitting the streets, we expect the odds of securing a test drive are pretty slim. But, hey, at least we’re trying to help. 

The MINI E: Drivers wanted! (MiniSpace)

2008 Los Angeles Auto Show: Mini E Electric Car

• Competes with: Honda FCX, Chevy Volt, Tesla Roadster
• Looks like: A Mini Cooper Hatchback
• Drivetrain: 150 kW (204 hp equivalent) electric motor, lithium-ion battery, single-stage helical gearbox
• Hits dealerships: Limited offering to 500 in California, New York and New Jersey

BMW is getting on the electric-car bandwagon with perhaps the most stylish alt-fuel vehicle to date. Yes, it looks just like a regular Mini Cooper, but is that such a bad thing? This is the type of exercise the industry truly needs to execute: a popular gasoline-powered car with an electric powertrain trim level.

The Mini E will be a limited rollout of 500 cars in just three states. The car will have a range of 150 miles on a single charge. Performance specs are quite good, too; it can hit 62 mph in 8.5 seconds.