Mini John Cooper Works Pricing

We got to see the new John Cooper Works versions of the hardtop Cooper and Clubman in New York City last week, and they looked pretty snazzy in their red, white and black duds. This year marks the first time the performance-oriented trim level will be created at the factory instead of at the dealer level, which should make enthusiasts happy when they go on sale this summer.

The changes are much more than cosmetic. Turbocharged engines from the S trim levels get more power, up 36 hp from 172 to 208 hp. That shaves about a half a second off the cars’ 0-60 mph times. There will also be new high-performance brakes, sports suspension, exhaust system, modified six-speed transmission and unique 17-inch light alloy wheels and tires. 

The price bump isn’t a small one, though: $28,550 and $30,800 will get you into the JCW Cooper hardtop and Clubman, respectively. Prices do not include a $650 destination charge. That’s a $7,330 and $7,350 premium over the S versions of each car. Is it worth it? Tell us in the comments.

Mini Cooper Wienermobile Cheesy

Last week, ABC featured a new Oscar Mayer Wienermobile based on a Mini Cooper S. The aptly named Mini Wienermobile swallowed NY Giant defensive end Michael Strahan for photo ops, sporting a license plate that read “LTL LINK.” The Mini is a full 12 feet shorter than the full-size Wienermobile.

Since we’re so used to seeing the full-scale version, this downsized version is rather irksome to look at. But in this world of high gas prices, we guess it’s acceptable.

Seeing a Man About a Dog (NY Time Wheels Blog)

Cars.com Faceoff: 2008 Mini Cooper S, Saturn Astra, Volvo C30

In one of the toughest Faceoffs in recent memory, Mike Hanley, David Thomas and Joe Wiesenfelder matched up three premium hatchbacks. It was a tough fight, with each car having strengths that won us over. The Volvo had the style, the Mini the go-kart goods and the Astra the practicality. Check out the winner and let us know if you think we got it right.

Cars.comparison: Premium Hatchbacks

2008 Geneva Motor Show: 2009 Mini John Cooper Works

Competes with: Mazdaspeed3, Volkswagen GTI

Looks like: A Mini on a mission

Drivetrain: 207-hp, turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder with six-speed manual; front-wheel drive

Hits dealerships: Late summer 2008

A new John Cooper Works version of the Mini debuts for 2009 and is available as both the regular two-door hatchback and the new extended-length Clubman. Whereas previous JCW Minis featured a supercharged four-cylinder, both of these models are powered by a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder that makes 207 hp at 6,000 rpm and 192 pounds-feet of torque at 1,850 rpm. (The engine, according to Mini, can briefly raise boost pressure to achieve 207 pounds-feet of torque when accelerating.)

With the standard six-speed manual transmission, Mini says the John Cooper Works can achieve 62 mph in 6.5 seconds (6.8 seconds for the Clubman).

Besides the extensive changes under the hood, these hot-rod Minis also feature unique 17-inch alloy wheels, high-performance brakes and a different exhaust system. As with other Minis, the automaker offers a number of different ways to personalize the John Cooper Works cars.

If the enhancements offered here aren't enough, you might want to take a look at the available John Cooper Works accessories. These include a sport suspension with red springs, drilled brake discs, a rear spoiler, a suspension brace and carbon-colored trim pieces.

For a small front-wheel-drive hatchback, the Cooper S is a blast to drive, and with what we already know about that model, the new JCW goodies make the hatchback even more appealing. We'll know how much more once we have a chance to drive it.

Mini Clubman Could Be Scarce in U.S.

Blogging all things Mini, Motoringfile.com reports that BMW is limiting exports of its new Mini Cooper Clubman to the U.S. While demand will probably be healthy, the U.S. dollar is not, and the company won’t make as much selling the car here as it will in other countries. Italy seems to be the benefactor in all this.

What does this mean to those waiting to buy a Mini Clubman? Go to your Mini dealer now and put in an order. Many dealers are getting a scant four models a month for the first few months after the car comes out in February. Even the regular Mini Cooper coupe has one of the shortest turnaround times in the business. It seems the Clubman will be no different.

Clubman to Have Limited Availability in US (Motoringfile.com)

Mini Confirms Future SUV

In a very dry press release announcing a partnership for future production, Mini casually confirmed it would indeed build an SUV. Called a sport activity vehicle, the new SUV will be outsourced — built in Austria by the same company that built the BMW X3. This allows Mini to maintain its current level of production on the Mini Cooper, Cooper convertible and Cooper Clubman to continue meeting demand while also bringing a new model to market quickly. There’s no official word on how big the new vehicle will be, nor are there many other details. The code name for the project is Colorado, but we doubt the final product will be named that. The SUV should also come with all-wheel drive, a first for Mini. We’d expect the new Mini SUV to go on sale sometime in 2009, possibly hitting the car show circuit late next year.

More Mini News

2008 Mini Cooper Convertible Remains Unchanged

While the Mini Cooper coupe got a redesign for 2007 — and remains the same for 2008 – the convertible hasn’t gotten such treatment. That means the 2008s don’t get the new body, turbo engine and other tweaks; they’re similar to the models that debuted in 2002.

The convertible prices remain unchanged for 2008, starting at $21,950 for the Cooper and $25,400 for the Cooper S, not including a $650 destination charge.  A John Cooper Motor Works kit is a factory option for the 2008 Cooper S at $6,000, and the Sidewalk edition returns on both the Cooper and the Cooper S for $4,000. 

Prices for the 2008 Mini Cooper and Cooper S coupes also remain unchanged at $18,050 and $21,200, respectively. The 2008 convertibles are now on sale, the coupes go on sale in December and the all-new 2008 Clubman goes on sale in February 2008.

Related
More Mini News (KickingTires)
Research a Mini Cooper (Cars.com)

Up Close with the 2008 Mini Clubman

• Like an overbearing parent, BMW has stuck its nose in Mini's business via the navigation system offered in the Clubman. The system features an iDrive-esque control setup featuring a small joystick in the center console that functions like an iDrive controller knob. The integration of the system's screen into the center speedometer is pretty slick, but if you're averse to iDrive, you're not going to like the Clubman's system. The practicality of the Cooper's rear seats has always been questionable, but the extended-length Clubman has rear seats that you could actually use on a double date without fear of putting your friends in a crabby mood. — Mike Hanley

Mini Clubman to Start Under $20,000

The stretched Mini Cooper, dubbed Clubman, goes on sale in February. If you’re already saving your pennies, you’ll need to have set aside $19,950’s worth to buy one. That’s the MSRP for the Mini Clubman with a standard four-cylinder engine. The Clubman S with a turbocharged engine will start at $23,450. Neither price includes a $650 destination charge.

The price is a $1,900 bump from the regular Mini Cooper. Does that sound right to you Mini fans out there?

More on the Mini Clubman

Question of the Day: What's Faster to 60 MPH?

Since SEMA officially kicks off tomorrow and we’ve already been inundated with reports on some of the production and concept cars showing up there, we figured today would be a good day to answer one reader’s question about speedy, specialized hatchbacks.

The reader’s inquiry was which hatchback is faster to 60 mph: the Mazdaspeed3, Dodge Caliber SRT4 or Mini Cooper S.

Which is faster from zero to 60 mph, the Mazdaspeed3, Caliber SRT4 or Mini Cooper S? (Ask.cars.com)

Suburban Dad: 2007 Mini Cooper S Update

I know, I know: Why is this Dad so fixated on the Mini Cooper? Well, it’s been a few months since the Cooper first visited me in the suburbs where the wife and I fell in love with it. So, when the opportunity arrive to put the Mini through its paces as a long-distance, four-passenger car over the weekend I couldn’t pass it up. Unfortunately, with the kids in tow, the results were less than I had hoped for.

Friday Fleet Notes: 10.12.07

They may not be the sexiest of test vehicles, but a few of us got to check out two important entries for their respective brands. One other staffer also discovered why the Mini Cooper S is so beloved when it returned to our fleet for a short time after topping our Top 10 Urban Cars list.

Suzuki SX4 Sport

• I'd driven the SX4 Crossover before with the automatic transmission and thought it was OK, but not great. The SX4 Sport with a manual transmission was a lot more fun to drive. I didn't push it, but it was reasonably peppy away from stop signs and, given its small size, decent over rough pavement. The large A-pillar didn't bother me, but it did bother Mike Hanley when he had the car for a much longer time than I did, so it's something to check out. (I really liked the little window in the A-pillar, though it's more of a decorative than functional thing. It'd be even better if it were an old-fashioned vent window.) Sedans aren't my thing, but I left the SX4 Sport hoping I'd get the chance to put its Crossover brother, with a manual, to the Weekend Athlete test. — William Jackson, Buying Guides editor

Is a Bigger BMW Better?

General Motors once vowed, "A vehicle for every purse and pocket."

Of course, creating so many divisions and models got GM into financial trouble when the number of its competitors grew so much as well and people dipped into pocket and purse to buy Toyotas and Hondas.

Now BMW, which sells about 300,000 BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce vehicles annually, appears to want to benchmark GM: It's saying it will add six new models in the U.S. within the next few years in order to have products in segments in which it doesn't now compete.

Automotive News says BMW, which already has a small 1 Series on the way and just unveiled an X6 coupe crossover concept in Frankfurt, plans a small BMW crossover and two sedans, one priced above the current 7 Series; a Mini crossover; and two Rolls-Royce models. What, no pickup or minivan?

Mini Clubman Release Date, More Photos

Most people wouldn’t consider Mini owners to be practical. The car is such a style statement, after all. But a large number of Mini owners looked at their purchase and blurted out “this car needs more room.” Mini name be darned, the company execs said, we’ve done it before and we can do it again, and they introduced the Clubman version of the Mini Cooper. Now, to help those practical people plan their purchase — say that three times fast— we’ve learned of the tentative on sale date in the U.S. That’s right; drum roll, please…

More Mini Clubman Details, Photo Gallery

We’ve been covering the release of the new Mini Clubman, which BMW is calling “the other” Mini, for the past few days, and now we learn all the details and get to see much more of the elongated Cooper.

First we’ll deal with the new configuration: The Clubman has split rear doors that swing outward, versus the standard Mini’s upward-opening hatch. The passenger side has a clamshell door setup that makes it easier for rear passengers to get in and out. Once in the backseat, those passengers will also enjoy 3.5 more inches of legroom.

What everyone really wants to know about, though, is cargo room. The Clubman has 9.1 cubic feet with the rear seats in place, versus 5.7 cubic feet for the standard Cooper. With the seats down, the Clubman has 32.6 cubic feet versus 24 in the coupe. Even the Clubman’s expanded size is nowhere close to other small hatchbacks like the Honda Fit, four-door VW Rabbit or Nissan Versa, which sport 17.8/50.4, 15/46 and 21.3/41.9 cubic feet, respectively.

But Mini fans look for Mini style and Mini performance, and the Clubman has both. Engine choices are the base four-cylinder with 120 hp, and a turbocharged Clubman Cooper S with 175 hp. Prices haven’t been announced, but the Mini Clubman should go on sale in early 2008. Check out the photo gallery below and let us know what you think.

Mini Clubman Photo Gallery

Max-Mini: Mini Clubman Perplexes

Obviously, the only thing wrong with the Mini Cooper is that it doesn't offer a Max version. But it will, starting this fall in Europe and coming to the U.S. in the first quarter of next year.

That’s sad, because the initial attraction of the machine was its size — a David out to do battle with all the Goliaths. Its petite size won many fans for the Mini camp, including people who found it easy to park along congested streets or in cramped downtown garages. In the garage at home, you could slip the bike, mower, and car into the same one-vehicle garage stall.

Of course, if you have six kids and two dogs, it's not the car for you. It’s also a mite out of place for soccer moms, considering how many Minis you could fit in a soccer goal. But the Mini is cute and cuddly, and that's what won over fans.

Mini Clubman Revealed Online

A number of websites leaked information about the Mini Clubman last night, days before it was supposed to be revealed. The surprising thing is one of those sites was owned by Mini itself. These images are of the new Mini Clubman, an elongated version of the Mini Cooper that will go on sale early next year.

A Clubman micro site was launched today by Mini and that’s where these computer-aided images are from. Keep reading to see more pictures and visit Mini.com for a lot of video game-esque driving. We’ll have full specs and official photos as soon as possible.

Mini Cooper Cruising

There seems to be a lot of rumors of what the next Mini variation might be. After the new Clubman debuts soon, there’s word an SUV might be next. Or Mini could just follow in the footsteps of an industrious Spanish Mini owner and build a Mini Cooper boat. We don’t have much more information on the transport shown here other than it was indeed a Mini at one time. We also don’t know if the boat can drive on land. Still, the picture is priceless.

Mini Boat (Motorpasion via MotoringFile)

Cars.com Faceoff: Cheap Speed, the Sequel

Last year, the all-new Volkswagen GTI bested the then-aging Mini Cooper and the new Honda Civic Si in one of our most popular faceoffs to date. Today, Mike Hanley, David Thomas and Joe Wiesenfelder took last year’s champ and put it against a redesigned Mini Cooper and a newcomer, the Mazdaspeed3. Which affordable, accelerator-friendly hatchback won out? Click below. 

Cars.comparison: Small and Fast, Take II

Cars.com Reviews the New Mini Cooper S

When the all-new — yet remarkably similar-looking — Mini Cooper S hit our fleet, it was the talk of the staff. The Suburban Dad even managed to steal it for a bit before it went to senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder so he could, you know, review it.

That review is in, and if you want all the details on the new Mini — and whether it really is as good as we all thought — check it out.

2007 Mini Cooper S Review

Suburban Dad: 2007 Mini Cooper S

“You know,” she said, “it’s not often that we’re trying to get all five of us into your car.”

It was a diplomatic comment, aimed at me. Was it the break I’ve always dreamed of, but never believed could happen? Could my wife truly be endorsing a Mini Cooper — one of my dream cars? Not exactly.

“I wouldn’t mind being seen in this when you drop me off at school,” my daughter continued. “It’s cool-looking.”

It’s that and more. I’ve loved, from afar, the Mini’s small size, its style, the BMW heritage, the nifty airplane-like switches on the center console. I’ve also been intrigued by the ardor that the car has gotten from its owners for the past five years or so, and I’ve always considered it an inexpensive version of the “midlife crisis.”

My 24 hours with the Mini Cooper S were no disappointment.

2007 Mini Cooper S: Cars.com's Most Wanted

We’re pretty jaded around the Cars.com offices. Our reviewers and editors get to drive dozens of cars every year, from the poshest Mercedes-Benz to the thriftiest compact. So what new model had everyone scrambling for its circular fob? None other than the all-new Mini Cooper S. Sure, it looks a lot like the outgoing Cooper, but the new one is radically different. There’s a nifty new turbo engine, all new bodywork and a new interior.

First, reviewer Kelsey Mays took delivery of the Cooper S and got a full, clear night behind the wheel before bringing it into the office for a photo and video shoot. Then the Suburban Dad got to take it home for the night (don’t ask why the Urban DINK didn’t get such treatment), then it came back for senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder to flog for the rest of the week for an upcoming expert review.

There is a photo gallery below from the Urban DINK, with commentary about the few snow-soaked hours he stole in the Mini. Besides being one of the best cars he's driven in a long time — especially for city dwellers — he still found some problems, but not with how the car performed.

2007 Mini Cooper John Cooper Works Tuning Kit

The new 2007 Mini Cooper just went on sale in the U.S. last month, but now there’s official word on the John Cooper Works Tuning Kit. The factory-installed kit hasn’t been priced as a U.S. option yet, but it will be available this spring and can be combined with a number of other Mini add-ons, like suspension upgrades, exterior enhancements and interior accessories, to create something that looks like the vehicle shown in the pictures above and below.

What do you get with this particular performance package? A new exhaust system, air filter and engine-management system that provide more efficiency and add up to 192 hp, versus the standard Cooper S’s 172 hp. Will that alone be worth a potential price bump of $2,000? We’re not sure, but Mini lovers certainly won’t complain. We do like the fact that Mini allows such performance customization completely under warranty.

Source: Mini and MotoringFile

Mini Billboards to Get Interactive

Mini is sending out invitations to some preferred owners in order to test a new advertising concept to promote the new Mini Cooper and Cooper S. The company is sending out instructions that allow the owners to personalize messages broadcast from billboards — yes, the big billboards you see on the highway — in select cities including New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Miami. The company is known for its innovative billboard advertising, but this is a whole new level of attention-grabbing.

After you enter some non-intrusive facts about yourself the company sends you a key fob. Their new billboards will sense the key fob approaching and display an appropriate message just for you, even though everyone else on the highway will see it as well. An example from Mini’s release reads: “David, your hair looks great today.”

How did they know it was me? I don’t even own a Mini and my hair looks awful today, really.

[MINI USA’s Motorby Pilot Program, MotoringFile]

2007 Detroit Auto Show: A World of New Mini Coopers

I busted onto the show floor before the first official press conference of the day but there was already plenty to see. My first stop was the Mini booth to catch the all-new — yet remarkably similar-looking — Mini Cooper. The booth had the Mini Cooper, Mini Cooper S, Mini Cooper S John Cooper Works Edition and even a fun Checker paint job — still getting its checked roof applied.

Overall, I was impressed by how good the new Mini looks. The single grilled is much preferable to the split job of the previous model, and the interior quality is also a welcome step up, as well. Miniphiles can check out the photos below.

Mini Announces 2007 Pricing

The all-new 2007 Mini Cooper will carry a sticker price of $18,050, a full $600 more than the outgoing model. The higher-performance Cooper S only sees a $300 rise in price, to $21,200. Both new convertible models are priced the same as the 2006 editions: $22,600 for the Cooper convertible and $26,050 for the Cooper S convertible. The prices do not include an increased destination charge of $650.

The enthusiast favorite John Cooper Works Edition will cost an additional $6,300 to the Cooper S Convertible price but it has not been updated for the new hardtop Cooper S.

There is no solid on-sale date for the new Minis, besides a vague “early 2007,” but we’ve heard there will be a push around President’s Day weekend and the pricing sheet provided by BMW says "effective date 2/1/07."

Related:
Next-Generation Mini Cooper Makes U.S. Debut at Detroit Auto Show
Update: More 2007 Mini Info
2007 Mini Cooper Fully Revealed, Almost

Next-Generation Mini Cooper Makes U.S. Debut at Detroit Auto Show

Europe got a taste of the all-new Mini Cooper last month in Paris, but it will be more than two months before anyone on U.S. soil gets a first-hand look at the familiar-looking Cooper redesign. Word came today that Mini would use the setting of the Detroit auto show in early January to debut the next-generation Mini to the U.S., instead of the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show in late November. That’s fairly surprising, given the new Cooper is basically ready to roll and has already made its global debut.

Related:
Update: More 2007 Mini Info
2007 Mini Cooper Fully Revealed, Almost

Cars.com Cheap Speed Comparison

Today there are quite a few affordable options for the speed demons among us. Our crack team took three of today’s thrifty performers and thrashed them through a number of criteria, besides just plain performance, to determine the winner. Was it the 2006 Honda Civic Si, 2006 Mini Cooper S with John Cooper Works package or the 2006 Volkswagen GTI? Find out which one came out on top right here.

Update: More 2007 Mini Info

OK. BMW’s U.S. press site has more information we can tell you about the 2007 Mini Cooper. We also wanted to show you a side-by-side of the new Mini (left) next to the outgoing 2006 (right).

There are still no concrete mileage figures, but the updated press release says the new engines improve mileage “by up to 20%.” Now, don’t go crazy and think that’s across the board. We’re guessing that’s highway mileage on the base Cooper. But that still brings that figure from 36 mpg to 43 mpg. That would be significant. Otherwise the company mentions a 12.5% increase in mileage. If that’s across the board it’s very impressive and will make the Mini Cooper even more desirable in the newly gas-conscious U.S.

The release also says we should expect the 2007s to arrive at dealerships before the end of the year.

2007 Mini Cooper Fully Revealed, Almost

BMW has been trying to build anticipation for the all-new — yet remarkably similar-looking — 2007 Mini Cooper. Last month it released some shots of the new vehicle during testing, complete with colored tape to disguise certain elements. But today we learn most of the nitty gritty information, though there's still no word on U.S. on-sale dates, prices or mileage. You know, the important stuff. 

Enthusiasts will be happy to learn about the two new four-cylinder engines producing 120 and 175 hp in the Cooper and turbo Cooper S, respectively. The new Cooper also weighs less than the previous edition while gaining more features and a few inches in length. We’re also glad to hear that the interior will feature higher-quality materials while retaining the funky look of its predecessor.

We’re still waiting on word of mileage estimates and prices, two factors that should significantly impact sales here in the U.S. All signs point to much-improved mileage over the current 28/36 mpg city/hwy in the Cooper and 25/32 mpg in the Cooper S.

There are many more pictures below that show off the revised design. Pay particular attention to the new light treatments in front and back, and to the higher hood and new grille.

What Happens After Retro?

With Dodge pushing its upcoming Challenger as a retro alternative to Ford’s also-retro Mustang, we have to wonder: What happens when retro goes stale?

Today’s cars average around five years between redesigns, which means a sizzling-hot look can become a sales headache not too far down the road. Look at the Volkswagen Beetle and Chrysler PT Cruiser, two retro cars that initially turned heads but have since waned. The Beetle has been around since 1998, and year-to-date sales are down 33 percent compared to 2003. The PT Cruiser arrived in 2000; sales have tailed off since their peak in 2002.

Granted, VW and Chrysler probably absorbed development costs for both cars long ago, so it’s relatively cheap to maintain production. But it’s not likely either car will increase market share for its maker — that comes from having new or redesigned products.

In theory, most makeovers aim to bear some resemblance to their predecessors while addressing current-day tastes. So what does an automaker do with a retro car, whose styling is already rooted in the past?

Sneak Peek at the New Mini Cooper

In a rare move, BMW has released early photos of the next generation Mini Cooper before its official launch and unveiling at the Paris Motor Show in September. We can’t guess why BMW went in this direction, but it probably serves them better to build buzz around the new Mini instead of trying to hide what it looks like. Plus, while other automakers may check in on others’ designs, no one is going to try to copy a Mini. Note the colored tape covering lighting elements on the body — a common trick used to throw off competitors.

From the official information we’ve seen we can expect a much improved interior, but no shots of the interior have been released. And for gearheads, the engines of both the Cooper and Cooper S have been replaced with more advanced models that produce 120 and 175 horsepower respectively. The Cooper S will replace its signature supercharger with a turbocharger setup. Both cars are said to get improved fuel economy, with the base Cooper getting around 40 mpg, up from 36 mpg highway on the current model.

We like the looks of the new Mini. It’s what those in the business call an “evolutionary” new design; one that builds off the old look. With the improved fuel economy, two added inches of length, and a much needed interior update, we expect the next Mini to be even more popular when it goes on sale in the U.S. in February 2007. For a dozen more photos click the link below.

[Source: MotoringFile, BMW]