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 E Driver Reports on First Thousand Electric Miles

Lyle Dennis, editor in chief of the website AllCarsElectric.com, recently posted a review of his first 1,000 miles driving the Mini E all-electric prototype. After three weeks of driving the Mini E exclusively on his 26-mile commute, which blends mostly highway and some city driving, Dennis remains happy and impressed with the car.

Still, the particulars of his experience go a long way toward explaining why electric cars have a ways to go.

First of all, Dennis has been limited by the 110V charger, which manages only a paltry 3.5% of charge per hour. A 100% charge is good for 100 miles of range, according to BMW. He’s managed to get by on this, but eagerly awaits the 240V charging cord that will juice the E faster.

Dennis also calculates the real-world range of the E at more like 70 miles on a full charge when you factor in use of the air conditioner and the temptation to speed due to a “responsive” accelerator. This is still much more than he needs for his commute, but Dennis admits to experiencing “range anxiety” at times.

Also, keep in mind that when Dennis parks at work he merely plugs into normal outlets in underground parking garages, effectively stealing electricity. There are no charging stations, which remains one of the most severe obstacles that electric and plug-in hybrids must overcome. Because of how long it takes to charge and its limited range, the Mini E is effectively useless outside a certain radius.

The First 1,000 Miles of Driving the Mini E Electric Car (AllCarsElectric.com)

First Customer Receives Mini E Plug-In Electric Car

Peter Trepp, a venture capitalist from Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles, became the first customer to get his hands on one of 500 Mini E plug-in electric vehicles being leased by BMW.

For roughly $850 a month, Trepp will be one of the chosen few who will act as real-world test subjects to see how the all-electric car handles in the real world. The E has a 600-pound lithium-ion battery, but no supplemental gas engine like the Chevy Volt. Its range ends after 156 miles.

Still, this is no problem for Trepp, who uses the vehicle mostly for his 15-mile roundtrip commute to Santa Monica. Trepp reports on his blog that he and his wife both want the keys, and that his neighbors have taken a great deal of interest in the car.

Trepp had a 240-volt outlet installed in his garage, and started his blog in order to entice BMW into choosing him for the E’s experimental lease. So far, he has been most surprised by the E’s acceleration, which — despite the vehicle’s dashboard “power meter” that shows drivers how to optimize energy use — has caused him to acquire a bit of a lead foot.

In case you're interested, here is another blog from a Mini E owner.

Meet the First Customer for BMW’s Mini E Plug-in Electric Car (OpenRoad)

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.

Up Close: Mini E

If it weren't for the special yellow badges and graphics plastered all over the Mini E's exterior, it could easily be mistaken for a regular Cooper. Most of the Mini E's modifications are hidden from view, though they do affect the car's interior.

For one, the E doesn't have a backseat. Now, the rear seats in the regular Cooper are barely practical, but you can fold them down to make more room for cargo. Most of the space behind the driver and front passenger in the Mini E is filled by a carpet-covered shelf covering the lithium-ion battery pack that powers the car. There's a little bit of cargo room behind it.

The E's interior will be familiar to fans of the current Mini. Like the exterior, the cabin has been accented with yellow in the form of dash and door trim.

Mini is only making 500 Es available for one-year leases to consumers in California, New York and New Jersey. The monthly payment is a sizable $850, but there's little doubt Mini will find takers for its diminutive electric car.

9,500 Want to Lease a Pricey Mini E

Mini certainly can't claim a lack of interest in its new electric vehicle, the Mini E.

9,500 people have visited MiniSpace.com to sign up for the opportunity to lease one of the vehicles in Mini's upcoming field test. Unfortunately, parent company BMW only plans to lease 500 of the compact cars, and only in California, New York and New Jersey.

Even for those lucky few selected to lease a Mini E, well, you'll be paying for it. According to Automotive News, the lease payment may be $820 a month. To qualify, you'll also need a locking garage door and a high voltage outlet for the charging system. We wonder if the 9,500 people who rushed to the website know all of this. To be fair, though, a one-year lease on a regular Mini Cooper is close to $800 a month as well.

The Mini E debuts at the L.A. auto show this month, and we'll give you our full report then. The application process will begin soon after, with the goal of delivering the cars sometime in January.

All-Electric Mini E Gets One Year Lease Priced at $820 Per Month (Jalopnik)