The BMW-Mini Thread

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Update for the current gen Mini Cooper S. Dig those new Union Jack rear lights! New Mini logo as well.

Mini Cooper S

The British premium automobile manufacturer strengthens the progressive character and appeal of its models in the small car segment with a stylishly refined visual appearance and extensive technological advancements. The update for the MINI 3-door, the MINI 5-door and the MINI Convertible includes fresh design accentuations, innovations in the field of drive technology, additional customisation options and an expansion of the digital services available as part of MINI Connected.

The upgrading of the original product substance in the premium segment of small cars highlights the mature yet distinctive charisma of MINI, which in its current model generation is now available for the first time with three body types for hallmark driving fun in urban traffic. This is due to such elements as the new engine-transmission combinations, an extended range of standard features, newly designed headlights and rear lights, additional body finishes and cutting-edge connectivity technology for convenience and infotainment.

Bright and dazzle-free: adaptive LED headlights with Matrix function for the high beam

A modified design for the characteristic circular headlights make the hallmark front view of the new MINI 3-door, the new MINI 5-door and the new MINI Convertible even more powerfully expressive. In the standard halogen headlights, a striking accentuation is added by means of a black panel. In the LED headlights available as optional equipment items, the high-quality technology is underscored by means of an entirely newly design of the light sources. The latest generation of the LED modules for low and high beam offers increased brightness. The LED daytime driving light and the turn indicator light are generated by a ring which surrounds the entire contour of the headlight.

Likewise optionally available, the adaptive LED headlights automatically adjust their brightness to the situation on the road. When driving through a city or in the event of limited visibility due to the weather, it is possible to add in the dimmed turning light so as to intensify illumination of the side section of the roadway. Meanwhile a specifically increased range of the low beam ensures optimum illumination of the road when driving on the motorway.

The adaptive LED headlights now also feature an automatic selective dip function for the high beam. The innovative Matrix technology for the high beam increases visibility range while at the same time avoiding any dazzle effect for other road users. For this purpose it is divided into four horizontally arranged segments, which are activated and deactivated independently of one another at speeds of over 70 km/h. The high beam segments are controlled based on the situation on the road. As soon as the MINI front camera registers an oncoming vehicle or a vehicle driving ahead, the space that vehicle occupies is only illuminated at low beam brightness. This is done by deactivation of the Matrix high beam segments that are responsible for the space in question. The remaining areas of the road continue to be illuminated at high beam brightness.

Very British: rear lights in Union Jack design

The rear lights also feature a new design in conjunction with the LED headlights and the adaptive LED headlights. As a clear reference to the brand's British origins, the upright light units at the rear of the new MINI 3-door, the new MINI 5-door and the new MINI Convertible now appear in a Union Jack design.

The striking flag motif is recreated in the structure of the light functions. The turn indicators are horizontally arranged and the brake lights are vertically aligned, with the tail light additionally representing the diagonal lines of the British flag. In order to ensure a particularly harmonious lighting effect, all light sources forming the Union Jack graphic use LED technology.

New MINI logo: reduced to the essentials

The new MINI logo is clear and authentic in style, appearing on the bonnet, tailgate, steering wheel, central instrument display and remote control in all models. It is a re-interpretation of the existing logo and now features a two-dimensional "flat design". As such, the MINI logo reflects the new brand identity with its focus on the essentials - namely key values such as driving fun, distinctive design, premium quality and emotional appeal.

https://www.netcarshow.com/mini/2019-cooper_s/

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Revamped Mini range launches with bolstered tech and new DCT gearbox

Dual clutch auto arrives alongside new LED lighting that features a Union Flag design at the rear

Mini has revamped its hatchback, five-door and convertible models for 2018 by giving the trio of B-segment cars extra standard-fit technology, enhanced customisation options and, a first for the siblings, a new dual-clutch gearbox.

Due in UK showrooms from 17 March, Mini’s core models now come as standard with front and rear LED lights and optional matrix LED high beams. The LED tail-lights feature a Union flag design that takes influence from the units featured on the Mini Electric concept of 2017.

Inside, there is a new three-spoke steering wheel with multifunction buttons and an updated 6.5in standard-fit infotainment system, which is now offered with a Navigation Plus Pack and wireless phone charging. The infotainment can be upgraded with an optional touchscreen, sat-nav and Apple CarPlay functionality. A Mini Connected option enables closer smartphone integration for reminders to include calendar entries and recommended departure times.

Using the new Mini Yours Customised service, buyers can create bespoke designs for 3D printed trim, illuminated door sills and LED projectors. Additionally, the passenger side of the dashboard can also be fitted with a backlit Union flag pattern that matches the ambient lighting. Mini has also added three new colours, Emerald Grey, Starlight Blue and Solaris Orange, to the car’s exterior paint palette.

Mini buyers can now specify a new DCT dualclutch automatic gearbox. The seven-speed Steptronic system comes with an electric gear selector, with Cooper S automatics getting steeringwheel-mounted shift paddles as well. Mini claims faster gearshifts than the outgoing six-speed automatic, as well as modestly improved fuel efficiency, thanks in part to the additional ratio.

The engine range retains five turbocharged options, three petrols and two diesels. At the base is a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol that produces 101bhp in the Mini One and the most efficient is a diesel of the same capacity that enables a claimed 74.3mpg in the Cooper D auto. The line-up culminates in the 2.0-litre petrol engine of the Mini John Cooper Works, which has 228bhp.

When the new Mini models arrive in showrooms, a small increase over the outgoing car’s £14,640 starting price is expected. The models will also be the first to wear a new, simpler Mini logo, which is set to be rolled out across the company's full line-up through the year.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/...e-launches-bolstered-tech-and-new-dct-gearbox

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Mini reveals light refresh for hatch and convertible

Mini has revealed minor styling and equipment updates for its three- and five-door hatchbacks as well as its convertible.

The refreshed models are expected to arrive in South Africa in the second quarter of 2018, with local pricing and specifications set to be revealed closer to launch.

The BMW-backed automaker says the update includes “a stylishly refined visual appearance and extensive technological advancements”, along with additional customisation options.

Look closely and you might notice the redesigned headlamps (optionally in LED guise with a Matrix function for the high beam) and tail-lights (in the Union Jack design), while Mini says three new body colours (Emerald Grey metallic, Starlight Blue metallic and Solaris Orange metallic) and fresh alloy wheel designs will also be offered. A gloss-black exterior styling package will furthermore be added to the options list.

Then, of course, there’s the debut of the latest Mini logo. Inside, the brand promises an “extended range” of leather trim and interior surfaces, along with a bit more standard equipment and the option of wireless smartphone charging. A new multifunction steering wheel and a 6,5-inch colour screen also debut as standard.

A handful of changes have been made under the bonnet, too. The 75 kW three-cylinder turbopetrol engine in the Mini One, for instance, now draws its oomph from a capacity of 1,5 litres (rather than 1,2 litres), boosting peak torque from 180 N.m to 190 N.m. And, as previously reported, a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission will be offered in some models, as an alternative to the standard six-speed manual gearbox.

http://www.carmag.co.za/news_post/mini-reveals-light-refresh-for-hatch-and-convertible/
 
Refreshed Mini range (2018) released

Mini has refurbished it 3-door and 5-door Hatchback and Convertible models for 2018. Check out the cool new tail lights!

The update to the Mini is focused on a new rear light design, a tech upgrade to the interior and further options to individualise the buyer’s choice.

The rear lights are the most obvious design introduction with a Union Jack styled rear light design. The front lights now have the added benefit of Matrix technology for the high beam assist. It’s an optional extra but even the standard halogen headlights are upgraded to improve visibility in tricky conditions.

The Mini badge has had a logo rethink and is now flatter and more two-dimensional than before, this is how it will be produced for forthcoming models as well.

The customisation levels of the Minis is taken a step further with new leather trim options, different surfaces, interior colours, wheel options and puddle lamp projectors.

As for the engine lineup, all engines are a touch lighter thanks to lighter engine covers. The effect on fuel economy appears to be negligible, but Mini claims a five percent improvement in fuel economy and CO2 expulsion.

The Mini One no longer uses a 1.2-litre unit and will now use the 1.5-litre 3-cylinder that the normal Cooper uses. All models now have the option of a fast-shifting 7-speed dual clutch transmission. The Cooper SD, which we don’t currently get in SA now has the 8-speed Steptronic unit as standard.

The tech upgrade to the Hatch, Convertible and 5-door includes optional wireless charging, which is handy. The infotainment system also now includes Real-Time Traffic with updates via a mobile phone connection, internet access with news, weather and fuel price overview. There is also an optional preparation for Apple CarPlay.

Mini South Africa has confirmed these models will be introduced locally during Q2 of 2018.

https://www.cars.co.za/motoring_news/refreshed-mini-range-2018-released/44460/
 
Mini Cooper S 2018 review

Should I buy one?

Other hot hatches at this price point - the Peugeot 208 GTi, for instance - are more sheer fun to drive, trading as they do some everyday refinement for single-minded, hard-edged thrills. But none of them matches the Cooper S’s broad spread of talents and none has a cabin that feels quite as high-end as this one.

The Cooper S might not be the best hot hatch at this money, but it could well be the best all-rounder.

Where Mallorca, Spain; Price £20,630; On sale Now; Engine Turbocharged four-cylinder, 1998cc, petrol; Power 189bhp at 5000-6000rpm; Torque 221lb ft at 1250rpm; Gearbox Six-speed manual; Kerb weight 1265kg; Top speed 146mph; 0-62mph 6.8sec; Fuel economy 47.1mpg; CO2 138g/km; Rivals Peugeot 208 GTi, Ford Fiesta ST

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/mini/3-door-hatch/first-drives/mini-cooper-s-2018-review

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Mini Cooper S Convertible 2018 review

Should I buy one?

If a droptop car that’s fun to drive is what you’re after, there are very few reasons not to. At £25,490 when fitted with the twin-clutch gearbox the Cooper S Convertible certainly isn’t cheap - you’ll pick up a top spec Mazda MX-5 for the same money - but to call it poor value for money would be a stretch.

It may get pretty close to matching the hatchback model in outright handling terms - close enough that many buyers would never notice the difference - but the keenest drivers would be much better served by the lighter, more nimble and £2500-cheaper three-door.

Location Mallorca; On sale Now; Price £25,490; Engine Turbocharged four-cylinder, 1998cc, petrol; Power 189bhp at 5000-6000rpm; Torque 221lb ft at 1250rpm; Gearbox Seven-speed twin-clutch; Kerb weight 1390kg; Top speed 143mph; 0-62mph 7.1sec; Economy 51.4mpg; CO2 126g/km; Rivals Audi A3 Cabriolet, Mazda MX-5

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-revie...-drives/mini-cooper-s-convertible-2018-review

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I love my current car, but I do miss my Mini every now and then. Yes, she was very hard on the road and being rather tall, it was a bitch getting in and out of such a low sitting car, but I loved her regardless.
 
Mini Cooper S 5-door

The British premium automobile manufacturer strengthens the progressive character and appeal of its models in the small car segment with a stylishly refined visual appearance and extensive technological advancements. The update for the MINI 3-door, the MINI 5-door and the MINI Convertible includes fresh design accentuations, innovations in the field of drive technology, additional customisation options and an expansion of the digital services available as part of MINI Connected.

The upgrading of the original product substance in the premium segment of small cars highlights the mature yet distinctive charisma of MINI, which in its current model generation is now available for the first time with three body types for hallmark driving fun in urban traffic. This is due to such elements as the new engine-transmission combinations, an extended range of standard features, newly designed headlights and rear lights, additional body finishes and cutting-edge connectivity technology for convenience and infotainment.

Bright and dazzle-free: adaptive LED headlights with Matrix function for the high beam

A modified design for the characteristic circular headlights make the hallmark front view of the new MINI 3-door, the new MINI 5-door and the new MINI Convertible even more powerfully expressive. In the standard halogen headlights, a striking accentuation is added by means of a black panel. In the LED headlights available as optional equipment items, the high-quality technology is underscored by means of an entirely newly design of the light sources. The latest generation of the LED modules for low and high beam offers increased brightness. The LED daytime driving light and the turn indicator light are generated by a ring which surrounds the entire contour of the headlight.

https://www.netcarshow.com/mini/2019-cooper_s_5-door/

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Mini Cooper 5dr 2018 UK review

Should I buy one?

If you’re strongly considering a Mini, the matter of rivals made by other manufacturers could well be moot.

So many of these cars are sold on the basis of their persona alone, and it’s not hard to see why. That this is also a well-balanced and – for the most part – well-mannered little driver’s car will be incidental.

Nevertheless, the equivalent Polo is more generously equipped and better isolates passengers from the road – both aurally and physically. It’s the more mature car and draws the line between refinement and driver reward in an altogether different hemisphere to the Mini, which for buyers is likely to swing it one way or the other straightaway. Ford’s Fiesta and the Seat Ibiza have a great deal more in common with the Mini in this respect.

There’s also the 189bhp Cooper S, whose facelift extends to chassis revisions that move the experience on from what the Cooper offers.

Mini Cooper 5dr specification

Where Wantage, UK Price £18,040; On sale now; Engine 3cyls, 1499c, turbocharged petrol; Power 134bhp at 4500-6000rpm; Torque 162lb ft at 1480-4200rpm; Gearbox 6-spd manual; Kerb weight 1160kg; Top speed 129mph; 0-62mph 8.2sec; Fuel economy 55.4mpg; CO2 120g/km; Rivals Suzuki Swift Sport, VW Polo 1.0 SEL, Ford Fiesta

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/mini/5-door-hatch/first-drives/mini-cooper-5dr-2018-uk-review

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