Tag Archives: hardtop

Motorsport

2025 Mini Cooper Gets A Turbo-Four With 201 HP

When Mini launched the brand new Cooper 3-Door Hardtop final yr, it solely confirmed the electrical E and SE fashions. Only now’s the hatchback getting inner combustion engines. There aren’t any diesels, as an alternative, the smallest automotive the BMW Group makes due with a pair of gasoline powertrains.

The base mannequin goes by the title Cooper C and will get a turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine making 154 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque (230 Newton-meters). That provides it a 0 to 62 mph time of seven.7 seconds. Step as much as the Cooper S and Mini rewards you with a bigger turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder good for 201 hp and 221 lb-ft (300 Nm), reducing the dash time to six.6 seconds. Those who need extra punch must anticipate the subsequent JCW model, though Mini will promote you a brand new JCW exterior trim at launch that has all of the present however no additional go. 

2024 Mini Cooper S

Depending on the Mini you go for, there are a number of 16- to 18-inch wheels to select from, 4 roof colours, plus a three-color gradient roof end for the Favoured mannequin if the Multitone Roof choice is chosen. The inside will get the identical 9.4-inch OLED infotainment from the electrical fashions, and fortunately, Mini hasn’t deleted all bodily controls. There’s a parking brake, gear selector, begin/cease button, and a quantity knob all positioned on a toggle bar under the round show.

You can match 7.4 cubic ft (210 liters) of baggage with the rear seats in place, or 28.2 cubic ft (800 liters) after folding the bench. Mini intends to launch a convertible model of the newest Cooper, together with a extra sensible five-door hatchback. These would be the final wave of ICE fashions earlier than BMW Group abandons fuel automobiles on the finish of the last decade.

2024 Mini Cooper S
2024 Mini Cooper S

The new Cooper C and Cooper S will probably be in Oxford, not like the electrical Cooper E and SE. Those two fashions are manufactured in China by Spotlight Automotive – a three way partnership between Mini’s guardian firm BMW Group and Great Wall Motor. We will not see the electrical hatch constructed within the UK till 2026, along with the subsequent Aceman small crossover.

The equal five-door mannequin ought to arrive later this yr.

Motorsport

Mazda Miata Owner Regrets Choosing Retractable Hardtop

Mazda introduced the Miata RF in late 2016, offering a retractable hardtop option for the fourth-generation roadster. However, a 2023 model owner of the Miata RF now regrets their decision and prefers the ragtop version.

Although the Miata RF has a solid roof, it is still considered a convertible for track-day purposes. This means that if the owner wishes to compete in their local time-attack series, they would need to install a roll bar. While retailers do offer roll bars, installing one interferes with the retractable functionality of the roof. As a result, once the roll bar is installed, the roof cannot be lowered, which is a feature the owner enjoys.


Motorsport

Rendered: Electric Mini John Cooper Works Based on Spy Shots

Next week, Mini is set to unveil the next-generation Cooper hardtop at the 2023 IAA Munich in Germany. While the focus will likely be on the all-electric model, we will have to wait a bit longer to see the John Cooper Works without a combustion engine. Recently, the camouflaged JCW was spotted, and now we have imagined what the silent hot hatch will look like without the disguise.

The electric JCW will have a familiar yet refreshed design, and it’s worth noting that Mini still plans to offer a gasoline-powered JCW as well. However, the two models will not share the same mechanics. The gasoline models will be built on Mini’s own platform, while the electric versions will be built on a platform developed by Great Wall Motor. In 2019, Mini’s parent company, BMW, and GWM signed a deal to produce the electric Mini Cooper in China at a newly-established factory. This factory will also produce the electric-only Aceman small crossover starting in 2024. The regular Cooper will continue to be manufactured in the UK.