Category: MINI

The new MINI Coupé has been sent on a journey around the globe to fulfill promotional obligations. It’s all to do with having a sense of adventure; so we’re being told.

Today MINI has released official pics and detail about its new R58 Coupé model. The “helmet roof” and two-up seating are the most obvious differences from the bread and butter MINI hatch. This info comes just a couple of weeks after MINI gave us an official preview.

You can see from the pics below that the roof design has an almost sculptural feel in the way it integrates with the high-mount rear spoiler. Air is forced down to the bootlid spoiler which automatically raises at 80km/h. The Coupé is a bit front heavy so we suspect MINI has had to work hard to get more downforce over the rear axle.

Being a two-seater there is additional storage space behind the seats, as well as a cubby hole through to the rear luggage compartment. Inside the low roof line has been compensated for by scalloping the roof liner. We’re not so sure about how that looks and will reserve judgement until a later date. Taller drivers will no doubt approve of the feature.

The Coupé is built on the Cabriolet platform, which means stronger chassis components have been used. Add to this the brace running between the C-pillars and you have the stiffest MINI made to date. The downside of that is the Coupé weighs around a tank of fuel more than the hatch.

There are four model designations for the Coupé:

• MINI Cooper Coupé – 90kW/160Nm, 0-100km/h 9.0s
• MINI Cooper SD Coupé – 105kW/305Nm, 0-100km/h 7.9s
• MINI Cooper S Coupé – 135kW/240Nm (+ 20Nm overboost), 0-100km/h 6.9s
• MINI John Cooper Works Coupé – 155kW/260Nm (+ 20Nm overboost), 0-100km/h 6.4s

More pics and full details, including a detailed press release with technical specifications, are all yours after the break. We can expect the MINI Coupé to make its Australian debut towards the end of the year.

Early last year MINI Australia launched a parts bin special called the JCW Challenge Edition. It was pretty much a few options thrown together at a reduced price and it was only offered for sale down under. Now, though, it would appear MINI HQ is raising the bar considerably by testing out a new prototype at the Nürburgring. Could this be a purpose-built JCW Challenge Edition?

From the spy pics you can see there’s radically revised front and rear spoilers. Indeed, the rear diffuser look to have been heavily inspired by the MINI Challenge race cars.

It’s generally been considered the 155kW engine in the regular JCW is close to its maximum tuning potential. Let’s hope MINI has found a few new ponies in its back shed? Watch this space.

[Source: World Car Fans]

UK mag Car has snapped the first undisguised photos of the distinctive helmet roof on the MINI Coupé. Based on the image above it looks as though MINI has been true to the 2009 concept.

From what we know at the moment the Coupé will only be offered with a contrasting silver or black roof and mirror caps. With the exception of black, which can be ordered with same colour body and roof, all other colours will feature a contrasting roof colour.

MINI will also be offering “viper stripes” as a factory option with the Coupé. The stripes change colour as they go over the roof. You can just see the two blue stripes on the back of the rear spoiler above. On the bonnet (see pic below) the stripes are silver, matching the roof colour.

Expect official news from MINI in the very near future.

[Source: Car via MotoringFile]

Autoblog has followed yesterday’s review of the MINI JCW Coupé from MotoringFile. The Autoblog piece brings us this short video which shows the moveable rear wing in action. Sadly, we only see the wing while the car is stationary. Also included via the source link below are some new images showing the rear boot space. We’re also given a few teasers of the Coupé’s interior.

We thought this snippet from their review was interesting:

“…while fully 62.9 percent of the Mini JCW Coupe’s 2,735-pound curb weight sits over the hardworking front axle, we expected more egregious understeer than we actually experienced. That the car’s balance is mostly so neutral and adaptive under the highest stresses is commendable.”

A 63:37 weight distribution also gives a fairly clear indication why that rear wing was required to provide more rear downforce.

[Source: Autoblog]

US-based specialist MINI website MotoringFile was recently invited to Austria to test out a prototype version of the new MINI John Cooper Works Coupé. Here’s a snippet of what they had to say:

“It was my second stint on the track when it happened. A gentle lift of the throttle sent tail out and the JCW Coupe (with rear wing raised) gently drifted out and onto the rumbled strips on corner exit perfectly blending into the straight. It was that perfect track moment that sticks with you for days and week later. And it’s the kind of moment that defines the soul of the car like the Coupe.”

The MF review is quite detailed and well worth a few moments of your time to read in full. To us, the new MINI Coupé sounds totally compelling, and somehow not, all at the same time. We can’t wait to see it in Australia.

[Source: MotoringFile]

MINI has taken the slightly unorthodox approach of offering up a multitude of images showcasing its new Coupé model. All show the car in a semi-disguised state, but you still get to see, in basic terms, the production car is pretty much the same as the concept first shown back in 2009.

Most of the crazy camouflage has been used to hide the “helmet roof” from prying eyes. All will be revealed in good time, of course, with the MINI Coupé expected to have its first full public outing at Frankfurt in September.

Also confirmed is the engine/model range MINI will offer when the Coupé is first launched. There’ll be four models available, starting with the 90kW MINI Cooper Coupé, the bread and butter 135kW MINI Cooper S Coupé, plus the top of the range 155kW MINI John Cooper Works Coupé. Fans of oil burners need not feel left out, either, as there will be a 105kW MINI Cooper SD Coupé provided.

As its name suggests, the Coupé will offer just two front seats and MINI boasts the car will provide the ultimate go-kart feeling. The Coupé sits 29mm lower than its hardtop stablemate and features an active rear spoiler that is raised at speeds over 80km/h.

There’s more after the break, including a total of 20 of the best pics on offer and a link to download the full 17 page press release.

Images of the new F56 MINI hatch have been published by World Car Fans, but if you want the skinny on what’s what with the new MINI, best to rely on specialist website MotoringFile.

If you check out all the pics on WCF you may notice a regular BMW looking dash internally. According to MF, that’s merely a ruse and won’t have any bearing on the final MINI layout; the centre-mount speedo will be retained.

The next-gen MINI will be roughly the same size as the current R56 model and is expected to feature minor exterior tweaks, with a more extensive revamp for the interior.

It’s expected the F56 will go on sale overseas in mid-2013, so we can pencil in a motor show appearance at Geneva a few months prior and an Australian sales launch towards the end of 2013.

Follow the links below for more.

[Source: MotoringFile | Pic: World Car Fans]