Aussie Motoring

Yesterday it was just a rumour that BMW were about to build a small fleet of electric Minis to test the concept and do some serious field trials. Today, with this press release from BMW, it’s official.

 As part of the Group’s Number ONE strategy, the company will begin extensive tests on electric drives in MINI Vehicles

Over the next months, the BMW Group will be carrying out various series of tests on electrically powered vehicles to determine the alternative drive of the future.

Several hundred MINI brand vehicles are being prepared for this. The cars, built in the Oxford plant, will be modified accordingly in Munich and fitted out for trials.

“This step will allow the BMW Group to gain an initial knowledge of how mobility can be achieved efficiently using purely electrically powered vehicles. Our task here is to combine the ultimate driving experience with an efficient electrified drive with practically no emissions”, underlined Dr. Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG.

The tests on alternative drives in a MINI body will be used over the next 12-18 months to refine the technology. Details about the drive concept and its marketing will be published towards the end of the year.

It’s being reported that BMW will soon commence building 500 electric versions of it’s ever-popular Mini.

The Chairman of BMW AG is reported as saying that this small group of cars will allow BMW to gain knowledge and experience in the production of eletrically powered vehicles.

It’s believed that 490 of the electric Minis will be shipped to California where they will be leased to selected customers.

If the report is correct then BMW has joined other European manufacturers including Volkswagen, Daimler, Peugeot and Renault in taking the first tentative steps towards building a vehicle that produces zero emissions.

Remember the early Mini’s? They came with a speedo, a fuel gauge and two or three warning lights and that was it! But not any more.

Since BMW took over the Mini you get all the information on your dashboard that you could ever want. 

There’s the time, the temperature, the distance you’ve travelled and two other interesting bits of information as well.

On the left beside the bowser icon you’ll see what your current fuel consumption is and alongside that a suggestion of what gear you should be in as well.

Sometimes you just have to wonder if too much information doesn’t take all the fun out of driving. However BMW would really have to work hard to take the fun out of the new Mini John Cooper Works models. The hardtop will do 0-100km/h in 6.5 seconds while the Clubman will do it in 6.8 seconds and both can reach 238km/h.

The price for one of these hairy little beasts starts at $48,000 plus onroad costs.

Perhaps he should have played cricket for the Poms

Sir Alec Issigonis, designer of the post war Morris Minor and world-famous Mini, was born 100 years ago today, 18 November 1906. Originally from Smyrna, Turkey, a young Alec Issigonis moved to England in 1922 after his Greek father died.

Photo courtesty of Arno Schwithal

He lived with his Bavarian-born mother in London while studying engineering, later becoming a draughtsman and working for Morris before World War II.

While designing army vehicles he created the Morris Minor, a familiar sight on Australian roads, and practically all of the British Empire, for more than 30 years.

The Suez Crisis of 1956 prompted the need for more fuel-efficient, affordable cars, so the MINI was born, using a version of the Morris Minor engine, turned around in the engine bay, mounted above the gearbox and driving the front wheels. This automotive revolution defined the layout of generations of small city cars.

A forceful and authoritarian figure, Sir Alec often insisted “I did not invent the Mini, I designed it”. A technical genius, he called mathematics “the enemy of every creative human being”.

He had a dictum “never copy the opposition,” but was quite happy for others to copy his work, which they did in large numbers.

Sir Alec was no fan of luxury or comfort items in cars. He hated radios and wanted firm seats to keep drivers alert behind the wheel. Even a heater was optional, and passengers pulled a rope to open the doors when inside. By comparison, the 2006 MINI Cooper boasts airbags, air conditioning, sports seats, CD players as well as satellite navigation.

When the MINI was launched in 1959 it was the cheapest car Britons could buy at GBP 496. But because it was so much fun to drive, wealthier drivers soon latched on. Sir Alec even took The Queen for a ride around Hyde Park after her sister’s husband Lord Snowdon had bought one as a London runabout.

Sir Alec was knighted in 1969 and retired in 1971 but continued consulting until 1987. He died in 1988, aged 82.

In all, 5.3 million MINI ‘Classic’ models were built from 1959 to 2000. Since 2002, more than 850,000 new generation MINIs have been built in Oxford, on the same site where the British Motor Corporation used to build the Morris Mini Minor.

I wonder what Sir Alec would have thought of this version of his great design.

Photo courtesy of Dantada

But why a new MINI when BMW couldn’t keep up with the demand for the old MINI?

BMW launched its first MINI in 2001 and since then has sold over 875,000 vehicles and it admits that it has never been able to keep up with the demand. However in the words Dr Michael Ganal, a member of the BMW board speaking at the Paris Motorshow:

“The MINI brand has a rich heritage and there is a strong sense of tradition. It might have been an option to build on the erstwhile model. But MINI is different. MINI today is an entirely modern brand. Customers can expect this premium brand to come up with something new time and again – concerning product substance, technological innovations and safety features.”

And so in line with the stated aim of keeping the MINI new and fresh Dr Ganal went on to list some of the features of the new MINI:

“In the future, it will be even more fun to drive a MINI: The new MINI is equipped with even more state-of-the-art high-tech features. Completely new four-cylinder engines for all models guarantee a considerable increase in performance at a reduction in fuel consumption of up to 20 per cent.

The new, electro-mechanically assisted power steering now responds even more precisely. An optimized chassis and a new six-speed transmission further enhance the characteristic MINI go-kart feeling.

We have enhanced the vehicle’s substance – in terms of safety technology, standard equipment and interior materials. With six airbags, the new MINI is the safest car in its class. And we have improved another one of the MINI’s unique premium features: The new generation offers even more possibilities for customization, an even wider range of surfaces, materials and color combinations as well as many new special equipment options.”

Along with the new MINI comes an expanded production facility at Oxford that will enable BMW to produce 240,000 units a year.

Team MINI fielded just one of its three car team for the Alphera Dutton Rally Victoria last weekend and secured a giant-killing outright victory on handicap.

Beating off a field of close to 100 hard-charging competitors including exotic sports thoroughbreds costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, and all-wheel drive rally-bred turbo-charged Japanese challengers by the dozen, the Team MINI, MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works Tuning Kit emerged victorious in Victoria.

With multi-Australia Driver’s champion Paul Stokell sharing driving duties with Publishing Director Mike Sinclair, the CarPoint backed Team MINI entry claimed three prizes: First outright on handicap, and first in class for drivers, with Mike Sinclair picking up a trophy for third in class for co-drivers.

A clutch of privately entered MINI Cooper S John Cooper Works models also finished well up the leader board, with Scott Manson third overall on Handicap in his John Cooper Works equipped 2004 MINI Cooper S, and Craig Williams sixth in his 2003 MINI Cooper S.

MINI Cooper S cars were the only European hot hatch entries in the top 29 cars, further emphasising MINI’s sporting prowess and suitability for these events.

The Victorian win backs up a similarly stunning effort at the previous Alphera Dutton Rally round in Queensland, where the Team recorded a brilliant class win and second place on handicap for co-drivers and third overall on handicap for drivers.

The Team MINI racers are based around showroom cars, with only safety equipment such as FIA compliant roll cages, race seats and harnesses fitted. The cars use Dunlop road-legal competition tyres and AP-derived race brakes, both of which are available to customers keen to build their own event winner.

Stokell was pumped after cleaning up on track at Shepparton and Winton, being the first new generation MINI to crack a one minute 40 second lap at the circuit. His race time at Sandown was as impressive, logging just a smidge over 1 minute 30.

“We ran very strongly over the whole event,” Paul said. “The car never missed a beat, and we continued to leave other competitors astonished at our cornering speeds.

“The result at Winton is spectacular.”

Mike Sinclair was equally excited by his third in class result, vastly improved over his last Dutton outing.

“I have got my head around the gymkhana events and now we’re really starting to give the seasoned campaigners as well as the much more expensive cars a run for their money in the co-driver class as well as the driver class,” he said.

The next stop for the rampaging Team MINI cars is an anniversary party at Bathurst over the weekend of 5-8 September as part of the MINI Conquers the Mountain event, including a parade lap comprising 50 classic MINIs and the three 2006 Works cars.

Legendary MINI racer Bob Holden will drive one of the Team MINI cars around Bathurst, 40 years after he won the race in a 1966 MINI Cooper S partnered by Finnish BMC driver Rauno Aaltonen.

Bob, 74, continues to participate successfully in motorsport. He was also in action this weekend, campaigning a classic MINI Cooper S at the Speed on Tweed event in New South Wales.

Immediately following the Bathurst anniversary Parade, Team MINI heads back to Victoria for the final event of the year, the Mount Buller Sprint.

Mini – through the establishment of FMEF - has today begun to take action against a car identity fraud ring allegedly passing off counterfeit cars as Minis. FMEF – Fake Mini Eradication Force – will co-operate with Mini and international law enforcement agencies to bring the countefeiters to justice.

Counterfeiting schemes are nothing new, although up until now they have been confined to exclusive fashion and jewellery brands.

In recent weeks, however, a number of vehicles crudely disguised to look like Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S models have been appearing in on-line and classified advertising publications. Even worse, several Mini faker-ers have been spotted pedalling their fake Mini wares to innocent victims in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

Several of these have been brought to the attention of Mini.

In the defence of its brand identity, Mini will today begin taking civil action against the perpetrators.

As a first step, Mini is alerting the Australian car buying public to the existence of the counterfeiting ring, and urges buyers to exhibit extreme caution when offered a vehicle for sale purporting to be a genuine Mini.

Justin Hocevar, National Manager Mini said: “We have a duty both to our owners to protect their valuable investment and to prospective pre-loved Mini buyers to warn them of the pitfalls of buying non-genuine used Minis.

“We have had to act to protect the integrity of our MINI NEXT Approved pre-loved Miniprogramme.

“That’s why we’ve constituted FMEF to work with us in this endeavour.

“And today we have written to all our owners and supplied them with a FMEF pack in the hope that they can assist us in our quest to stamp out the Mini faker-ers before it’s too late.”

According to Mr Hocevar, the Mini faker-ers have attempted to emulate many of the iconic Mini styling cues in order to fool unsuspecting buyers, applying items such as customised roof flags, mirror caps and bonnet stripes

“Just because a vehicle has bonnet stripes or a Union Jack roof decal, does not make it a Mini” he said.

“Mini is known for its chic styling, exuberant performance, go-kart handling and seemingly endless customisation options.

“The first fakes we detected were quite convincing.

“However, as the faker-ers have grown more and more greedy, their attention to detail has slipped and the ones we are seeing now are a pretty poor pastiche of parts purporting to pass themselves off as MINIs,” he said.

“While they might be able to get away with a pair of cobbled up twin exhaust pipes or dodgy bonnet stripes, trying to re-create the exhilarating ‘wheel at each corner’ driving dynamic is another thing altogether.

“Mini simply will not allow customers to be conned in this way.”

Buyers of pre-loved cars discovering counterfeit Minis are asked not to approach or try to make contact with the faker-ers involved. These are desperate people who have demonstrated they’ll stop at nothing in their quest to infest the market with these ghastly fakes.

Instead, anyone with information concerning these vehicles is urgently asked to visit FMEF online at www.FMEF.com.au

Mini Springs into Summer with a hot new model. The ever-popular high-specification Chilli model, so beloved by Mini hardtop buyers, is now available in the Always Open Mini Cabrio.

Due to arrive in showrooms in December just in time for the summer holidays, the Mini Cabrio Chilli models gather together an outstanding array of additional features.

Both the 85 kW Mini Cooper Cabrio and 125 kW Mini Cooper S Cabrio variants will be available in Chilli guise alongside the exiting models.

And as with the Mini Cooper S hardtop, Cabrio lovers will be able to further specify their Chilli-spec cars with the optional John Cooper Works Tuning Kit, which boosts engine output of the 1.6-litre supercharged engine to a feisty 154 kW.

The Mini Cabrio Chilli models add a similar level of specification to that of the hardtop model.

For Mini Cooper Cabrio buyers, the Chilli package adds a choice of two cloth and leather seat facings for the sports seats, a multi-function leather-wrapped sports steering wheel, Cockpit Chrono Pack, 16-inch light alloy ‘Fin’ design wheels, chic Chromeline exterior highlight package, front fog lights and velour floor mats.

For the supercharged Mini Cooper S Cabrio, the Chilli package delivers the cloth and leather seat cover choices, sports leather steering wheel, 17-inch ‘Bullet’ light alloy wheels, Xenon headlamps, Automatic Climate Control, Cockpit Chrono Pack and Harman Kardon HiFi as well as velour floor mats.

The Mini Cooper Cabrio Chilli is priced from $41,100 and the Mini Cooper S Cabrio Chilli is priced from $50,100.

Since launch in January 2005, more than 1,000 Mini Cabrio models have been delivered in Australia. In 2005 alone, 675 Cabrio models boosted MiniI sales to an all time high of 2,097 cars in Australia.

The success story has continued in 2006, despite supply constraints as the Oxford factory juggles ever-increasing demand from burgeoning world markets.

Aside from the blindingly obvious chic appeal of the instantly-recognisable exterior, the go-kart handling and zesty powertrain, the Mini Cabrio has been a rip-roaring success thanks to the high level of personalisation options offered to customers.

There’s no other cabrio in its premium price bracket that offers customer the ability to add safety vision cameras front and rear, colour coded dashboards, Xenon headlamps, satellite navigation or Bluetooth phone preparation to their cars.

The Mini Cabrio Chilli models add additional specification over a very high standard of equipment fitted to all Cabrio models, including:

four airbags, Anti-lock brakes,

Cornering Brake Control,

air-conditioning,

power operated one-touch folding roof with unique sunroof function and heated glass rear window and

Easy-Load luggage system, and Park Distance Control.

“The Mini Cabrio has quickly driven itself into the hearts of topless car buyers in Australia,” said Justin Hocevar, National Manager, Mini.

“The arrival of the Chilli will add even more spice to the Mini brand.

“The Mini Cabrio Chilli will fire up customers who want to personalise their purchase even more. It’s the ideal car for fun-loving, always open drivers who want to make the most of Australia’s fabulous summer.

“Mini is enjoying unprecedented success in Australia. The reason is simple. The Mini is a stand out car. You only have to look at how many wannabe rivals are said to be scrambling to follow in Mini’s wide wheeltracks.

“They will have a long way to travel though, because the Mini is authentic, the genuine article. It delivers on all of its promises. That’s why it is a success in Australia and world wide,” Justin said.