2012 Mini Cooper S Coupe

A Mini model that is set to appeal to male buyers more than any other. At least that's what Mini is saying about its new Mini coupe, the fifth model to join its lineup since Mini's revival in 2001.

The distinctively styled two-door is set to go on sale in North America in October.

First previewed at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show, the Mini coupe has progressed from concept to production car with remarkably few changes. The basis for the new car, including its complete lower body, is the existing convertible, to which the Mini design team added a new upper section and a large liftback-style tailgate at the rear--both which add unique visual appeal.

Among the more obvious design flourishes is a new windshield that is raked back an additional 13 degrees than that on the hardtop and which is a good deal shorter. The side glass is also shallower, giving the Mini coupe a chopped-top appeal.

The roof, made from aluminum, has been styled along the lines of the Mini Countryman, with a rear section that curves down for added volume. It also incorporates a fixed spoiler element above a heavily angled rear window that forms part of the tailgate. An additional active spoiler, the first ever on a Mini model, is set within the trunk lid and deploys at 50 mph to provide added downforce and improved stability at high speeds.

At 147.8 inches long and 54.3 inches tall, the Mini coupe is 0.5 inch longer and 1.2 inches shorter than the hardtop.

Inspired by Mini-based coupes from independent companies such as Broadspeed, Marcos and Midas, the new coupe is not exactly elegant--not in the traditional sense, anyway. However, it manages to stand out from the small-car crowd, and for many prospective buyers this will clearly count more than anything else.

Mini is set to offer the coupe with its existing N18 turbocharged 1.6-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine in North America. European buyers also get the N47 2.0-liter, four-cylinder common-rail diesel but, as in other Mini models sold here, it is not planned for the United States.

The gasoline unit delivers 122 hp in the Mini Cooper coupe, 184 hp in the Cooper S coupe and 211 hp in the range-topping John Cooper Works coupe model. Gearbox choices include a standard six-speed manual along with an optional six-speed automatic on all models except for the top-of-the-line JCW coupe.


What is it like to drive?

Mini's aim with the coupe was to create a car that went one better than the hardtop in terms of overall driver appeal. However, the need to use as many carryover components as possible in a bid to make the new car profitable means the mechanical package is virtually the same--and in many respects, so is the way it drives.

The low roof makes entry a little more difficult than in the hardtop, but the seats are set low enough to ensure that even tall drivers can be accommodated without any headroom issues, thanks in part to a scalloped-out headliner.

Although the driving position is unchanged from that of the hardtop, the more heavily raked windshield and lower roof gives the coupe a more sporting air from the driver's seat. The drawback? Visibility, particularly to the rear, which is restricted by the narrow glass.

Performance-wise, there's little to criticize. The turbocharged 1.6-liter engine in the Cooper S version driven here develops 177 lb-ft of torque between 1,600 rpm and 5,000 rpm--including a peak of 192 lb-ft between 1,700 rpm and 4,500 rpm, giving the coupe a good turn of speed out of the blocks and tremendous flexibility on the run.

Mini claims the coupe will run from 0 to 62 mph in 6.9 seconds and has a top speed of 143 mph. As with the hardtop, though, it is the in-gear acceleration that impresses the most. Plant your foot at low revs in low gears, and you're treated to solid acceleration that is all part and parcel of the coupe's eager nature.

The Mini coupe rides on an upgraded version of the hardtop's MacPherson-strut and multilink suspension, featuring slightly firmer shocks and a larger-diameter rear antiroll bar. The lower roof and a pared-out interior also give it a lower center of gravity than other Mini models. Although the roof has no load-bearing function, a substantial transverse beam mounted above the rear axle helps provide a level of stiffness approaching that of other Mini models.

First impressions, after an extended run around an Austrian driver-training facility in a preproduction prototype, suggest Mini has succeeded, although the difference in character between the coupe and the convertible from behind the wheel is not great. There are subtle improvements in dynamic terms, less initial roll on turn in and a more securely planted rear end when you lift off mid-corner among them. Just don't expect it to provide a vastly different driving experience from its much-loved sibling.

The interior of the Mini coupe mirrors that of the convertible up front, right on down to the height of its seats. The rear, however, has been completely revised with the rear seats making way for a parcel shelf and a handy load-through feature that can be accessed from the driver's seat. The trunk is 4.2 square feet larger than that of the hardtop at 9.9 square feet, thanks to the lack of rear seats. But a crossmember running through the floor means the load bay is not flat.


Do I want it?

If you can live with the striking looks and driving appeal is a priority, it's certainly worth considering. North American pricing is yet to be announced. But the Mini coupe clearly retains all the fundamentals that have made the hardtop such an outstanding success over the past decade or so. It's tremendously entertaining, and with all of that space out back, it is highly practical by two-seater standards. Be warned, though--a roadster version is also planned to join the Mini lineup in early 2012 following a public premiere at the Detroit auto show. We suspect it may be even more fun.

2012 BMW 1-Series

The spy photos teasing continues with the soon-to-unveiled BMW F20 1 Series Hatchback. The second generation 1 Series will debut later this year with sales starting in early 2012. The new 1 Series will first launch in three and five-door variants. The Coupe and Convertible bodystyle will follow at the end of 2012.

As we mentioned several times before, the 2012 1 Series hatchback is built under the codename F20, and will feature a slightly longer wheelbase and wider track than the current model. The car is set to go head-to-head with the Audi A3, one of the market leaders in the entry-level premium segment.

Design wise, the F20 1 Series sports a lower character line that gives the car a more aerodynamic look. The design is considered to be an evolution of the current generation 1 Series, but with much more convex and concave shapes, 3D surfaces, a trend that evolves from recently unveiled BMWs.
At the front end, BMW revamped the headlights, bumper and kidney grille design. For the first time, LED signals made their way onto the side mirrors, an interesting move by BMW and likely followed by future models. Inside, the steering wheel design and dashboard controls align with the current design language at BMW, including the new LCD screen that takes a similar stand as the one recently displayed in the new 6 Series Concept. The car will inherit some cues from the 5 Series, taking the sometimes criticized 1er interior to higher luxury levels .
At launch time we suspected the new 1er will be using a range of three and four-cylinder engines, but latest information reveal that the F20 1 Series will debut with four-cylinder bangers only. The 116i and 118i will be powered by a new four-cylinder turbocharger, while the 116d and 118d will make use of diesel powerplants.

The public debut will take place on home turf at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September.

2011 BMW 750Li

Money does not make you rich, experience does. Money allows for choices. Experience gives you the wisdom to make the right ones.

After driving the BMW 750Li for a week, I now have the experience to know it’s very desirable. Unfortunately the choice to buy it escapes me, at least for now. Always the optimist.

BMW badges don’t get tacked onto budget-priced rides and, starting at $71,025 (with destination mind you), the 7 Series isn’t tilting toward the Corolla crowd. The particular car sitting in my driveway that’s making my household look a lot more successful than it is stickers for $103,725. Few of us can afford a ride with power assisted door closure. Overall, this automobile would make me feel like a tycoon if it didn’t make me feel so poor.

What experience teaches

It’s good to specialize, but it’s important to be well rounded. That describes the 750. Being a BMW, buyers specifically demand top notch chassis dynamics. It delivers, but not to a spine-jarring fault. It embraces corners, telling a driver what the tires are doing, all while protecting the passengers from harshness. It’s as comfortable in the curves as it is at the country club.

The 7 is so athletic and compelling in the curves, the chauffeur will fear for his job. For the captain of industry who thinks the “triple Teflon coated” feel of a Mercedes S-Class or Lexus LS is too detached, the BMW offers up control with its coddling nature. And what CEO doesn’t like control?

At 70 MPH, it’s not library quiet in the 750, but the sounds heard are the kinds allowed to pass through the velvet rope, if you catch my drift. The V8 sounds rich and lovely when the pedal hits the thick carpet. Drinking premium gasoline, EPA rates fuel consumption at 15 city, 22 highway, explaining the $1,300 gas guzzler tax. Huge disc brakes haul this machine to a standstill right now.

Choose wisely

If money is really about choices, the 7 Series offers plenty of them. The 750 is the mid-powered model with a 4.4-liter 400 horsepower V8 with twin turbos (or TwinPower as BMW and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen call it). Its deep throaty sound is satisfying. An X-Drive badge tells the neighbors you’ve opted for the security of all-wheel drive handling (rear drive is standard). Finally, the L means it’s five and a half inches longer than a standard 7.

Drop down a notch to the 740 and the 3.0-liter engine is a 315 HP twin turbo inline-6. X-Drive and the L wheelbase can still be had. Surprisingly, the most powerful version is the ActiveHybrid version with 440 horsepower but 15 percent better fuel economy. Sorry, only rear drive here. ActiveHybrid 7 starts at around 102 grand and can easily pass the 120 mark. Rumor has it, it can hit 0-to-60 in around four and a half seconds as opposed to the five second make I’m experiencing. Top speed is electronically governed to 150 MPH in all models. Just so you know.

Goodbye Bangle Butt, hello elegance

The exterior design of the new 7-Series is unmistakably BMW, but less imposing than the outgoing model. As a whole, the lines are more elegant and egalitarian this time around. The controversial but often copied rump penned by Chris Bangle is gone and the greenhouse appears to have more glass.

The 6-speed transmission selector with its joystick operation takes time getting used to. The cabin space doesn’t. Without question, it’s the most luxurious cabin BMW has ever produced. Rich to the eye, smells and feels good, too. The instrument panel is swaddled in cut and sewn leather, the wood clearly from real trees. Open the doors and the reach the end of their travel with a dampened grace.

No matter what your size, the front chairs can cradle perfectly. Too bad they’re not cooled at this price though. Interior door pulls are integrated into the wood trim and, because of their high mount, they’re curiously hard to get used to. With time, I could learn.

Complete control

In the past, poor and wealthy alike have complained about BMWs user interface called iDrive. Users no longer need an advanced engineering degree from MIT to operate it. A knob that gets turned, pushed and nudged is flanked by dedicated buttons to navigate virtual layers on a crisp wide screen. Not perfect but on par with Audi and Mercedes now. Oddly enough, a rear view camera is optional, and not on this car.

Using iDrive and console mounted buttons the suspension and throttle response can be tuned to your liking (part of the $6,500 M Sport Package). My tester doesn’t have an owner’s manual in the glove box, access it on screen by iDrive. In fact, the only thing this system can’t do is make smoothies (but it can direct you to a Jamba juice, if needed).

Where the letter L lives

To describe the back seat as spacious is like saying Warren Buffett has good credit. String up a net back here and there’s practically room to play tennis. Sitting in the front seat with my legs extended straight out leaves plenty of room for passengers in back. Space is generous enough that BMW provides foot rests. Dual-zone climate control and heated seats in the rear gives the 7 more temperate zones than Kansas. The seat back does not drop forward to expand cargo.

Segue to the TP test. This is not a small car so you’d expect the trunk to be large. Nope. It is very nicely trimmed with storage cubbies and good grade carpet but gooseneck hinge arms and undulations hurt it. Ultimately, at a capacity of 6 packs of Kirkland brand bath tissue, it holds just one more bundle than a 3-Series.

Most buyers will forgive that for the supremely luxurious experience the 7 offers up to both driver and passenger. Yes, it’s easy to dismiss the 750 Li for its cost. $100K should deliver an exceptional product. But here, it’s possible to spend twice that price and get little or no more performance and luxury. Smart buyers will test the handful of cars that reside in this exclusive club. The pampered who want to actually experience the act of driving will gravitate toward the BMW. Because, experience is what makes you rich.

A look at the Ford Mustang Boss builders

Ford on Friday offered a glimpse of its assembly process for the Mustang Boss 302S race car by hosting a tour of the Niche Build Line adjacent to the Mustang assembly plant in Flat Rock, Mich. The Niche Build Line, when not assembling race cars, is where prototype vehicles are assembled prior to full production.

Mustang bodies-in-white are first taken to an outside vendor, where roll cages are installed. The cars are then returned to the Flat Rock plant where they go through the same paint shop used for street cars before being taken to the Niche Build Line. There, workers spend nearly three days finishing each car's assembly.

The 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 engines are built at the Ford Essex Engine Plant in Windsor, Ontario, and delivered to Flat Rock, where Tremec six-speed transmissions are bolted on before the entire assembly is fitted into the car.

Just 20 Boss 302S cars will be built in this first batch, with another 20 set to be built later in the year. The nonstreet-legal cars retail for $79,000 and, along with cars such as the Mustang Cobra Jet drag car, are an example of Ford's commitment to produce factory-built, grassroots race cars.

2011 Golf R Cabriolet

 Drop top concepts seem to be all the rage at this year’s Wörthersee Show, with a few different companies bringing their variations for all to see. Volkswagen’s contribution to the pack is their new Golf Cabriolet package, but applied to their more powerful Golf R variant. The jury’s still out on whether this concept will end up on the production line, but with an output of 266 HP, a top speed of 155 mph, and a 0 to 60 mph sprint of under 6 seconds, the Golf R Cabriolet Concept is the fastest open-top Golf ever.

The concept features the same treatment that was applied to the standard Golf R model, including a sport chassis that lowers the car’s ride by 25 mm, a 17-inch brake system with internally ventilated discs at all wheels, blue painted high-performance brake calipers, and 19" "Talladega" alloy wheels with size 235 tires. Then the vehicle gets its top ripped off to create a more wind-in-your-hair feel.

The interior gets shell seats in a dark blue carbon leather that is then combined with high-end Nappa leather in “Pure Grey.” Other features include carbon fiber accents and sand-blasted aluminum door sill plates with black piano paint inlays.

Now this is a car we would like to drive on a hot summer day!