This video will tell you how much of a car nerd you are. It shows some of the processes involved in building a new F56 MINI. The clip runs for 12 minutes and if you really are a car geek you’ll watch it non-stop and enjoy every moment of it, quietly saying to yourself from time to time, “That’s pretty cool.”
MINI brings an early Christmas present for fans of its John Cooper Works range by previewing a new concept model, based on the F56 hatch, which will be on display at the Detroit Auto Show next month.
There’s no technical details yet, so we don’t know what benefits the introduction of a 2.0 litre turbo engine will bring to the next-gen JCW. It should be good! We do know the car has new 18″ wheels, is finished off in Bright Highlands Grey paint and has too many red highlights, which makes the car looks a bit fussy.
But consider our interest piqued. We’re very keen to learn more in January, after we’ve imbibed too much festive spirit.
Along with all of the other F56 material MINI released photos showing all four generations of MINI side by side. Well, that should probably three generations of MINI lined up next to the classic Mini (where the upper case letters indicate BMW’s ownership of the brand).
The four models aren’t quite the automotive equivalent of matryoshka dolls, but they’re not that far off.
With the new MINI arriving, it’s timely to compare the new F56 Cooper S alongside the outgoing R56 model. Let’s start with the numbers:
| 2014 F56 | 2010 R56 LCI | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1998cc 4cyl turbo, 16 valves | 1598cc 4cyl turbo, 16 valves |
| Power | 141kW @ 4700–6000rpm | 135kW @ 5500rpm |
| Torque | 280Nm @ 1250–4750rpm (300Nm overboost) | 260Nm @ 1600–5000rpm (280Nm overboost) |
| Length / Width / Height | 3850 / 1727 / 1414 (mm) | 3729 / 1683 / 1407 (mm) |
| Wheelbase | 2495 (mm) | 2467 (mm) |
| Track (front/rear) | 1485 / 1485 (mm) | 1453 / 1461 (mm) |
| Unladen weight (auto) | 1160kg (1175kg) | 1140kg (1165kg) |
| Fuel tank | 44 litres | 50 litres |
| Drag co-efficient | 0.31Cd | 0.36Cd |
| 0–100km/h (auto) | 6.8s (6.7s) | 7.0s (7.2s) |
| Max speed (auto) | 235km/h (233km/h) | 228km/h (223km/h) |
| Combined fuel consumption (auto) | 5.7–5.8l/100km (5.2–5.4l/100km) | 6.3l/100km (6.7l/100km) |
| CO2 emissions (auto) | 133–136g/km (122–125g/km) | 146g/km (155g/km) |
The new MINI was launched overnight at Plant Oxford where production has already commenced. BMW Group is boasting about its £750 million investment across its UK production facilities. Naturally, UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, who was given a preview tour last month, didn’t miss the chance to wax lyrical.
“This £750 million investment is great news for both the local and wider economy, along with the 5,500 workers whose jobs are safeguarded by this launch,” said Mr Cameron. “Car manufacturing is a vital engine for growth. Production is back up to pre-recession levels and a car rolls off the line every 20 seconds in the UK.”
Plant Oxford currently builds the MINI Hatch, Convertible, Clubman, Clubvan, Roadster and Coupé. In 2012 a total of 207,789 new vehicles rolled off the line.
When BMW began building the new MINI at Plant Oxford in 2001 it had a staff of 2,400 and built 300 cars per day during a single shift. Today the employment numbers have grown to 4,000 and 900 cars are completed each day across two shifts. In all MINI has built 2.4 million cars since BMW took over production.
After a very long gestation period MINI has finally revealed its third-generation Cooper and Cooper S models. Also along for the ride is a new Cooper D. The F56 is built on BMW’s UKL1 platform and this is the first model designed and built from the ground up by BMW.
There is a lot of information to take in and let’s first look at the key stats offered in the F56. All three models are turbocharged, but that’s where the similarity ends:
Cooper S
Engine: Four-cylinder 2.0 litre MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology (turbo charging, direct injection, fully variable valve control, variable camshaft control)
Power: 141kW @ 4700–6000rpm
Torque: 280Nm @ 1250–4750rpm; 300Nm with overboost
0–100: 6.8s manual; (6.7s automatic)
Fuel consumption: 5.7–5.8l/100km; (5.2–5.4l/100km)
CO2 emissions: 133–136g/km; (122–125g/km)
Weight (unladen): 1160kg; (1175kg)
Cooper
Engine: Three-cylinder 1.5 litre MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology (turbo charging, direct injection, fully variable valve control, variable camshaft control)
Power: 100kW @ 4500–6000rpm
Torque: 220Nm @ 1250–4000rpm; 230Nm with overboost
0–100: 7.9s manual; (7.8s automatic)
Fuel consumption: 4.5–4.6l/100km; (4.7–4.8l/100km)
CO2 emissions: 105–107g/km; (109–112g/km)
Weight (unladen): 1085kg; (1115kg)
Cooper D
Engine: Three-cylinder 1.5 litre MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology (turbocharger with variable turbine geometry, common rail direct injection)
Power: 85kW @ 4000rpm
Torque: 270Nm @ 1750rpm
0–100: 9.2s manual; (9.2s automatic)
Weight (unladen): 1160kg; (1175kg)
Fuel consumption: 3.5–3.6l/100km; (3.7–3.8l/100km)
CO2 emissions: 92–95g/km; (98–99g/km)
Weight (unladen): 1135kg; (1150kg)
As you would expect the new model brings with it a host of new technology and driver assistance packages. For the first time in a MINI there will be a head-up display, LED daytime running lights, a selection of switchable Driving Modes (Mid, Sport and Green), dynamic damper control and more.
The look of the new MINI is very much derivative from the R50/R53 and R56 predecessors. Although, the front-end of the F56 is the least visually pleasing we’ve seen to date. From side on and the rear the new MINI, to our eyes at least, looks quite good. It will be best to judge for certain when we see the car on Australian shores, which is expected to be early-ish next year.
A small selection of photos awaits after the break and we’ll be back to add more photos throughout the day. These are complemented by press material from MINI, including a full press kit PDF available for download.
UPDATE: New pics added showing the Cooper and Cooper S. When comparing the front-end of the Cooper to the Cooper S, the lower-spec model works best where the functional brake ducts from the higher-spec model are missing. It’s also interesting to note the designers have managed to fit an iDrive style controller in the centre console.
Officially, MINI will be releasing photos and information for its all-new F56 model. Unofficially, the Bangkok Post has jumped the gun and won itself a heap of clicks!
Until MINI pulls the trigger, here’s some stuff they’ve already released which you can read over to pass the time:
With less than a week to go until its full reveal, MINI has released an official teaser video for its forthcoming F56 model. And it goes a little something like this:
This is the self-preservation society
Jump in the jam jar gotta get straight
Hurry up mate don’t wanna be late
How’s your father?
Tickety boo
Tickety boo
Gotta get a bloomin move on
The all-new F56 MINI will debut in less than two weeks. We already know the F56, built on BMW’s UKL1 platform, could spawn as many as 10 different product lines. Thanks to MotoringFile here’s a look at what we can expect from MINI’s new era and when we’re likely to see it:
F56 MINI (third-generation hardtop)
Debut: 18 November 2013 // European sales launch: January 2014
F55 MINI five-door (rival to Volkswagen Polo and Golf)
Debut:Â 3rd quarter 2014 // European sales launch:Â 3rd quarter 2014
F57 MINI Convertible (underpinned by current R56 convertible)
Debut: 1st quarter 2015 // European sales launch: 2nd quarter 2015
F54 MINI Clubman (likely to have two suicide doors)
Debut:Â 3rd quarter 2015 // European sales launch: 3rd quarter 2015
F59 MINI Roadster/Coupe (may be combined as single model)
Debut: Late 2016/early 2017 // European sales launch: Early 2017
As a general rule MINI launches products in Australia 3–6 months after they have gone on sale in Europe.
[Source: MotoringFile | Pic: Autocar]
MINI is starting to get excited about the launch of its all-new F56 model. They’re calling it “The New Original” and you could win a ticket to one of three launch parties to be held in London (18 November), Los Angeles (19 November) or, a little bit closer to home, in Shanghai (21 November).
For your chance to win just head over to the NEW MINI web portal.
Ahead of its mid-November launch MINI has released information on the driver assistance technology to be found inside the all-new F56 model. In doing so we get a small preview of the car’s interior, at least the central screen in which much of the technology is viewed or accessed.
For the first time MINI will feature a head-up display. This will be projected onto a small folding screen in front of the driver, rather than on the windscreen as seen in similar systems.
Other technology includes collision and pedestrian warning with city braking function, speed limit info, traffic sign memory and no passing info, video-based speed and distance regulation, park assist, rear view camera and digital headlight assist.
Much of this technology relies on inbuilt cameras interpreting signs on the side of the road and filtering it into the driver’s in-car viewing. We wonder how accurate or useable these systems will really be.
More detail and pictures can be found after the break.
We’ve seen undisguised spy shots of the MINI F56 before, but this photo of the 2014 Cooper S shows us the car in its final production state. The car in question was caught during a filming run and we now have some time to get used to that new MINI face before its official launch next month.
We also know the new Cooper S will be powered by an all-new 2.0 litre four cylinder turbo engine producing 141kW and 280Nm (300Nm with overboost). That information was revealed, along with other technical highlights, by MINI late last week.
Built on BMW’s UKL1 platform the third generation MINI will be the most heavily influenced by BMW we have seen. We fear some of MINI’s charms will be lost as BMW looks to component share with its 1 Series range.
[Source: Autocar]