New Mini pics and prices
Newswheel staff :: 14 August 2006 :: Filed under Hatchback, BMW, Mini, Europe & UK, US
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Sassy but samey?
We’ll bin the flowery prose-infested preamble and cut to the chase on this one. Following the recent preview event in Holland, BMW has unsheathed the first completely undisguised images of the all-new R56 generation Mini…
Well, we say all-new. BMW’s second-gen Mini is based largely on underpinnings pinched from the outgoing car, although a round of major modifications has been applied. As we explained in our report on the Zandvoort press event (ride your rodent here for a technical lowdown on the new Mini), the suspension is all-new and every panel has been changed, despite seriously samey styling.
Apart from peeling off the last few strips of camouflage cladding, BMW has also released full performance details. For the record, therefore, in 1.6-litre 120bhp naturally-aspirated Cooper trim, BMW Mini the Second will skip to 60mph in 9.1 clicks and hits the wall at 126mph. The turbo-charged 175bhp Cooper S, meanwhile, is good for 60mph in 7.1 seconds and 140mph.
But if these performance numbers seem like a slightly disappointing result given the upgrade from a ghastly Chrysler-sourced four-pot lump in favour of a fancy Valvetronic unit co-developed by BMW and PSA Peugeot Citroen, then point your peepers at these fuel consumption figures. The Cooper copes with the combined cycle in 48.7mpg (previously 40.9) while the Cooper S is capable of an equally impressive 40.9 (previously 32.8).
BMW has also announced that a Mini One model, powered by a 1.4-litre 95bhp lump, will join the range in the first half of 2007.
But what of the sordid matter of money? Well, the new Mini’s on the road prices are forecast as follows:
MINI One £11,595
MINI Cooper £12,995
MINI Cooper S £15,995
The new Mini gets its global debut at the Paris show in September.
Posted 16 January 2007, by pupuso
That CAR is so amazing That I wanna buy it but I'm Broke