The MINI brand is continuing its overwhelming story of success - now taking a new approach with the MINI Crossover Concept.

This Design Study offers a fascinating outlook at a new facet of the brand powerfully expressed by a truly innovative body concept - the fourth body variant, to be precise, following the classic two-door, the MINI Convertible, and the MINI Clubman.

The MINI Crossover Concept is a new model variant for the first time measuring more than four metres in length, with four drive wheels, four doors and four single seats. These features alone place the new car right in the line of vision of new target groups seeking to combine the individual style of the brand with enhanced versatility within the interior and innovative functionality throughout.

A universal, multifunction fastening rail, the MINI Center Rail, extending between the seats on the centre console of the MINI Crossover Concept, offers not only offers unconventional storage options, but also provides a consistent link between the front row of seats and the rear.

A further highlight within the MINI interior is the innovative central instrument in three-dimensional finish, the MINI Centre Globe.

This combined control and display unit formed as a globe featured for the first time in an automobile worldwide sets new standards for the integrated control of entertainment, communication, navigation, and vehicle functions.

The MINI Crossover reflects not only the potential of the MINI model family in growing further and further to new dimensions, but also the innovative power of MINI’s designers. In this case, the outlook at an additional MINI concept is enriched by a wide range of visions expressing a unique driving experience and way of life only a MINI is able to evoke.

All innovations presented in the MINI Crossover Concept are conceived to expand that characteristic MINI feeling by yet another new dimension.

The innovative character of the new car comprises its body design as well as the drivetrain, the interior and the control concept. Indeed, offering options and versatility of this kind, the MINI Crossover Concept opens up new dimensions in mobility also beyond urban life.

All-wheel drive - the foundation for a new MINI feeling.
A new MINI offers more - and does so in unique style every time.

The MINI Crossover Concept clearly expresses this principle, its all-wheel drive serving to give the new model an even wider range of practical use in new areas and a new experience on routes already driven. But in doing so the MINI Crossover Concept is not limited to the usual status of a conventional all-wheeler. Rather, to offer its additional mobility potential even more consistently, the Concept Car comes with numerous design features making it an all-round talent for a unique experience in everyday life, for enjoying leisure time to the utmost, for adventure travels of all kinds and for travel planning. Hence, the MINI Crossover Concept looks at new objectives and, at the same time, new target groups.

Four metres in length - more calibre, more options.

As a consistent enhancement of the MINI model family, the MINI Crossover Concept offers new calibre and new format in every respect. This is the first MINI to measure more than four metres in length. And measuring 1,830 millimetres/72.0″ in width as well as 1,598 millimetres/62.9″ in height, the MINI Crossover Concept goes beyond the existing production models from MINI also in this respect. Wheelbase, finally, is 2,606 millimetres/102.6″, again ensuring an even more powerful stance on the road.

These exterior dimensions of the Concept Car are a clear symbol of the quest for additional options in driving the car and in the new, enhanced driving experience.

The MINI Crossover Concept offers extra space and mobility at the rear as well as a capacity to transport never seen before in a MINI. Added to all this, there is enhanced flexibility in splitting up the interior space, catering for all individual wishes and demands.

Combining its unique design with outstanding agility by no means restricted to the beaten track alone, the MINI Crossover Concept holds a unique position within the MINI segment. At the same time it clearly stands out as a member of the MINI model family through the appropriate re-interpretation of design elements typical of the brand. The MINI Crossover Concept thus symbolises the breakthrough into a new category of vehicles, broadening the appeal of the brand to an even larger target group.

Four doors - new diversity through asymmetric arrangement.

With two doors on each side of the car, the MINI Crossover Concept offers particularly comfortable access to the rear. Here again, therefore, the new model enhances the options and qualities offered so far by the existing body concepts of the MINI.

But even this is not all: The MINI Crossover Concept is not a four-door in the classic sense, as is clearly expressed by the asymmetric arrangement of the doors in the Design Study. A conventional arrangement of doors is to be found only on the front passenger’s side, while on the driver’s side the MINI Crossover Concept comes with a conventional door for the first row of seats plus a lift/sliding door moving along the outside for convenient access to the rear and for loading the car from the side. And by dropping the B-pillar on the driver’s side, the MINI Crossover Concept exhausts the potential of this generous opening to an even higher degree. Frameless side windows, finally, are yet another feature of this truly exceptional four-door.

The rear door swivelling to one side, together with its frameless and retractable rear window, likewise offers an even higher standard of practical use and most convenient loading conditions. Thanks to the large opening and the low loading sill, sports equipment and other, even bulkier objects can be loaded conveniently into the luggage space offering even larger capacity when required by lowering the individually folding rear seats completely into the floor of the car with the help of a parallelogram kinematic mechanism.

Storage capacities may then be increased even further by a transport case fitted outside on the rear door. And last but certainly not least, the roof rail system available on the MINI Crossover Concept is simply ideal for fitting ski, snowboard and bicycle carriers as well as transport boxes of all sizes.

The roof structure of the MINI Crossover Concept offers further options in enhancing everyday driving qualities and leisure-time enjoyment. As a folding roof cover extending throughout the entire length of the roof, the roof structure may be opened both from the front and from the rear, letting either fresh air or warm sunshine into the car - or both, depending on the driver’s and passengers’ wishes.

The opening at the rear also serves to accommodate extremely long objects transported in the car, ranging from a surfboard all the way to cross-country skis. So even in this case, transporting anything the driver wishes to take along is easy and convenient.

Four single seats - for maximum comfort inside the MINI.

The MINI Crossover Concept stands out not only as an unconventional, but rather as a truly exceptional four-seater. The single seats at the rear, to mention perhaps the most significant highlight, come in the same contours as the driver’s and front passenger’s seats and are adjustable by 13 centimetres or 5.1″ fore-and-aft. So depending on individual requirements, the rear seats offer either lounge-like legroom or additional storage capacity in the rear compartment.

The MINI Center Globe - a new vision of the central instrument of the future.

Featuring their round Central Display right in the middle of the dashboard, the current MINIs already boast an interior design feature quite unique and unmistakable in its look. Indeed, this multi-function display serves to conveniently control all major entertainment, telecommunication and navigation functions, providing the speedometer function around its outer circumference.

Now the MINI Crossover Concept introduces the consistent enhancement of this display and control concept: the MINI Center Globe. For the first time, therefore, the central display and control unit is designed in this Concept Study as a globe. This three-dimensional layout allows even more consistent integration of functions and the appropriate presentation of information and entertainment options. In addition to the vertical and horizontal display features currently available, the new instrument adds a further, three-dimensional element with displays stratified on various levels and highlighted to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the driver’s and front passenger’s requirements. The current speed of the car, finally, is shown as before in typical MINI style on the display round the edge.

To clearly, flexibly and legibly present all information at all times, the MINI Center Globe comes with ultra-modern laser projection technology. With its unique optical features, the laser projector allows simultaneous presentation of pictures on various levels, with a varying focus and in powerful colours.

Benefiting from this technology never seen before in an automobile worldwide, the MINI Crossover Concept is also able to optically separate the MINI Centre Globe into two hemispheres. These adjustable, moving hemispheres then enable the driver and front passenger to present and view different pictures recognisable only from their individual perspective. In other words, the front passenger may for example surf the net while the driver maintains his free view of all displays and instruments.

To provide this special effect, the hemisphere facing the front passenger closes down from the other side and acts as a projection surface presenting the pictures required.

The MINI Centere Globe presented in this Design Study already shows today what options are conceivable in terms of navigation, communication and entertainment in the car of the future, using innovative technologies of this outstanding calibre.

The driver and/or front passenger operate the MINI Centre Globe by a touch-sensitive surface, a trackball on the steering wheel, buttons and slide controls in the lower section of the MINI Centre Globe, and a keyboard on the front passenger’s side extending at the touch of a button from the dashboard.

Such versatile and flexible use of the MINI Center Globe gives this new control unit the character of an innovative travel companion adjusting at all times to the individual wishes of the driver and front passenger and helping them enjoy mobility in a new dimension wherever they go.

The MINI Centre Globe is additionally linked to the starter system for the engine. Instead of a conventional key, the driver uses a start/stop unit referred to as the Keyball.

To start the car, all the driver has to do is insert the Keyball on the MINI Crossover into the appropriate opening in the upper edge of the MINI Centre Globe. The Keyball then rolling towards the driver along the middle of the MINI Centre Globe. In this position the driver is able to press the Keyball in order to start the engine. Pressing the Keyball again, in turn, he switches off the engine and the Keyball rolls down into its housing bay from where the driver can conveniently remove the ball.

The MINI Centre Rail - a perfect connection bringing the MINI team front and rear together.

Instead of a conventional centre consol, the MINI Crossover Concept comes with a fastening rail referred to as the MINI Centre Rail and extending from the dashboard all the way to the tailgate of the car. This is indeed the connecting unit between the front and the rear seats.

Holders for entertainment and telecommunication devices, cupholders, storage units and boxes may be conveniently attached to this rail and subsequently pushed forward or backward along the entire length of the car.

A special fastening system developed specifically for MINI serves to attach individual items to the Centre Rail, for example an external music player and other devices, storage boxes and holders for sunglasses, gloves, tickets for parking, coins, writing utensils or a travel guide, as well as all other kinds of holders and supports.

An armrest with an integrated storage box, to mention another example, may be attached both at the front and at the rear.

The Centre Rail also facilitates the common use of storage boxes and devices and makes it much easier to pass on food and drinks to the rear-seat passengers while driving.

In the MINI Crossover Concept this pleasure of enjoying all the benefits of motoring together is symbolised by a special collection of dishes and cups made of unique porcelain created specifically for the new Concept Car.

Four sophisticated materials for a truly exclusive ambience.

Such use of top-quality porcelain highlights the exclusive lifestyle character borne out in the MINI Crossover Concept also in conjunction with three further, particularly exclusive materials in the interior: Around the instrument panel genuine wood trim extends across the entire width of the car. The armrests on the doors and the inlays in the footwells, in turn, are made of massive lime wood. Inlays made of specially hardened, lagoon-blue glass, in turn, highlight the door linings as well as the surrounds on the air vents.

Like the door closing handles on the front passenger’s side, the MINI Centre Rail is made of massive, matt-polished aluminium. Looking at the appropriate colours for the interior, in turn, the designers opted for natural, authentic shades, the Dark Green leather on the driver’s seat standing out clearly from the Coffee Brown leather on the other seats. The remaining cloth surfaces are finished in Light Grey and Light Brown, with a soft rubber cover adorned by wood inlays in the footwells.

Singapore Grand Prix Preview - Drivers prepare for the dark side
Few races have been quite so keenly anticipated in 2008 as the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix. It will be the first night race in Formula One history, and the sport’s first-ever street race in Asia. The writeup showcases the drivers gearing up for the race.

Mario Theissen Q&A: Singapore to be season highlight
BMW Sauber might have endured a bit of a tough time lately, but with strong performances at the Belgian and Italian races, all seems back on track for this season’s third-fastest team. BMW Motorsport director Mario Theissen looks ahead to this weekend’s Singapore event, considers the possible effects of the economic slump on Formula One racing, and refuses to reveal his ‘09 driver line-up.

FIA Thursday press conference - Singapore
Reproduced with kind permission of the FIA
Drivers: David Coulthard (Red Bull), Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren), Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), Mark Webber (Red Bull).

It’s been taking me quite a while to come to a conclusion with the 125i, it looks good, especially in white. It carries a decent amount of power under the bonnet and it manages to transport me from place to place in relative comfort, ease, poise and quickly too. It handles well, darts from lane to lane readily with it’s compact-by-BMW dimensions and with a squeeze of the throttle, wafts most other cars on the road away. I should really like this car, but to tell the truth, i keep having the feeling that something is missing.

Amongst all the 1 series models, the hatches, the cabriolet and the coupe, most will agree that the 2-door coupe is the best looker. With it’s compact yet sporty dimensions, short overhangs and handsome 2-door profile, it’s the most stylish amongst it’s 1 series brethren. With the M-sport body add-ons, the 125i looks the business. A deep front gaping air intake, lowered ride height, and a rear bumper with a blackened rear apron. All you need to do now is to slot in a proper set of rims (18”s or 19”s) and you’ll have one lean mean looking street machine.

My recommendation would be a set of multispoke, deep-dished DPE’s, BBS LM’s or 3D-Design Brombacher rims.

From most angles the angular lines of the 125i give the car a stout appearance, but from some other angles, it might look just a tad stumpy. Pictures don’t really do the car justice, it looks better in real life then it does on screen or on paper. My favourite angle of the car? The rear 3-quarter view shot just below the waistline. Gives the car a nice slant, as if it’ sloping forwards eager to attack. The ladies seem to like the coupe more than the hatch too if a lass that kept glancing by the side of the road is of any indication. Oh, and unfortunately, boy-racers seem to swarm to this alpine white example as well, trust me on that.

Open the generously sized door and be greeted with an interior devoid of most toys, like other 1er’s on local roads. But the layout is BMW-fine and on the 1s, the interior is geared more towards the driver, with controls angled towards the driver and every control falling into place easily. The steering of the 125i misses out on the M-badged item and in it’s place is a normal sports steering. Feels decent, but the M steering should be given a big fat tick on the list of options. Sitting inside, the car feels compact and with it’s black trim bits, gives the car an even more premium feel.

The seats in their red leather against black are a beautiful combination of colors but they are again, like other 1 series’ on sale, manually adjusted, but with the 125i, you still get those wonderful electrically adjustable seat bolsters that clamp you into the driving seat like well, a clamp. Seats behind look strictly for 2 and with a lower ceiling, probably not a place to be for long periods of times.

When the time comes for attacking tricky roads, this 125i is not as it’s name suggest, a 2.5litre. What it does have though, is a generous 3 litre of sweet silky BMW inline-6 power. Delivering 218 horse at 6100rpm and 270Nm of torque between 2500-4250rpm. All this might sound fine and dandy, but here lies one of the little niggles that keep tugging at me. It’s powerplant is similar the 130i hatch’s, but on the hatch, that same engine manages to push out 265 horses and 315Nm of torque. That’s a difference of almost 50 horses and 35Nm’s of pushing power.

Although official on-paper figures show acceleration times are only 0.8’s of a second slower, the feeling i get is that this car could have been a lot better. The loss of torque shows on initial acceleration runs and on the expressway, the 125i glides toward the horizon whereas the 130i slingshots you in. Same engine, but what a difference a detune makes in the numbers game.

Find a nice and flowing road however and the 125i’s superb chassis and handling will almost make you forget about the slight deficit in power. The 125i turns in easily with no drama even through opposing twist and corners. Push hard into a corner and the car understeers a little, slowly ease off the throttle and you’ll be able to feel the front start to find it’s grip, doesn’t take too long for that to happen.

Once the front end bites, feed in the power whilst the rear end squats down and as the driven tires dig into the road, the car shoots forward onto the next corner, aim-repeat-shoot. With the traction control on, this car sticks to the road whilst allowing very very very minute power-over moments, push the DSC button once and it’ll allow for slightly greater exit angles, until either the car senses your going off the road or until you back off the throttle, allowing the computer to shuffle the car to behave properly.

Pushing the throttle pedal into the carpet not just releases a small swell of power, but also the silky song of BMW’s beautifully balanced inline-6. You can never really tire of hearing it as you sweep up the rev range all the way to the redline. A beautiful symphony being played right in front of you.

What this car does is allowing you to drive it rapidly with ease, especially so on the highway. It might lack the grunt of the 130i hatch, but it’s for this very reason that you’ll begin to understand what this car seems to be made for. It’s not really and out and out sports car which it’s outward appearance suggest. That job will most likely go to the manic 135i Coupes.

What this car is, i find, is more of a cruiser. Made more for wafting around town in rather then gunning through the central business district. With it’s slightly less powerful engine, it carries with it a more laid back feel. With perhaps, maybe a little squirt of power-play on an occasion or two. The car is feels better to drive with less aggression and gives a more gentle flowing feel. Take it this way, the 130i’s is more of a rough ride down the rapids, wherea’s the 125i’s behaviou is more akin to a still fast but not as manic, cruise downstream.

To be fair, each of the 1 series car’s seem to be catered to a unique niche target audience. So my take on it is there is no one car for everyone. The 118’s will be for those that want a smooth and easy runabout and for those who most likely, don’t care about “power” and “handling”. The 120 cabrio’s are for those stylish people who love to have a nice drive down the street with wind in their hair and the roofs of the car down. The 130’s and 135’s are for… well, they are for irrational people who care about performance and love tossing their cars about on winding twisty roads and probably don’t give a hoot what others might think of them.

So where does that leave the 125i? It’s a car made for people who want a big spoonful of style, with a hint of playfulness on those rare occasional spirited drives. A car for most people then.

On a personal side note though, i like the car, but i really wish i could love it. I took the car on the roads which i drove the 130i to try and find that touch of magic which i found in the hatch. But to be frank, the more i drove the 125i, the more i’m inclined towards the 130i. (Along with it’s slightly cheaper list price) The 130i hatch genuinely puts a big smile on my face. This coupe, might look better, but the one nagging feeling i get whenever i drive is that it could have been so much better. If only the car delivered that little bit more punch when you wiggle your little toes, that might just reignite the spark. Bring on the 135i.

Take my personal note with a pinch of salt though and bring the car out for a test drive. That’s the only real way to gauge for yourself how much you’ll like it. It’s probably just one of those cars which divide opinions down the middle.

German based BMW Group tuning specialist Hartge first showed us off-the-shelf parts for the 1-Series coupe when it was first released, and then shortly followed with the aerodynamics kits. Now Hartge have developed an ECU upgrade for BMW’s already potent 3.0-liter bitrubo engine in the 135i coupe releasing an additional 44hp.

The result is a total of 350hp at 5660 rpm and 480 Nm (lb-ft 354) at 2950 rpm. The sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) arrives in 4.8 seconds – a half second faster than its standard 5.3 seconds. Also, an unrestricted top speed allows 280 km/h (174mph).

Hartge states that a 135i fully equipped with the entire suite of components will cost in Germany € 48,162.14, excluding VAT. See press release below for more details.

Source: Worldcarfans & Hartge

BMW has released initial details for its 7-Series ActiveHybrid Concept which will make its world debut in Paris. Described as a mild hybrid, the 7-Series uses a small electric motor, developing 15 kW/20 hp and peak torque of 210 Newton-metres/155 lb-ft., integrated in the transmission housing essentially replacing the drag inducing auxiliary components such as the alternator and starter motor. Electrical energy is generated through Brake Energy Regeneration system and stored in a high-performance lithium-ion battery located in the luggage compartment.

In this mild hybrid setup, the positioning of the electric motor in the transmission aids in the efficiency of the auto start/stop function. Additionally, the energy yield produced by the electric motor through Brake Energy Regeneration alone exceeds normal standards by roughly ten times. Such electrical power output provides ample energy to run auxiliary components such as air condition and infotainment systems and not off the alternator
which draws energy directly from the combustion engine reducing its overall efficiency.

The engine is based on the N63 direct injection 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 unit already seen in the 750i and X6 xDrive50i producing 300 kW/407 hp, with peak torque of 600 Newton-metres or 442 lb-ft. In mild hybrid form, the result is 15 percent less fuel consumption and emissions (in the EU test cycle) versus a combustion engine only equivalent.

BMW plans to start production of two models with ActiveHybrid technology in 2009.

Source: Worldcarfans via Autoblog.nl