Mini tagged posts

The 2015 Detroit auto show to be held in next month is going to be a historical event for the automobile history. Several cars to be debuted there will definitely be proven to be legends in the automobile history. To name a few: the long-waited second generation NSX; the successor of the glory Ford GT; the first Lexus high-performance mid-size sedan, M5/E63AMG fighter: GS-F.

Below is a brief preview of what we’ll see in two weeks.

2016 Acura NSX

25 years earlier when Acura debuted its first generation NSX, it was a milestone in the automobile industry. The 1st-gen NSX has many new stuffs and technologies that people had never seen before at that time...

For the current MINI Cooper’s John Coooper Works (JCW) series vehicles, they are using a turbo-charged 1.6L 4-cylinder engine which outputs 208 hp, code name “Prince”, jointly developed by BMW and PSA Peugeot Citroën.

The 2015 model year JCW models will see a completely new engine, which is based on the BMW B48 2.0L turbo 4-cylinder engine. The B48 series engine is not new for the MINI family – the current MINI Cooper S, has already used it for the 2014 model year, with output tuned to 189 hp with 207 lb-ft of torque.

On the 2015 JCW models, the B48 engine increased its boost and the final output is said to be around 227 hp (230 bhp), and the torque will be 258 lb-ft.

Bo...

You may still remember several months ago Jim McDowell, VP of MINI USA, told US media that BMW management is considering stop making several models that do not sell well.

Today we got insider news indicating the departing models in the plan: the Paceman and also the Coupe (including the Roadster).

The decision is based on BMW’s current cost cutting initiative, and also MINI brand’s not-so-satisfactory sales performance this year (for 2012, MINI USA achieved a 15% growth; but it only saw a 0.5% enhancement in 2013). The MINI models being cut will be those with extremely low sales volume...

For some MINI customers who want to provide easy access for the second-row seat passengers, the only choice is the Countryman, which has individual doors for the second-row.

Now, for those MINI lovers who want the same layout but do not want a CUV shape, a new choice is here: MINI provides the 5-door version of the Cooper model. Below is the 2015 model pricing:

MINI Cooper 5-Door:       $21,450
MINI Cooper S 5-Door:    $25,100

And here is the 2014 price for the 3-door version for your comparison:

MINI Cooper 3-Door:       $19,950
MINI Cooper S 3-Door:    $23,600

We always hear the idea of leasing cars, or maybe you are already leasing a car at this moment. There are also debates whether leasing or purchasing saves you more money. There is no absolute answer for this question because the final cost depends heavily on your income/expense/tax situations, therefore it is case by case.

In US, since you do not own the title of the leased car (the leasing company that owns the tile), this is classified as an operating lease...