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From MINI Connected to MINI Financial Services, MINI seems to be one of those companies that “gets it” when it comes to mobile. The latest offering is actually for the dealers: mobile-optimized versions of their websites. Customers on their Blackberry, iPhone or Android phone can now search dealer inventories, find hours and even call in for sales or service help. It’s a simple thing in the grand scheme, but keep this in mind. One UX report I read recently said that only as few as 15% of the fortune 500 have mobile-optimized websites. Of those, only about 5 are any good. Mobile web use is on the exponential rise. So well done MINI. Welcome to the future. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

(Updated video) As promised here’s some video of MINI publicly debuting the MINI Rocketman in Geneva. We also have some footage of the new MINI Hampton as well as the MINI Display and Geneva as a whole. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

Our friends down under at AUSmotive.com sent us this review of the MINI Countryman, which has just launched in Australia. It’s great to get diverse reactions to the car and this one is definitely worth a look. Now that the Countryman has arrived in Australia we can really begin to form a solid opinion. So, after seeing the car for the first time today, and enjoying a brief test drive, we’re leaning towards loving the love-or-hate four-door MINI. It’s not a full on love affair yet, but we’ve seen enough to warrant a second date. So go give it a read. Big thanks to Liam for sending it in. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

The following review comes to us from WhiteRoofRadio co-host and Detroit Tuned super wrench, Chad Miller. We have all seen the new aggressive styling of the new MINI Countryman, but how is it day to day? Well I had the opportunity to test just that. The plans where set in to motion for a three day weekend to Northern Michigan (or as we call the U.P.) to the littlest big town up there, Marquette. So the first call I made to my local dealer Motor City MINI to ask for the use of a Countryman ALL4. Marquette is bound to get snow in February. It’s not even considered snow up there until it’s more than a foot. I really wanted to test out how the car did in snow of all kinds. So plans where set in motion and I picked up a white Countryman ALL 4, Harmond Kardon, automatic, leather, auto air, sun roof, & full center rail. We loaded up and hit the road. As we drove north from Detroit, I thought about all the things I wanted to test and feel out on the way. So I divided it into 5 sections: Ride, Exterior, Interior, Power, & Traction. Ride I could feel that the car had run flats on, but over the entire trip the ride was very good. The suspension was soft and could take up the bumps in the road with ease. It still had MINI-like handling but the ride was a lot softer than the standard hatch. It’s so much softer, in fact, that you can feel a bit of body lean in the corners. Exterior After years with some many MINI hatches, the four doors were a lot different. You really notice the size of the door — very easy to close because they are lighter, and having a full window frame would take a bit getting used too. But overall I liked the looks of the front end and the sides. The rear end is going to take a bit of getting used to. Interior Since we had a seven hour trip one way, this is where we got to spend most of the time thinking about what we liked and didn’t like. Looks are one thing, but the Interior is where people actually spend their time in any car. I think car companies should spend more time getting the design right. I found several good and bad things with the interior of the Countryman. The seats, while they look good, just weren’t the most comfortable seat after a few hours. They where very flat and didn’t hug me at all. The second flaw I noticed was the lack of real storage. We had three people in the car, each with a small amount of luggage, two sleeping bags, a few misc. bags, as well as some with gear like boots and gloves. We simply ran out of room in the boot. In the end, we had to use the floor and seat area behind the driver. This was only a three-day trip, yet we ran out of room. Next, the center rail looks cool but overall was kind of useless and didn’t really allow the rear passenger to stretch out. Then there’s the hand brake, or parking brake. It works really well and had a great feel. It just wasn’t in the right spot. It made access to the center rail hard, and this car had the I-Pod hook with the USB port — which was right under the hand brake. It made the ports very difficult to access, especially with the very short cord that comes with it. Last but not least, was accessory power outlets. There didn’t seam to be enough. We were traveling with three people, all with cell phones, and everyone needed a charger at one point. When you think about having a GPS or other devices (think kids) that might be plugged in the whole time, you run out of plugs in a hurry. Duel ports front and back would be really nice, but the layout and function of the available plugs was great. It was easy as the driver to reach anything that I needed. MINI also did a very nice job with the interior lighting. The soft glow made everything look so much better and just put a smile on your face. However, the light in the door handle pull was at just the right angle to reflect in the chrome of the handle and catch my eye from time to time. Power This was the Cooper S Countryman so power was no problem and I always felt like I had extra power on demand. We had to pass several cars on a two-lane highway and after a quick signal, the car powered by the slower car with ease. My only complaint on the power side of things was the MPG. We filed up, entered the freeway and set the cruse control till almost empty. While we did have three regular size people in the car with luggage, the best we could get was 24 MPG under real-world conditions. I was thinking that we could get at least 30 MPG. There are several things that could affect this like alignment, tires, and gas quality, but overall I think the weight of the car loaded down, the ALL4, and the very flat front end of the car didn’t help MPG at all. Traction We could really feel the “all wheel drive” part kick in. Normally the Countryman is front wheel drive, but when you get it with the ALL4 option, you can get up to 50% of the power to the rear wheels when the car needs it. In the corners, you can feel a bit more pull thru the exit. We did get to feel almost every bad road condition possible on this trip. The funny thing was Michigan had a warm spell and most of the snow melted before we got up north, so that part of the trip was very uneventful. As we where on the way home, the lower peninsula (the mitten) was getting pounded with a small blizzard. While one of my passengers was a bit nervous, I was driving as fast as I safely could. Just after we crossed the bridge we started to see a few flakes. Within the mile it was complete white out. The weather reports on the radio were calling for 8-12 inches! Traffic slowed to 25 mph, but we where able to keep it at a steady 55 mph in complete control. I attribute this to several things. The xenon lights, the ALL4, and the way the car was balanced. As good as it was, I think with a better tire selection (snow) would help even more, but the traction as-was kept us straight. But where the Countryman really shined was in the snow — any snow. Light snow, blowing snow, deep snow, really deep snow — it didn’t matter. We got home, after driving the whole way in many levels of snow, to a good 8 inches of snow on the ground. From light to light, the car would take off from a dead stop quickly and in a calm manner, even in 8+ inches of snow. This was the most impressive thing about the Countryman. After dropping everyone off, I found a parking lot full of fresh snow to see just what it could do. We tested the Countryman All4 with the traction control on, partly off and fully off, and the car did everything we asked it too. It took off from a dead stop in deep snow with ease. It could take a corner in the snow no problem. You just point it in the direction you wanted it to go and give it some gas. I was very impressed. The car is balanced very well for snowy, low-grip conditions. I think this is why so many are excited to see the Countryman in the WRC. I’m excited for the day when I can get a Countryman ALL4 for on a great set of snow tires and tear through 12 inches of powder! Conclusions Overall I give the Countryman All4 a 7.5 out for 10. I feel it needs to improve the seats and the useable space for luggage. I also wish it had was an ALL4 light to tell you when the rear wheels where being activated. You get a light to tell you when the DSC kicks in, why not a light to tell you when the rear wheels are being activated? Also, the biggest thing I haven’t yet mentioned is the rear seating. For a family vehicle the four bucket seats work well, but with friends we needed that fifth seat. Once we arrived in Marquette and met up with some extra people, we couldn’t really use the Countryman because we always had five people. MINI needs to get the rear bench seat to market in the US as fast as possible. Special thanks to Motor City MINI for the use of their Countryman All4! </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

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It’s Rocketman night here under the White Roof gang. To start, Nathaniel, Chad and I talk about it. Then I bring in Gabe and Todd to talk about it. Then, we talk about it just a little bit more before moving into Chad’s review of the Countryman. Make sure you are comfortable kids, there is a whole lotta show comin’ at ya tonight! Download | WRR @ iTunes | 50.5MB | 1:22:14 </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

Part of MINI’s Geneva announcements this morning included official confirmation that the team car will compete at the World Rally Championship Rally d’Italia in May. It’s been spoken of for months, but now it’s official. MINI has also detailed its racing plans for the rest of the season where drivers Dani Sordo and Kris Meeke will compete in five additional rallies in Finland, Germany, France, Catalunya and Great Britain. Also on the presentation stand this morning was the John Cooper Works S2000 spec rally car, which will see its racing debut in private hands in Portugal later this month. Dr. Wolfgang Armbrecht, Senior Vice President of Brand Management for MINI, had this to say: “We are delighted to present the MINI John Cooper Works S2000 here in Geneva. MINI has joined forces with a highly experienced partner in Prodrive, and our colleagues in England continue to oversee the development of the MINI John Cooper Works WRC. When you add the turbocharged MINI engine and the BMW Group’s expertise in the world of motorsport to the mix, you can see we have an exceptional blend of attributes which will take us quickly to the next stage. The car’s technical make-up and driving characteristics make it the perfect fit for rallying. Entering the WRC takes MINI back to its rally roots and brings this heritage right up to date.” [source: AutoSport] </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

The following is Ian Robertson’s speech introducing the MINI Rocketman and the entire MINI display at the Geneva Motor Show. We’ll have video and photos later in the day. Bienvenue, herzlich willkommen, welcome to MINI! It’s so great to see you all this morning. I have new MINIs to show you and exciting news to share with you, so let’s get to it! Last year, the MINI Countryman had its world premiere here in Geneva. It has already enjoyed phenomenal success right around the world, with over 23,000 happy customers since October last year. This helped to make 2010 our most successful year, with over 234,000 MINIs sold. Already this year, MINI has had a great start. In the first two months we sold more than 30,000 vehicles. And I am absolutely confident 2011 will be another record year for the MINI brand. But enough facts and figures, I know why you’re really here: to see the new MINIs! Let me start by telling you what gives this MINI so much muscle. The MINI Cooper SD comes with the most powerful diesel engine yet. It tops out at 215 kilometres per hour. And it clocks 0- 100 in just over 8 seconds.But don’t let all this performance fool you – the Cooper SD won’t be waiting in line at the petrol pump very often. It consumes only 4.3 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres, with CO2 emissions of just 114 grams. And, of course, a whole set of MINIMALISM technology comes as standard. All this without giving up any of the pure fun and go-cart feeling you get in every single MINI. The SD engine will be available in all Coopers across Europe in the coming months. While we’re talking about powerful engines, I have to mention MINI’s return to the World Rally Championship in 2011. We’ll kick off things with an official team and car launch on the 11th of April at Plant Oxford, in England.Another way we take things up a notch is MINI Yours! It offers a range of new colours, materials, and design options to make your MINI even more irresistible. You can see the first design model, the MINI Clubman Hampton, directly behind you. Taking its name from the area of southwest London, the Clubman Hampton captures the spirit of MINI Yours with its distinctive style, inside and out. This is the first MINI Yours special edition model and is only available until Speaking of 2012 and London, I hope you will be joining us at the London Olympic Games next summer. As the official automotive partner, the BMW Group will be providing vehicles to support the Games. And of course, the Countryman and the MINI E will be among the cars supplied. You can take a look at the MINI E right here at the “Pavillon Vert”. Now, ladies and gentlemen, I’m thrilled to show you rocket science by MINI. Here it is, our newest concept, the MINI Rocketman! Inspiration for the Rocketman came from its groundbreaking roots. When Sir Alec Issigonis put pencil to paper over fifty years ago and drafted the first MINI, he made history. He created a car with a minimal footprint and maximum interior space. Simply put: this car was revolutionary. The Rocketman captures this spirit of the original, whilst offering the visionary design and clever functionality. As we all know, cities are growing and this means: room to manoeuvre is shrinking and the environment needs protecting. At 3.4 metres, the Rocketman is just slightly bigger than the original MINI. But on the inside, it’s spacious and full of innovations. As we say at MINI, “It’s bigger inside than outside.” Its carbon spaceframe construction ensures minimum weight and maximum strength. A lighter car, of course, means less fuel consumption. But the Rocketman takes MINI’s hallmark “clever use of space” even further. You can see this in the agile double-hinged Clam Doors. As well as with the handy Boot Box, an expandable luggage compartment. What’s also unique: you can arrange the seats for a “full-blooded driving experience”. Or, when your friends are in the back, you just move the seats forward to make more room for them. And ambient lighting lets you customize the mood for each of the driving modes. What’s more, this car advances mobile connectivity with the removable central control unit, the Carry on Key. The Rocketman is firmly linked to MINI’s strong heritage whilst focusing on future innovations. This is exactly what MINI fans expect. We’re always looking ahead here at MINI. With this in mind, please welcome the new Head of MINI Design, Anders Warming. Anders started with DesignworksUSA in 1997 before joining us in Munich in 2005. You can see how committed he is to this job— giving up the weather in California for Munich. I know we’ll see some amazing things from Anders and his team. Now, ladies and gentlemen, come on and take a closer look at these fantastic new MINIs! Thank you. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

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Last Friday we gave you an exclusive look at MINI’s new high-end exclusive options program that includes options, limited edition models and accessories. Today MINI we bring you the official release hot off the presses. But before we get into the release let’s look at a few highlights within the options list: Highclass Grey metallic Laguna Green metallic 17-inch light-alloy wheels in Twin Blade Spoke design Soda Mirrors with hologram effect Lounge Leather seats in Satellite Grey with Highclass Grey and crown pattern Full Walknappa leather trim for instrument panel (upper section of the panel is black and – depending on the seat upholstery – the centre section is Polar Beige or Satellite Grey) Leather gearshift lever gaiter with contrasting stitching in Polar Beige or Satellite Grey and a two-tone leather steering wheel with matching colour scheme for the hub. Look for even more options this summer and a new special edition that’s even more ‘bespoke’. Official Release: As a pioneer and one-off in the premium small car segment, MINI offers an options range unmatched in its variety to allow customers to configure their car exactly how they desire. Buyers can choose from a large selection of exterior paint finishes, light-alloy wheels, upholstery variants, interior trim and Colour Lines, MINI-specific options such as mirror caps and graphics, and numerous other optional extras and accessories, to make every MINI a one-off creation designed in detail to reflect their own individual style. From spring 2011 MINI will open up another new avenue for the ultra-stylish customisation of the brand’s cars. The MINI Yours range of products will feature exclusive design options delivered from the factory for the exterior and interior of the current range of MINI models. Among the features of the MINI Yours range are unusual paint finishes, upholstery variants and interior colours, stylishly configured equipment packages and limited editions based on the now four model series in the MINI family. Individuality with style: colours, materials and trim elements enable detailed personalisation. The MINI Yours range will initially include the two exterior paint finishes Highclass Grey metallic and Laguna Green metallic. Customers can then add some neat flourishes with MINI Yours Tattoo Funky and MINI Yours Tattoo Glorious graphics and colour schemes made up of white, grey and black. The 17-inch light-alloy wheels in Twin Blade Spoke design can also be given an individual stylistic touch with a white trim ring on the wheel rim. Elsewhere, an innovative film application lends the mirror caps in Soda Mirror design a fascinating hologram effect.For the interior, the MINI Yours range contains items such as Lounge Leather seats in the colour variant Satellite Grey with Highclass Grey and a stylish crown pattern matching the trim strip on the instrument panel. Full Walknappa leather trim is also available for the instrument panel. The upper section of the panel is black and – depending on the seat upholstery – the centre section is Polar Beige or Satellite Grey. This colour variant is also available for the Colour Line. To match these options, there is a leather gearshift lever gaiter with contrasting stitching in Polar Beige or Satellite Grey and a two-tone leather steering wheel with matching colour scheme for the hub. Exclusive paint finishes, unique interior design: MINI Clubman Hampton. An exclusive variant of the MINI Clubman takes centre stage for the premiere of MINI Yours. The MINI Clubman Hampton special-edition model embodies the character of MINI Yours – underpinned by uncompromising premium quality and brand-specific design cues – in a highly concentrated form. Its design features reference both the brand’s British heritage and the special edition’s unique designation, inspired by the southwest London suburb. At the same time, the first limited-edition variant of the MINI Clubman continues a tradition established by successful editions of earlier models. For example, the Park Lane, Seven, Checkmate and Sidewalk editions of the MINI offered customers particularly neat ways to satisfy their desire for exclusive configurations. The MINI Clubman Hampton is painted in the Reef Blue metallic shade developed specially for this model. The roof and surrounds for the special edition’s rear doors are silver, as are the wheels and Colour Line. The exterior colours Pepper White, Midnight Black and Eclipse Grey can be specified as an option, while Black and Reef Blue are available as contrast colours for the roof and C-pillars. The light-alloy wheels in Twin Blade Spoke design can be ordered in silver or black with a dark red trim ring. The headlights come with black reflectors if the optional xenon units are specified. A logo on the B-pillar and “Hampton” lettering on the side indicator surrounds and radiator grille provide subtle references to the car’s exclusive status. The “MINI 50 Hampton” lettering on the door entry strips recalls the introduction five decades ago of an additional body variant of the classic Mini, which today ranks as the historic predecessor of the MINI Clubman.Unmistakable and in a limited run. The interior of the MINI Clubman Hampton also boasts a very distinctive style. An “H” on the seat tags, red edging and orange contrast stitching are the identifying features of the black Lounge Leather seats. The anthracite- coloured roof liner, the likewise anthracite dials of the rev counter and the speedometer on the Centre Speedo also contribute to the model’s special ambience. The Centre Speedo is bordered by a trim ring in matt dark red, like that on the wheels. The Chili Pack is also included in the MINI Clubman Hampton, adding items such as a sports leather steering wheel, foglamps, automatic climate control, an on-board computer, a light package, a storage package and special velour floor mats in the style of the special-edition model. This exclusive special edition will be available in MINI Cooper Clubman, MINI Cooper S Clubman, MINI Cooper D Clubman and MINI Cooper SD Clubman guise. Production of the MINI Clubman Hampton will be limited to one year. Full Gallery [show as slideshow] [View with PicLens] </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

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We’re big fans of Cool Hunting. What follows is an interview between Cool Hunting’s Ami Kealoha and BMW Design lead Adrian van Hooydonk. You can find the original interview here. Is there a danger of being too cute with Mini? The lines are more crisp and taut on this concept, because we feel that a Mini should always be like a friend, let’s say. But if it becomes too cute, than maybe people will see it like a toy, a teddy bear. Of course we like to appeal to young customers, but Mini traditionally is a car that appealed to people of all ages, cross-gender and all around the world. The elements in this car, we believe are elements that could do that: keep Mini exciting, interesting fun, endearing, but also something to be reckoned with, also serious. Almost like a British bulldog—a small dog, but people take it seriously. What are the challenges of designing small? On a big car, it’s easy to make things move, do a door opening or a trunk. On a small car, it’s much, much harder. But exactly what Mini stands for, right from the very beginning, is being clever in a small space. And this car is full of ideas for a small space. The way the trunk opens, the original Mini had that too. In a tight parking spot, if a car is parked behind your Mini, you can still open this trunk and put your stuff in. Or the side doors, they have a double hinge that allows you to open the door, even when there’s another car parked right next to you. How much less room does the door need? I would say one-third, if you have to put a number to it. The Mini has quite a long door, because it’s a four-seater but a two-door car. If you open it with one hinge, you hit the other door and then you have to sort of squeeze in. With the Rocketman, we solved both issues. You can crawl in the back because the door’s quite long, but you don’t have to squeeze in through a narrow opening because of the double hinge. That’s actually why we called the car Rocketman. On the one hand, Rocketman sounds like a brave little guy—and Mini is that, a brave little guy. But this car to us is so full of ideas, that we thought it’s rocket science by Mini. That’s why we call it Rocketman. How did you treat the interiors for this car? Of course we are dealing with a small car, but as a designer you can do a lot to give the feeling or the sensation of more space. We did this in the Rocketman in the sense that there is no dashboard like we know it today. The dashboard takes up a lot of space. In the old Mini there was only a steering wheel and one big dial, and that’s what we’ve done in this Rocketman as well. But the steering wheel and the big round center dial have grown together into a structure. And then the rest of the dashboard is gone, you don’t need it. The lighting is another feature which I believe can do a lot to create a very nice atmosphere, even in a small space. We’ve played with that a lot in the car, and we believe that the light or the light color in the future is going to play a bigger role in the whole color and material set up of the car. Right now the light is treated very separately from the materials that we use in the car, and in this concept we made it an integral part. We thought about it from the beginning, it could light up in red or blue or some other colors. You could customize to your mood, which is something that Mini offers today. There’s just one or two LEDs in the Mini interiors today so you can change the color seamlessly from orange to blue. But in this car now, there’s big surfaces of light. And the roof of course is transparent which is another element that increases your sensation of spaciousness. What other examples of industrial design inspired the car? We’re constantly not just looking at other fields of design, like industrial design, furniture design or fashion design, we also have a part of our team—actually a large part of our team located in California—called Design Works. And this design consultancy, we do industrial design for other companies as well. We are actually in touch with other industries, like aircraft industry, or boating. We design airplane interiors or boats exteriors and interiors. And you always learn, so as a designer you become more creative the more you work on different types of products, or design problems. LED light is something that is coming anyway, also in furniture, also in housing. It is simply very small, it uses less energy. It led to a whole creative outburst, because now we can position these lights in places where in the past a lightbulb would have to go in and there wouldn’t be the space. Without LED we couldn’t have done this roof or the illumination of the door panels, or the tail lamps where the air can pass through. It wouldn’t be possible. What about the headlights? In the headlamps, the way we use LED is we would like to make the light in a way that is soft and homogenous. We don’t like to see the dots actually, because we think it’s a little bit too bright, a little bit too cold. And we want to have the light be somewhat soft and warm. What are the features you think are most likely to go to market? When you’ve just presented a concept car that’s meant to go very far in the future, then that’s probably the toughest question to ask. But, the lighting ideas for sure. I would say things like the hinges, or the way the trunk works. This would be possible to put in production. Also a lot of the surface features, the design the ideas, the form ideas we’ve put in the car, both in the interior and the exterior. I can see a lot of potential in using those because that is not necessarily technically difficult. That’s just a matter of seeing how it was received—judging by tonight that was good but let’s see if the broader audience in Geneva sees the car. And this was also deliberate. If people see this car as part of what could be Mini, then we have just broadened our palette. We’ve just given ourselves more room to play. Because Mini has such a strong history, such a strong heritage in one car. Of course everything gravitates towards this one original car. Does it look like that car or does it not? I think this concept car will help us widen the palette a little bit, which I think is necessary to develop the brand into the future. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

What do you get the gamer who has everything? You get him this: a radical gaming chair literally made out of the nose of a classic Mini. Built by designer David Gawhtorpe, the chair includes a built-in Xbox 360, 500W amp, speakers, strobe lights, lasers, a small refrigerator at the back and — wait for it — a remote controlled smoke machine. Doubling also as a home theater chair, there’s a rumble pad under your backside to really put you there. A one-off, the original chair has been sold to a London fellow, who’s going to put it up for sale in his Pimlico shop. It can be yours, for a mere $12,967. See the chair all folded up after the break. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

MINI has just released a fantastic video that gives you the thought behind the Rocketman as well as a tangible connection to the classic Mini. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

Some people like to describe their tuned Cooper S as “fire breathing”, but BMP Design of Tyler, Texas wins the brag with the MINI Jet. The 420 hp, 400 ft-lb of torque, RWD monster is literally powered by a Rolls Royce-Allison helicopter engine (the 250-C20B to be exact). Complete with helicopter style lever throttle between the seats, it’s unclear if the MINI Jet retains its original engine up front as well. If it does, that would make this the most seriously badass hybrid to date. More video after the break. [source: Jalopnik] </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

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Today is the day that BMW took the wraps off its biggest gamble to date. No it’s not a full car reveal. Actually much more grand and has greater implications than any single new model. The brand is BMW i and the idea is to rethink the car and the way we use our transportation infrastructure. Along with the brand, BMW announced its plan to produce two cars under the i name. The i3 will be a fully electric three and five door hatch with a carbon fiber monocoque on an aluminum frame (yes body on frame is back). Pricing has yet to be even hinted at but we expect this to be a premium offering (ie high-end 3 Series territory). The i8 will also be much more premium costing more than $150,000. But it will have performance, design and engineering that will live up to that price. Likely very similar to the Vision concept that debuted at Frankfurt a year and a half ago, the car will likely redefine what a sports car is. With its three cylinder turbo diesel developing great power while being extremely efficient, the i8 will lead the brand. Look for the BMW i8 to debut in 2013 and the i3 to follow it about a year later. Official Release: The new BMW sub-brand focused on developing sustainable mobility solutions has been launched. “BMW i represents a new movement in premium mobility. With the introduction of this new sub-brand, the BMW Group reaffirms its leadership as the most innovative and sustainable premium car company. The products and services have been conceived around a revolutionary approach: purpose designed and purpose built for sustainable, premium mobility. It’s a new day in our industry; a new era for individual mobility. This is BMW i – Born Electric.” said Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales and Marketing, in Munich on Monday. (Official gallery and video after the break) In a first move, two models will be launched under the new sub-brand from 2013 – the BMW i3 and BMW i8. The BMW Group will also significantly expand its range of mobility services over the years ahead. To achieve this, a Venture Capital company was founded in New York City, BMW i Ventures, with an investment totalling up to 100 million US dollars. “BMW i offers visionary cars and services, inspiring design, and an entirely new concept of premium mobility – all with a focus on sustainability”, explained Robertson. The BMW i brand comprises vehicles and services developed since 2007 as part of project i, a BMW Group think tank exploring sustainable mobility solutions. It is the BMW Group’s response to changing customer needs, including increasing demand for alternative drive trains, such as electric drive systems and hybrids. There is a widespread desire in megacities for solutions which intelligently combine the benefits of various mobility concepts in a single package. Revolutionary vehicle concepts “With BMW i, we are building on the success and strength of our core brand,” emphasised Robertson. The BMW i3– previously known as the Megacity Vehicle – will be the BMW Group’s first series-produced car for urban areas to be driven by electric power alone. The BMW i8, meanwhile, is based on the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept study. Its plug-in hybrid drive blends the sporting ability of a high-performance machine with the fuel consumption and emissions of a small car. Both models are based on a revolutionary construction concept known as LifeDrive architecture. An aluminium chassis houses the powertrain, and the passenger cell consists of high-strength but extremely lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP). “Both cars have been designed specifically for their respective alternative drive systems. We used the innovative architecture and CFRP to cancel out practically all of the extra weight added by the batteries. For our customers this means superior driving dynamics combined with significantly increased range using electric power,” explains Klaus Draeger, BMW Board member responsible for development. BMW i8 to be built in Leipzig Like the BMW i3, the BMW i8 will also be manufactured at BMW’s Leipzig plant. Around 400 million euros will be invested in new plant facilities and some 800 jobs will be created up to 2013. Development and production synergies will be achieved through both vehicles using the same component sets for the electric motors, power electronics, and high-voltage lithium-ion batteries. A range of vehicle-independent services An additional range of mobility services – which can also be used independently of the cars – will be an integral component of BMW i. This will allow the creation of a new, profitable area of business over the long term and attract new customers to the company’s brands. “Mobility requirements are changing in rapidly expanding megacities” adds Ian Robertson. “Our commitment to car-enabled mobility services, like BMW ConnectedDrive, will be significantly expanded under BMW i. We’ll also grow our car-related premium mobility services. What’s truly groundbreaking is that we’ll begin offering car-independent premium mobility services. BMW i aims to provide customized mobility solutions across a seamless network of premium products and premium services.” The focus is on solutions which will improve usage of existing parking spaces, as well as intelligent navigation systems with local information, intermodal route planning, and premium car-sharing. In addition to services developed in-house, the BMW Group is pursuing collaborations with partner companies and exploring strategic capital investments in providers of mobility services. To this end, the venture capital company BMW i Ventures has the goal to expand the range of products and services offered by BMW i in the long term by taking stakes in highly innovative service providers. New York-based My City Way is the first company in which BMW i Ventures has taken a stake. Of the partnership, Ian Robertson said, “I am thrilled to announce that we have just signed our first strategic partnership with My City Way. As a mobile app, My City Way provides users with information on public transportation, parking availability, and local entertainment for over 40 cities in the US. Another 40 cities will be part of the global rollout, including Munich, of course.” [show as slideshow] [View with PicLens] </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше