The official reveal is a few weeks away but look for photos to slip out from various sources before then. The Crossover will get its public debut at the Frankfurt motor show (this year it’ll be the mother of all shows if you’re a MINI/BMW fan) and should go on sale in the first half of 2010.

The result. It’s certainly not a full on win for the MINI but it does retain it’s handling crown.

It’s something we’ve been wondering for years. Is MINI immune to quality control issues? I’d say yes and no. The recent quality issues I speak of are the much publicized results of the recent JD Power survey where MINI came in last (with authority I might add). I think there are two reasons that these results don’t impact MINI as much as other cars. As mentioned in a recent New York Times piece, much of the complaints new owners have revolve around the complex (and at first maddening) interface controls of the climate, sound and car control systems. We can just imagine the confusion most consumers have getting into a new MINI for the first time coming from such appliance like cars as a Camry or Civic. While the interface may not be ideal (we’d call it less than ideal) it is something that people get use to. So a fault, yes. A quality control issue? Not in our book. This is the first problem with the survey and a larger problem with how JD Power conducts the tests themselves.

Secondly the survey takes into account all issues even including things like brake dust and rear window dirt. All areas that are not faults with the car but are normal issues related to performance or the general shape of the MINI.

It all adds up to a car with character that owners are not only willing to live with but to love and recommend to their friends (something MINI has always scored well in). While there are issues with MINI’s build quality at times, we feel it’s generally less than what the JC Power results would indicate.

Yes this has been floating around but we were reminded of it while clearing our in box. It’s not very scientific but it’s fun to see both cars thrown around a bit on the track.

With the announcement of the 1.5 millionth MINI sold yesterday, MINI took some time to talk about current sales, future sales and the state of the brand at the Oxford Plant.

This story comes from our friends at AUSmotive.com:

Forty-three years ago motoring journalist Evan Green caused a sensation when he became the first man to drive across Australia from east to west via the red centre. As if that wasn’t enough, Green then conquered the north-south route immediately afterwards. The car? An original, first generation Mini. The journey covered a staggering 19,000kms.

Now, a second generation Green has followed in his father’s tyre tracks by driving a second generation MINI Cooper, of course, along the east-west route. Gavin Green was joined by photographer Mark Bramley and mechanical support was supplied by BMW Group Australia Senior Technician Darryl Cook.

The trio covered over 6,600kms in 1o days with the only modification to the standard road going car being a strengthened sump guard.

You can read more below:

+ My Generation / AUSmotive

MINI has turned out 1.5 million cars. Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the brand, MINI Plant Oxford celebrates a production milestone.

Official Release:Munich. Just weeks after the official 50th birthday celebration for the brand at the Silverstone track, the MINI plant in Oxford claims another milestone. Since production began in 2001, 1.5 million MINI units have been produced there. The milestone model, a MINI Clubman in Chili red, cleared the end of the production line in the presence of Business Minister Ian Lucas and BMW Group board member Ian Robertson. It is destined for a British customer.

Since the brand was relaunched and production started in Oxford, MINI has become a global success story. In recent years, its hallmark blend of driving fun, individual style and premium quality has led to rising sales in every continent. Worldwide, this unique premium small car is now sold in 80 countries, with its most recent launch in Brazil.

Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing, said: “This is a great day for the plant and a wonderful milestone to reach in the 50th birthday year of MINI. The very first classic Mini rolled off the production line here at this plant on 8 May 1959.

“It was wonderful to see the passion that owners feel for MINI at the car’s recent birthday celebrations at Silverstone, when 25,000 people from around the world joined the party. It is a privilege to be part of the heritage and future of this car.” Robertson added, “This is a tough time for the car industry and no business is immune from its challenges, but MINI is an extremely resilient brand with huge customer appeal and we have seen a strengthening order bank in recent months. We will launch a wealth of new models in the coming years and the future is looking extremely bright.”

The BMW Group has invested more than £380 million in MINI Plant Oxford since 2001 and a further £100 million in the Hams Hall and Swindon plants, which make up the MINI Production Triangle. The BMW Group employs more than 7,000 people in the UK and its activities account for around 1 percent of the country’s GDP. In all, the BMW Group has invested more than £1 billion in the UK since 2000.

MINI Plant Oxford currently builds the MINI, MINI Clubman and MINI Convertible. It also produces the ultra-sporty MINI John Cooper Works, MINI John Cooper Works Clubman and MINI John Cooper Works Convertible models. Of the 1.5 million MINI cars built in Oxford so far, the traditional closed two-door version accounts for around 1,24 million. In addition to these, 179,000 MINI Convertibles have passed through the factory gates in Oxford, along with 79,000 examples of the MINI Clubman. In the years 1959 to 2000, UK production figures for the classic Mini came to more than 5.3 million. When combined with the figures for its successor, total global sales for the brand amount to 6.8 million cars.

This week we’re cleaning out the in box a bit and getting to some Ask MF’s we’ve had in the queue for awhile. The first of the week was sent in by Tim:

I was trying to find the JCW website.  Prior to MINI take-over, JCW had a completely separate website.  I’m only getting links to MINIUSA or MINIUK now. What I’m trying to do is contact someone knowledgeable about the R50 works head, specifically if there is a recommended cam or profile to get the best out of the head.  I know from prior experience MINIUSA won’t have a clue and the JCW R50 is so rare in the States there’s no reason to post in popular forums. Your expertise is appreciated.

Prior to MINI take-over, JCW had a completely separate website that included detailed technical information. Unfortunately now that JCW is fully owned by BMW that site is down and the tech expertise you’re looking for would be best found by a few folks who have likely made their way to independent garages in the UK. So thus we’re throwing this question out to our readers. If any of you know about the JCW R50 (specifically the head) or know someone who does, sound off in the comment section below.

Related:

+ R50 JCW Cooper Review / MotoringFile

Official Release: Gearing up for an ideal start: The MINI One D. New entry-level model combines pulling power with enhanced economy. Market launch scheduled for September 2009.

The MINI model family is set to welcome another new arrival. A new entry-level diesel model will be launched in September 2009 and promises to deliver exceptionally economical driving fun. The MINI One D showcases the qualities of its state-of-the-art diesel engine as part of an attractive entry-level package. The drive system is based on the 1.6-litre diesel engine from the MINI Cooper D. Featuring a turbocharger and common rail direct injection, the new version of this four-cylinder unit develops peak output of 66 kW/90 hp and maximum torque of 215 Nm. Like the petrol-driven MINI One, the new MINI One D provides a particularly economical entry point into the world of the MINI brand, which is defined by driving fun and premium quality.

Instantaneous pulling power and impressively low fuel consumption are also keynote attributes of the MINI One D. Its 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine features common rail direct injection technology and a turbocharger with variable turbine geometry, which ensures optimum power development through the entire engine speed range. Boasting an exceptionally lightweight aluminium construction, this four-cylinder diesel powerplant develops 66 kW/90 hp at 4,000 rpm and sources its peak torque of 215 Nm from as low down as 1, 750 rpm. The MINI One D completes the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 11.5 seconds and hits a top speed of 182 km/h. The new MINI One D is also fitted as standard with a diesel particulate filter and numerous efficiency-enhancing measures, which make an effective contribution to reducing fuel consumption and emissions. These include Brake Energy Regeneration – which concentrates power generation for the on-board power supply on periods when the car is braking and coasting – and the Auto Start Stop Function, which switches off the engine when the car stops at traffic lights or a junction. The MINI One D also comes with a Shift Point Display, which advises the driver of a good time to change gear to ensure efficient driving. The average fuel consumption of the MINI One D in the EU test cycle is 3.9 litres per 100 kilometres, while CO2 emissions stand at 104 grams per kilometre.

A precise six-speed manual gearbox makes every burst of acceleration in the new diesel model a genuine pleasure. As with all the brand’s models, the drive is sent to the front wheels of the MINI One D and – like its siblings – a central feature of its character is the go-kart feeling typical of the brand. This delightfully agile handling is underpinned by a combination of a McPherson spring-strut front axle construction, multi-link rear suspension and Electrical Power Steering (EPS). Speed-sensitive steering assistance guarantees both low steering forces when parking and precise responses at motorway speeds. In addition, EPS also enhances the efficiency of the car; the electric motor is only active, and therefore only uses energy, when steering assistance is required or desired by the driver. Among the safety features on board the MINI One D are front airbags and side head/thorax airbags, and all four seats are fitted with three-point inertia-reel seat belts. All restraint systems are controlled by a central safety electronics system complete with sensors, and are applied as required by the type and intensity of the collision.

The standard equipment of the new entry-level diesel MINI matches that of the MINI One and its appearance likewise shows parallels with its petrol-driven equivalent. The MINI One D also has its roof in body colour, while its model-specific take on the typically MINI hexagonal radiator grille stands out from the other model variants with a chrome surround and black cross louvres. Like the MINI One, the MINI One D also has black mirror caps and a black boot lid handle, and the chromed tailpipe is the same as that on the exhaust system of the MINI Cooper D.

The market launch of the new entry-level diesel variant adds further to the variety of the MINI model range. In addition to the two diesel models – the MINI One D and MINI Cooper D – customers can also choose from the petrol-driven MINI One, MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S, and the particularly sports-oriented MINI John Cooper Works. All models are built according to the strict quality standards of the BMW Group at the MINI plant in Oxford. The MINI One D is also available with the extensive selection of optional extras and accessories which allow every MINI to become a personalised one-off example of its kind.

“This month, we saw consumers coming back into dealerships in some metro areas like Boston, New York and Los Angeles and that’s encouraging,” said Jim McDowell, Vice President of MINI USA. “The positive results in those three areas have helped to decouple MINI somewhat from the industry decline and we continue to outperform the market by a wide margin.”

German coach-builder Arden has released it’s latest bespoke creation, the MINI Cooper S AM1. With all this talk about $50,000 Rolls Royce MINIs, the Arden is a good example of bespoke coach-building done right.

We’ve done Google maps, we’ve done Flickr and we’ve done Facebook. Now it’s Twitter’s turn. Yes MotoringFile is officially on Twitter as of today. Look for updates when stories post as well as rumors, opinions and generally things that we can’t quite mention on MF (for one reason or another).

You can follow us at Twitter.com/motoringfile

About six months ago we published a scoop about an internal test JCW going down the Oxford assembly line that had no rear seats and several sound-system components missing. At the time our sources were adamant that this was MINI’s very first prototype of a next generation GP type vehicle. The car was then shipped to Munich where it’s been hand assembled in anticipation for several key internal meetings.

Now we’re told by other sources that the two seater has indeed been shown to several internal groups and is poised to get the official approval for production. However the question that remains? Is this an R56 based GP type of vehicle or is this actually the rumored Coupe that is based on the upcoming MINI speedster?

And the question we have to our readers? What do you hope it is?

Related:

+ JCW GP to Return? / MotoringFile

Todd, Michael and myself got together last week and put a great show down for you this week. And, at just at an hour long, quite a bit as well.

Starting off with Michael’s gas woes driving from California to Ohio, then right into news of the week from Motoringfile.com.

For the content portion of the show, we spend some time on the JD Power Survey Results. Why we think the MINI scored so low to why we think you should still buy a MINI. Bonus, if you listen close, you can hear Todd make the squealing clutch sound. Finishing talking about stuff we do now that we would have not done before because we are MINI Owners. Also, interestingly enough, most of us have been presidents of our respective MINI Clubs.

Big thanks to Greg for calling into the WRR voicemail line at 206-202-3252. Check out his classic Mini blog at minicooper.tumblr.com.

Lots of cool WRR and MF stuff going on around the internet lately. You can join our fan pages at Facebook a little easier now. facebook.com/whiteroofradio and facebook.com/motoringfile. You can also follow the WRR Twitter bot for updates as they happen.

Finally, how about a Motoringbadges magnet-off? Listen up for details.

Woofcast 298 :

Shownotes/Download | Subscribe | WRR @ iTunes

Yet more MINI competition… this time specific to the US market. Fiat has officially approved four variants of the 500 to be built in Mexico and release starting in 2011. Reportedly we should expect the standard hatchback in both standard and Abarth trim, newly released convertible and a wagon variant. While it may not quite live up to the MINI’s dynamic abilities, there’s little question that the little Fiat has plenty of charm and potentially even an edge on the cute factor – seemingly important in the US market these days.

For those of our readers in the US, would this tempt you out of a MINI? Or for those readers elsewhere, has the 500 already tempted you?

+ REPORT: Four versions of Fiat 500 in the U.S. by 2011 / Autoblog (via Automotive News)

In a shocking move Aston Martin has revealed that they are partnering with Toyota to produce an Aston version of the iQ micro car. The car will retail for around £20,000 (likely over $30,000 if it comes to the US) and will retain all the mechanicals and technical layout (including the unique 3+1 seating arrangement) of the iQ. It’s worth noting that Toyota plans to introduce the iQ in the US as a Scion in the next year.

The iQ has been praised for it’s engineering and efficiency but its driving dynamics leave a lot to be desired. It’s an interesting move to say the least – especially considering what the Aston Martin brand stands for in the world of luxury automakers. Full press release after the jump…

Official Aston Martin Press Release: New Aston Martin “Cygnet” inspired by Toyota’s iQ Collaboration marks critical step in plans to expand ‘iQ world’

Toyota’s revolutionary iQ platform is about to reset traditional thinking, with plans that the world’s smallest four-seater will serve as the basis for a new luxury commuter car to be exclusively built for and sold to Aston Martin owners. Toyota Motor Europe (TME) today announced that the new “Cygnet” would pair Aston Martin’s trademark design flair with the Toyota iQ’s highly compact and low-CO2 city driving package. The commuter car will be tailored specifically to customer requirements at Aston Martin’s global headquarters in Gaydon, the United Kingdom.

‘It’s a great compliment that the Toyota iQ has been hand-picked by one of the world’s most prestigious sports car brands, a company with whom we also share a strong friendship. This collaboration represents a natural pairing of strategies: a small yet spacious package, perfect for the city driver, finished off with Aston Martin’s iconic design language,’ said Tadashi Arashima, CEO and President of TME. ‘The Cygnet is a good choice for the Aston Martin owner looking for that second or third car, which is luxurious and eco-conscious,’ he added.

Although radically different in size and customer base, Aston Martin and Toyota are united in their corporate philosophies of delivering superior quality, engineering excellence and innovative technology. The collaboration is also fortunate to benefit from a strong relationship underlined by a passion for cars.

The Toyota iQ is considered a breakthrough in intelligent design. Less than three metres in length, its flexible package can accommodate up to four people, providing owners with a new dimension of versatility. Featuring a range of design innovations – such as its flat under-floor fuel tank and asymmetric dashboard – the iQ is positioned as the “no compromise choice” with CO2 emissions starting as low as 99 g/km. It also offers outstanding levels of passive and active safety equipment resulting in a Euro NCAP 5-star rating.

Despite tough market conditions for the automotive industry, the Toyota iQ has proved appealing to a wide variety of city drivers with a taste for style, driving performance and low CO2. The Toyota iQ made its European sales debut in January 2009. It continues to perform in line with expectation, with over 25,000 units sold to-date.

The planned collaboration with Aston Martin is a timely endorsement of the iQ’s superior packaging. The announcement marks a critical step in Toyota’s longer-term planning to expand the ‘iQ world’ – that is, to bring new versions of the Toyota iQ to market globally and expand the company’s eco-friendly line-up.

MINI will be replacing Mellow Yellow for the 2010 model year with White Silver. Mellow Yellow was an R56 launch color and has been around sine September 2006 when the new car launched. Like Mellow Yellow, White Silver will be available across the MINI range. Additionally MINI will be introducing cloth/leather combo in Tech White and Leather Lounge in Toffy. Both are being introduced to coincide with the MINI Camden and Mayfair limited edition models. Apparently MINI will be spreading the costs of developing some of the new trim by making them available across the range in specific markets. Included in this will be a Toffee and White Tech interior color-line option as well. You can see both after the jump.

From a personal stand point Mellow Yellow will be missed. It’s easily our favorite yellow of all time offered by MINI and was always what we thought Liquid Yellow needed to be. Look for other color and trim changes when MINI releases the life-cycle refresh late next summer.

The R56 has been a commercial and critical success for MINI. Despite the loss of some steering feel and some of the brashful character of the R50 and R53, MINI clearly hit the mark with the car overall when it came to market in 2007. And in some ways it’s surprising how well the car has done. From a design standpoint it was evolution on the outside but revolution on the inside. The form and function of everything was rethought from the R50 to the R56 and along the way MINI seemed to have lost the plot in a couple of areas. Now they intend to fix it.

In the spring of 2010 MINI will be introducing the refreshed (or LCI – Life Cycle Impulse as it’s known in BMW speak) R56 and all its variants (ie the Clubman and Convertible). While the number of changes (major and minor) will be huge, there will be several key changes.

First and foremost, MINI intends to fix the interior. Yes, the radio controls and the heating and cooling interface will be refined and in some cases rethought. Additionally MINI will introduce some upgraded materials and subtle design changes meant to eliminate many of the complaints owners have had over the years. Or to put it another way, if you look at the top five complaints most MINI owners have, then you have an idea of what will be worked over in this refresh.

As we saw with the 2005 update to the R50/R53, MINI will also be introducing some new interior trim colors and potentially some dash options.

Outside things are a little more subtle. According to sources MINI will be updating the now signature xenon lights and refining the standard halogen units as well. The rear lights will get a mild nip and tuck but don’t expect anything too major until the next generation.

However more obviously will be the updated (and according to a couple sources) more aggressive front and rear facia on the Cooper S. The Cooper will see similar updates but we’re told to expect a more classic look there.

MINI will also be introducing at least one if not two new colors for the refresh as well. Rumors are rampant that the favorable reaction to Cannaught Green found on the ultra limited edition JCW WC50 has opened MINI’s eyes to the need for a non-metallic green. When pressed one of our sources simply said “there are some within the company that are very much in favor of the idea, now it’s just a matter of making it happen.”

So the inside and outside will be rethought and refined. But like the 2005 R50/R53 refresh, this update is going to be more the skin deep. While we don’t have specific information on changes yet, we have been told to expect some noticeable tweaks that should result in slightly different numbers at least the Cooper S.

Look for the updated models to debut at the Geneva motorshow in March of 2010 with an on-sale date late summer (the start of the 2011 model year).

Official News: BMW Group-led consortium is a winner in Technology Strategy Board £25m Ultra Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator competition

The British government body that exists to promote business innovation in technology announced yesterday that a consortium led by BMW Group will be supported by a proportion of a £25m fund, enabling the MINI E to be introduced and tested on British roads by a mixture of private, corporate and public sector drivers before the end of 2009.

BMW Group’s successful application to the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board followed an invitation for proposals outlining innovative, industry-led collaborative research projects involving ultra-low carbon vehicles. The objective of the Technology Strategy Board is to encourage manufacturers to develop ultra-low carbon vehicles that customers want to buy and bring them to market as rapidly as possible.

MINI E models will be on UK roads for a twelve-month field trial that will evaluate the technical and social aspects of living with an all-electric vehicle in a real world environment. This year-long project will play an important part in informing future strategic and technological decisions.

BMW Group is bringing together an energy infrastructure provider and an academic partner, with the support of a regional development agency and local authorities, to make the MINI E research project a reality in the UK.

The MINI E UK Research Consortium The MINI E UK Research Consortium, of which BMW Group is the lead partner, comprises several organisations which are based around Oxford and the South-East of England. All will play important roles in the collaborative field trial.

In addition to the BMW Group, the consortium includes an electric energy and infrastructure provider (Scottish and Southern Energy), an academic partner (Oxford Brookes University’s Sustainable Vehicle Engineering Centre) and the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) as well as Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council.

Scottish and Southern Energy, the UK’s leading generator of energy from renewable sources, will be responsible for providing the infrastructure in and around Oxford and other locations in the South-East of England by installing the private and public charging points that will be required to recharge the batteries in the MINI E test vehicles.

Oxford Brookes University, under the direction of Professor Allan Hutchinson who leads its Sustainable Vehicle Engineering Centre, will be responsible for undertaking scientific data analysis as well as conducting customer surveys to capture the subjective feedback from users of the MINI E test vehicles.

At the end of the trial, a comprehensive report documenting the main findings of the MINI E research project will be published. This will help inform those bodies seeking to create the political, technical and commercial framework necessary to enable sustainable mobility in a low carbon future to become reality.

Electric mobility is just one of the low carbon technology options being investigated by BMW Group. The company aims to begin series production of all-electric vehicles before the middle of the next decade as part of the company’s Strategy Number ONE.

The passion to provide sustainable individual mobility for its customers is at the heart of BMW’s long-term strategy and has been for many years. Since 1995, the average CO2 emissions from its cars has reduced by 25 per cent through a variety of technological innovations, most recently encompassed by the Efficient Dynamics programme.

The company and its products have won many awards for this work, including World Green Car of the Year in 2008 for the BMW 118d. The development of all-electric vehicles is a vital element of the future plans for the company.

Andy Hearn, General Manager at MINI UK, said: “It makes perfect sense for us to undertake a research project in MINI’s home country and I’m delighted that the Technology Strategy Board will be supporting our investment and the collaborative activities of our consortium members.”

“The research results we obtain will help inform those bodies seeking to create the political, technical and commercial framework necessary to enable sustainable mobility in a low carbon future to become reality. They will also give our own engineers a clearer picture of customers’ requirements and aspirations as they develop an electric vehicle for series production.”

With 12-month research projects already underway in North America and Germany, BMW Group will be trialling the MINI E in its three largest markets by bringing the vehicle to the UK for similar test purposes.

MINI E technology highlights The MINI E’s electric drive train produces a peak torque of 220 Nm, and power is delivered to the front wheels via a single-stage helical gearbox. This unique engine and transmission arrangement powers the MINI E seamlessly to 62 mph in 8.5 seconds and on to an electronically-limited top speed of 95 mph.

Based on the current MINI Hatch, the car is available as a two-seater. With 204 hp at the driver’s disposal, performance is close to that of the MINI John Cooper Works.

The space normally inhabited by rear passengers is reserved for a lithium-ion battery. The heavy-duty battery delivers its power to an electric motor which is mounted transversely under the MINI E’s bonnet. This power unit is able to unleash its full thrust from a dead standstill and is complemented by its dynamic deceleration potential, which is directly coupled to the accelerator pedal.

The MINI E’s lithium-ion battery can be plugged into all standard power outlets. Its charge time is strongly dependent on the voltage and amperage of the electricity flowing through the grid. As with existing research projects in the USA and Berlin, users will be able to recharge a battery that has been completely drained within a very short period of time using a wallbox that will be supplied as standard with every MINI E. With 240V/32A, charging time for the car will be around four hours. There is also an intention to establish a network of public charging stations.

The wallbox will be installed in the customer’s garage, enable higher amperage and thus ensure extremely short charging times. Wallboxes fully recharge batteries in just four-and-a-half hours. Only lockable garages or similar buildings will qualify as suitable power stations for the MINI E.

Besides the benefit of zero-emissions driving, the MINI E offers significant economic advantages over a vehicle powered by a conventional internal combustion engine. Fully re-charging the battery using off-peak electricity at current prices will cost around £1.50. Using higher-rate daytime electricity, the cost will still be less than £4.00.

The MINI E’s 1,465 kilograms is evenly distributed across the car. Modifications to the suspension system and the car’s Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), adapted to the car’s specific wheel loads, ensure safe and dynamic handling typical of MINI.

Production of all cars for the UK trial is underway at the company’s Oxford and Munich sites. MINI’s Plant Oxford will be responsible for manufacturing the entire vehicle on the standard production line, with the exception of the drive components and the lithium-ion battery. The vehicles will then be transferred to a specially equipped manufacturing facility situated on BMW plant premises in Munich where the electric motor, battery units, performance electronics and transmission will be integrated.

A launch date and pricing details for UK customers interested in participating in the MINI E UK research project will be announced shortly at www.mini.co.uk

JD Power has released their latest initial quality survey and the MINI came in (drum roll) dead last. The survey asks owners about mechanical and design problems they experience in the first 90 days of ownership.

It’s a bit of a shock to us considering the perceived increasing quality we had seen in other surveys. Jim McDowell was on CNBC this morning talking both about the expanded dealership offerings as well as MINI’s very low initial quality.