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The MINI range is having a spring makeover, with new petrol engines across the range going on sale from March 2010. All petrol MINIs will now meet UE5 emissions regulations, and the MINI One will be swap it’s current 1.4 litre petrol power plant for a 1.6 litre engine with new variable valve timing which is being introduced across the range.

For the would be MINI owner, this latest round of updates offers improved performance, lower emissions and better fuel economy across the range. What’s more, MINI UK have confirmed all this will come at no extra cost to the customer.

Along with the new range of engines comes two new MINI model variations. The MINI One Convertible, and the MINI Clubman available in the popular Graphite trim level.

Using the new VALVETRONIC based variable valve timing, the new range of MINIs will return the following performance figures:

MINI First:
1.6 litre four cylinder engine producing 75 hp
Torque increased circa 17 percent at 140Nm
EU combined cycle fuel consumption is 52.3 mpg.
CO2 emissions of 127 g/km
Top speed: 109mph
0-62 mph: 13.2 seconds

MINI One:
Power: 98hp (+3 percent)
Torque: 153 Nm @ 3,000 rpm (+9 percent)
EU combined cycle fuel consumption is 52.3 mpg (51.4 Clubman)
CO2 emissions: 127 g/km (129 g/km Clubman)
Top speed: 116 mph (115 Clubman)
0-62 mph: 10.5 seconds (-0.4 seconds) (11.1 Clubman)

MINI One Convertible (OTR starting price £14,995)
Power: 98hp
Torque: 153 Nm @ 3,000 rpm
EU combined cycle fuel consumption: 49.6 mpg
CO2 emissions: 133 g/km
Top Speed: 112 mph
0-62 mph: 11.3 seconds

MINI Cooper
Power: 122hp
Torque: 160 Nm @ 4,250 rpm
EU combined cycle fuel consumption: 52.3 mpg (51.4 mpg Clubman, 49.6 Convertible)
CO2 emissions: 127 g/km (129 g/km Clubman, 133 g/km Convertible)
Top Speed: 127 mph (126 mph Clubman, 124 mph Convertible)
0-62 mph: 9.1 seconds (9.8 seconds Clubman and Convertible)

MINI Cooper S
Power: 184 hp (+9 hp)
Torque: 240 Nm (1,600 to 5,000 rpm) (260 Nm on overboost)
EU combined cycle fuel consumption: 48.7 mpg (-3.1 mpg) (47.9 Clubman, 47.1 Convertible)
CO2 emissions: 136 g/km (137 g/km Clubman, 139 Convertible)
Top Speed: 142 mph (142 Clubman, 141 Convertible)
0-62 mph: 7 seconds (7.5 Clubman, 7.3 Convertible)

A further new option will also be hitting the UK MINI market, in the form of three new “Rainbow Colour” flip paint options. In 2004 MINI first introduced a flip colour option for the car, which was then dropped in 2006, only to be re-launched in 2008 as “Dreamline” colours. Well, now they’re having a third go with the rainbow colour options.

Aside from their rather limited appeal, previous versions of MINI flip paint options have been prohibitively expensive. However MINI UK have said the new Rainbow Colour options, Sunlight Metallic, Asteroid Metallic and Nightlife Metallic “won’t cost the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow”. We’ll find out exactly how many pieces of silver you’ll be expected to part with when price details are revealed in March.

Tags: mini cooper, mini cooper s, mini one, mini one convertible, mini uk, Rainbow Paint

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 17th, 2010 at 2:14 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.