Ward’s 10 Best Engines Includes BMW i3 Motor, Hyundai Fuel Cell

Every year Ward’s Auto takes a look at all the new cars and engines out there, and puts together a list of their favorite drivetrains. This year some old friends and new faces were on Ward’s 10 Best Engines of 2015 list, including an electric motor and hydrogen drivetrain.

The 127 kW/170 horsepower electric motor from the Car of the Year BMW i3 was listed alongside the 100-kW fuel cell from the Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell. It’s not the first time either an electric motor has been chosen for Ward’s 10 Best Engines list, as the Fiat 500e was given the nod for its 83 kW motor last year, though the 691 horsepower motor from the Tesla Model S P85D was conspicuously absent. Perhaps next year?

The new three-cylinder MINI Cooper engine gave BMW its second spot on the list, while Chrysler got the nod twice with the 3.0 liter EcoDiesel in the Ram 1500 (again) and the Challenger Hellcat’s 707 horsepower supercharged V8. The three-cylinder Ford EcoBoost engine made its fourth appearance on the 10 Best list, and was joined by the Volkswagen 1.8 turbocharged four-cylinder (again), the Volvo 2.0 liter turbo from the V60, the 2.0 liter Boxer from the Subaru WRX, and the Chevy Corvette’s 6.2 liter V8 (also again).

Will there come a day when alternative fuel drivetrains dominate the Ward’s 10 Best Engines list? This writer thinks so.

New five-door Mini hatchback revealed – exclusive studio pictures

The new five-door Mini hatchback has been revealed, and is set to give the brand the biggest sales boost of any single model so far when it goes on sale in October. BMW insiders believe it could outsell today’s three-door model by a factor of three to one. 

It is thought that this new model could account for around 150,000 units annually, massively boosting Mini’s sales overall.

The five-door Mini will go on sale initially with the choice of three-cylinder Cooper petrol and three-cylinder Cooper D diesel engines and in four-cylinder Cooper S petrol and Cooper SD form. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard while the six-speed Steptronic torque converter automatic transmission is optional.

Despite being a physically larger and more capacious car than the new Mini three-door hatch, BMW UK is charging a premium £15,900 for the entry-level 101 bhp three-cylinder turbocharged Cooper petrol model.

That model offers a tempting mix of relative pace (0-62mph in 8.2sec) and a promised 60 mpg on the combined cycle. The six-speed automatic version is marginally quicker in the sprint and offers an impressive 58 mpg combined. The 189 bhp Cooper S hits 62 mph in 6.9sec (6.8sec for the auto) and returns 47.8 mpg or 52 mpg in automatic form. Prices rise to £20,050 for a top-spec SD version.

Measuring a compact 4 m from nose to tail, the five-door is 72 mm longer in the wheelbase than the three-door and 161 mm longer overall, with the extra wheelbase length going entirely into the rear cabin. BMW says the new car also offers 15 mm more headroom and a useful 61 mm of extra interior width “at shoulder height”.

Boot space is now fully competitive with rivals at 278 liters, up 67 liters on the three-door. This just pips the 270-liter boot capacity of the Audi A1, which BMW sees as one of the five-door Mini’s key rivals. With the 60/40 spilt rear seats both folded, the Mini’s maximum load capacity is 941 liters, again ahead of the A1’s 920 liters.

BMW’s engineers have gone beyond simply increasing the basic load capacity of the Mini five-door and added a number of neat features to improve the utility of the car. There’s the option of a folding false boot floor which can be fitted at two different heights, the upper of which allows a completely flat load bay when the seats are folded forward. Unusual extendable clamps have also been fitted to the rear seatbacks, allowing the backs to be locked in an upright position in order to further increase the load space.

Subjectively, this new Mini’s looks appear better balanced than those of the three-door. The longer, higher nose of the Mk3 hatch is now offset by the car’s extra length. The five-door is also marked out by a distinctive shoulder on its rear rather than having the three-door’s near-upright tailgate. 

The rear doors are short, although the height of the door aperture aids access to the rear cabin for taller adults, and while the front sports seats fitted to the car pictured here are substantial, their backs feature a large cut-out to accommodate the knees of taller rear passengers. The low roof-line is also relieved inside with a ‘scooped-out’ headlining, which offers surprisingly decent headroom. 

While getting in and out requires some agility, a 6ft-tall rear passenger can sit behind a similarly sized driver, albeit with just a few millimeters of knee and head clearance.  

In the front, the new dashboard intrudes on the driver’s sense of space and the seating position remains unusually low, but there’s a decent amount of shoulder-room for two adults.

Mini sources believe the new five-door model will attract more male buyers and help to “de-feminise the brand” and balance the split between male and female customers. 

Industry wisdom suggests that female car buyers will buy a model that is seen as a ‘male car’ but male buyers will not buy what’s perceived as ‘female’. This sub-strategy might also explain why the third model to appear in the Mk3 Mini range will be the longer and wider Clubman sports estate rather than the popular convertible.

The five-door will be available in three solid and nine metallic colors, including the color pictured above, which has been revived from the original launch colors for the 2001 Mini Cooper S. A black or white roof and door mirror caps are no-cost options. 

BMW is also offering the option of a mobile phone SIM card that can be embedded in the dash. This can be used with an emergency call system to contact a central call center in the event of a collision, transferring information such as the car’s location, the number of vehicle occupants and which airbags may have been triggered.

Source: Autoblog

Mini One 1.2 first drive review

What is it?

This is the Mini One, the entry-level petrol version of the new, third-generation Mini. It features a brand new three-cylinder engine, a 1.2-litre turbocharged unit, that’s essentially a reduced cubic capacity version of the 1.5-litre engine used in the new Mini Cooper.

It still gets direct injection and double-VANOS, as well as a stop-start system, but power drops from 134bhp to 101bhp and price goes down from the Mini Cooper's £15,300 to the One’s £13,750.

As with all the other new Minis, the One is made on the same new BMW front-wheel-drive platform that will be used in other future models both from Mini and BMW.

The new model replaces the old Mini One, which had a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated four cylinder, with 97bhp but only 113lb ft of torque, compared with the new model’s 133lb ft, this is a real boost to in-gear acceleration.

What is it like?

The first thing that catches the eye are the standard 15in rims, with skinny 175/65 R15 low rolling resistance tyres. They make the car look as if it is using four emergency replacement wheels: a bit of a car stylist’s nightmare, really.

Open the door and the One doesn’t look cheap at all, however. All materials used in the cockpit are as good as the ones found in the more expensive Cooper and Cooper S variants and there is no shortage of switches in the centre console or trademark toggle switches.

The car we drove had some optional extras fitted, including a sports leather steering wheel with cruise control and Mini Driving Modes. This allows the driver to choose from Green, Mid or Sport modes. Each modifies accelerator response, steering effort and engine acoustics and, unlike similar systems in other cars, here you can actually feel the difference.

Choose Green and the circular centre console flashes a green arc and the engine gets notoriously less responsive, but never to the point of feeling sluggish. In the instrument cluster, fitted to the steering wheel column, appears a scale indicating how many range 'bonus' miles the driver won by driving in a economy-friendly way.

Change to Sport and the three-cylinder engine comes alive, without ever sounding like a typical three-pot. The engine note is surprisingly pleasant, with a roaring sporty sound. 

Press the accelerator and the One feels more rapid than the 0-62mph figure of 9.9sec might suggest. The torque curve starts to rise from very low revs and delivers a convincingly swift response across a wide range of engine speed. 

The gear change is a true joy for the keen driver. This new six-speed manual performs great automatic rev matching on downshifts, which the driver can override if they apply some well-judged heel and toeing. Fifth- and sixth-gear ratios are a little long, to save fuel when driving on the motorway, where wind noise is not as low as it could be.

And we come back to those skinny tyres. True, city driving is not affected by them and motorway fuel consumption actually benefits. But turn onto a B-road to exploit that famous go-kart-like Mini handling and soon the tyres start to come up short in terms of road holding and precision. Tyre degradation even becomes an issue, when the tyres start to bend, under heavy cornering. 

One thing is true, if you get your driving back to eight-tenths the balance between available power and grip highlights the new Mini’s excellent dynamics, which are better savoured with the stability control off. 

Sliding the front or the rear (or both) is just a question of how much lock you apply to the steering wheel and how deeply you nail the accelerator or how quickly you release it. 

This is not exactly akin to Cristiano Ronaldo playing in high heels but it seems a good idea to order your Mini One with upgraded tyres: you would lose something in fuel economy but not much in comfort, because the ride on the standard tyres is not that supple anyway.

Should I buy one?

If you really need to save the £1550 that separate Mini Cooper from Mini One, the answer is yes and you won’t be disappointed by the torquey 1.2-litre, three-cylinder engine. Just spend whatever money you can get on a bigger set of wheels. 

If you have some financial slack, go for the Cooper version. It gives access to another level of performance and the claimed fuel economy is actually slightly better.

Francisco Mota

Mini One 1.2

Price £13,750; 0-62 mph 9.9sec; Top speed 121mph; Economy61.4mpg (combined); CO2 108g/km; Kerb weight 1090kg;Engine 1198cc, in-line three-cylinder, turbo; Installation front, transversePower 101bhp at 4250rpm Torque 133lb ft at 1400rpm Gearbox 6-spd manual

Source: Autocar

2015 BMW i8 Plug-In Hybrid Sports Coupe - VIDEO

  Launching early next year, the 2015 BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports coupe is the second stage in BMW's i-car program, dedicated to vehicles with electric drivetrains.

While it isn't a full battery-electric vehicle (or range-extended EV) like the i3 citycar, electric power is still an important part of the i8--in its performance as much as its efficiency.

That much is clear with BMW's latest video, following on from the laser headlight demonstration we covered yesterday.

BMW says that the i8 will be a proper driver's car not despite the hybrid element, but because of it--and given the touted performance figures, it's hard to argue.

You may already be familiar with the i8's layout. The mid-engined setup uses a 1.5-liter, three-cylinder Twincharged gasoline engine to supply most of the motive power. It's a brand-new engine also set to power the new MINI Cooper and a selection of smaller BMWs in the years to come.

It's surprisingly powerful for such a tiny, lightweight engine--developing 231 horsepower and 236 pounds-feet of torque.

That it's supplemented by a 131 horsepower, 184 lb-ft electric motor on the front axle is a major contributor to impressive levels of performance.

With a combined 362 horsepower, BMW quotes a 0-62 mph sprint of 4.4 seconds. That's barely slower than the Audi R8 e-tron we drove in Berlin earlier this year, and also in the Tesla Model S ballpark--so the i8 is no slouch. Top speed is higher than either the Audi or Tesla, at 155 mph--no doubt thanks to the gearing required by the gasoline engine.

The electric motor also helps eliminate any throttle lag you might have experienced with the turbocharged engine--so it should be responsive too.

The great unknown for the moment is real-world fuel economy. It's safe to assume that the i8 will show off some quite surprising figures, though we've got used to plug-in hybrid real-world economy fluctuating hugely--it really depends just how much you use the electric power.

Even so, in a relatively lightweight, sleek and small-engined vehicle like the i8, we're expecting big things.

Source: Green Car Reports

2015 Mini Cooper Revealed With All New Engines, Features

After a long wait and plenty of teasing, the 2015 MINI Cooper has finally been revealed to the world. While it may not look all that different, a number of subtle and not-so-subtle changes, including two all-new engines, mean the new MINI is ready to to take on all comers in the increasingly-competitive luxury car market.

The 2015 MINI Cooper is an entirely new car boasting numerous new (for the brand) features like enhanced aerodynamics, direct injection, and BMW’s TwinPower turbo technology. Under the hood is either a 1.5 liter 3-cylinder engine making 134 horsepower and 162 ft-lbs of torque, or a 2.0 liter four-cylinder turbo making 189 horsepower and 207 ft-lbs of torque. In addition to more power, the engines promise to be more efficient, though MINI is keeping fuel economy figures close to the chest for now.

This isn’t a radical redesign, but rather a makeover for a twice-iconic car. The interior is still full of circular gauges and vents, though the layout is less polarizing than previous Coopers. As for the rumors of either a diesel or plug-in hybrid version, there is no mention, though it seems like an inevitability if you ask me. But we’ll have to see where fuel economy and pricing falls for the new 2015 MINI Cooper first.

Source: MINI

LA 2013: New 3-Cyl. 2014 Mini Cooper to Break Cover

The new for 2014 Mini Cooper is set to debut later this month at the LA Auto Show with a number of serious mechanical changes geared at reducing weight, improving performance, and maximizing the small car’s miles per gallon. The 2014 mini is also expected to replace its traditional center-stack instruments with a head-ups display that projects information on to a small retractable screen directly in front of the driver. This includes driving speed, navigation instructions and the current speed limit.

The new Mini is expected to take a page from Ford’s Ecoboost handbook and put a 1.5 liter, 3-cylinder turbo under the hoods of the base models, with a more powerful, 189 hp 2.0 liter turbo in the Cooper S models.

Finally, the 2014 Mini will reportedly get a new, much stronger passenger cell that makes use of slightly larger crumple zones front and rear, as well as a new hood that senses a collision and “pops up” to help absorb more of the impact. The larger size and increased safety of the Mini takes advantage of the weight-savings measures mentioned, above, and doesn’t carry the expected “bigger + safer” weight penalty.

We’ll have more information, pricing, and the EPA’s expected MPG rating after the car’s official debut in two weeks. Until then, you can spoil the reveal with these pics, below, part of a much larger, 22-strong image gallery over at Auto Express. Enjoy!

Source | More Photos: Auto Express UK.

Confirmed: Next-Generation Mini Cooper to Get Plug-In Hybrid Option

Mini E Lapping the Ring

It wasn’t long ago when we heard that the next-generation Mini Cooper would “for certain” get a plug-in hybrid option.

This Guy is Thrilled That Mini is Coming Out With a Plug-in Hybrid Version in the Future

Now, we’re hearing it again.

According to Autocar, the next-gen Mini will “definitely”get a plug-in hybrid option.

This runs counter to what BMW had stated several times in the past.  It had been BMW’s vision that electrification of production vehicles would be confined to BMW, but how can Mini compete with other pint-sized electrics out there without itself having an electrified option?

Obviously, Mini can’t, so the next-gen will go electric, but only as a plug-in hybrid for now.

BMW hasn’t ruled out a pure EV version of the next-gen Mini, saying it’s still “under investigation,” but the plug-in hybrid version is confirmed.

When will it arrive?

Sooner than most would expect.  The next-gen Mini will make its debut by the end of 2013.  The plug-in hybrid version won’t come out right away, but we suspect it won’t be more than 2 years behind.

So, perhaps by the end of 2015 a plug-in hybrid Mini will become available.

Source: Autocar

Next-gen Mini could sire 10 different models including PHEV

The first generation of the reimagined, BMW-backed Mini was a simple things, confined to two body styles –hatchback and four-seat convertible. It wasn't until the second-generation platform came along that Mini began truly expanding, offering a long-wheelbase model, a roadster, a coupe, a five-door crossover, and athree-door, um, thing?

BMW is aiming for 10 to 12 different vehicles from just two brands off one platform.

According to an interview between Automotive News Europe and the BMW board member that oversees Mini, Peter Schwarzenbauer, the funky British brand will be expanding far beyond the seven body styles it currently offers. "With the new ULK architecture, we currently have in mind eight to 10 models," Schwarzenbauer told ANE. That architecture he mentions, will also underpin the BMW 1 Series GT and the BMW X1, meaning that BMW is aiming for 10 to 12 different vehicles from just two brands off one platform (and that's only what we know about).

The growth in the Mini line isn't just limited to body styles, but overall production capacity, adding a new contract manufacturer in the Netherlands, with Schwarzenbauer telling ANE, "If I told you [Mini's total production capacity] I would be revealing exactly what our growth plans are. What I can say is that last year we produced and sold 300,000 units and right now we are expanding that capacity."

Besides growth plans, Schwarzenbauer hints that Mini's range of three- and four-cylinder, turbocharged, gas engines may be joined by EVs, plug-in hybrids and the long awaited (for US customers) diesel model. The EV and PHEV models are especially notable, as it signifies both that Mini is ready to expand into alternative energy, which it's avoided outside of the Mini E, while also pointing out that BMW's i division won't be the only ones playing with electricity.

Closing out, Schwarzenbauer let slip some details of availability on the third-generation Minis, saying that while cars will arrive at European and US dealers in the spring of 2014, there won't be regular inventories until later in the summer. Head over to Automotive News Europe for the full interview.

News Source: Automotive News Europe - sub. req.

Future Mini Plug-In Hybrid is “For Certain” – Pure EV a Possibility Too

A future Mini will plug in, that’s “for certain,” says Peter Schwarzenbauer, BMW’s board member in charge of Mini.

Can’t Wait to See a Plug-In Hybrid One of These

Schwarzenbauer was recently interviewed byAutomotive News Europe.  The topic was the future of Mini.  Most of the discussion focused on production sites/capacity, future engine options and on how many Mini variants we’ll see in the coming years (8 to 10, can you believe that?).

Anyways, the discussion didn’t catch our attention until we saw this Q & A:

Will Mini sell electric cars or leave that niche to the BMW i subbrand? [Question posed by Automotive News Europe]

“There will be electrification within the Mini brand, including a plug-in hybrid for certain. We’re still investigating pure EVs.” [Schwarzenbauer's response]

So, there it is.  Confirmation that Mini will plug in at some point in the future.

When? Our guess is within 3 to 4 years.

Hold tight Mini fans.  An electrified version will return.

Source: Automotive News Europe

MINI Cooper Getting New Range Of 3 and 4-cylinder Engines

The resurrection of MINI under BMW’s stewardship is one of the great success stories of the new millenium, and there’s an all-new Cooper ready to make it’s world debut in just a few months. The first details of the new Cooper are starting to leak out, including a new range of engines that for the first time includes a tiny turbo three-cylinder.

These new engines are the first BMW-made motors for the MINI Cooper, featuring the TwinPower direct injection and turbocharging technologies. The motors are set to break cover in November. The base engine will be a 1.5 liter three-cylinder turbo making 134 horsepower and 162 ft-lbs of torque. It’s actually a rather large three-cylinder engine, though not quite as big as the 2.0 liter four-banger that will offer 189 horsepower and 207 ft-lbs of torque. An “overboost” feature allows the three-cylinder to make up to 189 ft-lbs of torque, and the four-cylinder up to 227 ft-lbs for short periods of time.

No mention of fuel economy numbers or of the rumored diesel model, but you can be sure that fuel economy is going to be important to the MINI brand going forward. It’s amazing how much power automakers are able to wring out of smaller and smaller engines, with the MINI motors rivaling the power of much bigger engines, though Ford is still the leader in three-cylinder performance.

The new MINI is more than just some fresh engine choices; a new chassis employs various weight-lightening features shared with the BMW 1-series, and new transmission options (both automatic and standard) will help make the most of every gallon of gas.

But as far as fuel economy goes, MINI needs to at least hit 40 mpg to get anyone’s attention. These gas engines can only get so much smaller though, and new solutions will have to be employed if MINI hopes to keep an MPG edge on the competition.

What I’m saying is, where’s the MINI hybrid at?

Source: MINI

Opel Adam May Come To America As A Buick

Tiny microcars are all the rage in Europe, with buyers flocking to models like the MINI Cooper and Volkswagen Up!, and GM wants to cut off a slice of the tiny car pie for itself. The Opel Adam is GM’s subcompact fighter, and word on the street is it could come to America as a Buick, giving the entry-level luxury brand its first competitive compact car in years.

Sure, the Chevy Spark has surprised GM by strong sales, but the subcompact econobox could never be tarted up enough to be sold as a Buick. But the higher-class Opel Adam, with its sporty design and inclusion of many high-end technologies not found in other cars in this segment, could easily be rebadged and marketed as a Buick.

For example, the Opel Adam gets a self-parking feature, heated leather steering wheel, optional front and rear LED lights, and blind-sport alert technology. The Adam can also be had with up to 18-inch wheels (which would look downright silly on a Chevy Spark) and a cutting-edge 1.0 liter, three-cylinder turbo engine is making its debut in the Opel city car. The Opel Adam is also available as bi-fuel model running on propane, though a planned pure electric version was cancelled due to costs.

GM has sought to align Buick and Opel more closely in recent years, the result has driven Buick sales higher and the average buyer age lower. A classy and sporty Buick compact could lure in even younger buyers, though it probably won’t happen until the next-gen Adam hits markets, if at all.

Source: The Truth About Cars

Old School Gyro-X Prototype Being Restored

The 1950s and 60s were a wild time in America where bold new ideas were regularly trotted out for the masses to gorge on. While this was the heyday for the American automobile, there were always those looking to make personal transportation smaller, lighter, and more practical. Alex Tremulis was just such a fellow, and his self-balancing gyroscopic motorcycle concept is undergoing restoration thanks to a dedicated team.

Tremulis was a designer for some of America’s best-remembered-but-defunct brands, including Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg. Fascinated by the future as he was, Tremulis became enamored with gyroscopic vehicles and developed his own design, the Gyro-X. Powered by a 1.2 liter Mini Cooper engine and riding on a custom tubular frame with an aluminum body, the Gyro-X was light, narrow, and sat a single person.

Temulis believed the Gyro-X could help reduce both traffic and fuel consumption, and his concept vehicle is said to have gotten around 80 mpg and was just 40-inches wide. A hydraulic-powered gyroscope kept the two-wheeled ride balanced on the road, but the prototype reportedly cost $750,000 to put together back in the 60s. Tremulis’ company, Gyro Transport Systems, went bust in 1970, and the Gyro-X disappeared.

It re-emerged 5 years ago with a Porsche motor as part of a debt collection, and is now housed at the Lane Motor Museum in Tennessee, where it is being restored. It’s an intriguing piece of history, and a few modern companies have revived the idea of a gyro-balanced two-wheeler, or even one-wheel, but will these concepts ever make it to production?

Source: Hemmings Auto Blog

Mini still mulling diesel model for U.S.

 

Patrick McKenna, head of Mini's U.S. product strategy, said Thursday during the automaker's Mini Takes The States road rally that the brand is still considering building a diesel model for U.S. customers, but that it has not reached a final decision.

The problem for Mini is apparently deciding if a diesel version will simply divert customers who would have otherwise bought a gas version of the compact car rather than attract new green customers who want to have performance and high fuel economy numbers.

Meanwhile, Mini continues to develop its new gas engines for the next-generation models, which McKenna said has produced good results. He declined to give specifics on the engines, only saying that some engines have shown more power than current engines with better fuel economy numbers.

"We have seen such great results with our new three-cylinder and four-cylinder engines, it's difficult to decide if we need to have a diesel engine here," McKenna told Autoblog. "It's a great problem to have."

Diesel owners would likely fit right in with some of the brand's more enthusiastic regular customers. With their devotion to all things Mini, these folks have proven themselves zealous owners during our time on the first two days of the 11-day Mini Takes The States rally. But Mini remains unsure if bringing diesel to the U.S. would be the best use of its limited resources. If they do push forward with an oil-burning offering, we suspect it would be on one of its larger, pricier models like the Countryman crossover, which has a higher MSRP that would likely do the best job of absorbing diesel's extra cost while returning the most meaningful mileage improvements.

 

 

 

Source: Autoblog Green

Switzerland-based Catecar extended-range vehicle is tested in Geneva

A Switzerland-based company is testing an extended-range plug-in mini-vehicle that it says gets more than 200 miles per gallon and has a single-tank range of more than 300 miles, according to website TechnologicVehicles.com.

The company, Catecar, tested a prototype of the vehicle at the Geneva Airport this week. The car weighs less than 800 pounds, while its batteries account for about 10 percent of the vehicle's weight, according to the website. Making the car even more energy efficient are the solar panels on the vehicle's roof.

At just under 10 feet long, Catecar is about a foot longer than Daimler's Smart ForTwo two-seater and about two feet shorter than the Mini Cooper. In other words, it's not big – but the company does have big plans, and production could start next year, TechnologicVehicles reports.


Source: Autoblog Green