The 58mpg MINI and my turbo engine theory June 28, 2009
Posted by richard in : Green cars , 1 comment so farMINI John Cooper S Works returns 58mpg shock.
Yes, indeed. And a real-life shock, as I proved over the weekend.
I wasn’t doing anything particularly special on this 100-mile journey, either. Simply driving steadily up the motorway.
Listening to Radio 5Live. Hearing Eamonn Holmes interview Steve Bruce. Enjoying the sun. Considering the tactile qualities of Alcantara steering wheels. Normal, everyday stuff.
Yes, my right foot was light, but I wasn’t crawling. Yet, at journey’s end, there the remarkable result was. Boldly blinking on the trip computer. 58.6mpg.
This, from a 211hp turbocharged 1.6-litre… petrol engine! Naughty exhausts and all! Pretty jazz, I reckoned. And yet another tick against my turbo engine theory.
That they’re super-economical when you drive them economically. But thirstier than Richard Burton when on it. Disproportionally so. Jekyll and Hyde. And so on.
Car makers know this. And this is why modern turbo petrol engines always do really well on the official test cycle.That’s something conducted in a genteel manner not dissimilar to how I drove last Saturday.
But what’s real in my world, and the world of Euro-MPG test drivers, isn’t in the vast majority of turbo petrol drivers. Hence, the disparity in economy many report.
It’s a theory I’m going to run with, and put to the next engine, err, engineer I meet…
MINI John Cooper S Works photostream on Flickr
MINI prices and the daily heart-flutter
More on Mini’s classic brochure
MINI John Cooper S Works photostream on Flickr June 6, 2009
Posted by richard in : flickr , 3commentsCELEBRATIONS surround this week’s road test car – the MINI JCW. The Mini is 50 in ’09…
So, via Flickr, here’s my images of what it’s like!
(Turbo)charge on over there, to see what you think.
And feel free to leave any comments you wish!
Audi A6 3.0T photostream on Flickr
Bentley Continental GTC Speed photostream on Flickr
Mini prices and the daily heart-flutter May 4, 2009
Posted by richard in : Uncategorized , add a commentWELL, this great Mini search is not looking good.
I’ve got my trader alerts fully set up, and I’m thoroughly depressed by the results.
They’re either insanely expensive, or seriously scabby. Or both.
This is something AROnline whizz Steven Ward has discovered elsewhere, too. He posted a blog about his foray to BCA Brighouse.
His findings mirrored mine. Rusty Minis, going for eye-wartering money. One 96/P Cooper Sports Pack he saw ended up going for £2650. Plus £200 indemnity fee. As Ward said, that’s ‘one expensive restoration project’.
He persisted. Went to see a private City E, that he rated at £500, tops. As he said, ‘imagine my disappointment when it made double. Imagine my shock when I was told its reserve was over £1k…’
Chosen a great time to buy a Mini, haven’t I. 50th anniversary buzz and all that.
How to get a cheapie? Tips from Ward’s respondees include going for a Clubman, hanging the Mini and going for an Allegro or Metro. Or, well, choosing a Volvo.
Hey ho. I will persist! With, naturally, any tips on where to source bargains much appreciated…
Can you help me buy a Mini in 2009?
Mini brochure makes fascinating reading
More on Mini’s classic brochure May 3, 2009
Posted by richard in : Uncategorized , add a commentIT was a safety overload with the 1997 Mini Classic, as Rover’s brochure explained.
Standard kit? Driver’s airbag. Seatbelt pretensioners. Side intrusion beams. Headlamp leveling switch (if only the hydra cars had’ve had this…). Sir Alec would have been blown away.
But it wasn’t short on gadgets, either. Twinpoint fuel injection (yes, Tibbles, with chips)? Anti-theft alarm? Coded stereo? All were standard. And while there was no air con, there was the ferocious development of a twin-speed fan. In all things holy…
Rover certainly kept mentioning then, too… all through the brochure. Many times over.
Indeed, you had to bury far deeper to discover other features, such as gauges for oil temperature, battery and volts. The famed brake circuit test button. Gorgeous tweed seat trim as standard.
Never before had the Mini offered so many paint colours either, said Rover. There were ‘Classic’ paint colours. There were regular colours. There were new colours, which still look staggering today:
• Amarath: pearlescent purple flip
• Volcano: orange
• Kingfisher: blue
My favourites, picked from the huge range, took me a good half-hour to choose. In the end, I nailed it down to three:
• Platinum Silver
• Yukon Grey
• Whitehall Beige
I mused and I mused… in the end, Platinum Silver won. As you can see, it’s perfect. But, interior? Options? That’s another matter (and blog) entirely…
Can you help me buy a Mini in 2009?
Mini brochure makes fascinating reading
Mini brochure makes fascinating reading April 20, 2009
Posted by richard in : Minutiae of cars , 1 comment so farSTUDYING new car data is something I do every day at Motoring Research Ltd.
Torque figures, combined fuel consumption, CO2, weights, boot capacities, the whole shooting match.
So it was with fascination that I flicked through the classic Mini brochure I dug out recently.
That’s Mini Classic – as in, the 1997 Rover-BMW model, by then differentiated from the forthcoming new MINI by yet another name change (and the retention of correct capitalisation).
Looking at it with today’s eyes, it’s truly fascinating. For example, engine power output of 62bhp is no great shakes by modern 1.3-litre standards: a Peugeot 107’s 1.0-litre triple yields 68bhp.
However, 70lb/ft of torque IS much more like it – particularly as it’s generated at an almost diesel-like 3000rpm. I read into this, lots of low-rev sluggability.
Performance figures still stack up, too – for a tiny city car, 0-60mph in 12.2 seconds is pretty decent, even if aero effects ultimately does limit the maximum to 90mph.
This is, alas, why economy is less than glittering. That modern Peugeot 107 returns well over 60mpg. The Mini? 43mpg combined.
That equates to CO2 emissions of circa 155g/km: compare this, for example, to something like a BMW 320i. Which emits 146g/km (and the diesel 320d puts out just 128g/km).
Still, at least modern car service intervals were quoted. After an initial 6000 mile check, you’d only have to take it to the Rover dealer every 12,000 miles, or 12 months.
That’s probably all for the better, mind. For the dealer’s sake. At the back of the brochure, a finance example is quoted. Yes, a Mini could have been yours, for just £2715 down, then £169 a month for two years.
Great!
Sure, you’d have a final payment of £3800 on the PCP scheme, but a minimum guaranteed value of £4700 would easily cover that.
All good? Well, no. See, this £9000 Mini would actually, by that stage, have cost you £10,572. Why? Average APR of 15.9 percent, that’s why.
To modern eyes of 0.5 percent base rates, and car dealers not bothering to get out of bed if they can’t do 0 percent finance, that seems somewhat rich…
More insights on my brochure studies to come!
Can you help me buy a Mini in 2009?
How Chevrolet today became cool
Why Minis are like Macs April 8, 2009
Posted by richard in : Uncategorized , 3commentsMAC fan Charles Moore has written a well considered piece on theappleblog, making the link between the Mini and, well, the Mac mini computer.
Me, I’m also a worshipper of both, and the comparisons are so apparent, I’m amazed I’ve not spotted them before.
Macs? Well, they’re cool, classless, not the cheapest but exceedingly well packaged, extremely well conceived and pretty damn trick underneath the surface. This blog is originated on a Mac. Everything you see here has been written processed on a Mac.
Minis? Well, we all know they’re pretty cool, period. ‘Nuff said there.
What’s soon apparent in the piece, though, is that Moore is comparing the original Mini, not the new MINI, to the Mac mini. That car, he says, is more of a rival to Apple’s premium machines.
Interesting.
These really are quite delectable things of envy.
But, a Mac mini can do most of what they do, for much less. While also being, well, the world’s greenest and most efficient computer. The exact same concept the original Mini introduced the world to, back in the day.
It’s a compelling piece. Have a read and see what you think. And try to deny the genius of the wordplay: Mac mini. Mini. Max respect due to both.
Have I (again) solved the great Mini search?
Can you help me buy a Mini in 2009?
Image of the Day: 6 April 2009 April 6, 2009
Posted by richard in : Uncategorized , add a commentNEW category I’ve introduced today – Picture of the Day, inspired by the new MINI to end all new MINIS.
Yes, it really is pink.
Yes, I really did stop traffic by pausing to shoot a snap.
Yes, the new MINI’s residual value has declined sufficiently for people to justify the ‘financial hit’ calculation (nobody in their right mind will ever buy it) in return for getting, dammit, a pink MINI.
We’ve all seen pink Ford Kas and Citroen Saxos. They’re pink because they’re cheap and, thus, a bit more disposable.
But a pink MINI? Not thus far. Retention within the BMW dealer network alone would put paid to any such wicked ideas, if nothing else (did I hear someone say ‘good taste’ there?).
Now, though, the first MINIs are knocking on 8 years old. They’ve long since departed the main dealer network. Prices are down to under £3500. Indeed, leggy Ones are nudging closer to £3000. Which means only one thing.
This pink MINI is actually a bit of a trend-setter. Look forward to spotting growing numbers of ‘ooh. why would you’ MINIs in the coming months…
Hurrah.
Have I (again) solved the great Mini search?
Can you help me buy a Mini in 2009?
Weller does a MINI Silverstone gig April 6, 2009
Posted by richard in : Uncategorized , add a commentPAUL The God Weller is to appear at May’s MINI United 2009 festival at Silverstone. Excited? You betcha.
Particularly as another genius will be joining him, and Djing Richard Aucock’s delighted brain to bits. Yes, Calvin Harris is to run a set on Friday evening, setting the stall for what I reckon is going to be one awesome weekend.
The Weller coup is something else. The Jam? Yep, love ‘em. His solo stuff too, while patchy, has moments of brilliance. But, The Style Council? Now, there is Weller touching absolute mastery.
Makes the entry fee seem a double-take steal. See, a weekend pass for MINI United is a barely believable £35. I paid 3 times that and more for Latitude last year, and there was no Style Council hero, nor Dizzee Rascal mate, there, I can tell you.
Apparently, Weller’s there because he’s a lifelong MINI driver. Nice and on message there, Paul. He could be in love with 1989 Ford Escort Bonus 1.1s for all I care, though.
Fact is, he’s given the whole United ’09 festival a proper thrill of a buzz, and then some. Roll on May 22, that’s what I say. Gives me 6 weeks to find a car…
Have I (again) solved the great Mini search?
Can you help me buy a Mini in 2009?
Mini owners sought for display! April 2, 2009
Posted by richard in : Uncategorized , add a commentTHIS has come a bit too soon for me: on 18 and 19 April, the Dunlop Great & British Motor Festival arrives at Rockingham…
… and the circuit is appealing for owners of the country’s best original Minis to get in touch!
It’s looking for pristine examples of the Mini to showcase in a special display area. To be up for consideration, owners need to email in pictures of their cars, plus reasons why they should be there.
Six chosen ones will be invited to display their cars on the weekend of the event. They’ll be rewarded with two special fully-inclusive weekend circuit passes for doing so.
Ah, if only I had a Mini! But, unless two miracles happen – I both find a car, and find one good enough to be worthy of display – I’ll have to go along, like thousands of others, as a fan.
No worries there, though: Rockingham is opening the huge Champ Car bowl during the weekend, for a special Mini convoy. Indeed, circuit owners reckon they’re going to give the World Record for biggest Mini convoy EVER a go…
Also set to draw punters is a weekend’s Mini racing, including the always-dramatic Mini Se7en Championship and MINI Cooper Challenge.
If you do own a Mini, and want it considered for the special display, email mini@rockingham.co.uk.
Otherwise be sure to join me on the weekend, and ogle at thousands of icons on display.
Hey – even better – if you’ve got one for sale, you could even ping me before the weekend, and arrange to meet up…
Have I (again) solved the great Mini search?
Can you help me buy a Mini in 2009?
MINI special edition website treasure find! March 30, 2009
Posted by richard in : Uncategorized , add a commentWell, today’s Mini discovery is one of my best yet. A website DEDICATED to my Mini thrills. And no mistake.
www.minilimitededitions.co.uk is just that – the most delicious resource of 1980s Mini special editions you can imagine.
It looks to have been out of action for a good few years now, but creator Andrew Murray has still got a bit of a gem on his hands. A burgeoning tennis career is perhaps the reason why he’s let the design updates slip, but the basics are still sound and in place.
Here’s 5 discoveries you will make by visiting…
• How many Park Lane models were sold
• The first special edition Mini to use the Mk5 bodyshell
• The official colour names of the original Sprite’s red and yellow
• What was special about the wheels on Jet Blacks and Red Hots
• The original name intended for the Advantage
Believe me, there’s no ‘could’ about it. I HAVE spent hours there, and have bookmarked it, and tagged it, and… well, you name it.
I’ve also dropped a line to the mail address on the site, to see if I can’t twist Andy Murray to revive the site, and bring it back into the modern age. Goodness knows, it deserves it.
In the meantime, if anybody knows of a decent black Designer, think of me, won’t you..?
