The Mini Countryman set the pace for the car company's new string of cars to be released soon. 07/12/2011
Mini is cranking out new cars so quickly, you might just get whiplash if you try to keep up. The British carmaker rolled out its first four-door model, the Mini Countryman last year, and they just announced their next cars, the Coupe and the Roadster. The Mini Coupe is expected to be released this fall, starting at $22,000, according to Inside Line.
The Mini Coupe will be equipped with a 208-horsepower, twin-scroll turbocharged engine. The two-seat sports car has a specially designed roof that lowers the car's center of gravity and a rear spoiler that extends automatically when the car reaches 50 miles per hour (mph), according to Motor Ward.
The exterior design of the car is intended to make it aerodynamic, and it also makes the Coupe look like a tiny racecar. Since the sports car is about 2 inches lower than the Mini Cooper, the roof liner has two oval recesses to provide a little extra headroom for the driver and passenger.
A high-end John Cooper Works (JCW) model will also be available for around $31,900. This version will come with a six-speed manual transmission and a direct-injection, four-cylinder engine. Mini claims that the JCW model is the fastest-accelerating Mini, climbing from 0 to 60 mph in approximately 6 seconds. The new car also reaches 149 mph, making it the British automaker's fastest car to date, according to the news source.
Car and Driver spotted a test-version of the Roadster, which is essentially going to be an open-top version of the Coupe. The two-seat convertible will have the same engine and low-profile appearance as the Coupe, as well. Few official details have been released about the Roadster, but Car and Driver suspects the car will emerge on the market within the next year.