MINI

New cars bought in the last few years have twice as many quality problems as they had in 2010. Some well-known brands are averaging more than five issues per car – and the stats show things will probably get a lot worse before they get better.

Back in 1959, the Mini automobile first hit public roads. The Mini motor company is now commemorating that milestone with a 1,959-unit limited run of its first-ever ebike, which sports turn indicators, a built-in touchscreen and an anti-theft system.

BMW is aiming to only roll out electric Minis by 2030, and though previous efforts have oozed fun-loving style they have lacked in the performance and range departments. Things are looking up as the new next generation Mini Cooper is announced.

Mini human brains, grown from stem cells and implanted into living mice, have for the first time been shown to respond to things the mice were seeing. Scientists were able to watch the responses in real time thanks to specialized graphene electrodes.

Scientists have grown mini eyes from human cells in the lab. These eye organoids provide good models of the real thing to help scientists study diseases that cause blindness and potentially find treatments.

Mini debuted the Concept Aceman this week, exploring an electric crossover that will eventually slot between the Cooper and Countryman. If we ignore the cartoonish colors and distracting digitization, the concept presents a bolder Mini look.

Following positive rumblings about a one-off electrified classic Mini at the 2018 New York Auto Show, a team in Oxford started a side project to produce more. Now BMW has announced the fruits of those labors, the Mini Recharged project.

Whereas most Mini models are really just lumbering imitators of the original, the Mini Hardtop in its 2-door glory is the most Mini of Minis. The 2022 model year brings a few design changes and upgrades, as we discovered for ourselves.

Instead of adding the usual one-off show car excess, Mini and designer Paul Smith strip it away in creating the all-electric Cooper Strip. Bare metal, visible screws and recycled trim give the car sustainable underpinnings and a unique look.

Startup London Electric Cars is making use of old Nissan Leaf powertrains to give a new lease of life to a British icon, offering to bring classic Minis into our upcoming all-electric transport future.

BMW presents a first look at its i4 electric sedan, which brings plenty of horsepower and an admirable range but unfortunately tucks it all behind BMW's swollen, sagging kidneys. The new sedan is the next step in BMW's electrification plans.

At its core, Mini has always been a brand that challenges conventional automotive dimensions. The badge's new Vision Urbanaut takes the challenge into the future with a versatile, shape-shifting interior inside a set of smooth, timeless van lines.