2012-01-08

BMW's Mini Is Here!


BMW Mini India


















At last! The epitome of retro cool - Mini, is finally here in India. The iconic British marquee (immortalized in many Hollywood biggies like the remake of The Italian Job and the Austin Powers series) has been officially launched at the Auto Expo held in New Delhi. Last year, Mini had announced that they would bring in their entire model lineup to India. However, the Mini Clubman won’t make it here. At the Expo, The BMW-owned car maker has showcased four models, that is; the legendary Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper convertible and the SUV-ish Countryman. All the cars will be imported as CBUs (completely built units)
In 2012, the whole lineup will be sold through three exclusive outlets; Infinity Cars in Mumbai, Deutsche Motoren and Bird Automotive in New Delhi.


The modern-day Mini has a global fan following, their cars have been admired and desired by petrolheads across every continent, and now when it’s finally here, we expect fireworks. The Mini range starts with the Cooper hatchback (the most basic Mini of the lot) The styling dates back to the original Mini, a car that carried a really tiny footprint. It really was the perfect tool to zip around in traffic. The modern-day Mini in comparison is huge and carries the same retro DNA in its styling. However, good looks and quality don’t come cheap. With an asking price of Rs 24.9 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Cooper is by no means cheap. This range-starter comes with a 1.6-litre petrol engine that pumps out 122hp @6000rpm and 16kgm of torque at 4200rpm. The Cooper S on the other hand is hot version of the base Cooper. The S gets the same engine but the similarities end there. The engine here is blessed with a twin-scroll turbocharger which increases the power to around 185hp @5500rpm while max torque 24.50kgm comes between 1600-5000rpm. The Cooper S comes with a hefty price-tag of Rs 28 lakh.   

BMW Mini India
Mini Cooper Convertible

Next up is the Cooper convertible. As the name suggests, the convertible comes with a foldable fabric roof which allows for an open-top motoring experience. It gets the same 1.6-litre motor that powers the entry-level Cooper. This convertible version is all yours for Rs 29.99 lakh

Mini’s lineup ends with the interesting crossover, the Countryman. The car stands out from the whole range mainly because it comes with five doors (unlike any other Mini) and features proper seating for 4 adults. With its chunky stance and high ground clearance, the Countryman also makes for a good, sensible choice for our roads. Under the hood sits a turbo-charged 1.6-litre petrol engine that is good for 185hp. This range-topper costs over Rs 32lakh. Sadly, manual transmission is not available on the India-bound models. Instead, a six-speed automatic gearbox will be featured in every Mini.


BMW Mini India
Mini Cooper S Countryman

-The Mini Range (Ex- Showroom prices)
    Cooper                      -Rs 24.9 Lakh
    Cooper S                    -Rs 28 Lakh
    Convertible                -Rs 29.99 Lakh
    Cooper S Countryman  -Rs 32 Lakh 

    Love It Or Hate It, The Mini Is here To Stay.



    Read more on the Auto Expo here-
    http://www.magcube.in/2011/12/preview-2012-auto-expo.html 

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