MINI Aceman SE S review: Trish Whelan, Irish Car

MINI's new Aceman crossover SUV was launched at the end of last year exclusively as a fully electric vehicle. It sits between the MINI Cooper and the larger Countryman. The exterior is impressive, measuring 4,079mm in length. I liked the overall look of the car, especially the high roof and long bonnet. Squarish headlights have replaced the previous rounded ones. 

My test car featured a blue exterior with gold trim to add brightness, a black roof, privacy glass, and prominent wheel arches that give a rugged off-road look, although the car is front-wheel drive. Despite its bold styling, it is primarily designed for city use rather than serious off-roading. The MINI badge appears on side badges and the rear, along with the Aceman name. While 17-inch alloy wheels are standard on the SE S version, 18- or 19-inch wheels are available as options. The high roof creates a sense of spaciousness inside, complemented by the far-forward windscreen. Build quality is excellent. 

The blue/black interior scheme has a more masculine feel, which I believe will appeal more to men. The seats are made from various materials, including synthetic VESCAL leather, edged with orange. I would not opt for the blue knitted material with orange accents on the dashboard and doors. I prefer a splash of silver, but there is no chrome in the Aceman. The standout feature is the circular 9.4-inch OLED screen, the world’s first of its kind. It functions as a touchscreen or via voice control and acts as the instrument cluster (displaying your current speed at the top), infotainment system, assistance hub, cloud navigation, media, and climate controls. It also supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It’s a striking piece of design with stunning displays. 

The small gear selector is positioned below the round screen, with an ‘Experiences Mode’ button that lets you choose from seven modes to match your mood. Each mode changes the cabin’s colour scheme, lighting, style, and soundscape. These include Go-Kart mode for sporty driving and Trail mode, intended for light off-road adventures. The typical BMW-style thick steering wheel feels comfortable in your hands. A transparent Head-Up Display (HUD) appears from the dash, showing your current speed within your line of sight, then retracts when the vehicle is turned off. Inside, there’s a decent glovebox, two small USB ports, a wireless phone charger, a handy lidded box beneath the front armrest, and well-designed door bins. 

Rear headroom and legroom are adequate for most adults, although there is a fairly high transmission tunnel. Boot capacity is 300 litres with all seats up, expanding to 1,005 litres with the rear seats folded, and there’s a storage area beneath the floor for cables. 

The trims available are Classic, Exclusive, and Sport, each featuring distinct design details and equipment. Standard features include LED headlights and rear lights, roof rails, dual-zone climate control, navigation, Parking Assistant, and ISOFIX child seat points. Additional safety features include good blind-spot detection, front collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and optional active cruise control and exit warning systems that alert the driver when vehicles or cyclists approach from behind or when someone is opening their door. The Parking Assistant Plus adds features such as the Back-up Assistant for automated reversing, Surround View with 3D imaging, and Remote 3D view. Power outputs start with the Aceman 184hp E Classic, powered by a 38.5 kWh battery with a range of 300 km. The Exclusive and SE models feature 218hp motors with a 49.2 kWh battery, offering approximately 400 km of range, while the E Sport shares the same battery and range as the E Classic. The top-tier John Cooper Works Aceman Sport boasts 258hp and a range of 345-391 km, though real-world range may be lower. Energy consumption is claimed to be 14.7 kWh/100 km. 

The SE S version provided an enjoyable driving experience, with instant sporty acceleration from the 218hp motor and 330Nm of torque, allowing it to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 7.1 seconds. The accelerator pedal supports one-pedal driving. The suspension feels firm across most roads and city streets. Its tight 12-metre turning circle, along with excellent parking aids, front and rear sensors, and a good reversing camera, make manoeuvring in narrow streets and parking straightforward. DC fast charging from 10-80% provides a range between 305-406 km in 28-31 minutes. Home AC charging at 11 kW takes between 4 hours 15 minutes and 5 hours 45 minutes. Aceman has not yet received an official safety rating from Euro NCAP. 

The Aceman E starts at €30,856.80. My SE Sport test vehicle costs €34,430.70; additional packages and options totalled €8,520.59, bringing the overall price to €56,896, which is quite steep for a MINI. The John Cooper Works Aceman begins from €40,390.50. All prices include the SEAI grant.

 

Mini Cooper Convertible making open air comeback

After an absence of nine years, the Mini Cooper Convertible will be rolling into showrooms again at a starting price of €36,730, writes Brian Byrne. First deliveries are expected in early 2025.

The latest variant will complete the renewal of the Mini models range which has been happening over the last 12 months.

Two petrol engines will be offered, a 163hp version and a more powerful S model with 204hp.

Operation of the soft top is fully automatic and can be closed in just 15 seconds. There's an integrated automatic rollover protection system. 

New 5-door Mini Cooper

The new Mini Cooper 5-door from BMW will be available in Ireland from August with a starting price of €33,435, writes Brian Byrne. It joins the 3-door version launched a few months ago.

The car is offered with a choice from two petrol engines, with outputs of 156hp and 204hp, designated as 'C' and 'S' versions respectively. Tested acceleration for each to 100km/h are 8.0s and 6.8s.

The new 5-door has similar exterior dimensions as its predecessor but a longer wheelbase enables better interior space for occupants. 

Mini Cooper S Electric, Driven in two Minutes

Many of us still remember the original Mini-Minor launched in 1959, writes Brian Byrne. Even though the current Mini, produced by BMW for nearly a quarter of a century, bears only a style-cues relationship to that car, recent experience with the electric version of the Cooper S certainly brought back memories. A Rough & Ready Production for Irish Car. 

Mini Electric review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

There are still many of us who remember the original Alec Issigonis-designed Mini-Minor launched in 1959, writes Brian Byrne, described forty years later as 'the second most influential' car of the 20th century, beaten only by the Ford Model T. Issigonis himself died a decade earlier than that, aged 81, never seeing that accolade.

My mother had a couple of them sequentially, and before I had my own cars I'd sometimes borrow what was a tiny, draughty, noisy, and ultimately awfully fun car to drive. Even though the current Mini, produced by BMW for nearly a quarter of a century, bears only a style-cues relationship to that car, recent experience with the electric version of the Cooper S certainly brought back memories.

This review is of the third generation BMW mini, with an electric powertrain. An electric-only fourth generation is due to arrive later this year, crucially with larger batteries than this one. And electric is important to Mini, four in ten of the model sold here last year were EVs.

When you're dealing with a shape that is so dependant on its iconicity, you don't muck with it. So the overall design of this car is little different than the one BMW brought to market in 2001, apart from some size changes. The most common epithet from people who look at it is 'cute'. At the risk of getting caught in a gender quagmire, I'd guess that most of those who do comment thus are women. But in fact, there's nothing particularly girly about what has always been a practical and efficient shape. Maybe it's the happy headlights that bring on the description. 

Even though the Mini is a small car, smaller and significantly lower than Toyota's Yaris, for instance, that same shape makes it easy for even a tall man like me to get into. Once inside, it's so much more a premium ambience than my mother's original with its manual horizontally sliding windows and a dangling cord in the door to open it. The materials and design details are at the very top end of quality and fit, and with quite distinctive, even jazzy treatment on parts of the dash. The large round centre screen no longer carries the original's speedometer but does everything else that we now expect in infotainment. The welcome manual switches and knobs for climate and some other functions tilt at the classic and in very high quality. Once in, I was seriously impressed with the driving position.

It's a 3-door, so the rear seats are that little bit harder to access. But for two people who aren't very big, there's reasonable comfort at least on short journeys. Typically, though, the Mini is not bought for a busy family's use, so it probably doesn't become an issue. The seats material in my review car was a cheerfully bright houndstooth-style check, which along with the glass roof helped keep everything bright. The 211 litres capacity of the boot space behind is a bit down on immediate competitors.

This generation of the Mini has been available with petrol and diesel engines and in standard and Cooper performance rigging. My electric version reflected the EV acceleration performance by being called a Cooper S. Despite the extra 525kg weight of the powertrain, it is capable of sprinting to 100km/h in 7.3s, not a lot shorter than the 6.8s of the current petrol Cooper S. For comparison, the original 1960s car's rally-winning performance was helped by its 11 seconds accelerative ability (the base car then did the 'sprint' in north of 27 seconds). My time with this 184hp car did allow a couple of fun tests of its capability, and the handling suggested the fast and accurate chassis experience no way diminished .

The downside of using the car outside the city was the battery range, a function of its small size at 32.6 kWh. I got a real range of 170km, it could be significantly longer in purely urban usage. One upside of that small size is a quick recharge ability. The new generation version will have a 54.2kWh battery option.

PRICE: From €39,985. WHAT I LIKED: The vast improvement over my draught and noisy memories.

Two new petrol Mini Coopers

Following the recent reveal of the Mini Cooper Electric, there are now new 3-door Mini Coopers coming available with petrol engines, writes Brian Byrne.

Priced from €31,280, the Mini Cooper C and performance-enhanced S models will be delivered to first customers in the spring of this year. They are heavily revised third generation cars, as the new fourth generation model will be available in electric only.

The Mini Cooper C will have a 156hp 3-cylinder engine with a 7.7s sprint capability to 100km/h, while the new Cooper S version now with 205hp can do it in 6.6s. The Cooper S price is €37,740.

Electric Mini Cooper launches at Munich

A new generation all-electric version of the Mini Cooper has been unveiled by BMW at the Munich IAA motor show, writes Brian Byrne.

Two versions of the car will be available, with rated ranges of 305km and 402km.

Price of the fifth generation of the Mini Cooper will start at €36,220 with customer deliveries beginning next spring.

Also at the show, BMW unveiled the new generation Countryman, which will be available with both combustion and all-electric powertrains. The electric version has a rated range of 462km. 

'Babbling stream' among sounds in your next mini

BMW engineers developing sounds for the next generation electric Mini range have come up with around 30 distinct 'audible signals' as alerts for certain events of information while driving, writes Brian Byrne.

Instead of the basic 'beeps' which have been generally used in the auto industry as alerts, an owner will now be expected to recognise distinct sounds relating to a wide range of functions including turn signals, seat belt warnings, and park distance controls.

This is all part of a wider acoustic engineering process for the Mini brand (and presumably other group makes), which will include combustion engine, 'go-kart' sporty sounds, and relaxing forest ambience 'from the babbling of a stream to the chirping of crickets and the rustling of the wind in the treetops'.

Listen out, now ... 

Design details of next Minis revealed

BMW has revealed design highlights of the next generation Mini model family, which features what the designers say is a 'reduced design language', writes Brian Byrne.

Sustainability and connective ability will be key elements of the new generation, while a number of cues from the current and past Minis will be given a future focus.

External changes will include redesigns to the wheels that both provide visual impact and improved aerodynamic performance.

Inside, the traditional central circular cluster that was originally the speedometer gets a new Oled touchscreen which uses the full circular space.

A new steering wheel, seats, and trim materials are among the few elements so far revealed in a heavily-camouflaged prototype. More as things are revealed. 

Fifth generation Mini Cooper is all-electric

The iconic Cooper performance version of the BMW-owned Mini model range is going all-electric in the upcoming fifth generation, writes Brian Byrne.

The new 3-door Mini Cooper Electric will be available in 182ps and 218hp versions, with a predicted range of between 300-400km depending on choice of battery. No acceleration figures have been provided yet, but the company emphasises the 'go-kart' style of handling.

Since the launch of the first electric Mini in 2020, one in five of all Minis now sold are electric.

Together with the Mini Countryman to be produced at the BMW Group Plant Leipzig from November 2023, the new Mini Cooper Electric is all set and ready to go for the all-electric future of Mini. The Mini Aceman will complete the new model family from 2024 onwards. 

Final Edition Mini Clubman limited numbers

A final edition of the Mini Clubman is being produced in a limited number to mark the end of a model that was first launched in 1969, writes Brian Byrne.

Adding a wagon to the iconic Mini two-door saloon of the time, it had split rear doors, a feature which was retained when the 'modern' Mini version was introduced in 2007. At that point it also got a rear-hinged single extra door so passengers could more easily access the rear seats. In 2015 the car got a further stretched wheelbase, allowing for two rear passenger doors.

The Final Edition will be limited to 1,969 units globally, reflecting the model's year of introduction. Just 100 of those will be RHD for the UK, and presumably the Irish, market.

Just one specification — a Cooper S engine, ‘Exclusive’ trim, and choice of Black, White or Silver exterior paint colours.

If you're in the UK, you can pre-order one for £37,000 OTR. 

Mini Electric goes Convertible

BMW's electric Mini will be available in convertible format from April, but only 999 buyers in Europe will get the chance to buy it, writes Brian Byrne.

Of these, 150 RHD versions are heading for the UK market, and there's no indication if any of these will be available to Irish buyers.

The version comes three years after the Mini Electric hatchback was launched, and 20pc of all Minis sold in Europe now are electric, according to the company.

The power consumption of the Mini Electric Convertible is rated at 17.2kWh/100km, outputs 184hp and has a claimed range of 200km. 

Aceman concept previews Mini design future

A look at thoughts on the next generation Mini is shown in the recently-revealed Concept Aceman from the BMW-owned brand, writes Brian Byrne.

The concept previews the introduction of a crossover in the Mini range for the first time, bridging the space between the Hatch and the Countryman variants.

The two-box design has four doors, and is all-electric. The length is just over four metres and width less than two.

Front details include a new octagonal shape around where the radiator grille used to be, with an illuminated surround.

Inside retains the circular centre speedometer feature, but with greater possibilities from its OLED electronic display.

New versions of the traditional toggle switches and rotary knobs are part of the driver-car interface.

The Concept Aceman will be shown in public at the Gamescon 2022 computer and video games fair in Cologne, beginning 23 August. 

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New Mini editions available to order

Mini in Ireland has launched three new special editions across its range, starting at an OTR price of €30,945, writes Brian Byrne.

They are badged Resolute, Untold and Untamed. Resolute is available on the 3-Door, Electric, 5-Door Hatch and Convertible models. Untold is available in Clubman and Untamed in the Countryman Cooper and PHEV models.

Personalisation is the key element, with customers able to chose from Comfort, Driver Assistance and Navigation equipment packages as well as individual options such as sport transmission, adaptive chassis, Harman Kardon HiFi speaker system or the panoramic glass roof.

The changes in the new editions are mostly cosmetic, with no reported enhancements to dynamics or power.

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BMW offers unified access to public charging

BMW Ireland has introduced a single-card access to over a thousand public charge points from different operators in Ireland, writes Brian Byrne. The system, which can also use an app, is available to BMW and Mini owners of electric and PHEV cars.

BMW Charging and MINI Charging charging also provides access to 173,000 charge points across Europe.

They can be used on a 'pay as you go basis' or a standardised rates subscription 'active tariff'.

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Munich: Doing a Mini strip

It's a Mini stripped back to the bare essentials, the keynote on the brand's stand at Munich, writes Brian Byrne. Detail design — or undesign — is by British fashion designer Paul Smith, and the Mini Strip name says it all.

The body is unpainted except for a thin clear glaze to protect the metal. The recycled perspex roof shows the structure of the car painted blue. Recycled plastic covers where the trademark grille would be. Wheel arch covers are pinned to the metal with open screws.

Inside, the plastic and wood and metal trims have been ditched in favour of a fully-recyclable knitted fabric covering. And there are no instruments, just a dock for a mobile phone which then does all that work. The one-off is based on the Mini Electric, and maybe it all increases the range.

A minimalist treatment for what, in the end, has turned out to be a minimalist motor show.

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Mini Electric goes to FIA as Safety Car

This is a new Mini special build, the Electric Pacesetter, which is to be used as a Safety Car in the FIA Formula E, writes Brian Byrne. The car is inspired by the brand's JCW performance division.

According to the company, it also shows the way the Mini Electric could go in a JCW variant.

The car retains classic Mini cues such as the circular headlights and hexagonal grille ... though the latter doesn't serve for air intake in the traditional way. The car's performance capability includes a 6.7s sprint to 100km/h courtesy of the 183hp powertrain.

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Design+spec updates for new Mini models

Twenty years after the launch of the modern Mini, the latest model generation moves to the next stage of its evolution with the Mini 3-door hatch, electric, 5-door hatch and the Convertible getting fresh new design and technology updates, writes Trish Whelan. 

The refreshed exterior of these cars now gets a more modern look with attention focussed on the car’s central design features. The front-view is dominated by a larger radiator grille and the hallmark round Mini headlights. The position lights have been replaced by vertical air inlets to aid aerodynamics and the central bumper strip is now in body colour rather than black. The wheel arch has new contours, the side indicators have been redesigned to feature LED technology and at the back, the fog light is now integrated into the rear apron as a narrow LED unit.

Three new exterior paint finishes and five new light-alloy wheels feature with the Convertible getting an exclusive Zesty Yellow colour while a unique roof paint finish is offered on the 3-door hatch, electric and 5-door hatch.

Interiors feature an 8-inch colour touchscreen display and Piano Black high-gloss surface are now standard. The audio control unit and some function buttons including driver assistance systems are integrated more harmoniously into the circular control unit. A newly-designed sports leather steering wheel with multifunction buttons will also be part of standard equipment of all model variants of these cars as is the digital display from the John Cooper Works GP and Mini Electric.

Customers can choose two colour schemes for the central instrument and digital cockpit displays - Lounge and Sport. An electric parking brake is now available in all the model variants, in conjunction with an automatic transmission.

With Minis famous for that go-kart feeling, a new version of Adaptive Suspension, available for the first time on a Mini, achieves an optimised balance between sportiness and rid comfort.

Petrol engines with three or four cylinders are offered. The 1.5 3-cylinder engines come with outputs ranging from 102hp to 136hp while the 2.0 4-cylinder unit gets 178hp-231hp in the two John Cooper Works models.

All new models are available to order now with customer deliveries this Spring.

Mini's Vision Urbanaut could be better home from home

Here's an imaginary view of a future variant on the BMW Mini, with the name Vision Urbanaut, writes Brian Byrne. The company says its designers worked 'from the inside out' to create a space where -- in effusive designer language -- 'the car becomes a kind of retreat, a haven where you can relax ... or work with full concentration ... during a journey'.

Well, astronauts and cosmonauts were once in the realm of science fiction too, so there's no reason to dismiss the ideas. Developed digitally, the concept includes, of course, some automated driving, electric motor, one sliding door for all ins and outs, and a four-seat format that allows for lounge as well as transportation use. There's much hype and hope in the blurb accompanying the release, and an impression that the car can be a true home from home, maybe even better than home.

Not sure about the raisable windscreen, though ... albeit this is apparently about allowing the occupants to 'mingle' with the wider community. Maybe for drive-in concerts in a post-Covid world that has become used to such things? Anyhow, it looks good.

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MINI Sidewalk Convertible available to order

MINI Ireland is introducing a special edition Convertible model, the MINI Sidewalk Convertible, writes Trish Whelan.

The high-spec model is a limited edition with just 150 available for UK and Irish customers.

This special edition features new Deep Laguna metallic body paint, unique seat and soft top roof designs, Harmon Kardon Hi-Fi and Head-Up Display as standard.

The convertible is supplied exclusively with a 192hp Cooper S powertrain featuring MINI TwinPower Turbo technology and a 7-speed Steptronic transmission with double clutch and steering wheel paddles, enabling fast and smooth gear shifts.

Combined fuel consumption is 6.7-5.51 L/100kms, C02 emissions are 152-125g/km.

The Arrow design soft top roof can be opened or closed electronically in 18 seconds. The car also has new 17-inch light-alloy Scissor Spoke 2-tone wheels, a new seat design with special seat badging and contrasting seams in Petrol and Energetic Yellow colours. The new dashboard facia is Piano Black with accents in Petrol and Silver.

The Sidewalk Convertible comes with a range of technologies as standard including the Navigation Plus Pack featuring an 8.8-inch touch screen display, Satellite Navigation, Wireless Charging and Amazon Alexa functionality and three driving modes. A wind deflector is also included.

The MINI Sidewalk Convertible is available to order now from €47,840 at Irish MINI retailers, with production starting from March. 

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