Mini introduces both ute and scoot in New York
Two new models will debut at the Big Apple's auto show -- the Clubman All4 and the John Cooper Works Convertible.
Mini's going big. It has not one, but two all-new debuts at the 2016 New York International Auto Show. If you're a fan of fun little sportsters, the John Cooper Works Convertible will be right up your alley. If you're more interested in safety and comfort, the Clubman All4 should cure what ails you.
The Clubman itself is not new, debuting in the US at last year's Los Angeles Auto Show. However, the All4 variant is new. It's a more-or-less self-explanatory name -- it's a Clubman with all-wheel drive.
It's a front-biased AWD system that promises to shift power from the front wheels to the rear in 0.25 second, more than enough to catch your bad driving and save you from a snowbank. The AWD system is also lighter than before, for better fuel economy. It's smaller, too, so it doesn't take up too much interior space.
On the other side of the spectrum, we have the John Cooper Works Convertible. It's the first Mini convertible using a BMW engine -- a 228-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder BMW engine, to be exact.
It's the most powerful engine in any Mini vehicle, and even though convertibles are typically thought to be less capable than their roofed brethren (due to the lack of structural stability that a roof imparts), it should still be a fun little drop-top. And the soft top even features the Union Jack!
Mini did not mention pricing data or availability.
