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2012 MINI Roadster

2012 MINI Roadster
• MINI is pushing ahead with the rigorous expansion of its model family. The latest addition to the range is the MINI Roadster, the sixth model in the brand's current line-up and the first open-top two-seater in its history. Cutting-edge, typically MINI interpretation of the compact, two-seater sports car concept with manually-opening soft-top roof; first premium car of its kind in the small car segment; unique package appealing to demanding target groups with a penchant for elegant sportiness, spontaneous open-top driving fun and irresistible design; inspiring handling fuelled by powerful engines and sophisticated chassis technology; unrivalled scope for individualisation.

• Faithful reproduction of the MINI design language within the proportions of a roadster; clear focus on two-seat design and open-air driving experience; sporting charisma, with short overhangs, powerful over-the-wheel stance and high waistline typical of MINI; unmistakable design features and hallmark details underline the car's brand identity.

• Three-box body structure with a strikingly stepped rear end; elegantly sweeping roadster look thanks to heavily raked A-pillars and a waistline rising up slightly along the length of the body towards the flat rear end; stands more than 20 millimetres lower than the MINI Convertible; manually operated soft-top roof with straightforward mechanism for spontaneous, rapid opening and closing.

• Full-blooded go-kart feeling and outstanding safety levels thanks to bespoke chassis set-up, low centre of gravity, torsionally rigid body and optimised aerodynamic properties; Electric Power Steering and DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) as standard, DTC (Dynamic Traction Control) with EDLC (Electronic Differential Lock Control) optional (standard in the MINI John Cooper Works Roadster); roll-over bars in polished stainless steel; active rear spoiler extends automatically at 80 km/h (50 mph); MINI John Cooper Works Roadster with standard John Cooper Works aerodynamic kit.

• Focused two-seater concept with stowage area behind the driver and passenger seats, through-loading system and 240-litre luggage area; wide-opening tailgate for comfortable loading; optional: wind protection insert between the roll-over bars.

• Latest-generation four-cylinder engines; most powerful petrol and diesel units in the MINI line-up; MINI TwinPower Turbo technology; MINI John Cooper Works Roadster with 155 kW/211 hp, MINI Cooper S Roadster with 135 kW/184 hp, MINI Cooper Roadster with 90 kW/122 hp, MINI Cooper SD Roadster with 105 kW/143 hp; exemplary efficiency thanks to MINIMALISM technology.

• Bespoke colour and materials concept for upholstery, exterior mirrors, trim elements and Colour Lines; exclusive MINI Yours options and Sport Stripes in contrasting colour provide further individualisation; high-quality standard equipment including speed-sensitive steering assistance, electrically adjustable exterior mirrors, Park Distance Control, air conditioning (MINI Cooper S Roadster, MINI Cooper SD Roadster, MINI John Cooper Works Roadster) and audio system with MP3-compatible CD player and AÚX IN connection; options include black headlight housing, xenon Adaptive Headlights, Comfort Access, automatic climate control and the Always Open Timer; wide range of entertainment and communications options: Harman Kardon hi-fi loudspeaker system, MINI navigation system, MINI Connected features including Driving Excitement app, web radio, Google services, RSS news feeds, Mission Control, and in-car use of Facebook and Twitter.

• Engine variants:

MINI John Cooper Works Roadster:

2012 MINI RoadsterFour-cylinder petrol engine with MINI TwinPower Turbo technology and numerous technological details carried over directly from motor sport.
Displacement: 1,598 cc, output: 155 kW/211 hp at 6,000 rpm,
max. torque: 260 Nm/192 lb-ft at 1,850 – 5,600 rpm (280 Nm/207 lb-ft with Overboost at 2,000 – 5,100 rpm). Acceleration 0–100 km/h (62 mph): 6.5 seconds, top speed: 237 km/h (147 mph). Average fuel consumption according to EÚ: 7.3 litres/100 kilometres (38.7 mpg imp), CO2 emissions: 169 g/km.

MINI Cooper S Roadster:

Four-cylinder petrol engine with MINI TwinPower Turbo technology. Displacement: 1,598 cc, output: 135 kW/184 hp at 5,500 rpm, max. torque: 240 Nm/177 lb-ft at 1,600 – 5,000 rpm (260 Nm/192 lb-ft with Overboost at 1,730 – 4,500 rpm). Acceleration 0–100 km/h (62 mph): 7.0 seconds, top speed: 227 km/h (141 mph). Average fuel consumption according to EÚ: 6.0 litres/100 kilometres (47.1 mpg imp), CO2 emissions: 139 g/km.

MINI Cooper Roadster:

Four-cylinder petrol engine with fully variable valve management based on the BMW Group's VALVETRONIC technology. Displacement: 1,598 cc, output: 90 kW/122 hp at 6,000 rpm, max. torque: 160 Nm/118 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm. Acceleration 0–100 km/h (62 mph): 9.2 seconds, top speed: 199 km/h (124 mph). Average fuel consumption according to EÚ: 5.7 litres/100 kilometres (49.6 mpg imp),
CO2 emissions: 133 g/km.

MINI Cooper SD Roadster:

2012 MINI Roadster
Four-cylinder turbodiesel with MINI TwinPower Turbo technology. Displacement: 1,995 cc, output: 105 kW/143 hp at 4,000 rpm, max. torque: 305 Nm/225 lb-ft at 1,750 – 2,700 rpm. Acceleration 0–100 km/h (62 mph): 8.1 seconds,
top speed: 212 km/h (132 mph). Average fuel consumption according to EÚ: 4.5 litres/100 kilometres (62.8 mpg imp), CO2 emissions: 118 g/km.

Source - MINI

MINI at the NAIAS Detroit 2012.

2012 MINI Roadster
Individual style, innovative technology and the high standards of quality set by the world's first maker of premium small cars form the basis for the worldwide popularity of the MINI model range. And now the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) 2012 in Detroit is set to host the beginning of another new chapter in the brand's global success story. The NAIAS 2012 is the venue for the world premiere of the MINI Roadster. The first open-top two-seater in the MINI model range provides a spontaneous, unadulterated recipe for urban driving fun. A contemporary take on the compact, open-top sports car concept, the MINI Roadster boasts advanced drive and chassis technology, and a classical, manually operated soft-top roof which can be opened and closed quickly and easily.

The design and technology of the MINI Roadster are geared squarely to laying on open-top driving fun for two. With its inspiring agility and cutting-edge efficiency, expressive design and remarkable practicality, the youngest MINI representative gives the brand's traditional qualities a fresh new twist. All of which will see the MINI Roadster unveiled at the NAIAS on 14 – 22 January 2012 welcomed not only as an attractive addition to the current model range, but also as the world's first premium model of its kind in the small car segment.

The market launch of the MINI Roadster adds a sixth model to the MINI family, and the increased variety in its ranks presents MINI with additional ways of winning over new target groups for the brand and its products. Ten years after the introduction of the MINI to the ÚS market, the British brand has established itself as a byword for infectious driving fun within compact dimensions and earned itself a growing community of fans. The ÚS has been the most important single market worldwide for MINI cars for several years now; the brand has not only added consistently to its model range over recent years, it has also steadily increased the number of MINI dealers in the ÚSA. The result has been a succession of new sales records.

The MINI Roadster: two seats, unlimited driving fun.

The MINI Roadster embodies a sporty driving experience of enviable purity and spontaneous open-top fun for two. The latest model to join the MINI line-up treats the small car segment to another refreshing shot of innovation. Smile-inducing agility, compact dimensions and low fuel consumption endow the new model with an exceptional skill-set for the challenge of urban mobility. Added to which, its variable-use luggage area gives the driver extra freedom when it comes to carrying sports gear or setting out on trips for two.

The body design of the two-seater MINI sees the hallmark design language of the brand's cars repackaged within the proportions of a compact roadster. Parallel lines, athletically taut surfaces and harmonious curves combine with a distinctive, low-slung silhouette to give the MINI Roadster an elegantly stretched figure. Time-honoured MINI characteristics, such as its large circular headlights, hexagonal radiator grille, side indicator surrounds and vertically stacked rear lights, flag up the brand identity of the new car. However, the Roadster also adds some distinguishing features of its own to the mix, including a strikingly stepped boot extending from behind the passenger compartment and a heavily raked windscreen.

Stylistically, the robust soft-top roof of the MINI Roadster follows in the classic British roadster tradition. When opened, it folds down flat behind the seats, keeping the car's elegantly sweeping lines intact. This layout encompasses a clear visual separation of the car's boot (capacity: 240 litres) from the passenger compartment, while a wide through-loading system behind the seats enhances practicality. Plus, the high-opening tailgate and low boot sill makes it that much easier to load up items of luggage.

Together with the reinforced windscreen frame, two stainless steel roll-over bars provide optimised occupant protection in the event of the car turning over. The safety equipment on board the new MINI Roadster also includes front airbags and head-thorax airbags integrated into the outer sides of the seat backrests, three-point inertia-reel seatbelts including belt force limiters and belt tensioners, and a Tyre Defect Indicator.

The MINI Roadster will be available with a choice of three powerful and efficient petrol engines when it is launched in the ÚS market.2012 MINI Roadster
The model line-up will range from the MINI Cooper Roadster (121 hp) via the MINI Cooper S Roadster (181 hp) to the sharpest performer of all, the MINI John Cooper Works Roadster, whose powerplant develops 208 hp. State-of-the-art technology ensures that all the model variants produce a combination of zesty power development and exceptional fuel economy. In customary MINI style, the Roadster channels the engine's power through to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. Alternatively, the MINI Cooper Roadster and MINI Cooper S Roadster can also be specified with a six-speed automatic as an option.

A quality of chassis technology unparalleled in the small car segment, including Electric Power Steering and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), combines with the torsionally rigid body (complete with special strengthening elements) and the car's lower centre of gravity to deliver addictive agility and unbeatable active and passive safety. The aerodynamic balance of the MINI Roadster is optimised by an active rear spoiler, which extends automatically when the car reaches 80 km/h (50 mph).

The wealth of standard equipment can be complemented by a selection of high-quality extras, the typically MINI variety in the range of optional equipment and accessories, giving owners the best possible tools to adapt their cars precisely to their personal style.

Variety breeds success: the MINI model range for 2012.

The popularity of the MINI brand is based on an unmistakable product range which engenders a strong affinity between MINI fans and their cars. The model range captures the imagination of contemporary target groups who are not only looking for high standards of quality and technology in their choice of compact car, but also want to express their own individual style. The expansion of the MINI family to include six models allows the brand's hallmark expressive design, agile handling and premium quality to be combined with the specific qualities of various vehicle characters. The traditional MINI concept has now been expanded beyond the MINI, MINI Convertible and MINI Clubman to include the MINI Countryman, which was conceived purposefully to meet the requirements of additional target groups. The first MINI to come with four doors, a large tailgate and, if desired, ALL4 all-wheel drive, has given the brand's growth an extra boost in the ÚSA, as elsewhere. And over recent months, another model devoted to the provision of sporty driving fun – the MINI Coupé – has built on this momentum. Now the Coupé is set to be joined by another two-seater, in the form of the MINI Roadster.

Whatever the type of MINI, a range of engine variants and a package of equipment compiled according to the customer's requirements ensure that all MINI drivers can look forward to a car that fits the image in their mind's eye as closely as possible. In addition to the extensive range of exterior paint finishes, interior colours, seat variants and comfort-enhancing equipment, a host of factory-fit exterior design options, model-specific interior trim elements and Colour Lines give customers all they need to configure their car precisely to their personal preferences. An additional opportunity for personalisation is provided by the exceptionally rich selection of accessories. This far-reaching potential for individualisation is another of those special features that shapes the character of the MINI brand. The scope for customers to tailor their car to their own specifications is also attracting increased interest in the ÚS market, as word spreads that every MINI can be enjoyed not only as a byword for driving fun, but also the expression of personal freedom and individuality.

The annual North American International Auto Show is one of the world's most important car shows. As the traditional curtain-raiser to the year, it will point the way for the entire automotive industry once again in 2012. Over 150 exhibitors from every corner of the earth will come together in Detroit's Cobo Center to present new models and other product innovations. The organisers are expecting more than 5,000 media representatives from around the world to attend the event, along with some 750,000 members of the public.

Source - MINI

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