2014 Mini Cooper Hardtop
No one was quite sure what to expect when BMW reintroduced the MINI brand to America, as the first of the modern, 2002 cooper hardtops began arriving here. But, it sure sounded like a good idea at the time. And since then the good times have continued to roll with an expanded portfolio of convertibles, wagons, roadsters, and even crossovers. Well, now it’s time to return to the humble two-door hardtop and start the 3rd generation of “new minis”. So, let’s see if the 2014 Mini Cooper is still super!
The 2014 Mini Cooper Hardtop has undergone it’s most extensive re-engineering since the 2002 revival. And while most changes seem evolutionary, this Mini eyes the future rather than the past.
It has gotten bigger of course, 4 and a half inches longer, but with only 1-inch more wheelbase, So, there’s more overhang, but the classic shape remains. And while fans will applaud that proportions haven’t changed that much; they’ll be the first to notice the bolder take on iconic elements like the grille, side scuttles, head and tail lights, as well as the longer, flatter nose.
With the new chassis also comes two all-new engines, as well as new 6-speed transmissions, both manual and automatic. Power includes a 2.0-liter turbo I4 with 189–horsepower and 207 lb-ft. of torque, 221 with overboost. Standard in the Cooper S; output is up from the previous gen.
The more intriguing new engine however, is the standard Cooper 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbo, with 134-horses and 162 lb-ft., 170 on overboost.
Now we spent time with both motors at the international press launch in Puerto Rico and found the I3 to be the most impressive.
But to confirm that it wasn’t just the island lifestyle clouding our judgment, it’s a standard I3-automatic equipped Cooper that we have here for testing. And after further review… our previous call has been confirmed.
There are aggressive Sport, Mid and relaxed Green modes to tailor your driving experience, but it was in Sport mode that we took this Mini to our test track.
Torque was good off the line and our Cooper Hardtop sprinted to 60 in a respectable 7.0-seconds. It felt great in the short run. However, the ¼-mile run proved more leisurely at 15.4–seconds and 92 miles-per-hour.
But the Cooper has never been about straight line kicks. The fun starts when you begin sawing the wheel back and forth. Suspension hardware remains Mini’s unique single-joint spring strut front along with a multi-link rear, but everything has been both lightened and stiffened, losing none of the go kart feel along the way. The electronic steering is quick, but a bit numb feeling.
It all makes an extremely capable back road handler, but much like most of the recent cars from corporate parent BMW the sensory parts have given way to more efficient electronic ones. Brakes weren’t quite up to the task, however, halting our tester in a rather lengthy average of 135–feet from 60.
Mini has also put the brakes on some of the cheapness on the interior. There’s definitely a more premium feel, if one that’s also a bit less unique. Unless you are a minimalist, you will very much appreciate all of the small item storage nooks, as well as more front cabin space.
In the back seat, leg room is up, but headroom is down. So, it’s still a tight confine for most adults. Cargo space climbs to 8.7 cubic-ft. seats up; 38.0 cubic-ft. with seatbacks folded. That’s something all buyers can get behind.
Iconic elements like the “love them or hate them” toggle switches, and of course the big round center dash display remain. But, the speedometer has moved from there to a routine place behind the steering wheel. The center display can be filled with an 8.8-inch color screen controlled by Mini’s version of BMW’s iDrive system.
Surrounding the center display is a “mood ring” that changes with driving mode. From Green for Eco to Red for Sport. Other new bits like the available pop up head up display also make the case for convenience over nostalgia, as does no longer having to insert a key to get the party started.
With auto stop/start, Government Fuel Economy Ratings are very good at 29-City, 41-Highway, and 34-Combined. We saw a spot on average of 34.2 miles-per-gallon of Premium.
Mini fun starts at a reasonable $20,745. The sportier Cooper S, at $24,395.
So, has the 2014 Mini Cooper Hardtop gotten too big for its britches or is it still the fun runabout that we’ve loved so much? Well, more space doesn’t necessarily mean less fun, so we’re good there. But, we could do without the homogenization of more of BMW in the design. Still the spirit of the original Mini remains intact. Let’s all hope that always remains the case.
Specifications
- Engine: 1.5-liter
- Horsepower: 134
- Torque: 162 lb-ft.
- 0-60 mph: 7.0 seconds
- 1/4 mile: 15.4 seconds @ 92 mph
- EPA: 29 mpg city/ 41 mpg highway
2025 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
Baby Rover Continues To Evolve
When most people hear “Range Rover” they tend to think of high class, high performance and high dollars. But, Range Rover does the entry-level thing quite well too with this Evoque. It has plenty of posh attitude, along with some recent updates. So, let’s see how the Evoque continues to evolved.
Our involvement with the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque’s evolution began when this small utility first arrived for 2012. It looked more Spice Girl than Tough Mudder, but it packed a surprising amount of capability into its subcompact dimensions. This second gen arrived for 2020, and has gained recent updates at the most likely midway point in its lifecycle.
Intrigued but not necessarily enthused could probably best describe our history with the Evoque, but Land Rover always has a way of drawing us in with very tasteful designs. They pretty much got this one right back in 2020, so styling revisions are largely limited to new Pixel LED headlights and a reshaped front fascia. There’s also new super-red signature lighting in back, all of it done to bring the Evoque more in line with the rest of the Range Rover family.
And like all of its siblings, all-wheel drive is standard and it does have Terrain Response 2 with specific off-road modes, but no one’s expecting to see a lot of Evoques out on the trail, unless there’s a new Lululemon Outlet at the other end of it having a killer sale.
Land Rover has once again taken the P300 296-horsepower version of the Evoque’s 2.0-liter turbo-four out of the lineup, leaving just the standard 249-horsepower version under the clamshell hood. No complaints from us, its 269 lb-ft of torque is more than adequate to move this 3,900 lb. ute around.
And at Mason Dixon Dragway, it moved us to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds. There was plenty of traction off the line, and while not overwhelming, power feels plentiful, staying very consistent down the track. Gearchanges in the Evoque’s nine-speed automatic transmission were quick and smooth, barely a blip in the process as we finished the quarter-mile in 16 seconds flat at 85 mph. Plenty quick for a compact utility with luxury intentions.
[It maneuvered] with a substantial presence that not too many small utilities have.
It felt quite good through our handling course too, with a substantial presence that not too many small utilities have. The Evoque uses selective braking to torque vector power between all four wheels, and it enabled us to cruise through the cones quickly without any excessive understeer or oversteer. There was some nosedive during our panic braking test, but the brakes were very responsive and strong enough to bring us to a halt in a short 115 feet from 60.
But, it’s the inside experience that really matters with any luxury vehicle, particularly in a Range Rover. And here things look more high-end Swedish than Tudor or Victorian, with a minimalist cabin design that’s way more visually appealing than practical. There’s real leather covering just about everything, and what appears to be just a tablet stuck in front of the dash is a new 11.4-inch touchscreen. Not only are the inner workings much faster than the previous infotainment setup, but the entire interface of this Pivi Pro system is vastly better than the split screen approach of before.
The center console that leads up to it appears much less cluttered and frees up some additional space for storage. The shifter is still here, but it has gotten much smaller. Front seat space and comfort remain high, though rear seat room is still very tight for adults. Cargo space is not bad for a small utility, with room for 21.6 cu-ft. of gear in the hold, which expands with 40/20/40 split-folding seatback flexibility to 50.5 cu-ft.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 20 City, 27 Highway, and 22 Combined. That’s an average Energy Impact Score, using 13.5 barrels of oil annually, with CO2 emissions of 6.6 tons.
Land Rover has been paring things down in the Evoque lineup for years, no longer offering a two-door version or the convertible, and now have simplified things even further to just the P250 available in only two trims: S, which stickers for $51,175, and Dynamic SE, which starts at $56,375; but you can add just about every package available and still come in right around $60,000.
Luxury-minded utility vehicles are coming at us from all angles these days, but the 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque is a bit unique in that it remains as sort of a cheat code for sneaking you into the Range Rover VIP experience. You’ll feel like you’re getting away with something every time you drive it.
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 2.0-liter turbo-four
- Transmission: 9-speed automatic
- Horsepower: 249
- Torque: 269 lb-ft
- 0-60 mph: 7.7 seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 16 seconds at 85 mph
- Braking, 60-0 (avg): 115 feet
- EPA: 20 City | 27 Highway | 22 Combined
2025 McLaren Artura Spider
McLaren Rips The Roof Off The Artura And Blows The Doors Off The Competition
McLaren has a long history of racetrack success, but in a relatively short period of time, McLaren has also gone from a niche street car maker to a major player in the supercar segment. Their next step is this Artura, the brand’s next-gen high performance hybrid supercar!
This is the McLaren Artura, truly the next step for this British brand that’s all about the performance, as it is literally all they do. More specifically, it’s the 2025 Artura Spider, the retractable hardtop version of the mid-engine plug-in high-performance coupe that arrived 2 years ago. But, in addition to being the brand’s first high-performance hybrid convertible, it brings a host of performance-related updates, most of which get applied to the Artura Coupe as well.
More power is usually our favorite update, so we’ll start there. The Artura mates a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 gas engine with a 70-kW electric motor. The total output is 690-horsepower, which is up 19 from when the Artura debuted. But unlike some high-performance hybrids that use electric motors to power the front wheels, McLaren’s electric motor is tucked in the same housing as the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, sending the total 531 lb-ft of torque strictly to the rear wheels. A 7.4-kWh battery enables up to 11 miles of EV driving, same as in the coupe; and with no reverse gear in the transmission, the battery powers all backups.
That transmission is recalibrated too, providing gear changes 25% quicker than before. McLaren claims it all works together to deliver a 0-60 time of 3.0 seconds flat, also same as the coupe, as the power folding hardtop assembly only adds about 100-lbs. of weight.
Lightweight performance is one British tradition we can get behind and taking in some laps during January at Roebling Road Raceway near Savannah, Georgia is a MotorWeek tradition that lives on. Unfortunately, we were joined by some very untraditional snowy weather this year, which limited our track days.
The Artura just grips, rips, and urges you to push on harder.
But it didn’t take many laps for us to get comfortable in the Artura. We’re not race car drivers, but we do play them on T.V., and in a car that feels this compact and literally wrapped around you, when you reach that point in most cars where you sense an urgent need to back it down, the Artura just grips, rips, and urges you to push on harder. The throttle response is as immediate as it gets, the engine loves to rev, and with the optional Sport Exhaust, it sounds fantastic while delivering the mind-melting performance.
Driver engagement aspects of the car get upgraded too, courtesy of stiffer powertrain mounts and heightened response from the Proactive Damping Control suspension system. There are multiple levels of stability control intervention including full off, as well as Variable Drift Control, which lets you have some sideways fun without worrying about balling up your crazy-expensive supercar. Lightness doesn’t mean a lack of stability here, but it surely helps with braking performance, as it is borderline otherworldly when the forged aluminum calipers clamp down hard on the carbon ceramic discs, making you feel like a hero with your late braking shenanigans.
But ultimately, it was the snow that brought us to a full stop, which allowed us extra time to take in the Artura Spider’s gorgeous lines. Body panels are so tight, it looks like there’s one piece of Ventura Orange shrink-wrap holding it all together. McLaren does everything fast, and that includes folding the hardtop, which happens in just 11 seconds.
While unique, there are familiar elements to the interior, but the Artura’s evolution has created a more cohesive design. And much like the outside, it’s very fluid-like in the way panels and components flow into one another. Being a Plug-in Hybrid the Artura Spider has Government Fuel Economy Ratings of 45 Combined MPGe and 19 Combined strictly with the gas engine.
And after singing all of that praise, we now get to pricing and inform you that the Artura remains McLaren’s entry-level model, with the Spider starting at just $278,800, about 25-grand more than the Coupe.
With the 2025 Artura Spider, McLaren has done much more than just incorporate a removable roof into their next-gen hybrid supercar. They used it as an excuse to complete a system wide upgrade, essentially creating Artura 2.0. It’s also their best car yet, seamlessly integrating electric power into a fantastic open-air driving experience and pointing to more great things to come from McLaren.
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6
- Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch
- Horsepower: 690
- Torque: 531 lb-ft