MINI PH Launches Updated MINI Cooper Models

MINI Asia and British United Automobiles, the authorized importer and distributor of MINI in the Philippines, has brought in the updated models of the MINI Cooper 3 Door, the MINI Cooper 5 Door, and the MINI Cooper Cabrio. Immediately evident with the updates are the new adaptive LED headlights, which offer increased brightness and has the daytime driving lights and the turn indicator lights generated by a ring which surrounds the entire contour of the headlight, and the LED taillights with its new Union Jack design, with the turn indicators horizontally arranged and the brake lights vertically aligned. The new MINI also has a MINI Excitement Package. When the door is opened and closed, the new MINI logo is projected onto the ground in front of the door from a light source in the exterior mirror and can be seen there for 20 seconds, or permanently if the door is left open. Also offered across all three body styles of the MINI are three new finishes: Emerald Grey Metallic, Starlight Blue Metallic, and Solaris Orange Metallic. Also new are the 17-inch light alloy wheels with the Propeller Spoke and Rail Spoke two-tone designs. The updates have also reached the cabin, with the new Chester leather trim in Malt Brown and a Color Line now also available in Malt Brown. In addition, the optional MINI Yours Interior Style Piano Black is now available with illumination in the doors and center console as well as the rear-lit decorative strip for the instrument panel on the passenger side, which has a stylized Union Jack motif. Also updated for the MINI's cabin are the newly-designed three-spoke steering wheel, with controls for the Speed Limit Device on the left spoke and for the audio and communication systems on the right--and the option to choose between the standard sports leather steering wheel, a MINI Yours sports leather steering wheel, and a John Cooper Works leather steering wheel--and a 6.5-inch color touchscreen system in the middle of the dashboard that offers mobile phone integration via Bluetooth and the optional Radio MINI Visual Boost and a navigation system. The updates to the MINI aren't just limited to its aesthetics as the engine has been reportedly revised for reduced fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emission of as much as five percent and in compliance with "the more rigorous exhaust emission standards of the future." Changes that benefit the MINI's famed driving dynamics have also been done under the hood, like making the drive units lighter and by using carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP)--from carbon-fiber recyclate generated in the production of BMW i automobiles--for the engine covers. In addition, its petrol engines feature petrol direct injection, with the maximum pressure increased from 200 to 350 bar, and turbocharger blades made of highly heat-resilient material. The biggest change for the updated MINIs--including the Cooper S--is the seven-speed, double-clutch Steptronic transmission, replacing the old-school six-speed Steptronic automatic slushbox. With the new transmission, gear shifts are faster, making for sporty acceleration maneuvers, making the MINI even more fun to drive. With the new dual-clutch system, the MINI also gets a newly-designed electronic gear selector lever, with shift paddles behind the steering wheel for those who'd like to change gears manually without taking their hands off of the tiller. The MINI 3 Door Hatch, MINI 5 Door Hatch, and MINI Convertible are now available for viewing at the British United Automobiles showroom in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig at the following prices: MINI 3 Door Hatch MINI Cooper: PHP2.55 million MINI Cooper S: PHP3 million MINI 5 Door Hatch MINI Cooper: PHP2.65 million MINI Cooper S: PHP3.1 million MINI Convertible MINI Cooper S: PHP3.35 million