Joey D
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A slightly interesting development in MINI's next generation. I'm hoping for an AWD normal Cooper too.
AutoblogSpy Shots: All-wheel-drive Mini Cooper hybrid caught weathering the arctic
Once you've put an all-electric drivetrain into a Mini Cooper, is it that hard to hybridize one? Well, yes, especially since BMW's limited testing program was intended to give the company information about a plug-in architecture. But our spy photographers have discovered what's believed to be the first Mini Cooper prototype fitted with a hybrid drivetrain.
The body certainly looks the same, but as you can see in our high-resolution gallery BMW has affixed a sticker in the window that clearly says "hybrid test vehicle." We don't know many details about the powertrain sitting under the bright red paint, but sources indicate that this is a through-the-road hybrid, with the front wheels powered by a normal engine and the rear wheels motivated by an electric motor. Things like displacement, total horsepower and battery size are all as mysterious as they ever were, but rumor has it no, really this time that a hybridized Mini will be available when the next-generation arrives in 2013.
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Motoring FileSpied: MINI with All Wheel Drive Hybrid System
Autoblog is sharing some spy shots of what at first glance appears to simply be a regular R56 driving around on the snow in Sweden. Looking closer, theres a tell-tale sign that this is indeed a hybrid electric MINI prototype. Its literally a yellow sign on the window that reads HYBRID. Autoblog is also reporting that the system being tested is actually an AWD system where the front wheels are driven normally using stock drivetrain and electric motors drive the rear wheels for power assist. This approach is not dissimilar to the BMW Efficient Dynamics hybrid system seen in the photo above. If this is the case, it holds some key engineering advantages.
Firstly, it allows the system to complement any existing power plant in the MINI range without modifying the engines. The hybrid system would in essence just be a retrofit. Beyond that, added traction possibilities from AWD are intriguing, as it could mean an electric version of All4 for the smaller cars in the MINI lineup. Lastly, with the main wheels driving the car through conventional power train, the rear wheel motors should be able to easily feature regenerative braking or even use in-motion charging to top off the cars batteries. No word yet on specs or plug-in functionality, but seeing this system on the hatch (rather than just the Countryman) is certainly interesting. Chances are we wont see this system until the 2013 hatch refresh. Then again, thats not really that far away. Have a look at the whole set of underwhelming photos over at Autoblog.
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