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Mini Classic… And Electric!

England is a country of tradition and avant-garde. It knows how to maintain ceremonials and icons that are established as pillars of its national identity, but at the same time it is one of the industrialized countries with the greatest capacity for technical innovation. For centuries, this was noted in their feared and controversial army. However, the XNUMXth century was something else ...

Heir to a great industrial revolution, England was able to develop some of the motorsport icons most loved and admired by any classic-loving driver. There he is Jaguar E-Type; an icon of British sportsmanship. Or the MINI; the example of how the English know how to turn the odd daily habit into something delicious and friendly.

But as we said ... While England is a country of great icons, it is also a country of avant-garde. In that sense we were surprised a few months ago the news that Jaguar itself announced an electric version of the E-Type. Now it is the turn of the great MINI; at the recent New York International Auto Show we were surprised by a well-known bodywork under which something unexpected hides ...

MINI ELECTRIC ... ALL IS VANITY

As that singer said “... and everything is vanity”. And, after all, this car is neither more nor less than a simple advertising exercise. Yes, you read it right. Because it's okay, although there are already English workshops that prepare electrical kits to be mounted on a classic MINI, the truth is that the BMW group has no intention of producing this model in series.

Everything responds to a marketing strategy very much in the style of the new resurrected MINI; a contemporary car but that, since its launch, bases a large part of its success on selling a charm "vintage”From the classic model. In that sense, the advertisers of the BMW group -true wizards of advertising, as evidenced by being able to create a car ad where no particular car is seen- have decided to shake up the atmosphere with the presentation of this model.

But ... Shake up the atmosphere, what for? Well, for the imminent appearance of a new electric model of the new MINI in 2019, a car with which the brand intends celebrate the 60th anniversary of the original model by combining memory and tradition with state-of-the-art mechanics. And the truth is, we don't think it's bad that this unit doesn't finally go into production… Let's see why.

Regardless of the debate on electric or fuel, it appears that the rear seats have been removed to allow for the 30 lithium batteries needed to generate about 38CV. In short, it does not seem like a car that is too practical or powerful to be able to compete in the automotive sector. microphones urban. Although the appeal to classic charm is more than obvious thanks to its Mini body nineties. A pity that BMW does not show us the interior ...

IS THE FUTURE A CLASSIC BODYWORK AND AN ELECTRIC MOTOR?

Beyond the appearance of this unit, this reminds us of a debate that timidly creeps in among some fans of the classic motor. Will we see more and more cars with classic bodywork whose original engine has been replaced by an electrical device? From the most purist point of view… This seems to us an atrocity. But from another more open one, it seems that it can be a good solution, especially for mass-produced classics that want to move assiduously or even daily.

Replace the melody of a powerful Italian V12 by the silence of the electric ... That would seem much more controversial to us. Be that as it may, the truth here are two things: The first is that the BMW Group publicists have hit the bull's eye again, knowing how to shake the henhouse for a new launch. And the second is that even with an electric motor and batteries that occupy the entire rear ...

Must see what a precious charm still have the MINI.

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Written by Miguel Sánchez

Through the news from La Escudería, we will travel the winding roads of Maranello listening to the roar of the Italian V12; We will travel Route66 in search of the power of the great American engines; we will get lost in the narrow English lanes tracking the elegance of their sports cars; We will speed up the braking in the curves of the Monte Carlo Rally and we will even get dusty in a garage while rescuing lost jewels.

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