New Mini SE drive

  • Thread starter Thread starter MrSnrub
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fishbert said:
Car & Driver article on their first drive:
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a43623557/2025-mini-cooper-ev-prototype-drive/

Interesting nuggets:
  • Deactivate dynamic stability control (DSC) and brace yourself for an ample measure of liftoff oversteer enhanced by a device known as GMV, short for yaw moment enhancer. ... the Cooper SE keeps on drifting through every corner it can find with the tail-out antics actively supported by the aforementioned GMV, which is a welcome addition.
  • The top speed, which in today's Mini EV is restricted to 94 mph, reportedly will be increased to 125 mph in the new SE.
  • Acceleration from zero to 62 mph is a claimed 6.7 seconds, which suggests the new one won't be substantially quicker than the last Cooper SE, a 2020 model, we tested. But there is more grunt to come, starting with the dual-motor 313-hp All4 (including 14 additional horses summoned by an overboost function), followed by a fully electric John Cooper Works edition.
  • In addition to the three Driving Experiences, the powertrain and steering can be locked into Comfort or Sport.
  • As far as the stability-control system goes, the spiciness scale ranges from Sport to Sport Plus to DSC Off. Customers also can choose from four different wheel sizes and opt for a sportier suspension setting.
  • And there's more to come, including over-the-air updates, third-party app integration, additional experience modes, on-dash projections from your private image library, a wide variety of sound and light stagings, automatic radar-trap warnings, multiple user profiles, bespoke ambiance variations, digital personalization—you name it.
  • In addition to four different new trim levels, Mini is going to introduce at least three mood settings provisionally named Calm, Heritage, and Vivid, which are supported by 3-D technicolor orchestration.
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All4 and JCW? Wowsers...
 
insightman said:
If the 6.7-second number is accurate, it leads me to believe the Z01 SE must be heavier than the F56 SE.
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Possibly, because it's a skateboard EV, the weight balance is even closer to 50/50 and less front weight means less front grip and a slower launch?

FWD makes no sense for EVs, too bad they stuck with it.
 
CuriousGeorge said:
Apparently under the camouflage, the car is a lemony yellow (inside of charge port cover, anyway).
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Thanks for pointing this out! It kind of felt like the post-credit scenes for Marvel movies, waiting until the end to see the extra stuff lol. I'm excited about that yellow, hopefully it makes its way to the States. I had planned on getting white for this upcoming generation, but will definitely have to consider the yellow depending on how it looks in the various trims.

IMG_MINI_2313.webp
 
bucoshi said:
Thanks for pointing this out! It kind of felt like the post-credit scenes for Marvel movies, waiting until the end to see the extra stuff lol. I'm excited about that yellow, hopefully it makes its way to the States. I had planned on getting white for this upcoming generation, but will definitely have to consider the yellow depending on how it looks in the various trims.
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It's disappointing that a new-from-the-ground-up design for an EV wouldn't include a holder for the charging-port cover.
 
Ours has one, before seeing evidence to the contrary, I’ll assume the new car has one, and that video reviewer didn’t use it.
 
Our NA cars have a holder for only the Level 2 cover. I'll hold my breath to see what comes across the Pacific.

upload_2023-5-6_10-31-12.webp
 
I see what you’re saying, but that one frame from a video review of a prototype doesn’t really say anything. That said, I’ve long thought of bonding the J1772 and CCS caps together, as I AC charge indoors.
 
MichaelC said:
Pro tip: The smaller DCFC cover nests on top of the J1772 cover, so we don't need an additional holder for it.
View attachment 20430
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So if using just the top cover, still unplug both?

FWIW, I'm perfectly happy just letting the J1772 cover dangle, even if (gasp!) it touches my car. It's plastic; you would have to violently throw it against the car to have any hope of creating damage. Heck, even my ancient Mazda is pristine on the fender and has only one little chip in the paint on the gas cap cover itself, even though the gas cap is far heavier/robust than the MINI's plastic charge port covers, and the previous owner wasn't especially particular about the finish (e.g., not infrequent gravel road exploring on vacation).

OTOH, the front of the SE seems especially prone to damage. I have picked up a number of tiny chips and dings on my bumper in just a couple of months, even though I have only driven on 'clean' roads and make a point of not trailing dump trucks, trailers with dirty equipment, etc. That area (and the windshield) also seem to be bug magnets. I blame it on the un-aerodynamic more vertical surfaces that make a MINI look like a MINI.
 
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SameGuy said:
Ours has one, before seeing evidence to the contrary, I’ll assume the new car has one, and that video reviewer didn’t use it.
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Well this is embarrassing, I had to go out and check and yes my MINI has one too! Never been used though :p
 
insightman said:
It's disappointing that a new-from-the-ground-up design for an EV wouldn't include a holder for the charging-port cover.
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I'm sure they'll have something. And I'm sure half the people still won't use it.
But that doesn't matter... I'm just excited that they're pointing the charge light so it illuminates the socket.

2024-mini-spy-shots-off-15.jpg

[photo from Autoblog]
 
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