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Sign us up for one of these. Like the Mini Coupe Concept that debuted long before the lights were turned on at the Frankfurt Show, the Mini Roadster adds a bit of sleek style to the cheeky Mini line, especially since the convertible has always looked a little hairdresser-y to us.

The two seat configuration of the Roadster cuts out the Mini Convertible's rear seats, but we don't think your grocery bags will mind too much. Removing the back people-holders means that trunk cargo capacity swells from 5.7 to 8.8 cubic feet with a more substantial rear opening.

Hey, Mini -- ditch the convertible and bring the Roadster Concept to production. Your friends at Winding Road will thank you kindly. For the full details, click through the post to read Mini's press release.

We recently showed you images and details of the Mini Coupe Concept that will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Now, we have the above video to offer, featuring head of design Gert Hildebrand, which provides more information about the tiny, tiny performer.

Enjoy.

+ NextAutos: 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show Preview
+ NextAutos: Frankfurt Preview: Mini’s Two-Seater Coupe Concept Promises Performance

http://www.sub5zero.com/auto-news/mini-coupe-concept-2009-frankfurt-motor-show-o...

http://www.sub5zero.com/auto-news/mini-coupe-concept-2009-frankfurt-motor-show-o...

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In honor of the automaker’s 50th birthday, Mini introduced its newest concept, the Mini Coupé, ahead of its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The two-seater features the same 1.6-liter turbocharged engine as the John Cooper Works, which produces 211 horsepower and 192 pound feet of torque, with the Overboost function offering a brief moment of up to 206 pound-feet of torque. In the even more lightweight coupe, it promises to offer outstanding performance, if the JCW is any indication.

Mini promises that folks who love the utility of the liftgate of the standard Cooper shouldn’t be too disappointed, as the coupe offers a wide-opening tailgate that, thanks to the lack of rear seats, opens to an 8.8 cubic-foot cargo space, accessible to the passengers via a lockable opening in the bulkhead.

If this concept makes it to production, we have little reason to doubt it would be a great driver’s car. And while it might take some of us a while to warm up to the styling, it will definitely be unique. Plus it didn’t take folk long to get used to Mini’s already unusual design language.

See the Mini Coupé Concept in the gallery above, or scroll down for the accompanying press release.

http://www.sub5zero.com/car-events/north-coast-triumph-association-18th-annual-b...

It won't come as shocking news to any avid Winding Road reader to know that our love for the Mini Cooper hasn't dwindled throughout the car's lifespan. And while the current-generation Cooper has been with us for three years now, Mini has just recently upped the ante with its latest hotted-up offering, the John Cooper Works. Unlike in years past, the JCW treatment is not limited solely to the standard hardtop body -- the Clubman and Convertible Minis also benefit from the tuner treatment fresh off the assembly lines. We've just spent some time with the Cooper JCW and we're pleased. Very pleased.

CLICK HERE to continue reading.

Over the last few months, we’ve been the lucky recipients of a spate of different Mini products here at Winding Road. From the rather rip-snorting Mini JCW, to a Cooper S droptop, to the presumably humble, plain-Jane Cooper we had most recently as part of an upcoming group test. This extended amount of Mini seat time (I do my best to hog the little beggars from my fellow Winding Roaders, whenever possible) has lead to a strange revelation on my part—I simply like driving the less powerful cars more.

Taking a purely rational approach, it’s easy to back up my preference with actual reasoning. The Mini Cooper is cheaper to buy and insure, uses less gas, and offers a considerably brighter future for it’s front tires than do the torque-steery bigger brothers. With those not insignificant benefits in mind, the car is still incredibly satisfying to push on great roads, with the same superb handling DNA that Mini has become known for. What’s more, there’s something I find enormously entertaining about wringing all 116 horsepower out of the 1.6-liter engine—that power level just feels more synergistic with the size and ability of the Mini. This is a car best suited to carving, not the sort of high-speed highway stuff that calls for big power and torque numbers.

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Every now and then, certain cars come through the test fleet that make our entire staff jump for joy. The Mini Cooper is one of those cars, and we're extra excited about the fact that this one has the John Cooper Works tuning kit on it, meaning we've got over 200 horsepower of turbocharged Mini goodness.

Since our Ann Arbor team will be driving the Mini JCW for the next week, we figured we'd offer it up for a round of Ask It. Post whatever questions you have about the car and we'll do our best to respond. Stay tuned for a full review of this car in a future issue of Winding Road, too.

+ NextAutos Forums: Ask It: 2009 Mini Cooper JCW

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It's now been fifty years since the very first Minis were rolled off of the assembly lines. And even though the last of the classic Minis were built in 1968, BMW has provided us with the new, exciting Mini redux which has been on sale since the early 2000s. We love the Mini in just about every variant -- standard, Clubman, or Convertible -- and are hoping for fifty more years of Mini motoring fun.

Click through the post to read BMW's full press release about the history of Mini, but be sure to scroll through our gallery with both new and vintage Minis alike.