CARS & CONCEPTS: New or refreshed vehicles from Mini, BMW, Jeep, Acura and Ford

Since the original Mini was first sold in 1959, the brand has been known for its “clever use of space,” as parent company BMW put it in a news release. The Vision Urbanaut concept, shown above, attempts to translate that ethos to a hypothetical world with autonomous vehicles dominating the roadways. The interior is spacious, with four seats that can rotate or be folded. While parked, the car’s dashboard is lowered and can become a “daybed” area, and the windshield can be raised to allow for fresh air to come in. 

BMW IX

When this electric utility vehicle launches in North America in early 2022, BMW will have a new flagship to showcase its technology. Specifications for the Canadian market have not been released, but the iX is rated at 300 miles (480 kilometres) in U.S. testing. According to the automaker, DC fast-charging to 80 per cent of battery capacity from 10 per cent takes less than 40 minutes. The iX is similarly sized to the X5 and is expected to have more than 500 horsepower. 

JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON 392

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is adding more power and capability to the Jeep Wrangler. The Rubicon 392, named after its V-8 engine with 392 cubic inches of displacement (6.4 litres), makes 470 horsepower and hits 100 km/h from rest in about 4.5 seconds. That’s about four seconds quicker than the V-6-powered Wrangler Rubicon. It’s the first time since 1981 that a V-8 is an option for the Wrangler. Pricing and a launch date for the Canadian market were not known as of press time, though the Rubicon 392 was expected to arrive at dealerships in the United States in the first quarter of 2021. 

2021 ACURA RDX PMC EDITION

Acura took cues from the NSX hybrid supercar for this limited-edition version of the RDX utility vehicle. It’s also hand-assembled at the Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio (hence the PMC designation) where the NSX is built. Most obviously, the RDX gets the same “thermal orange” colour available for the NSX. Standard equipment includes black wheels, black chrome exhaust finishers and gloss-black finishes on the roof, side mirrors and door handles. Just 30 units were allocated to Canada, all of which were pre-sold. 

2022 FORD E-TRANSIT

The automaker’s electric van is geared toward commercial customers and will be offered in three configurations with different roof heights and body lengths. The low-roof variant will get about 200 kilometres of range, according to Ford. Ranges for other models were not reported. The E-Transit is expected to start at about $58,000 in Canada, plus shipping costs.