Test Drive: 2017 MINI Countryman

Bigger and brawnier than its predecessor, this car is as pragmatic as it is fun

by Michael Frank The new 2017 Countryman is a half-foot bigger than its predecessor (making it the largest-ever MINI) but it’s still only VW Golf-sized. The headline appeal is that at the starting price of $26,950 for the front-wheel-drive Cooper, you get a small, stylish city car that’s easy to street park, but capacious enough to handle bulk grocery shopping trips, weekends away and more. …

Design Impact on 2017’s Forthcoming Products

While much of the headline-grabbing announcements at CES focused on software, Fast Co’s team dedicated time to discover the best of hardware design. From major names like Sony (who revealed speakers, screens, projectors and more) to smaller organizations like Argodesign and car manufacturer Denso, industrial design—and the minds behind it—left a resounding impact. 3D scanning devices also stunned with their advancement. For a comprehensive overview …

100+ Years of British Car-Making at the MINI Oxford Plant

We interview three employees whose families have a long history with the carmaker

by Michael Frank In an age when automakers are suddenly front and center in potential trade wars, it’s important to take a step back and realize that these companies—regardless of where they manufacture—employ human beings. The impacts of trade disputes will affect the bottom lines of companies, and those impacts will most hurt the people who’ve given their lives to the carmakers. This isn’t just …