Rendered speculation: Could MINI revive the Moke?

Do you remember the Mini Moke? It was basically a naked version of the original Mini, with no roof and no doors (there's a pic after the jump) that made sensation through the mid-80s at all sorts of beach resorts around the globe and was enjoyed by some fancy people in dry climates. With the recent unveiling of the second generation Mini Cabrio, the guys at Schulte Design have thought of what a new Mini Moke would look like, and their rendering is above (see a larger pic over at Motor Authority). Will BMW decide to update the Mini Moke? Will it be safer than its predecessor? Make it an EV and it'll be a hit in Monaco!

2009 MINI Clubman John Cooper Works

The names MINI and John Cooper have been intertwined for more than 40 years and now they are closer than ever. When British race car and engine builder Cooper prepped the original MINIs for the Monte Carlo rally back in the 1960s, he helped cement the iconic status of the little car. When the MINI was reborn as a product of BMW earlier this decade, the Cooper model was a standard element of the lineup. A semi-official tuned John Cooper works edition was also available for the hard-core addicts. Earlier this year, BMW announced that the John Cooper Works MINI would become an official factory product analogous to M models from its parent company BMW.

The JCW edition is available on both the standard MINI hardtop and the extra-length Clubman. Having a JCW MINI means you have opted for the fastest factory MINI ever built. We spent a week with a John Cooper Works MINI Clubman in the Autoblog Garage just as winter weather clamped down on Michigan. Find out how this maximum fared in wintry Motown after the jump.