IN THE SPACE OF two weeks, MINI has unveiled its ambitious Coupe Concept, and today comes the announcement from the British brand’s owners BMW that it will form the basis of one of two new production models.
Speaking with workers at MINI’s factory in Oxford England this week, BMW boss Dr Norbert Reithofer confirmed that the Coupe will be joined by a second new model - likely to be the rumoured Speedster - to be revealed at Frankfurt this month.
MINI has confirmed that the production Coupe is likely to be powered by the same turbo-charged 1.6 litre petrol engine that drives the MINI John Cooper Works, developing 155kW and 260Nm of torque (up to 280Nm through the JCW MINI’s Overboost function).
No specific production or launch date has been offered, but more information is likely to be revealed during the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The news of the Coupe Concept’s future production confirmation comes on the heels of MINI Communications Manager, Natalie Bauters, telling Automotive News, “There are no plans for this vehicle at the moment, but obviously we are looking at expanding the Mini brand in the future.”
But hints that the Coupe was a genuine prospect for production came when a MINI spokesman said this week: “The crossover launch has been pushed back, as we wish to first explore differentiation within future MINI smaller models and get feedback.”
MINI has this week confirmed that its crossover - likely using the Countryman name - will miss its planned Frankfurt debut, postponed to some time in 2010.
With the Coupe Concept due for its ‘in the metal’ unveiling at next month’s Frankfurt Motor Show, MINI will be closely watching media and public response to the car.
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Seriously. I’ve been looking at this for a while and I now feel enough time has passed for me to say - this is hideous!!!! That roof is an absolute joke.
I really like it and it may be my next car if they make a dual clutch transmission available and if they upped the kw a bit to around 200kw and made it rear wheel drive.
I expected more… not sure about this one… doesn’t look that good especially the back,.. the back wheels seem strangely out of place. I guess I can get used to it though. 6.5/10 for me.
First the Clubman, now this.
Have the designers at MINI gone completely blind?
I thought it looked great and it’s not likely to see the engine output upped too much and became RWD.
They are never gonna make RWD minis, get a BMW if you want RWD really.
Mini are about to release an AWD Cross-man SUV .. so why don’t they come out with an AWD Mini Cooper S - instead of this thing ?
This is further proof that MINI have stepped well away from the unique vehicle is was in it’s supercharged form designed for the enthusiast. It’s now out for as many sales as possible and has lost it’s ‘edge’ as a different vehicle than the rest, doing so by building “cars for no-one” with that pointless Clubman and now this, while the competition like Citroen and Fiat and so on close in as MINI make it easier for them (even Suzuki have sold countless Swift’s to youngin’s who want a funky hatch with racing stripes that’s more affordable that a MINI!). I had a JCW MINI once, I really miss it, but would never get anything MINI today, they really have lost the point.