Rumors have been circulating for months about what BMW would do on August 26, 2009 for its Mini brand. That recent date marked the fiftieth anniversary of the public debut of Alec Issigonis’ original Mini. Most of the speculation involved either a coupe or some kind of cropped windshield speedster, it turns out the reality was somewhere in between. Where the original Mini coupe of the Sixties simply had a fastback replacement for the standard square-back roof, the new Mini Coupe Concept is far more extensive in it’s styling changes. The windscreen has been raked back and a low aluminium roof covers the two seats.
The Mini Coupe Concept is based on the regular Cooper Hatchback. Strictly a two-seater, the low roof line, compact dimensions, perfect axle load distribution and lightweight construction are all trademarks of a genuine sports car. Other unique elements include a body coloured grille and matching inserts on the wheels and rear bumper.
In the cabin, well bolstered sports seats feature, as does a three-spoke leather sports steering wheel with multi-function controls. Two Chronoswiss clocks to the right and left of the rev counter provide a stopwatch and a standard clock.
With a Crossover model reaching the final stages of development and Hatch, Clubman and Convertible models currently on the roads in nearly 80 countries worldwide, Mini’s plan is to offer an extended range of compact premium cars in the coming years. Hinting that the latest Coupe Concept may eventually enter production, Mini states that it offers a “vision” into how the company’s line up may continue to grow.
The MINI Coupe Concept will be shown publicly at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month alongside the production version of the new Crossover.
