MINI Concept at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show

Kurt Gillespie Oct 11th, 2005 Link

I’ve got to say, this may be taking it a bit to far….

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Cuca Oct 11th, 2005 Link

Not if you’re selling hot dogs at night!!! LOL

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John Oct 11th, 2005 Link

Is that a giant cupholder on the roof?

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Jono Oct 11th, 2005 Link

I’m not trying to be mean or anything…

but is that a giant cup holder over the boot?

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Jono Oct 11th, 2005 Link

Great minds think alike…

or it could hold a beer keg

Hmm…A tapped mini! Guiness or New Castle Pale Ale?

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Timothy Sipples Oct 11th, 2005 Link

Tea and scones? OK, so where’s the deep fat fryer for the fish and chips? Do we get steak and kidney pies with our MINIs, too?

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asp Oct 11th, 2005 Link

think of it not so much as a “cup or keg holder” but as built in anxiety relief for the road trips (a place for the “S” owners to put their spare).

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TSizemore3 Oct 11th, 2005 Link

Looks interesting. BUILD IT!

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renaultF1 Oct 11th, 2005 Link

My guess…is it a satellite dish on the roof?

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Brian Oct 11th, 2005 Link

Looks like that’s just a place to store the table? I guess they must have alot of time on their hands….

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Vanwall Oct 11th, 2005 Link

Looks like a TJ roach-coach, with a mount for a .50 caliber. I’d hate to see that giant wooden frisbee come off at freeway speeds. ;-)

           BCNU,
       Rob in Dago

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David Bunting Oct 11th, 2005 Link

It’s a little hard to tell from this angle, but from the sketch, it appears to me that we may see a new headlight treatment for the Tokyo Concept.

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Gabe Oct 11th, 2005 Link

It’s a little hard to tell from this angle, but from the sketch, it appears to me that we may see a new headlight treatment for the Tokyo Concept.

I was thinking the same thing.

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brandon Oct 11th, 2005 Link

I don’t get it.

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Mark Vogler Oct 11th, 2005 Link

swivel seats?

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Gabe Oct 11th, 2005 Link

I don’t get it.

For those that don’t understand why MINI would be showing a seemingly radical (and crazy) concept, you first have to understand the Tokyo Auto Show. There’s really nothing quite like it. Tokyo, more than any other autoshow, is where manufacturers can let the air down a bit and get freaky. This concept is just a another iteration on the Frankfurt Concept theme… except this time the MINI Design team accessorized the hell out of it.

If you think this is a bit crazy, wait until you see what the Japanese manufacturers have in store.

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Tom Oct 11th, 2005 Link

PIMP MY RIDE!

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brandon Oct 11th, 2005 Link

For those that don’t understand why MINI would be showing a seemingly radical (and crazy) concept, you first have to understand the Tokyo Auto Show. There’s really nothing quite like it. Tokyo, more than any other autoshow, is where manufacturers can let the air down a bit and get freaky. This concept is just a another iteration on the Frankfurt Concept theme… except this time the MINI Design team accessorized the hell out of it. If you think this is a bit crazy, wait until you see what the Japanese manufacturers have in store.

Got it – I was unaware. Now I look forward to seeing more crazy designs :)

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Ryan Oct 11th, 2005 Link

There is always so much resistance on these posts, which detail changes to the Mini. I think this is an awesome idea. Would I buy it? Possibly. If I ever felt the need to go on a picnic many times a year. As of right now, that’s not really a need of mine. But this shows the creativity that is ever present on the Mini Design Group. It displays excellent vision and “out-of-the-box” thinking that caused us all to fall in love with this vehicle a few years ago.

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MINIyegor Oct 11th, 2005 Link

The cargo box in the rear of the car can be taken out and attached to the side window when open to create a table for serving tea and scones.

…and the Union Jack can be peeled off the roof and serve as a picnic carpet under the round table?

LOL

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blalor Oct 11th, 2005 Link

If you think this is a bit crazy, wait until you see what the Japanese manufacturers have in store.

Which makes me wonder how the heck they ended up with something so blasé as the Camry. We’re talking about a country who thinks it normal to dress up their robotic dogs, fer cryin’ out loud! The mind boggles at the kinds of things they think up.

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Nate Oct 11th, 2005 Link

“I don’t get it.” For those of you who may think this concept is a bit silly. You have to understand the Japanese culture, it is very reserved, and so the way they release (or let loose a little) is to really trick out their cars. MINI is just responding to a cultural need. This is why the MINI, in my opinion, is more than just a British car. In the spirit of it’s orginator it is a people’s car or world car. Reminder too, it’s just a concept. Just my 2 cents.

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Matt Korr Oct 11th, 2005 Link

It looks like somthing you would see on Monster Garage. I think its cool that they would even make a concept like that. Did they actually build it and if so is there any real pictures of it. It seems like it would be more of a show piece but I can see people buying it.

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Nathaniel Salzman Oct 11th, 2005 Link

Nah, if it was “Pimp my Ride” there’d be 2 flatscreen TV’s and yeah, probably the fish and chips deep fryer.

Gabe’s probably right that this will be pretty boring stuff in the grand scheme of the Tokyo Auto Show. For those of you that haven’t had the chance to travel in Asia, there is a fun, silly, almost childish aspect to parts of their culture. They just don’t take themselves too seriously when it comes to stuff like this. If you get a chance to watch Asian TV or asian films, their sense of drama is very different from the west. So outlandish car designs will be right at home on that side of the bigger pond.

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fishbulb Oct 11th, 2005 Link

“Well, i’m going to keep my 02-06 FOREVER if every mini comes with a table now!!!!”

it’s a concept… that’s all. Sort of a creative exercise for the designers. Let them play a little.

-jac

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csdmmnt Oct 11th, 2005 Link

I like it in an odd sorta way it’d be kind of a novelty fun item. It’s not like the traveller or what ever you call it is the “sporty” car we currently know and love so why not have its own way of “smiles” and fun?

Swivel out chairs, kind of a cool idea.

The turn down side table by the driver seat that is swiveled out, kinda cool too.

The table and chairs? Sure why not, tweak the design a bit so it doesn’t look like a giant cup holder, np I’m sure.

Attach the cargo bit from the back to the side window for a small bbq, excellent! Combined with the table and chairs this could make for a “surprising and romantic” date, a real surprise the first time, probably looked forward to after that!

If it’s not rigged to be a “sports car” then why not for a “recreational car” that isn’t a SUV?

Cheers.

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Scott Oct 11th, 2005 Link

Matt is correct. This looks like something from the producers of Monster Garage. Sorry, not my cuppa.

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Gabe Oct 11th, 2005 Link

This looks like something from the producers of Monster Garage.

I don’t think there’s any greater instult to an automotive designer.

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Adam Oct 11th, 2005 Link

I soooooo want Union jack turn indicators!

I bet they’re 9 kinds of illegal in the US.

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xplode Oct 11th, 2005 Link

why does it have no tires? alt. why does it run on 215/5-17s?

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Dave H Oct 11th, 2005 Link

Thin tires, the sketch is of the car on grass so you can’t see them too well.

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gokartride Oct 11th, 2005 Link

For what it is, I like it!!!!

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Jace Oct 12th, 2005 Link

Makes me think a bit of the Peugeot 1007 in that it tries to do more than it should? But then that might work in this category since it costs quite a bit more than the 1k7.

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The Blue Canary Oct 12th, 2005 Link

A portable bar with your MINI… hmmm.. only in Japan I guess.

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Timothy Sipples Oct 12th, 2005 Link

When you hit the horn, does this MINI play “Rule Britannia” or “God Save the Queen”?

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Ian F Oct 12th, 2005 Link

Which makes me wonder how the heck they ended up with something so blasé as the Camry

Because the Camry is an American car. Once upon a time it was Japanese, but that was quite a few years ago and these days there’s hardly an iota of Japanese left in it. Designed in the US. Made in the US. Sold in the US. The Camry is more “American” than many “American-made” cars.

Do a search for Japanese Custom Cars. This MINI concept is tame…

I think the cencept is cool. Too bad it’s unlikely it’ll ever be shown here.

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Twig Oct 12th, 2005 Link

Does it turn into a robot? Autobot I hope.

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Joey Limon Oct 12th, 2005 Link

I think that “cupholder” on the roof is to hold that table!!

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alpinamike Oct 12th, 2005 Link

Its the largest cupholder in the world , for The super gulp at the 7-11!! Or it could be where you put all your loose change, because you took out the gas cap lid smoke cup…lol

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Rocketboy Oct 13th, 2005 Link

How cool is that? Not just 1 concept, but a concept and a re-mix all in one year.. sweet… and I agree that the ‘cupholder’ is for the table… or maybe that’s where the aliens tried to make a crop-circle… :)

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Jim Oct 16th, 2005 Link

Kinda cool. In a trippy, “hey Twiggy looks good when you’re on acid” way.

Actually, I could see the roof bit sliding forward a touch & serving as a rally-style mount for a couple of spares…

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