Update 24 Jan 06: Auto Art Models has now pulled the picture mentioned in this story. Make of it what you will.
Update 20 Jan 06: A reliable source has told us that the picture found yesterday doesn’t appear to feature a few of the style details that the final car will have. So while this may be a good look at the 2007 Cooper, it isn’t the final finished production version.
Sometimes you can find the most interesting things in the strangest places. Reader Benjamin Sidon tipped us off to what appears to be a clear look at the next generation MINI’s face. But it comes with a caveat. The picture is meant to be a thumbnail of a diecast car. That said it looks as if it may have actually been taken of a pre-production prototype and not a 1/18th scale model. You can see the entire page here: Autoartmodels.com/pages/MINI.
So how can we tell it’s definitely the R56? All the tell-tale signs are there. The new headlights with the integrated turn signals, the larger more upright grille, the recessed wipers, and the slightly redesigned side mirrors for starters. Then there’s a reshaped and enlarged front intake meant to bring air to the new turbo’s intercooler that we’ve been hearing about as well.
The next question… how could this have shown up on a diecast model website? As the diecast market has grown, so to has the cooperation with auto manufacturers. In fact auto companies routinely let the large diecast modelers see designs before they hit the streets so that they can release supporting products at the time of the launch. This has become a lucrative practice for both the diecast and auto manufacturers. So as you can see it’s completely plausible that this is indeed at least an early version of the R56.
You can reacquaint yourself with all these changes by taking a look at our Next Generation Revealed Story from last March below:
[ Next Generation MINI Revealed ] MotoringFile
BTW it looks like we may have our second confirmed color for 2007.
Interesting.
The changes seem very subtle indeed. That’s good – I just love the look of the current car so much I’d hate to see them foul it up. My hope would be that the average person wouldn’t even be able to tell the difference and even we enthusiasts will have to do a double take when we see one on the street. What’s most encouraging is that the front overhang appears to be minimal – hard to tell though on such a short focal-length photo. Funny where this was found – scoop via toy company. Awesome.
Peculiar fun.
Are the fogs to be inc’d into the driving lights if this is a true face? Crisp & clean. Always keen on 3 (possibly 4) sets of lights on our MINIs.
<blockquote>Are the fogs to be inc’d into the driving lights if this is a true face? Crisp & clean. Always keen on 3 (possibly 4) sets of lights on our MINIs.</blockquote>
I believe the driving lights are combined with the headlights. The lower lights on the fogs.
Thank you, Gabe. ;D
“My, what big FOGS you have.”
Overall, a lovely face.
But, how can you see recessed wipers & tell the mirrors are different from this pic?
Q: have a larger one we may view?
I think the new face is going to look great!
Can’t wait for official photos from MINI
Shame about the turn signals being integrated with the headlights. I really like the separate blinkers on the current design. Those fogs look awfully large, too WRX-ish for me.
All that being said, I wouldn’t be complaining if I didn’t have the current model for comparison.
Here’s the same photo, a tiny bit bigger:
<a href="http://www.autoartmodels.com/images/photo/query/big/55001.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://www.autoartmodels.com/images/photo/query/big/55001.jpg</a>
If the car does follow this look I’ll be happy. Maybe they heard the thunder here on MF!
Hey Nina, “I Loves you Porgy” was a great song on your…Ne me quitte pas (Do not leave me) album. Loved it!
What could the link you provided possibly have that is “inappropriate” that my companies “Fort Knox like” proxy server be blocking it for? I want to see the larger picture now, not later when I get home. :o(
The image as been updated… okay everyone, time to shift-refresh!
Thanks Gabe!
From what it looks like, it’s still a MINI. No complaints.
Wholly Crap it’s a MF MINI!
Hilarious! This reminds me of a Car and Driver article several months ago about model car factories in China.
One of the pics showed workers polishing car bodies for the new Mercedes S Class–the magazine article was published at least a few weeks before the S Class was officially introduced.
I wonder if anyone has seen the actual AutoArt model in real life (or has any more pics?)
I don’t think small model car would have a detailed emblem on the hood like that either…
I’m glad to see the headlights look more “normal” and not as raked back as the concept cars had going…
<a href="http://www.autoartmodels.com/main.html#" rel="nofollow">AUTOart</a> is probably the premier modeler of our day. There are a lot of different model makers Hobby, Revel but AUTOart is the Best that there is. Their models are so intricate. They are not plastic, but die cast already assembled. The 1:12 &1:18 scales look real. The flash animation on their website on the opening page are in these scales. I own a Porsche at 1:18 and it is amazing the care they have taken to make it right.
The picture of the R56 that we have could very well be a model. But is more likely a picture of the real thing. When you look at the tires they are black on the sides and dirty on the underside like you would expect to see on a real car. So it probably is a real. And yes, they do little things like emblems on hoods of cars that look very authentic. Functioning suspension, steering Etc.
It’s just not the same without a hood scoop 🙁
This is the Cooper pictured above. The Cooper S will still have a hood scoop. You can see a prototype of the next generation MCS on the Nurburgring <a href="http://motoringfile.com/2005/12/24/next-generation-cooper-s-at-the-ring-2/" rel="nofollow">here</a>.
Well, that’s a surprise.. I really like the fron air intake. Everything else looks eh eh for me. Maybe when we see official pictures I’ll change my mind.
Modellers have been known to spill the beans before, so I wouldn’t be at all surprised this is the Real Thing, but they have also been known to be speculative rather than emperical. If this is a sneak peek, and it sure looks like it, it’s nice to see the changes are probably evolutionary, hopefully much like Honda’s Long Term Domination plan, and rely on subtle changes rather than, say, slapping Petey’s eyes on any snout-front layin’ around. MINI seems to be hinting at avoiding radical styling shifts that make blaring statements, which I hope is a sign of vision and confidence, and maybe we can all relax a little now.
BCNU,
Rob in Dago
Like it, on the shopping list for late this year.
Any word on what Auto Show will be introducing the 2007 models??!?!
<blockquote>Any word on what Auto Show will be introducing the 2007 models??!?!</blockquote>
Well I know it won’t be the London show as has been rumored. Otherwise it’s still a mystery. The only three major shows left are Chicago, Geneva, and New York. None of those seem to work in terms of time frame.
I heard its going to be Geneva. Not sure how much truth is in that tho. London would make sense really??
I have also heard that this is not the finished car design, not sure whether its a guess on someone’s part or a test mule??
What confirmed new colour? There’s no second confirmed colour change shown on the linked MF article.
<blockquote>What confirmed new colour? There’s no second confirmed colour change shown on the linked MF article.</blockquote>
The first that was confirmed last week was <a href="http://motoringfile.com/2006/01/11/seven-new-colors-for-07/">Chili Red</a>. The other is now presumed to be some type of silver (shown in the image above).
I like the new grill a lot.
If there was one thing that always bugged me about the MINI MKI it was the split chrome grill. It seemed very odd at first and I never got used to it.
Vaguely, it seemed as if a MINI had been slugged in the face and was carrying around a fat lip.
Much improved in my opinion.
I prefer a one piece grille, one like in the concept would be even better. I always understood and appreciated the split grille, though – it evokes the bulldog look quite well. Gives it a great underbite.
How about Geneva or New York most likely since the current MK1 is ceasing production in September?
I’m glad to see the changes are not too drastic.
I don’t like those new headlights, they are no longer clean and of an interesting design.
Car and Driver had a big feature a few months ago about the die cast car model companies in China that was very interesting. And incredible amount of effort goes into both the design and production of them.
I said in an earlier post here that I’d be happy with this design and I would. But the more I look at it it just seems to be a milquetoast makeover, public pleasing rehash.
The concept wagon’s grill is more true Mini. I’m not a fan of the concept’s head lights but the grill has grown on me. And yes at first I had misgivings about the concept but when I compare pics of the original cars grill to the wagon I saw the light.
And there you have it, I like eggs.
I still think it looks like a catfish
Maybe it’s just the silver, but I’m slightly disappointed by the plainness of this front end. They’re apparently smoothing everything over quite a bit, which, in my mind anyway, detracts from its overall character. I hate to cut down anything without seeing it in person first, but doesn’t this fascia remind you of the VW Beetle Turbo?
James: that has been bugging me also, it seems like this face has lost some of its character. It just seems too smooth, so let’s hope that those design details that the update of the 20th mentions will correct that.
Also, I find it a shame the indicators have moved to the main headlight, this could have been one of the design details that would have linked the entire family to the very first Mini. Design-wise, of course they are now replaced by the fogs, but I actually like the small, chrome-rimmed examples on the current model better. Also, I have a hard time seeing the blinking indicators on cars that have them integrated with the headlights (e.g. new VW Golf) directly from the front, if the lights are on. What I don’t mind is the parking lights moving, only now that I am driving a Mini I fully realise that the main headlights are completely dark when you only have the parking lights lit, which just seems odd.
I do hope they changed the internal headlight design, I’m not too big a fan of the “split” look the current design has in the dark.
So, mixed feelings. I am happy that the new face is not such a diversion from the current look as the traveller concepts suggested it might be, but I’m not sure if they got it right quite yet.
Please don’t say that the new MINI is getting Saturn-like amber lights at the headlight level… I HATE amber lights that high up… It’s even worse when they are used as driving lights (which, as amber is generally an all-around warning light, not a HEY, IT’S A CAR POINTED AT YOU light, I think it’s terribly wrong)…
Erik..
I went onto AutoArt’s page again earlier today and, whaaalaaaa! No new MC pictured there! Maybe someone from MINI called AutoArt and had them pull the shot?!
AutoArt has removed all photos of the actual 2007 MINI.