Exclusive: Coupé & Roadster Production Timeline
MINI is fast-tracking the highly anticipated Coupé and Roadster “twins” through design and development. Design tweaks to what we’ve seen in Frankfurt and LA have mostly been made at this point and engineering is well underway.
However the big news we’ve recently learned from our sources is that the first pre-production Coupés and Roadsters will hit the Oxford assembly line around June of 2010. These same sources are telling us that initial batches of production of both cars should start in October of 2010. Look for both products to hit UK and European dealers in the beginning of 2011. US sales should starting shortly after UK and Euro deliveries start.
Look for more big news on MINI production tomorrow.
<p>More big news?
Can I pray for a hardtop convert…. :)</p>
<p>Keep praying my friend as a car of this size cannot accomodate a retractable hardtop.</p>
<p>Can I pray for a reliable supercharged engine….?</p>
<p>that.guy: I would also love to see another supercharged engine in the line-up but I have a feeling it won’t happen since BMW uses all turbos as well. I guess I will need to start saving for my Coopster sooner than I thought ;)</p>
<p>Actually the third gen (current) Miata uses a retracting hardtop and has it stow vertically behind the seats – all at the push of a button and up or down in about 20 seconds. So it can be done. But mini would have to use a much less “fast” rear window and have a weirdly long rear trunk/deck so it is highly unlikely for the current platform.</p>
<p>Hoping the production news is that Steyer has burned to the ground in Austria to save me from getting sick on the R60 ;)</p>
<p>Actually assuming that we are going to hear about production outside of England.</p>
<p>This is glorious news! I couldn’t wait until 2012 production, so for them to bump it up to 2011 is absolutely wonderful!</p>
<p>However, here comes the deciding factor: Price….</p>
<p>Went to LA car show this past weekend. Roadster looks cool (at least with roof down). But man, the Coupe….It looks horrible. I was accompanied by 4 friends, who are not really car people (2 were girls). They all shared my opinion (they noticed its odd shape from afar and it was “What is that ugly thing?” by all 4 at once), and the girls, who admire the Hardtop, were, to tell you the truth, a bit sad because at first they thought the Coupe is the only hardtop MINI will make in the future…. So they all hoped MINI will decide not to make Coupe, but it seems it is going to happen for sure.</p>
<p>I though maybe it’s just us five that hate the way poor thing looks. I stood there for 10-15 minutes just to monitor reactions of others, and I can honestly say, regardless of age and gender, they were in general very negative….</p>
<p>@ Buchloe …..the Coupe looks good in the pictures….</p>
<p>Maybe it’s a love/hate thing? From what I’ve read on this site, the same guy who designed the Z3/M Coupe did the new MINI Coupe….and there were plenty of people who found the Z3 and M Coupes to be ugly, unattractive etc. I own one….and I love it…so it may be a subset of people who desire a new MINI Coupe.</p>
<p>I hope the production news is about bringing the R60 to market sooner, rather than later. Sorry, but I have a hard time swallowing Mini’s line about not bringing it out yet because of the economy. Instead they are pushing forward on the Coupe and Roadster, 2 cars that fall into that “niche within a niche” category? Don’t get me wrong, I think they look brilliant for the most part, but it’s not like we need more 2 seaters in the market right now with many people’s disposable income at an all time low. I love my R56 S but with 2 kids I need more space, and the Clubman isn’t enough extra room to justify the money.
Do I want to leave the Mini family? Of course not, but I will be forced to if they don’t get it together soon. And before the R60 haters chime in about how they are going to be ill, yada, yada, if Mini makes the R60, save it. I’m not interested in the hate.</p>
<p>Counter. dstock not interested in the fanboy acceptance of the R60 either lol. But that is what makes a board interesting, views different than our own. Not sure about anybody else but I don’t claim to have a lock on the absolute truth, other peoples views makes me look at things from a different aspect.</p>
<p>Oh well, still massively interested in seeing the news tomorrow.</p>
<p>If MINI does not grow to fill other niches, they will stagnate and die. It’s as simple as that. It might take a while, but it will happen.</p>
<p>While the enthusiasts will moan and complain about the R60, it’s not for them. It is designed to extend MINI into another part of the market. One where, IMHO, there isn’t currently a whole lot of innovation.</p>
<p>Timely news. I visited my local MINI dealer on the weekend and he claimed he hadn’t heard anything concrete about these models being produced. I really like the look of the hardtop, would seriously consider one when they are available.</p>
<p>JonPD – fanboy acceptance? What does that even mean? I appreciate other views, but the “it’s going to make me hurl” type of response isn’t very constructive (I’m not saying that’s you, just saying). Views that support why it’s a bad business decision for Mini would be what I consider constructive but I’m sure I am looking for too much from the web. I’ve seen your many, many thoughts on the R60, and we will agree to disagree.</p>
<p>CragE – Totally agree with you on the lack of innovation in the market for something like the R60, which is why it baffles me as to why Mini doesn’t want to get there first.</p>
<p>I’m afraid these are the wrong cars at the wrong time, unless the economy does an abrupt about face.</p>
<p>Their is already more than a few awd small four door cars/micro SUVs out there, to me sticking a Mini badge on one doesn’t bring much innovation to the market.</p>
<p>Notice in my original comment there a 😉 (i.e. tongue in cheek) to the comment. More of poking fun at Mini than a commentary on the usefulness of yet another awd small 4 door SUV.</p>
<p>In my opinion, there isn’t anything really in the awd 4 door car/micro SUV that speaks to me in the way the R60 has the potential to do. There’s a lot of ifs involved in the R60, but everything else out there seems boring. Not to mention the lack of options on other vehicles, your choice, package A, B, or C. No “youification” is really possible with most of the other manufacturers. I’m headed to the Auto show tonight, maybe something will jump out at me. I just think Mini should be doing the complete opposite and get the R60 out prior to the coupe and the roadster, Veggivet said it best “wrong cars at the wrong time” unless there is a drastic change in the economy.</p>
<p>Personally not sure of that since a 30-35k base R60 would make much of a hit now compared to a much lower cost Mini. Add to this the R60 platform basically has three potential models while the Coupe and Speedster share most components with the current Mini and account for 6 new offerings. To me this makes a much larger bang for the buck.</p>
<p>Buchloe,</p>
<p>Yep, when I saw it in person, it just doesn’t flow, the lines are not right. I don’t think that color combo was helping either. Maybe a darker color or a color matched roof, but it looks like an afterthought. The roadster was much nicer looking, it came together nicely.
I too stood their for about 15-20min. I heard the same reactions, most comments were negative on the coupe, people seam to like the roadster though. I think I’ll stick with my 370z for the 2 seater, and keep my 07 R56 JCW until there is a refresh, and hopefully a bit more power. But I really am digging the possibility of a new Subaru WRX STi coupe in 2011 as well. Do a search on the 216A for some sneak photos.</p>
<p>I want one!</p>
<p>I cant wait.</p>
<p>I’m right there with you RJ. Love my M coupe and my MINI’s and really looking forward to seeing the Coupe in person. Anyone know if it will be coming to Chicago?</p>
<p>Jim</p>