Apr 25th, 2013
For years we’ve been reporting that MINI’s line-up will expanding. And as you know it has, going from one model to seven models in as many years. But recent comments by MINIUSA head Jim McDowel and several BMW Board members have underlined the fact that more changes are foot. continued →
Nov 24th, 2012
This post is also featured over on our sister site, BimmerFile.com.
In various interviews over the past few months, BMW executives have hinted at grand plans for the UKL platform. Reported by both MotoringFile and BimmerFile, the UKL platform will spawn an onslaught of FWD models. This will make MINI more long-term viable and will drive the BMW Group to greater economies of scale. Yet just how far BMW is willing to go with FWD, and how big the MINI brand will get hasn’t really been understood until recently.
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Oct 15th, 2012
The BMW Active Tourer concept shown in Paris was the first glimpse of the forthcoming UKL platform that will underpin the next generation of MINI and front wheel drive products. Next up will be MINI’s turn. Our sources are telling us that MINI will debut a cross-over vehicle similar to the BMW Active Tourer concept (internally known as the MINI Activity Tourer) that is meant to show how different BMW and MINI versions of the same platform can coexist.
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Oct 2nd, 2012
Last year we reported that BMW was seriously looking at production for MINI outside of both Oxford and Austria. First it was Germany that was considered. Then BMW looked seriously at buying a major part of bankrupt automaker Saab for the production capacity and skilled labor. However that was all just a warm-up act for the final solution. Today the Dutch company VDL announced it had signed a deal to take over Mitsubishi’s sole western European plant and start producing MINIs beginning in the latter half of 2014.
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Sep 25th, 2012
Frequent MotoringFile commenter and known BMW insider, Herr26, left us a interesting comment yesterday on our recent post regarding upcoming MINI models. As with all of his comments (here or BimmerFile) don’t take it as fact but perhaps great insight about a moment in time within BMW. In the past we’ve seen many of his proven right but also some proven wrong simply because plans changed within the company.
All that said its well worth a read, so we’re reposting it here. In it, there’s lots of interesting tidbits regarding future MINIs:
- The MINI Spacebox aka the Traveller that will be essentially a larger version of the Clubman based on the recently announced BMW Active Tourer pictured above
- MINI four door sedan
- MINI Activity Tourer which could be something of a larger four door Pacemen with an extremely raked look
- MINI Sports car aka the next generation coupe and roadster which could seeing more variation from the look o the standard MINI
Catch the full comment after the break.
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Sep 21st, 2012
The internet is abuzz with talk from MINI board member Harald Kreuger’s comments to Inside Line regarding the continued expansion of the MINI lineup. We reported back in January that MINI plans to grow the MINI family to as many as ten members, and Kreuger’s latest comments appear to back that up futher. The story from Inside Line, however, adds new fuel to the fires of speculation.
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Jun 27th, 2012
Autoblog has some seemingly innocuous spy shots of a MINI mule in R60 garb. There’s a chance it’s actually a test mule for MINI’s upcoming Spacebox concept, also known as the Traveller. The photos aren’t particularly telling, other than some changes to the footprint of the car. What is the SpaceBox? continued →
