This comes from Alex:
A few German members from mini2-rheinland.de saw the next generation Cooper S on the Nurburgring “Nordschleife” this morning!
You can check out more photos at the link below:
[ New MINI at the Nordschleife ] www.newmini-technik.de
MF Analysis: Based on these photos it would appear that MINI is well far along in the development of the next generation MINI (the R56). I’m guessing that they’re now at the Nurburgring to test, tweak and finalize suspension settings as well as gauge the overall performance of the car. Very encouraging signs for those of us eagerly anticipating the 2007 MINI.
These photos also seem to corroborate some of what was reported in our Next Generation MINI Revealed story from last March. The larger wheels, the visible c-pillar, the hood scoop, and even the combination headlights/drivng lights, are all obvious in the photos. It would also appear that the general shape of the final car (at least the front end) is fully represented in these photos as well since they’ll also want to test handling and especially aero lift in the higher speed portions of the track.
<p>Can’t wait!</p>
<p>vin.</p>
<p>I assume these have the next generation turbo engines?</p>
<p>Awesome. I think the bigger wheel arches and new headlight cluster, as well as the overall shape of the car look great. The changes give the car, an MCS in these photos, a more aggressive looking body and stance. My only apprehension about the photos of the new model are the weird protrusions on either side of the boot–something I’ve seen in previous spy photos. Hopefully, this is just fascia to break up the rear of the car and camouflage the taillights. If the mildly disquised bonnet/front bumper is an indication that the new car will have a smoother, more radiused look, I’m happy too. (Maybe it will have a lower d.c. because of it) And you’re putting a lighter, more powerful twin-scroll turbo with better gas mileage in it? Count me in. Now about that rear suspension…</p>
<p>OH MY GOSH IT’S SO UGLY!!!!!!</p>
<p>Look for the sarcasm, I’m sure you’ll find it.</p>
<p>Looks to me like it’s still got some cammo-cladding on it’s booty, and I hope so since it looks a touch out of proportion with the rest of the car – the J. Lo, baby-got-back rear we all noticed in march. The tail lights look like they’re still hidden. Cool pics though, I wonder if there will be any appreciable difference in the handling or ride of the new car.</p>
<p>The exhaust tips look much bigger than the ’02-’06 version (non JCW) :-D.</p>
<p>I thought the new windshield wipers were supposed to drop below the bonnet-line? In these pictures they are still clearly visible.</p>
<blockquote>Looks to me like it’s still got some cammo-cladding on it’s booty, and I hope so since it looks a touch out of proportion with the rest of the car – the J. Lo, baby-got-back rear we all noticed in march. The tail lights look like they’re still hidden.</blockquote>
<p>I was thinking the same thing. It still look likes some things are still masked a bit and others just don’t look like they flow as well as you’d expect on a finished product…</p>
<p>Hm, it’s growing on me. I like the rear hatch; it’s got a cleaner design than the current model’s, without the trim above the license plate cut-out. ‘Course, that could still return…</p>
<p>It’s not bad; I don’t think the outside’s changed for the worse. I’m really worried about the interior, tho.</p>
<p>Man, I soooooo want to drive the ‘ring. Maybe we should have a MF field day or something there.</p>
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<p>I like the rear hatch; it’s got a cleaner design than the current model’s, without the trim above the license plate cut-out. ‘Course, that could still return…</p>
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<p>Actually it will return even bigger than before. You can almost make it out under the tape on the larger pics. And that tape covers just about all details on the car. When I say this is the final “shape” I mean when you’re 300 feet away and squint, you’re seeing the next MINI.</p>
<p>I’m hoping also for a little better front grill treatment – something more along the lines of the Frankfurt concept with the slats. I’m confident that in the final, polished version it’ll be pretty sharp- this is still just a mule.</p>
<p>Visible c-pillar? No more floating roof? I’ve not seen or heard of this, and it would seem unlikely.</p>
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<p>Visible c-pillar? No more floating roof? I’ve not seen or heard of this, and it would seem unlikely.</p>
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<p>It should still be blacked out… it’s just that the glass most likely will not wrap-around. This was reported last spring <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.motoringfile.com/2005/03/20/next_generation_mini_revealed">here</a>.</p>
<p>visable c pilliar is highly unlikely… all this is a staple of the MINI. They beat that into us when we are at training. Floating roof… wrap around glass… all parts of what makes a MINI a MINI according to MINI…
i guess it could be painted black… but still i find it hard to believe</p>
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<p>i guess it could be painted black… but still i find it hard to believe</p>
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<p>Well… all you have to do is look at the above pic to see them. Granted this is a prototype, but I seriously doubt MINI would have changed the structure of the forthcoming car just to make a single prototype look like it had visible c-pillars.</p>
<p>Visible, v-i-s-i-b-l-e, visible.</p>
<p>capable of being seen; or open to easy view; “a visible object”; “visible stars”; “mountains visible in the distance”; “a visible change of expression”; “visible files”</p>
<p>I think the c-pillar is just masked. It looks like the tail-light masking continues over c-pillar and covers a part of rear window and below it. In general, there are no major/radical changes in style. Can’t wait to see it in person.</p>
<p>Hopefully it’s still heavily cammo’d.. Because jesus h. christ…</p>
<p>Is see the indicators are in the headlamps as well…</p>
<p>It’s gonna be a l-o-n-g year.</p>
<p>It doesn’t look like the hood scoop is actually part of the final design. If you look closely at the second German photo, you can clearly see the four mounting screws for the plastic disguise. They follow a grille-shaped line that is much higher than the present one, more like the show car. The scoop looks like it’s just in the outer plastic shield only to throw off the spy photographers. It’s very one-dimensional and doesn’t even match the two hood lines just in front of the windshield…or is it just me?</p>
<p>Just because the scoop is slapped-together on the mule doesn’t mean it will be absent on the production car.</p>
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<p>Just because the scoop is slapped-together on the mule doesn’t mean it will be absent on the production car.</p>
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<p>Agreed. The entire front of the car has plastic over it. While you can still see the general shape of what will be coming, all of those interesting little details we all like to argue about are nicely covered up.</p>
<p>hi guys!</p>
<p>forgot to mention one major thing:</p>
<p>it definitely wasnt a supercharged engine – it was a TUROBCHARGED engine in that cooper s 🙂 !. my mate didnt look underneath that bonnet but he is 100% sure cause that car didnt make that typical whining sound when accelerating. both – turbocharger and exhaust – made an impressive and sweet sound :)</p>
<p>i just cant wait 🙂 🙂 :)</p>
<p>best wishes</p>
<p>alex</p>
<p>Hi Alex</p>
<p>Anyone have recorded the sound with a digital camera or else ? It would be very good… ;)</p>
<p>A lot of people like the typical sound of the compressor (ggnnnniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii) I hope the turbo noise will be also great.</p>
<p>Woohoo!</p>
<p>Hmmm, wasn’t there a rumor that the rear suspension was going to a cheaper design (beam axle, non multi-link)? From the rear shot it looks like it is still an independent set up.</p>
<p>Or I could be so far out of the Mini loop that I’m talking our my arse.</p>
<p>-Erik
2005 MCS</p>
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<p>Hmmm, wasn’t there a rumor that the rear suspension was going to a cheaper design (beam axle, non multi-link)? From the rear shot it looks like it is still an independent set up.</p>
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<p>That was a pretty weak rumor originally seen in the Roundel. I probably shouldn’t have mentioned it here a few years back. I’ve heard nothing indicating a change otherwise. Hopefully this and future photos of the new MCS dispel that myth.</p>
<p>Guyz, why do I get the feeling (especially from that second pic)that the signal clusters are integrated in the headlights and the foglamps are a little Aston-like(you know half fog & half driving)? Is it just me?</p>
<p>When I said the second pic I meant the ones in the German website.</p>
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<p>why do I get the feeling (especially from that second pic)that the signal clusters are integrated in the headlights and the foglamps are a little Aston-like(you know half fog & half driving)?</p>
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<p>Because they are 🙂 You can read more about those changes in our <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.motoringfile.com/2005/03/20/next_generation_mini_revealed">Next Generation MINI Revealed</a> story from last March</p>
<p>sweet! it’s still got a hood scoop! whew….</p>
<p>From the pictures it looks like they are staying with the clamshell bonnet. I really hope this is true. It would be sad to see MINI cut one more thing that makes the craftsmanship of this car above and beyond that of a “normal” $20,000 car.</p>
<p>Thank goodness for the 2006 model year! ;)</p>
<p>It doesn’t look that far off the current design to me… I’ll just wait for the body cladding to come off.</p>
<p>No matter how cool it is and how great a turbo might be, I’m still going to be happy w/ my 2006. I would never buy the first model year after any substantial redesign.</p>
<p>My wife and I are especially hopeful there is a point this year where we’ll know concrete info on the 2007 (looks, specs, etc) and where we can still order a 2006! Hopefully this is a step in that direction if they’re just in final tweaking already!</p>
<p>I’m wondering whether to buy the 2006 or 2007… is it just me or do the photos make the Cooper look like an ugly sibling to the current one? Maybe because it’s only a proto or it’s pre-production and hence they haven’t done anything to make it look remotely attractive, but the headlights just look.. odd to me.</p>
<p>Is it only my impression or does this <code>new</code> look seems very-very similar with the new Suzuki Swift??</p>
<p>from the pictures.. its looks fugly..</p>
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<p>from the pictures.. its looks fugly..</p>
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<p>Well of course… it’s camouflaged with additional metal and black tape.</p>
<p>I met a MINI club racer while at the BMW CCA Oktoberfest in mid-September. He told me the Getrag transmissions are built near Winston-Salem. He was asked to test the new all wheel drive transmission . . . Yes, they reportedly gave him a MINI mule with the pre-production transmission to evaluate.</p>
<p>He was quite amazed with the performance, saying that with it he’ll be better able to compete in his club racing class where his MINI is about 10 seconds slower than other cars. </p>
<p>He also noted that the all wheel drive system has been tested in Europe where it beat a MINI with a stock two-wheel drive transmission around a 2.5 mile course by 8 seconds!</p>
With reguards to final styling, I can say that the r56 DOES (not will look) as close to this rendering <a href="http://motoringfile.com/pictures/R56_autobilde/70108.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc">http://motoringfile.com/pictures/R56_autobilde/70108.jpg</a> as any other i’ve seen. I have hands on experience with this car, as I work on the production line in Oxford. The car is slightly larger in most dimension (as i’m sure has been previously noted) The bonnet vent on the cooperS will resemble that of the Tokyo concept wagon, meaning there will be no plastic insert, just a hole! New mini will have touches like Keyless entry on later models and potentially colour coded plastic bits, eg. bonet spats (arches). We continue to develop this new model week by week, hoping to have built 50 mules before xmas. With 4 weeks to go we’re about half way through. So as well as kicking out 700+ mini’s a day, we’re making 2 – 3 r56’s! It’s an exciting time at the moment, and it’s only going to become more exciting in the future, with the development of the Traveller, at Oxford, this time next year.