Worldcarfans today is re-running much of the same information that has reported recently around the web (and at MF) on the upcoming MINI soft-roader/SUV. Unfortunately the title of their article is fairly disingenuous in stating that they actually have spy photos of the new vehicle when they simply have a (very) rough artist’s rendering of what it may look like.
WCF is reporting that the new model (possibly code-named the R58) may be based on the upcoming R55 Clubman. While we’ve also heard that rumor (and reported it previously), we’ve also heard that the upcoming Moke (as it’ll most likely be called) may actually be based on the smal BMW 1 Series SAV currently in development. Either way we can expect production to either be based at BMW’s plant in Spartanburg South Carolina or Magna Steyr in Austria.
What the article does have that’s new are a couple clean shots of an almost undisguised 2008 MINI Clubman. Those are worth the click alone.
[ MINI SUV Spy Photos ] Worldcarfans.com
Related:
[ MINI’s Top Secret Colorado Project ] MotoringFile.com
Wow, that rendering is…startling. Looks like an illegitimate MINI / Audi offspring.
Looks like the concept show car with a new grill drawn on the photo. I think the concept vehicle looked much better.
thank goodness the artist is not on the MINI design team….
The Clubman spy shots are getting better. When should we expect untaped cars showing up?
<blockquote>When should we expect untaped cars showing up?</blockquote>
Just use your imagination! Trust me the only thing your not seeing underneath that tape is the chrom on the handles and the entire light cluster itself! At least now you can see the shape of the rear lights now – including the separate horizontal fog light at the bottom of the c pillar – which of course will be silver to match the roof.
Under “More Photos”… It cracks me up that the taped the MINI logo. “Geez Mabel it must be a New Ford?”
Check the twin exhaust on the Clubman S! That looks sweet! Although I like the R56 S exhaust better, it’s nice to see some more visual distinction being applied to the Clubman.
Hopefully MINI will show some restraint and avoid the appalling trend toward these huge frontal orifices as a styling cue – looks like it’s gonna suck…something. Yeech. Glad the Moke name seems to be in the running.
I like it.
I agree with Nathaniel. Even the MINI SUV looks startled.
THAT SUV LOOKS GREAT!
Just remember the new Mini message, “Big is in charge”. I would hope to never see a SUV mini. The fact is the Moke, Van, Pick-up where all tiny, Mini seems determined to get every non mini fan to give up their X3 to buy this joke of a vehicle. I have no doubt that there are people out there that could honestly use a vehicle like this so don’t get me wrong but a huge number of these will go to people that never leave the road, live in sunny places and drive around with a single person. I can say with no hesitation that I will never consider a driver of one of those beasts to be a Mini person. Have a sinking feeling that my sense of community will pretty much disappear the day a Mini SUV takes the street.
Just streams out loud from Mini, oops we made a mistake. My only hope is that it would be popular enough to drop the number of BMW SUV sells in the states. Think I have made my view pretty clear, I hate hate hate SUV’s, wasteful of gas, overkill and extra size and mass to help make sure any driver of a small car comes out the loser.
personally i like the design… not the grill bit so much… but if that (4 door) version came as more of an Avant instead of an SUV and add to it, a diesel engine- to help the mileage…then they’d have something (hot) on their hands 😉
I would personally have no interest in this or the clubman. However, it is consistant with Mini’s history so I say why not. I actually thought the SUV looked great along the lines of the Porsche Cayenne.
Yikes… I need a good motoring in my R53 now to recover… where the hell are my keys?!?
For those who have never heard of the Austin Ant check out; <a href="http://www.austinmemories.com/page48/page48.html" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.austinmemories.com/page48/page48.html</a>
Being a Mini purist, I don’t like that grille treatment rendition. Looks like a R56 with a bee sting reaction.
Indeed I know the Ant, however notice it still carried on the small form factor. I consider a SUV to be the principal of betrayal of the entire concept of the Mini tradition.
While the Ant was small, it was based on the 1100 platform, which was larger than the Mini, so it really was not part of the Mini tradition. I used to own an 1100, and it was an “interesting” car, but it was no Mini. I was constantly beat by VW Beetles from the stoplight, and those were SLOW cars.
I still want the truck.
Greg W. Thanks for the Ant link. That was a fun read.
I was one who said MINI would lose it’s soul, but by decades end I will probably add one member to my family-if all goes well. And now I am warming up to an idea of a bigger MINI.
Man that thing is ugly enough to gag a maggot.
The first word that flashed through my mind was “Audi”. Ick.
Not loving the Clubman right now, either. The R56 shape still doesn’t sit right with me, and extending that doesn’t help. The rear corner showing in the front-quarter shot looks awkward, like someone kicked the curve from the inside.
I’m very very happy with my R53. 🙂
For Sale: 2 MINI Cooper S’s and 1 MINI Clubman.
If MINI (aka BMW) comes out with a MINI SUV, I’m selling it all. I don’t want to be part of that SUV crowd. I sold my SUV to get a MINI…. I’m not going back.
Guess it’s time to find the next cool car. 🙂
With just a few vertical elements in the grill, I think the rendering could’ve been a character in the movie <strong>CARS!</strong> I wonder what its name would’ve been and who would’ve done the voice?
So Eric. Do you think.the Porsche owners dumped their Carreras when the Cayenne came out?
am i the only one seeing a lot of <a href="http://www.bohp.net/www/pict5/cc-mini-millinium-1.jpg" rel="nofollow">this</a>?
(the rover mini millennium concept predating the r50)