MINI Speedster/Coupe Details Leak Out

Through several sources we’ve been able to piece together some details on the forthcoming MINI Speedster and Coupe. The cars will usher in a new chapter in BMW’s plans for the MINI brand. Specifically eschew practicality and versatility in favor of performance with design and engineering choices made to cater to enthusiasts rather than the masses.
From the outside the design will feature aggressive and performance oriented cues meant to set the tone. The car will be based on the R57 but will be further massaged with a wider track for more cornering stability. Wider wheel arches will do the job of covering all the rolling bits up while giving the car a sporty look.
Headlights will be adapted from the more raked look seen in the Traveler and Crossover concepts and will curve into the wider grille. As we’ve already reported the windshield will be slightly more raked and lower than the stock R57 design.
The Speedster will feature a twin buttress top with integrated rollbars that cover the convertible top. This means two seats, no more. The trunk (yes, the speedster will have a conventional trunk) will have a short deck before it turns downward towards the tail-lamps. We’re told the rear lights are close to what is currently on the R57 but look for a larger rear (faux) air intake area.
The interior will be largely carried over from the 2010 refresh that we’ll see late this winter. However MINI intends to create a range of unique trim and color options for both the Coupe and the Speedster. Sources are telling us to look for brights colors such as orange, gold, light green and a GP like grey/blue.
The coupe (we so want to call this the “Coopster”) will be essentially the same car with a fixed roof similar to what the original Mini Broadspeed had. The roof will be sloping and a relatively low rounded side window not too far removed from the last generation BMW M Coupe. Considering the basic structure is the same as the Speedster, the Coupe will only seat two.
But why a coupe? Obviously low initial engineers costs were a bit bonus considering MINI was already developing the Speedster. But in addition to that BMW was inspired by the notion of the small coupes from the 1980’s (the CRX and MR2) and even the Ford Puma from the early 2000’s (sold outside the US). And it makes sense considering our current economic climate. With buyers looking to downsize in price, size and upgrade efficiency, BMW is looking to capitalize on enthusiast moving from larger sporty coupes. It also gives BMW yet another vehicle in the family with decent efficiency and low CO2 output.
MINI had seriously considering making the Coupe a JCW only product but pricing and production concerns have softened that stance. However MINI will limit initial model range to an S and JCW model only. Look for a Cooper and a Cooper D version later in the production run.
Speaking of production, BMW will have the speedster and coupe manufactured outside both the Oxford plant in the UK and the Magna Steyer facilities in Austria (where the R60 is being produced). The body in white (the industry term for the chassis) will be created at Oxford and then shipped to the final production location.
The idea is simple. Take the current MINI platform and make it more unique, more sporty and more of a personal statement. A perfect idea in our eyes.
Several sources helped with this reporting including the infamous Scott27 on GCZ
25 Comments
<p>As always, thanks for the info.</p>
<p>I look forward to every update on this platform… A JCW speedster may be the only thing that keeps me from jumping to the Z2</p>
<p>Rather mixed messages coming from Mini. The Coopster is supposed to be directed at the Mini performance entusiast? Yet the most powerful Mini is going to be a SUV?</p>
<p>It will be interesting to see what they come up with however. My only hope is that we end up with a true performance oriented car rather than a 90% tuned car with a iffy stock suspension.</p>
<p>Sounds promising, especially the more performance oriented direction. I hope the car will not look too much like the current R57 which lost a lot of character compared to the R53. If it looks like the pic in the post I will likely pass and look for a used 05/06 JCW.</p>
<p>I know it’s unlikely, but how great would it be if these were assembled in South Carolina!</p>
<p>John, this car can be directed at the enthusiast and not be the most powerful MINI–it’s diminished weight will more than make up for the HP. You can only put so much HP in these cars anyway before people start winding them around trees… I suspect the most important number–not overall HP, but HP to weight ratio, will be substantially in the favor of the Coopster/Speedster over the MINI SUV.</p>
<p>This is very, very cool; it harkens back to the 2002 MINI which was more a labor of love than an attempt to make a bunch of money–I doubt these models will be huge money makers, but it does throw a nice bone out to those of use pleading for something performance oriented, practicality be damned.</p>
<p>I’m now officially willing to look the other way on the SUV; as long as BMW is willing to acknowledge the MINI as a performance platform as well as a cash cow for the masses, I’m good…</p>
<p>I’d still lean toward a Z2, but at the end of the day, I don’t know if I could ever not own a MINI.</p>
<p>Coopster sounds right in so many ways – love that. Perhaps I’ll be in a position to forgo a back seat by the time I replace my Mini. But right now the part time back seat is a must have for me.</p>
<p>Dear Mini: That CRX you fondly remember? It was affordable!</p>
<p>So, is the new Coupe being considered in addition to the Sedan or is the Sedan idea now scrapped?</p>
<p>MINI is on some strange road lately. Can we at least get production photos for the Crossman to start?</p>
<p>I don’t think I was ever this confused about what’s coming down the line from MINI as I am now.</p>
<p>@<a href="#comment-266207" rel="nofollow">Aurel Savin</a>: <a href="https://www.motoringfile.com/2009/08/05/mf-exclusive-minis-product-roadmap-revealed/" rel="nofollow">Don’t be confused anymore</a> ;)</p>
<p>Lol Gabe</p>
<p>Its true that HPis not everything but to be honest the JCW is still well down on power from much of its competition (example focus rs). I would much rather see them spend the time an energy to make this the main performance car of the brand. Wish they would spend the time and energy they are burning into the R60 2 liter into making the Coopster something more than a little special. Thinking M here.</p>
<p>Two thumbs up! Sad to see the Mini production leave Oxford though. Can you really say the R60 is a British car? Ill be interested to see if they offer Union Jack stuff for the R60 and Coopster.</p>
<p>Although I find the concept of a roadster appealing, I have a “what’s wrong with this picture” reaction. MINI’s two seat roadster will be the largest car they sell (equivalent in size to a Countryman) and larger than a Clubman.</p>
<p>@<a href="#comment-266217" rel="nofollow">rkw</a>: There is no expectation that either of these cars would be any larger than the current R56.</p>
<p>Few items mished and mashed:</p>
<ul>
<li>Entering WRC with a Countryman-based racer will absolve a lot of the Countryman’s sins. Having MINI in WRC in any form is a great halo to the entire product line, in fact. The R53 JCW (FWD and all) has done fantastic in Targa Newfoundland over the years. That isn’t WRC level of competition, but it is a pretty serious rally nonetheless with some well-funded cars. </li>
<li><p>Broadspeed coupe… love this news as the more hard core and unique looking the better, as far as I’m concerned. The CRX was a fantastic car that was head-and-shoulders above the Civic Si in looks, driving feel, and interior styling. No reason MINI can’t shoot for this degree of distinction with the Broadspeed.</p></li>
<li><p>Pricing… the famous-for-a-reason early 1990’s CRX was quite affordable, but it WAS about 15% more expensive than the Civic Si coupe, the closest competitor. Money well spent, mind you, but still a bit more money than the regular hatch. So I do expect the Broadspeed to sell for more than the Cooper S or JCW. I just hope MINI keeps the pricing “reasonable”.</p></li>
<li>Z2… I hope this comes to fruition at BMW and look forward to more info on bimmerfile. It will potentially steal away a lot of the hard core MINI enthusiasts if the price is right for just one reason alone: RWD. :)</li>
</ul>
<p>Why compare the JCW to the Focus – size class larger car – when Ford makes a Fiesta in the same size class. The four door Countryman should be more comparable to the Focus in size.</p>
<p>As lava says, not only is the Focus RS (an amazing car for sure) a size class up, it is also far heavier – 500 lbs heavier. The mazdaspeed3 is an outright porker too, also more than 3200lb of mass and a mile long! Putting the Focus RS aside (since it is an amazing hatch by any measure but not sold in Canada or US), there is no comparison in driving feel between the much-hyped mazdaspeed3 and the JCW MINI, even in R56 form. 500lb is masked during acceleration by high HP, but it can’t be masked from transitional handling or overall vehicle feel. You want bragging rights in “magazine racing”, sure, more HP is always helpful… but you want to smile every time you weave around a pothole, hook a very tight corner or even make a quick lane change? Then you’ll be wanting light weight and a short wheelbase.</p>
<p>I hope they ditch the sport mode, tighten the steering and improve the seats.
Oh, and NO runflats!</p>
<p>I think everyone is getting confuse on what MINI was, can do, and can be since for 5-6 years all it has done with the newer MINIs (not Mini) is a hatchback. Everyone can’t see that Mini did many versions so for me it only make sense for MINI to release these newer models other than hatchback.</p>
<p>I do hope though that they keep them small and still fun.</p>
<p>The first of the MINI IAA Concepts are released next week.</p>
<p>John, as much as it pains me, I have to agree with Lavadera–the Ford Focus RS is in a whole different class; that car is a beast and compares more with STI’s and EVO’s than MINI’s. One reasons we probably won’t ever see the RS in the U.S.: Price. My friend is a Ford dealer, and he’s been told that one of the hangups for bringing the RS across the pond is that people in the U.S. aren’t going to pay in the 40 grand range for a Focus–the feeling is it’s unlikely that the car will be appreciated for what it is over here–which is a shame, because I’ve read nothing but fantastic reviews about it.</p>
<p>The thing with the MINI, and what makes it so fun, is that it doesn’t NEED a ton of horsepower to keep up with cars with considerably more HP–it just needs to be driven well. I really don’t want it to compete with a Focus RS, at least from a HP aspect, would totally change the character of the car for me…</p>
<p>To make the MINI more sporty is definitely what I’m looking for. I do accept the need for different models made to haul the family/belongings/what-have-you; for me, personally, I don’t need four seats. Even if I decide on purchasing a 2010 MCS, the back seat is gone the day it gets home!</p>
<p>I just hope that MINI keeps the weight as low as possible, and bump the power output just a bit. To borrow a phrase from Colin Chapman’s book, “add lightness!”</p>
<p>And keep the Broadspeed name – I love it!</p>
<p>Just would like a small bump in HP, trust me I would never expect a 300 hp Mini yet would not mind ~250 with a wall of torque. Though I would take a car with considerable weight savings, a sports tuned suspension, and great brakes over one with just more power. While its true that great performance in the corners is a nice thing on the track being able to stick to higher output cars on the straight a few more ponies would not hurt.</p>
<p>Just one comment to those asking for more power (and trust me, I am a sucker for more power): if the R56 chassis has an Achilles heel (and it has more than one, IMO) it is torque steer. It doesn’t get better at JCW power levels, it gets worse. From what I’ve read the R56 JCW suspension (so rarely added, sadly, on Canadian and US spec JCW’s) helps dramatically but still doesn’t fully sort this issue. All magazine reviews attest to the same thing. The next size class of hatches like mazdaspeed3, caliber srt4, Focus RS, etc. all have torque steer issues too, but they also have the excuse of approaching (or having) 300 hp rather than 211.</p>
<p>With the coming speedster and coupe getting fairly extensive hardware changes, to the point of a wider track as mentioned here, we may finally see an R56 with a factory-built suspension that does not disappoint. That alone is great news. If that takes place even the power the turbo JCW (or even turbo S) has should prove more than enough as it will put power down more effectively, roll and dive/squat less, and thus be ultimately a much quicker car to drive than equivalently-powered S and JCW coupes. Want a fast point-to-point car (with points separated by curves)? Upgrade suspension first… THEN add power. All I have heard in the press releases for this car so far indicate MINI understands this.</p>
<p>009 Lotus Elise Enthusiest 44k. 0-60 4.9 seconds. Best looking sports car on the road. Better knock it out of the park Mini in price, performance and looks.</p>