MINI Roadster & Coupé Update: Design & Launch Dates
The two most anticipated cars from MINI enthusiasts are currently taking shape deep within Munich at MINI Design. The MINI Coupé and Roadster promise not only a sportier look but a sportier driving experience than any similar MINI product before them. And the best part? Both will be coming in within 18 months.
Both cars will sport a redesigned front and rear facia and unique hood designs. Currently MINI is looking at several designs ranging from an Aston like look with the running lights placed closer to the corners. It’s all in an effort to make the two cars unique in design from their Hatch and Convertible siblings.
Released in March of 2012 will be the R58 Roadster . Inside and outs there will be exclusive trim and paint options that will help set it part from the more pedestrian R57 MINI convertible.
However the one we’re particularly excited about at the MotoringFile HQ is the Coupé. According to sources it will come a few months earlier around September of 2011. Like the Roadster the Coupé will sport exclusive trim and color options. However the Coupé will be positioned as the most focused car MINI makes and thus we expect it’s look to match that character.
We expect to see final product versions in March at Geneva. Look for testing mules to start showing up this summer lapping the ‘Ring, driving through the desert and dicing it up in Munich traffic.
<p>I fully expect one of these to land in my driveway as soon as they’re released. Great looking MINI!</p>
<p>Hm, I’m suddenly thinking that I’ll have to delay my purchasing a new MINI until next year! I can’t wait to see the R59!</p>
<p>Already on the list for a Coupester at both local dealers…</p>
<p>Glad to hear that they will include unique design elements (not just a MINI without the rear seat). This sounds very exciting.</p>
<p>I hope while they are brushing up the design they manage to do something about the toupe.</p>
<p>Love the look on the roadster, not sure if I’d like the handling from a small FWD roadster. For a hatch it’s perfectly reasonable but for a sporting roadster especially with historical British ties…</p>
p>@Minipuma</p
<p>I agree entirely… the idea of the Coupe is great, but that roof just looks really awkward. I’d certainly be a buyer for this car and I will be in the market at that time, but if it looks like this I will have to pass.</p>
<p>In what way are they going to be different to so that they have a “sportier driving experience?”</p>
<p>WANT ONE! BAD!</p>
<p>I am leaning toward the 500 Abarth SS, which will debut 3rd quarter of 11, as a replacement for my 04 Cooper. I have been turned off by the 07 on Mini re-design and these don’t turn me on either.</p>
<p>If practicality wasn’t an issue, I’d be in line for a Roadster.. the coupe is just awkward.</p>
<p>I like the idea that they are making unique hoods for these models. A good excuse to break with the past and move the hood scope back to where it may actually connect to the intake.</p>
<p>I CAN’T WAIT!!! I AM SO HAPPY TO HEAR THIS NEWS!!!! :D</p>
<p>Now if only the coupe’s door opening is tall enough….</p>
<p>MORE MORE MORE…WE NEED MORE INFO!!!</p>
<p>@Minipuma @Fillip Saraiva Love the Coupe better than the Roadster, and especially like the ‘backwards driving cap’ look of the small roof / wing combo. But would definitely go for a white or black roof. The Silver really makes it look like a toupe.</p>
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<p>Oh, and quit teasing us with RSS feeds.</p>
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<p>that was not meant to go live until tomorrow morning early. Look for it tomorrow.</p>
<p>Hmmm … I like them both; wish the Coupe’s top was removable, tho, so 1 could still have the Roadster motoring experience …</p>
<p>What happened to the 3rd gen mini article you posted this morning??</p>
<p>PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make it VERY responsive, and supercharged ….</p>
<p>Great to get continuing updates on anything new. One grouse from me though is, the coupe is shown in Oxygen Blue (which I liked) a now discontinued color.</p>
<p>Great job on the interiors!!!! Personally I think these models look awful from the outside and I have no interest in them at all. One of the pictures show a woman driving the cabriolet which only reaffirms what many teenagers feel and that is mini is a girls car. Please say it isn’t so!!!!</p>
<p>I smell a Coupe in my future, providing the headroom will accommodate all 6’3″ of me.</p>
<p>I can’t understand why there has to be two different versions. Like the old british sports cars of old days, surely it would make more sense to offer one car with soft-top and an optional hard-top as an accessory.</p>
<p>Gabe how about a JCW spec, I would assume as its sharing most mechanical with the R56 we will see a JCW. Next hoping that as they are re-working the JCW brand they make it the car it should be instead of the very mixed message that it currently is.</p>
<p>The fact they are making this something that stands apart is a GREAT move. Seems like the perfect car for relaunching the JCW brand to me.</p>
<p>For the Twins, news of a bespoke hood (hopefully more contoured, and with functional hood scoop) and revised headlights and front end is welcome indeed. As for the rest of the R56 family, I await gen3 to “sort them”.</p>
<p>@KPH I think you may mean “Lightning Blue” rather than “Oxygen Blue,” but as you said, both of these colors have been discontinued… LB in March ’09, OB in March ’10.</p>
<p>That roadster looks doable, but I think the rear JCW bumper doesn’t do it for me.</p>
<p>@Blainestag & KPH,</p>
<p>I believe that’s Laser Blue on the coupe, which is still available.</p>
<p>@Matt – gas door on illustration.
Well spotted batman!
Maybe the car has twin filler necks like the old Classic Mini Cooper S. Not likely though.</p>
<p>what do you mean by more focused? and when you talk about the “aston look” for example, are you saying they are going to change these designs further from what we have already seen of them?</p>
<p>I need this car.</p>
<p>The roofline of the Coupe really does look like a bad toupee or floating army helmet. Hopefully this isn’t a new “design trend” for MINI since it also resembles the “notched” roofline on the Countryman. I think it’s awkward looking and basically ugly.</p>
<p>@minipuma You could be right. It looks darker than Laser to me, but then again, it’s a drawing, so who knows?</p>
<p>The Mini coupe will be my next car. Well that or a Challenge Stradale.</p>
<p>@SFRedMCc: Yes, I don’t know why they couldn’t have gone with a roofline similar to the Clubman. Would make it look SO much better IMO</p>
<p>I am likely in the minority here but like the new roofline. Then again I hate boorish and predictable. They have crafted something that is unique on the road and I give them props for that.</p>
<p>MINI Coupe, sure hopping that MINI realizes that they have the perfect car to develop into a GP mark2.</p>
<p>Great so when can we order any know</p>
<p>@Blainestang – I was referring to the photographs, not the ink drawings. The ink drawing appears to be a rendition of the photograph (notice both cars match the photos in their paint schemes and wheels) with whatever shade of blue was on hand for the artist… a shade that doesn’t look very much like any color offered on the R56-generation MINI (unfortunately, since it’s actually a very nice color).</p>
<p>I didn’t care for the funny roof until I saw one live at the LA AutoShow… It actually was very nice looking.</p>
<p>Will the coupe have space for my two Welsh Corgis? They are small, about 20 lbs each, and mostly trade being in the space between the fron seats in my hatchback.</p>
<p>@minipuma Haha… I didn’t even realize there were other pictures because I was looking at this on my phone. So, on the tiny screen, that drawing looked most like Lightning Blue to me. That said, I agree… the actual pictures are Laser Blue (or something very similar if it’s not exact).</p>
<p>WOW! I just viewed the slide show. These ARE beautiful cars! Will Mini follow through with interiors of this caliber? Will they up the stakes performance wise? Exciting to consider. Has renewed my interest as I just left the brand for Lotus.</p>