MINI’s (Not So) Secret City Car Project
Earlier this summer we told you about MINI’s secret city car project that fits within MINI’s megacity program. However now MINI has leaked details to the press about the program. Several publications were briefed on the first steps of the program, a concept car that will debut in Geneva next March. Potentially called the MINI Minor (as reported on MF), the concept car will be based on the current R56 platform but shortened to a length similar to the Toyota iQ.
How will they achieve this? MINI will likely be ditching the rear seats and go to a straight two-seater. Of course there are two keys to this program. One is making money on the car. The second is making it handle like a MINI.
The interesting thing to note is that MINI’s leak is specifically mentioning that this won’t be based on the upcoming Megacity carbon fiber city car. What about the engines? We don’t know much about the offerings yet but our guess is that this is a perfect platform for BMW’s new family of ultra efficient 3 cylinder engines.
The concept will purely be a concept however. There are no concrete plans to put the car into product until further research and concept feedback comes back to BMW.
You can read more below:
+ New MINI Mite / Autoweek
+ MINI Plans City Car / Autocar
The above photos are Mini concept cars from the early/mid 90s called the Spiritual. For more information on the cars search for ‘Spiritual’ above. They are posted here as just a visual reference.
<p>Priced right, the 4-door would definately sell in the USA, I believe. Kind of neat in it’s own little way. For all those that want a 2000 lbs car, then put a JCW motor in it, well here you are..</p>
<p>A friend of mine has a very fun to drive (in its own way) gen1 smart car with some brabus-inspired mods. He would easily be persuaded to trade for this if it featured a proper row-your-own transmission (the single biggest fly in the gen1 smart ointment).</p>
<p>Two seater? This must be the 2011 R56 GP!</p>
<p>Glad Mini is concentrating on fine looking vehicles like this as opposed to wasting time on beefing up the performance of the JCW.</p>
<p>Thanks for posting this, Gabe :)</p>
<p>I’m a little confused. So does this mean that MINI won’t get it’s own version the carbon fiber Megacity? Because that platfrom seems like such a no brainer for the brand. Something that seats 4, is incredibly space efficient, and embraces 21st century tech makes too much sense for MINI to ignore.</p>
<p>The reaction to the original Spiritual Twin concepts by BMW was not great as the UK press like to make out.
They rejected the car , however patriotic UK media wax lyrical on the concepts and say that this is the direction MINI should have taken.
Fortunately the nostalgia might be there as well as the Patriotic smooze. But I do not think the car would have been as successful as the first (under) BMW. MINI.</p>
<p>BMW only showed the concepts at Geneva to take away the limelight off the Mercedes-Benz A-klasse which was making it’s premiere.</p>
<p>The Concept that they are working on just now is identifiable as a MINI with typical cues such as the round lights , trapezoid rear lamps , floating roof and wrap around glass.
To offer an opinion? I think it will be well receieved by the public especially when you look at the Smart.
It emcompasses MINI but in a smaller package.</p>
<p>I would hate to see these in North America. It is the first of the new Mini models that I feel is squandering the brand equity in moving down market. The design isn’t that relevant to the brand and it looks to be squeezing into a local niche market that doesn’t really need more attention. The coupe/convertible and Countryman were great launches that should increase their overall market share in new segments. Too much too fast in my opinion, let it wear a BMW badge in the appropriate markets. If they are willing to let the 1 series cannibalize the sales a little, why not this one too. Call it an Isetta.</p>
<p>Can’t say I’m going to stand in line to buy this one.</p>
<blockquote>Can’t say I’m going to stand in line to buy this one.</blockquote>
<p>That’s ok. One less person for me to wait behind.</p>
<p>I love what I’m hearing Herr26! :)</p>
<p>I think this “leak” is a false decoy. Those pictures are from the early ’90s, of a Mini concept before BMW took it over. Maybe we should be digging deeper to find the real story?</p>
<p>Jon – the photos are items we added to this story. They are of the Spiritual concept cars from the early/mid 90s designed by BMW (we’ve talked about them at length here before). They were not associated with the information leaked by MINI.</p>
<p>And the leak is not a decoy.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>But I do not think the car would have been as successful as the first (under) BMW. MINI.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Could not agree more. We wooing be talking about MINIs range expanding had they launched the brand with the Spiritual.</p>
<p>I like the idea of a two seat smaller city MINI. Even more if the three banger has good power to weight numbers. In addition to a nice commuter car, this could be a very fun car to autocross in HS (SCCA). It would be nice to see something with a wheelbase length about the same as a 60’s Mini. For those souls worried about the line going down stream, how down stream was the BMC Mini that our current cars were based on? I see this as a way to bring new MINI owners into the fold instead of sending them to Hyundai. If BMW makes the car a good value for the money, a low cost car does not necessarily have to cheapen the brand.</p>
<p>They were making some pretty awesome ultra small “city cars” with the mini emblem 50 years ago….</p>
<p>I thought this smaller “City Car” was going to be called an “Isetta” and wasn’t actually a MINI.</p>
<p>i-setta and the MegaCity Vehicle are seperate entities from the MINI Project. BMW are keen to state the point that the MIN-i will not a MegaCity Vehicle with a MINI badge and grille inplace of the BMW roundel and Twin Kidney grille. It has to have it’s own identity and not be a clone – look at the forthcoming VW Lupo/Up to see clones to which each volume VW brand will receive their own model but with a different front end and badge.</p>
<p>When you look at car development in general especially in the next cycle for a model , you get bigger,heavier you have to adapt to new efficiency targets , consider additional technology and of course safety.
BMW reckon that with the MINI progressing there is space for such a concept underneath the traditional MINI. The designers are keen to show that there can be a small concept without having to attach itself to the design ideas of the Smart Car.
I can tell you this that MINI fans and possibly mini traditionalists will take to it when they see it.</p>
<p>Here we go…. wait for the JCW version mega-city.</p>
<p>This sounds promising :-)</p>
<p>I would like to fly into Las Vegas, rent a car, drive it to Denver, and then fly out of Denver. With a lot of car rental places, you have to return the car to the same place you rented it, but are there some car rental companies that will let you rent it from Point A and return it to Point B?</p>
<p>4 door is a MINI van basically
and the 2 door is a mock-off mini made by MINI…
good luck</p>