An Inside Look at MINI’s Upcoming Concepts
The BMW Active Tourer concept shown in Paris was the first glimpse of the forthcoming UKL platform that will underpin the next generation of MINI and front wheel drive products. Next up will be MINI’s turn. Our sources are telling us that MINI will debut a cross-over vehicle similar to the BMW Active Tourer concept (internally known as the MINI Activity Tourer) that is meant to show how different BMW and MINI versions of the same platform can coexist.
Looking at the Active Tourer concept imagine a MINI version with “club doors” and a lot more personality built into the design. MINI will show off a number of F56 styling features as well as new interpretations of MINI’s classic design philosophy. Look for wrap-around glass and a sunroof that looks very close to the one we saw on the Active Tourer in Paris.
Inside we expect a Rolls Royce style wrap around lounge seat in the rear and a entirely new design upfront using MINI’s design language that debuted on the Rocketman concept 18 months ago.
How is this different from a Clubman? This concept actually foretells a future MINI variant we’ve talked about for several years; the SpaceBox. What it’s ultimately called is uncertain but it’s clearly meant to be a larger more versatile MINI than what we currently know in the Clubman.
What isn’t up for debate is the market MINI is aiming for. It’s a growing space both in Europe and elsewhere that both the BMW and MINI brands are targeting with both concepts. As evidenced by the new Mercedes B Class, VW Golf and Audi A3.
?The interesting aspect in terms of design language of the BMW Active Tourer is that if you shrink the car and change the front and rear end you get a very close look of the next MINI’s sister the City Compact.
The MINI Sedan Concept
The MINI sedan is so moving ahead with some quarter scale models being built for first evaluations. Looking like a mixture of Maserati and even a mini-Rolls-Royce the car is advancing with some typical MINI ideas being expanded on as slimmer, elongated MINI-esque lights at the front or the conventional cornered lights , trapezoid rear lights and floating roof , its far too early to get a definite answer on what it will look like , but some of the ideas are so far quite impressive, some even incorporating the rear hinged doors which bodes to my impression of a MINI Rolls-Royce.
The stumbling block here is what to do with BMW. As BMW are currently at work on a elongated four door of the upcoming 2er Coupe model to bring into line amongst the 6er Gran Coupe and upcoming 4er Gran Coupe aimed at the Mercedes CLA and Audi A3 Sedan. A FWD 4dr BMW would be counter-productive as the appeal of a RWD model would be far greater.
?The MINI Activity Tourer brings the more raked look from the PACEMAN, but to a five door concept. Again sharing with the BMW FAST it aims to offer a variation on the MINI theme by offering a sporting space concept but developed for a more active lifestyle. Rear hinged doors will open up the cabin for easy entry/exit on the beach or on the slopes.
MINIs and BMWs from a Single Platform
If so much of the next generation is shared with BMW, how can they retain their MINI feel? BMW is keenly aware of what sells MINI and what needs to be at the foundation of every model; a dynamic edge and go-kart like character. On the other hand BMW are aiming at a more restrained sporting feel aimed at the more premium end of the market. BMW knows that to reach success in sharing platforms, each brand’s products have to be everything the other is not and that individuality is just as important as design.
<p>I’m worried about a couple of things…..
First off, I totally understand and agree with the need to add models to grow the brand to something that is financially self sufficient on it’s own. I also totally agreee that platform and powertrain sharing is required to hit price points needed to “win” in the MINI market… Now here goes my worries.
1) I’m worried that shared chassis will be excessively tweaked to artificially move them to the parent company. What does this mean? BMWs getting the best handling that the chassis is capable of, and MINI getting “Playful” and “cute” wile not getting the best handling a chassis is capable of. I don’t really see BMW having a MINI version out perform the more expensive BMW version, and I fear that BMW won’t want them to be close so that the BMW customers can justify the additional expense.
2) MINI-MINI competition. So we started with a small 3 door hatch, very capable, very practical. Then we get the cabrio and the clubman. Happy family of three…. Along comes the Countryman. I see the case alowing for a move to more room and practicality as people start families. Cool. I won’t buy one, but I understand it. It takes off because it’s more of a market opener than something that will take sales from the original 3 door hatch. But the Paceman is just the original car, only a bit larger (no matter how one put’s it, it’s still a bigger 3 door hatch). Now this is a car that has a lot of overlap with the original 3 door hatch. I don’t know about Europe, but here in the US, I think this WILL take sales from the original 3 door. Is it different enough to bring in more buyers by creating a new market? I’m not so sure about that….
Now as I look at all the other variants coming out, it seems that the balance is shifting from “market creation” to “market overlap”. This is dangerous and a tough row to how. For GM, at first adding more overlapping brands was a good thing as the auto market consolidated, but eventually, thier divisions were competing more against each other than against Ford or Japan (maybe a bit of an exaguration here, but the point is obvious).
Now MINI is looking like it’s going to compete against itself, and BMW/MINI is talking about how to create artificial brand differentiation. It remindes me of the ancient Chinese curse “May you live in interresting times.” Interesting times indeed for MINI and BMW/MINI for sure….</p>
<p>i totally agree with the concern in your first point. That has been my skepticism from the beginning.</p>
<p>I completely agree with you on both points.</p>
<p>It is obvious BMW originally justified the creation of the MINI brand to cover the lower-end of the premium brand spectrum, so it is difficult to justify the MINI ever become a lower cost competitor to BMW’s lower-end offerings, bringing question to MINI’s entire existence.</p>
<p>Likewise with your point about the MINI competing against itself. I really see no difference between the Cooper and the Paceman besides slight dimensional variations and all wheel drive on the Paceman. So it almost seemed like the Paceman would have been the next generation Cooper — slightly bigger, with more features — except it’s not….</p>
<p>I think what many MINI fans are missing here is that BMW will not be the sportier model. The (now) typical BMW buyer does not want a rigid suspension or even want the best track performing vehicle. The brand has softened exponentially over the last decade- to an increasingly more luxury and sporty brand rather than engineered for driving first and plushness as an after thought.</p>
<p>BMW will be sporty but MINI will be “go kart” like- very different. Haven spent a lot of time behind the wheel of the newest generation 1 Series and the current MINI lineup- there is no comparing the driving styles and that will remain the case. Both brands have different handling DNA.</p>
<p>I am not concerned that BMW and MINI sharing more with each other will harm anything. Someone talked about MINI out performing a BMW and they already do, I heard a base Cooper with sport suspension out slalomed a M3 through the cones, so it already has outperformed it’s bigger more expensive cousin…</p>