Geneva is a major auto show on the international circuit each year, and MINI and BMW both have used the Geneva venue to make some major announcements in the past. What about this year? MINI has just announced what they plan to bring with them to Switzerland this year, and as much as we’d like to tell you that you’ll see the 2014 MINI Cooper, the F56, it looks like for now MINI is staying focused on a new trim package (The Bond Street) for the Clubman, and a similar emphasis on JCW to what we saw at Detroit in January. They’re still excited about the Paceman JCW (as are we), and of course the JCW GP will be on hand. That, however, is as far as the official information goes. Is that it? MINI may very well have something else up their sleeves for this show in early March. MINI and BMW both are fond of showing pre-production cars as thinly veiled concept cars. Will we see an early F56? We don’t think so. Instead look for something a bit more conceptual but still foreshadowing something eventually meant for production.
Meanwhile, here’s the official statement from MINI:
The passion for extreme driving fun, a richly varied model range and the wide selection of personalisation options for which MINI is renowned form the centrepiece of the British premium brand’s stand at the 2013 Geneva International Motor Show. As part of its ongoing model push, MINI is introducing further additions to its portfolio of attractive design models. Indeed, this year’s Geneva Show will host the world premiere of the MINI Clubman Bond Street. Generously equipped and with a searching eye for detail, this is a MINI tailor-made for style-conscious customers of the particularly discerning variety.
Geneva will also welcome the arrival of a model destined to capture the hearts first and foremost of drivers with elevated sporting pretensions. The MINI John Cooper Works Paceman blends the charisma of the first Sports Activity Coupé in its class with race-bred powertrain and chassis technology. The John Cooper Works sub-brand – like its MINI parent – now has seven models in its line-up.
Source: MINI
<p>I know that the MINI dealers have been shown the 2014 in the past few weeks. I suspect it will be summer before us punters see it.</p>
<p>That’s our expectation.</p>
<p>What are the dealers being shown? I can’t imagine anything they see will remain secret for very long.</p>
<p>Strange that MINI will basically not have anything special at Geneva…</p>
<p>They will.</p>
<p>Slightly off topic, what happened to the MINI electric scooter?</p>
<p>You can read all about it <a href="http://www.scooterfile.com/official-news/mini-confirms-scooter-e-just-a-concept-no-production-plans/" rel="nofollow">over on ScooterFile</a>.</p>
<p>LOL! That’s awesome. ScooterFile! I’d own a MINI scooter. heck, I’d own anything they make I think.</p>
<p>The whole idea for ScooterFile was born out of that MINI scooter. It’s been up for more than a year now. Tell your friends!</p>
<p>It died the obvious death it should have suffered in the board room….</p>
<p>F56, NY auto show maybe?</p>
<p>Nope. Frankfurt in September. Look for the Debut of a Countryman work a massive Countryman badge on its boot. It starts with March production.</p>
<p>So will the hardtop get a massive Hardtop badge on the rear hatch? Or perhaps the convertible will get a Convertible badge.</p>
<p>This is the last time I will ask, what is the price for the ClubVan? Nathaniel said, stay tuned and that was last month. I visit your site multiple times per day from different IP addresses, you need loyal readers like me.</p>
<p>I’m putting that info together right now, actually. Stay tuned ;-)</p>
<p>The big badging will only apply to the Countryman and the Paceman because those are the models buyers are having trouble differentiating. MINI has no current plans to further label any of the R5X cars.</p>
<p>Thanks Nathaniel.</p>
<p>VW may have major impact on MINI after it introduces its 2014 GTD ( a diesel-powered GTI). The car delivers tremendous torque, excellent acceleration and milage (50+). Its interior design is well-executed sans the frivolous style that detracts from modern MINI interiors. Perhaps MINI will be inspired to finally bring MINI D stateside and simplify its interior design. I’ve disliked the MINI interior since the R50 to present. It’s comical and not seriously sporty.</p>
<p>Well said. I don’t agree on all points, but well put none the less.</p>
<p>I think there is some good stuff coming from MINI, in particular the 1.5, 3-cyl Cooper engine with 138 hp. Should be good performance with mileage in the 40s. Can’t agree with you on the interior. I am tired of corporate interiors – the MINI with its center speedo and toggle switches always brought a smile to my face. Move the window switches to the doors and maybe upgrade the materials and I am good.</p>
<p>While I’ll miss the central window controls, otherwise I couldn’t agree more. Lots of good stuff coming from MINI now and in the near future.</p>
<p>Don’t know what’s wrong with the current interior and why people bag on it so much. Not square or rectangular enough like every other dash? I don’t get it. I think the interior is cool and is another thing that sets it apart from being just another car like everyone else’s.</p>
<p>The current interior has a great overall shape, imo, but the fact that they chose to build it out of the cheapest nastiest plastics they could get their hands on is unforgivable.</p>
<p>Sure, you can swath the dash in pleather for an additional $1K, but that doesn’t do anything for the mid-90s GM plastics on the center stack.</p>
<p>Two words: Ergonomic disaster. Sure the stuff in the MINI works, but it’s got a lot of functional compromises in the name of style. I have two MINIs, and I drive tons of cars at some media events. MINI has the worst functional design of the dash/center stack of any car I drive, except maybe Jaguar that has a ghastly touch screen interface.</p>
<p>Many love all things quirky about MINI. Me, it’s the chassis dynamics and a lot of the other stuff I tolerate, but like? far from it…..</p>
<p>Getting bored with paceman/countryman JCW presentation on every MOTOR SHOW. I need something new. Not just flashy cars</p>
<p>What stripes are those? Gorgeous!</p>
<p>I’m with Kurster on this one, why is it that everyone is always jumping on the: Plastics, center speedometer, have to reach for the window controls, or the fog lights, ect. What car don’t you have to reach for these items, but back in the 60’s-70’s, GM said, this is where they are suppose to be and everyone laid down and played dead, then said yes. I like different dashes, interiors. If you want to see a bad interior, just look at the icon Audi TT dash. Now there is a dash that is seriously hurting, take a look at the NAV screen and the chrome around it? Sucks, and I looked seriously at one of these for a while, then came to my senses.</p>
<p>I’ll grant that the early r56 dash plastic looked cheap, but i think that it was the light silver that they used, more than anything else. With the upgraded dash materials in the 2011 model year, improvement was very nice. Those that want the r53 dash back, well it ain’t happening guys. I rather like the center speedometer on that one too, but if you do that, then you will complain that the Mini Connect/NAV screen is too small. Some of you will NEVER be happy.</p>
<p>Could we see the space box concept?</p>