MINI Superleggera Patent Drawings Surface
MINI has patented the stunning Superleggera concept released earlier this year. These photos (via Jokeforblog) show off the concept in all of it’s black and white glory and two dimensional glory. Why has MINI done this and does it it mean we can expect a production version?
There are several reasons for the Superleggera to be patented as a concept. For one the ability and speed for some Chinese manufacturers to outright copy cars means that companies like BMW need to go to extra efforts to protect their designs – even in concept form. Automakers will often sell the rights to produce popular concepts to model makers for years to come. Without these copyrights anyone could produce a car resembling the Superleggera.
Then there’s the other reason. That MINI is laying the ground-work for the Superleggera to go into production. That of course is the much more exciting idea considering no MINI concept has ever captured the collective automotive world’s imagination as much as the little roadster.
<p>I like this design very much but I have also seen the new Miata and it will be RWD and very likely less expensive than the Superleggera.</p>
<p>Gimme Petrol JCW variant, and I’ll drop my deposit today.</p>
<p>Me too!</p>
<p>I’d be very tempted to sell my r59.</p>
<p>Interesting that these images differ from the concept and show a production-ready appearance, including the door handles, windscreen, mirrors, and soft top.</p>
<p>I’ve never owned a convertible or roadster, but a production Superleggera would be hard to resist.</p>
<p>Good catch.</p>
<p>When I saw the graphics, for a split second, I thought: yikes, from the side and front angles, this looks surprisingly close to the 1995 MG F that Rover Group designed and manufactured when part of BMW (att.). :-)</p>
<p>MG F, I kind of like this car. I’ve never seen one before, print or in person. As for the SuperLegera I don’t know. It doesn’t look MINI at all, and I’m not an electric fan either, same for Hybreds. When they can make gas and diesel motors get both, performance and gas mileage figures that come very close to the Hybreds, well, why bother. Guess I’m old school.</p>
<p>Face resembles the classic “bug eye” Austin Healy Sprite.</p>
<p>This is the new S2000</p>
<p>I can’t wait until MINI makes this and the new Rocketman! I planned on keeping my R50 forever, but I would sell it for the Rocketman.</p>
<p>Will a fan of a production Superleggera step in and make the case that this 2-seater will find more sales traction than the Twins have done in relative terms, say, to the Hardtop?</p>
<p>And, if it does get made, what kind of numbers constitute a <em>financial</em> success? 50% of Hardtop sales? 25%? 5%?</p>
<p>I just don’t see this package as anything more than a beautiful distraction for MINI.</p>
<p>Awesome looking car. I assume the drivetrain is FWD since this is a MINI platform? It seems the people calling this a Miata fighter or new S2000 will not be happy.</p>
<p>However as MINI fans we all know FWD can be just as fun.</p>
<p>Yes. UKL based means either FWD or AWD. And I’d say there’s a 1% chance of the latter.</p>
<p>wish the foglights had stayed where they were on the concept</p>