Today MINI is taking the wraps off of its first special edition cars to feature the unique “Multitone” roof. The MINI Multitone Edition is a range of vehicles that brings together the multitone roof with some special styling elements. And as one of the last special editions for the current generation, it may be one of the cleanest and most successful to date.
What is the Multitone roof? The multitone top is a wet on wet paint job that is the first of its kind in the industry. This paint process is the first in the industry. As it involves painting layers on wet paint every single one will be subtly unique to the car.
It’s also great example of how the brand strives to be different. That differentiation has been important to owners as they look to make a style statement or simply stand-out in a sea of drab mid-sized crossovers. A key part of that differentiation has been the iconic contrast roof. For decades the contrast roof has been an iconic option in the MINI design palette that made the cars stand out and truly look different. And MINI customers have loved it as the desire for customization and new design ideas have grown over the last decade. And other automakers have taken note and have begun offering their own contrast roofs on all types of cars and crossovers. The Multitone roof is an answer to that.
The Multitone roof came from a design concept three years ago. We asked; is a contrast roof still unique? If not what else can we do? To bring the idea to life we worked directly with Oxford – something we really enjoyed. And we’ve learned a lot in terms of colors in the process!
Oliver Heilmer, Head of MINI Design
OFFICIAL RELEASE: World Premier: MINI Multitone Edition
The unusual design of the MINI roofs has always been a special feature of the British premium models, which customers have used to emphasise their own individual style. From the colourful 26-colour striped version of the MINI Paul Smith to the British Union Jack and the elegant colour gradient of the Multitone Roof, the roof has always been the perfect canvas for individual and expressive design throughout the history of MINI. The new MINI Multitone Edition celebrates the diverse MINI community and adds exclusive exterior and interior details to the expressive design. The colou variations of the new special edition allow MINI fans to express their own personality and be part of the progressive MINI journey.
With the Multitone Roof, the MINI Cooper SE pioneered this innovative form of roof design. The MINI Multitone Edition is available for the MINI 3 door and MINI 5 door in the premium small car segment as well as for the MINI Clubman, which is successful in the premium compact car segment.
The new colour gradient of the MINI Multitone Edition extends from the windscreen frame to the rear across the entire roof. From the light Aspen White in the front section of the roof, the colour scheme transitions elegantly to the more subdued grey shade of Melting Silver II, then changes to Jet Black in the rear section. The unique aesthetic appeal created by this colour gradient is complemented in the MINI Multitone Edition by an abstract, white rainbow on the roof, which is also featured throughout the design of the special edition. The high-contrast colour gradient on the roof is unique in the competitive environment. It emphasises the characteristic three-part MINI silhouette and becomes an expression of personal style. The special look is made possible by the innovative wet-on-wet painting process used by the British MINI plant in Oxford. With this Spray Tech paint finish, the three colour shades are applied directly one after the other. Due to changing environmental conditions, deviations in the colour pattern may occur, making each MINI Multitone Edition vehicle unique.
The MINI Multitone Edition conveys a friendly, positive attitude to life and picks up on the many different “facets of life” in terms of colour. Both the MINI 3 door and the MINI 5 door are available exclusively with Sage Green paintwork, while the MINI Clubman is offered in Indian Summer Red finish. The graphic rainbow of the special edition stands for diversity as well as a positive attitude and is depicted as an abstract white logo on the two complementary colours red (Indian Summer) and green (Sage).
In this way, the central design feature of the MINI Multitone Edition features on the iconic side scuttles on the exterior as well as the C-pillar with a PU sticker. In addition, the wheels have exclusive wheel caps in a two-tone colour scheme. Depending on the vehicle model, 17-inch light alloy wheels in the Scissor Spoke 2-Tone design or 18-inch light alloy wheels in the Pulse Spoke 2-Tone or Multiray Spoke design complete the positive aura of the special edition.
The name-giving “Multitone” lettering, together with the rainbow on friendly complementary colours, characterises the design of the door sill trims and reappears as a badge on the driver’s and front passenger’s floor mats. The abstract rainbow sweeps across the dashboard and adorns the sun visors. The multifunctional sports leather steering wheel with the Edition emblem on the lower spoke is a pleasure to hold, as is the 3D printed, customised key cap of the MINI Multitone Edition.