Monday 29th July 2013

Next Mini revealed in concept

No shocks in store for brand lovers if Vision concept does indeed preview next year's car

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We're getting a clearer idea of what the next Mini hatchback will look like after the BMW-owned brand revealed shots of a concept version.

Central tailpipes get bigger still!

It wasn't explicitly said that the new car, going on sale from early next year, will look like this. However, given it bears such close resemblance to the car in these spy shots, we can be fairly certain it's very close to production spec.

The brand might be sprawling faster than a Chinese city, but the so-called Mini Vision shows they're not about to aggressively remodel the core. That grille is pure Mini, with the hexagonal shape borrowing from the original Cooper style rather than the sad-face arch. Incorporating the black bumper helps, although this looks more like a fat lip in the spy shot cars.

Essentially, it's more of the same, just modernized. As we've seen previously in the Rocketman concept, the reclining headlights are now ringed by lit bands that work as driving lights. The roof still looks like a lid and inside there's a big central dial.

Familiar-yet-new theme continues inside

It should be just as amusing to drive and the new, UK-built 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo engines will bring more economy to what's likely to be punchy performance. If your idea of a runabout is a frills-free Dacia Sandero, then it's not for you. This is also a car that 85 percent of buyers purchase on finance, BMW revealed earlier this year.

But the deals are good partly because the residuals are still pretty strong, so if that demand stays with the new car then we'll loudly applaud this British-built success (even if some of the new versions will be assembled in Holland).

[P4ROT]

An they had a chance to IMPROVE the looks...R53 ftw

[Nickbrapp]

WHY WOULD YOU BUY A MINI ON FINANCE YOU COULD HAVE A E46 M3 CSL FOR THAT
MONEY!!

Or a m3 and a e39 M5!!!

Or a 911!

[Triumph Man]

My Mum loves having a new car and has had new MINIs for years. So she will probably love this...

[0llie]

Look forward to seeing the final result. Still don't think you can beat the very first cars in solid colours, and on small wheels;



Or a very subtly modified 1st Gen Cooper (Cooper S bumpers, and a couple of other OEM mods)

[dukebox9reg]

Nickbrapp said:

WHY WOULD YOU BUY A MINI ON FINANCE YOU COULD HAVE A E46 M3 CSL FOR THAT
MONEY!!

Or a m3 and a e39 M5!!!

Or a 911!

could probably buy an old tank or sailing boat for that aswell, whats your point? or 10,000 mars bars

[Triumph Man]

0llie said:

Look forward to seeing the final result. Still don't think you can beat the very first cars in solid colours, and on small wheels;



Or a very subtly modified 1st Gen Cooper (Cooper S bumpers, and a couple of other OEM mods)

Agreed. My girlfriend has the 1st Gen Cooper with the JCW bodykit on it, and I think it's a brilliant looking thing. My mum's 2nd gen cooper D looks hideous and bulbous in comparison. Plus, and this is a really nerdy thing, I don't like that BMW omitted separate high and low bulbs, and replaced them with H4 dual filaments. I personally hate dual filament bulbs.

[panholio]

Interior looks great.

[zb]

Well, at least it's not white.

[kiethton]

Saw a fair number of these cammo'ed abount a month ago tearing around the German countryside near Munich.

Seemed to go ok!

[sushisushi]

But will they shock the world and make one that is actually mini (i.e.. small). Surely if anyone has a good brand to rival the VW Up it's mini?!

[Triumph Man]

The only reason we are having really nice weather is because Alec Issigonis is spinning so fast in his grave that the inertia is taking us closer to the sun...

[RacingBlue]

Mini really missed a trick by not producing the Rocketman IMO. That car was sorely needed to restore some credibility to the brand after such horrors as the Countryman, Paceman and Coupe.

Mini were a great one car brand - now they really are producing some overstyled, chintzy ste.

[drewbagz]

Bleurgh!

Or for those who don't under stand this......

[loudlashadjuster]

zb said:

Well, at least it's not white.

It is however yet another curious shade of brown that our friends from Munich seem so fond of.

The blobification of Mini continues. Issigonis must be etc..

Still, they'll sell by the bucketload I suppose.

Do you reckon the designers at Porsche, Aston Martin & Mini have telecons to discuss who is taking the piss the most?

[Ali_T]

0llie said:

Look forward to seeing the final result. Still don't think you can beat the very first cars in solid colours, and on small wheels;



Or a very subtly modified 1st Gen Cooper (Cooper S bumpers, and a couple of other OEM mods)

Don't you mean:

[Carnnoisseur]

New style dash looks great, albeit distracting. Externally, just all seems slightly rounder with less edges.

[0llie]

Ali_T said:

Don't you mean:

I was talking about MINI, not Mini

That argument is another story, and one I no longer wish to entertain!

[TNH]

Love that interior!

[Podie]

It's become a parody of itself...

[Andy ap]

Triumph Man said:

The only reason we are having really nice weather is because Alec Issigonis is spinning so fast in his grave that the inertia is taking us closer to the sun...

This ^^

from this:



HTH is this allowed to happen? the New concept that is...