Mini concept wows the press

New features for the new Mini Traveller

By PH Staff / Friday, 16 September 2005 / Loading comments

Mini Concept

BMW Concept Z4 Coupé

BMW showed off a Mini Concept designed to provide hints towards a potential future derivative. Much like the Traveller version of the original, it's a bit bigger and adds more space, although this one also gets a longer wheel base.

The concept gets retractable aluminium headlamps, air vents that turn into cup holders, and a central navigation screen that flips round to be replaced (it says here) by a Jules Verne-style globe -- whatever that is.

It has a number of new features, some of which, you can't help concluding, sound as if they're there for the sake of it.

For example, the lack of a B-pillar on the car means the rear windows can slide back rather than down, so they do, while the back window electronically drops and lifts, and the front seats pivot centrally, allowing them to swing round rather than tip up to aid rear passenger access.

The Mini's a big seller for BMW and, if the concept makes it into production -- and there's no talk of that happening yet -- then expect a lot of focus groups to be set up to help BMW decide what kinds of features are likely to appeal to potential buyers.

Still, according to BMW, at least the press at the show liked it...

BMW Concept Z4 Coupé

Meanwhile, BMW has also released official pictures of the Z4 Coupé Concept, which was also shown at the Frankfurt motor show this week (see story link). It gets BMW's new magnesium-alloy 3.0-litre engine developing 265bhp and 232lb-ft of torque, which would power a production version from zero to 62mph in approximately 5.7 seconds and on to a limited top speed of 155mph.