Mini has finally taken the wraps off its new Beachcomber SUV concept.
After teasing us with sketches and studio shots of the new Moke-inspired concept car, Mini has finally revealed it in the metal at the Detroit motor show.
The Beachcomber gets removable doors (including the side-hinged boot hatch and a 'spare tyre' that's actually used for storage.
What's most significant about the concept, however, is not the beach-bum bling or the silly name (and silly tyres).
Underneath the concept car glam the Beachcomber is more or less identical to the new Mini Crossman SUV that'll be on sale by the end of 2010.
The production car will get proper doors, a conventional roof-hinged rear hatch, and loses the spare tyre-style extra boot.
The new Crossman is based on an extended version of the Mini Clubman platform, but will be four-wheel drive, courtesy of Mini's new 'ALL4' 4x4 system.
Power is expected to come from the same range of four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines already fitted to the rest of the Mini range.
The supermini-sized Crossman SUV (think Vauxhall Corsa on stilts for a size comparison) will cost around £17k when it goes on sale in the autumn.
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