Tuesday 21st June 2011

Mini Coupe Hits The Road (Video)

Promo film is first look at new Mini spin-off in action

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The original concept studio pics

You know how some cars look rubbish in the glare of motorshow lights then somehow resolve themselves into something desirable out on the road? The new Mini Coupe might be doing things the other way around...

"Today marks the launch of the reveal film for the new Mini Coupé on Mini's YouTube channel," runs the official blurb attached to a link in our email this morning.

"This exclusive video footage will provide Mini fans with their first visual impressions of the sporty two-seater's innovative design as well its hallmark Mini driving fun."

So is it just us, or has a car that managed to tantalise us in its first glare of publicity, turned into something that seems not quite so relevant out on the road? Perhaps it's the camera angles, (or maybe we're just feeling grumpy?), but these visuals set us thinking more about idiosyncratic stylist-lead duffers like the Vauxhall Tigra or Suzuki XC90 than anything genuinely desirable from a performance point of view.

Still, what do we care? We haven't got a sister.

[Flat6]

uuurgh! If they can sell the ugly Countryman (which they seem to be doing quite well) then I'm sure this will fly out of the showrooms

[anonymous-user]

It's not THAT bad. Certainly seen worse looking cars, I still would never buy one but I see no reason to be hateful towards it.

[Tracked_Out]

"these visuals set us thinking more about idiosyncratic stylist-lead duffers like the Vauxhall Tigra or Suzuki XC90 than anything genuinely desirable from a performance point of view."

Nail meet head.

More milking of the Mini brand to my eyes at least...

[Garlick]

Here goes......I don't mind it.

[Fartgalen]

He's not being hateful. He said he thinks it's ugly. I think he's right.

[mig25_foxbat2003]

My brain can't resolve that into a coherent shape. It keeps filling in the blanks where the rest of it should be, and coming to the conclusion that it must have been sat upon by an elephant.

Not as fugly as the 4x4 thing, but getting there.

[Riggers]

For your consideration... (unlike Chris-R I'm sitting on the fence on this one...)

[Shaun350z]

Saw one testing around Oxford a couple of months ago and it looked slightly better in the flesh, but then it was covered in black and white camouflage.

[Rawwr]

I WANT TO SCOOP OUT MY EYES WITH TEASPOONS.

[FWDRacer]

Another day - another person pointing and laughing at you...

[minicab]

Perfect for anyone who want a slightly more expensive, and much less practical MINI.

Given how well the MINI Hatchbacks drive, I really struggle to see the point.

[Flat6]

Exactly, more milking of the brand. Perhaps it is not that bad, but just too much like the Tigra and hideous Micra thing for my liking.. I'm sure the girls will love it

[Otispunkmeyer]

This is going to be one of those cars you have to get with the right paint scheme and the right wheels for it to look right.

Like the new megane 3 door. Looks daft in a crap colour with the tiny castor wheels. It looks like a big fat hippo on a B&Q trolley.

[Rawwr]

Otispunkmeyer said:

This is going to be one of those cars you have to get with the right paint scheme for it to look right.

Until someone invents invisible paint, that's never going to happen.

[Dagnut]

is this a hoax? It's just a mini with a squashed roof?

[Fetchez la vache]

First time I saw it I thought it looked odd, and my opinion hasn't changed.
Really like the mini (old-new, and new-new, and classic for that matter ) but this leaves me thinking it's one hell of a lost opportunity!
Surely wrapping the cracking underpinnings (or should that be pinning undercrackers) of the mini in some sporty clothes would be a designers dream?? This looks like something from a kids show / circus.
You could argue that looks aren't everything... unless you're talking about the fashion statement that is the mini.

[rhinochopig]

Riggers said:

For your consideration... (unlike Chris-R I'm sitting on the fence on this one...)

I love the way they've managed to create a design which appears to be wearing a baseball cap with the peak turned backwards.

Edited by rhinochopig on Tuesday 21st June 10:26

[amirzed]

if they wanted this to be taken seriously as a coupe thing then they should have reprofiled/designed the front and back even slightly...

the way it looks now is like they sent it to West Coast Customs for a roof chop!

[Snoggledog]

Garlick said:

Here goes......I don't mind it.

You're not serious? Are you?

[Chicane-UK]

Doesn't work for me.. the proportions just feel too wrong! Needless to say, I'm sure it'll sell by the boatload.