Spy shots: Mini Crossover nearing completion
December 31st, 1969
Mini unveiled a new crossover concept at last year’s Paris Motor Show and within just four weeks after its debut the vehicle was given the green light for production. Numerous prototypes have since been spotted testing across Europe, but despite a scheduled debut for September’s Frankfurt Motor Show the car won’t reach showrooms until the second half of next year.
The information comes from the boss of Mini brand management Wolfgang Armbrecht who spoke recently with Edmunds. Nicknamed the ‘Big Mini’, Armbrecht said the vehicle has been designed as a true 4x4 and will be able to seat four-passengers. It will stretch four meters in length but at the same time it will retain Mini’s "go-kart drive quality”.
Styling of the production model will be very similar to the concept, although the rear opening will be simplified extensively. The vehicle will also be instantly recognizable as a Mini and its interior will be packed with innovative storage solutions.
The first versions will be available in FWD only, with a BMW Xdrive-derived AWD model set to go on sale soon after the initial launch. Both vehicles will be built by independent vehicle manufacturer Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria.
Pricing for the base Cooper version with FWD is expected to start at around $29,000, while the range-topping Cooper S with AWD should be priced somewhere around the $34,000 mark. A high-performance John Cooper Works edition of the Mini crossover has been ruled out for now.
The engine lineup should mirror the powertrain range found in the Cooper and Clubman models, which means a base 1.6L petrol four-cylinder with 120hp (90kW) and 118lb-ft (160Nm) of torque, a 1.6L common-rail diesel with 110hp (82kW) and 177lb-ft (240Nm) of torque, and a 1.6L turbocharged petrol unit with 175hp (130kW) and 177lb-ft (240Nm) of torque. All three engines will be available with a six-speed manual as standard or an optional six-speed auto. The U.S. will only receive the petrol-powered versions.
As for the name of the crossover, Armbrecht wasn’t willing to reveal any clues. Mini’s marketing chief Ian Robertson has previously revealed that it definitely won’t be called the ‘Crossman’, which has widely been speculated. Another possibility is that it could be called the ‘Maxi’, but without official confirmation it is still too early to call. The Maxi name, incidentally, comes from a 1960s British Leyland five-door hatch that shared a number of features with a Mini project.2008 Mini Crossover Concept at the Paris Motor Show2010 Mini Crossover spy shots2010 Mini Crossover spy video
Mini unveiled a new crossover concept at last year’s Paris Motor Show and within just four weeks after its debut the vehicle was given the green light for production. Numerous prototypes have since been spotted testing across Europe, but despite a scheduled debut for September’s Frankfurt Motor Show the car won’t reach showrooms until the second half of next year.
The information comes from the boss of Mini brand management Wolfgang Armbrecht who spoke recently with Edmunds. Nicknamed the ‘Big Mini’, Armbrecht said the vehicle has been designed as a true 4x4 and will be able to seat four-passengers. It will stretch four meters in length but at the same time it will retain Mini’s "go-kart drive quality”.
Styling of the production model will be very similar to the concept, although the rear opening will be simplified extensively. The vehicle will also be instantly recognizable as a Mini and its interior will be packed with innovative storage solutions.
The first versions will be available in FWD only, with a BMW Xdrive-derived AWD model set to go on sale soon after the initial launch. Both vehicles will be built by independent vehicle manufacturer Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria.
Pricing for the base Cooper version with FWD is expected to start at around $29,000, while the range-topping Cooper S with AWD should be priced somewhere around the $34,000 mark. A high-performance John Cooper Works edition of the Mini crossover has been ruled out for now.
The engine lineup should mirror the powertrain range found in the Cooper and Clubman models, which means a base 1.6L petrol four-cylinder with 120hp (90kW) and 118lb-ft (160Nm) of torque, a 1.6L common-rail diesel with 110hp (82kW) and 177lb-ft (240Nm) of torque, and a 1.6L turbocharged petrol unit with 175hp (130kW) and 177lb-ft (240Nm) of torque. All three engines will be available with a six-speed manual as standard or an optional six-speed auto. The U.S. will only receive the petrol-powered versions.
As for the name of the crossover, Armbrecht wasn’t willing to reveal any clues. Mini’s marketing chief Ian Robertson has previously revealed that it definitely won’t be called the ‘Crossman’, which has widely been speculated. Another possibility is that it could be called the ‘Maxi’, but without official confirmation it is still too early to call. The Maxi name, incidentally, comes from a 1960s British Leyland five-door hatch that shared a number of features with a Mini project.
Spy shots: Mini Crossover nearing completion
July 22nd, 2009
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July 22nd, 2009
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July 22nd, 2009
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The Mini crossover will be launched in mid-2010 with FWD only but will be followed by a BMW Xdrive-derived AWD version
Enlarge PhotoThe information comes from the boss of Mini brand management Wolfgang Armbrecht who spoke recently with Edmunds. Nicknamed the ‘Big Mini’, Armbrecht said the vehicle has been designed as a true 4x4 and will be able to seat four-passengers. It will stretch four meters in length but at the same time it will retain Mini’s "go-kart drive quality”.
Styling of the production model will be very similar to the concept, although the rear opening will be simplified extensively. The vehicle will also be instantly recognizable as a Mini and its interior will be packed with innovative storage solutions.
The first versions will be available in FWD only, with a BMW Xdrive-derived AWD model set to go on sale soon after the initial launch. Both vehicles will be built by independent vehicle manufacturer Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria.
Pricing for the base Cooper version with FWD is expected to start at around $29,000, while the range-topping Cooper S with AWD should be priced somewhere around the $34,000 mark. A high-performance John Cooper Works edition of the Mini crossover has been ruled out for now.
The engine lineup should mirror the powertrain range found in the Cooper and Clubman models, which means a base 1.6L petrol four-cylinder with 120hp (90kW) and 118lb-ft (160Nm) of torque, a 1.6L common-rail diesel with 110hp (82kW) and 177lb-ft (240Nm) of torque, and a 1.6L turbocharged petrol unit with 175hp (130kW) and 177lb-ft (240Nm) of torque. All three engines will be available with a six-speed manual as standard or an optional six-speed auto. The U.S. will only receive the petrol-powered versions.
As for the name of the crossover, Armbrecht wasn’t willing to reveal any clues. Mini’s marketing chief Ian Robertson has previously revealed that it definitely won’t be called the ‘Crossman’, which has widely been speculated. Another possibility is that it could be called the ‘Maxi’, but without official confirmation it is still too early to call. The Maxi name, incidentally, comes from a 1960s British Leyland five-door hatch that shared a number of features with a Mini project.
2008 Mini Crossover Concept at the Paris Motor Show
2010 Mini Crossover spy shots
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Comments (10 total)
Meet the top commenters on the LeaderboardReminds me of the Art Cars you see running around San Francisco.
http://artcarfest.com/
And they wonder why California is called the land of fruits and nuts!!!! Fun place to live though.
When you hear of bailouts for car companies, all of those billions of dollars coming out of your pockets and mine, remember the absolute pieces of shit like this that they're inflicting on us. I'm mad.
MINI is not getting a bail out as it is not an American company and BMW is not getting a bail out from the German government, least nothing on the news wires about it.
Crossman was a perfect name.
Bring it with awd and a diesel
This promises to be hideous, and like all Minis grossly overpriced.
This promises to be hideous, and like all Minis grossly overpriced.
And yet, Mini continues to sell well in the USA
There's so little to laugh about these days, right, what with the economic troubles and people losing their jobs.
But you bet your ass I'm gonna be laughing hard whenever I see one of these and the moron that bought it behind the wheel. I also laugh every time I see a BMW 1 series. I strain my neck to look at the tool driving it, but there are precious few of those... something I'm very thankful for.
im sort of over hearing about crossover's.....
Wow, I surprised by the comments...
MINIs are overpriced?
The base price of the MINI Cooper is $18,550. How in the world that can be overpriced is beyond me, especially since the stock base and S versions absolutely kick ass in the autocross stock classes.
MINIs are ugly: hey, to each his own. There's millions of SUVs out there I think are ugly, but to me the MINI has an incredible design ethic inside and out that is a joy to drive every day. Keep in mind the paint shown above is strictly for the road test versions.
Drive one on a windy mountain road or a race track and then let us know what you think.
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