Still more MINIs on the way.... Coupe pantent drawings are out.

[Joey D]

Pre-production model out and about in Europe

Pre-Production MINI Coupé Spied

This just in. A pre-production prototype MINI Coupé was spied in partial camouflage. It appears that just as we’ve reported previously here on MotoringFile, the production car won’t vary much at all from the Coupé concept we’ve seen before. The backwards baseball cap roof is more or less intact, as is the squared off rear end. What we’re also seeing in these photos is our first look at the automatic pop-up rear spoiler. With this car surfacing, I imagine it won’t be long at all before we see the whole car in the flesh.

More photos: here

 

[NFSCARBON1]

Yuck. That is awful. They should have got rid of the rear wraparound glass and just put some rear pillars on it. Get rid of the plastic wheelarches and bigger wheels.

 

[Joey D]

Yuck. That is awful. They should have got rid of the rear wraparound glass and just put some rear pillars on it. Get rid of the plastic wheelarches and bigger wheels.

All MINI's have plastic wheel arches standard and big wheels look stupid on a MINI, those are probably 17's and are big enough.

 

[raz_10]

The speedster is cool (on the last page) top down! 👍
On the above pic^^^
What is that part "blocking" the view on the bottom of the read glass?
looks odd, but the rest is nice plastic arches and all.

 

[Joey D]

The speedster is cool (on the last page) top down! 👍
On the above pic^^^
What is that part "blocking" the view on the bottom of the read glass?
looks odd, but the rest is nice plastic arches and all.

It's a spoiler, I doubt the production vehicle will have that unless a third brake light has to be mounted to it (wouldn't be surprised if it did).

 

[homeforsummer]

All MINI's have plastic wheel arches standard and big wheels look stupid on a MINI, those are probably 17's and are big enough.

Agreed. I wouldn't get rid of the wraparound glass either. It'll come to define the shape. It may not be to all tastes but at least it's original.

I sometimes think I'm in a minority when it comes to car styling. I tend to like original styling details and shapes that we've not seen before on cars and when I see other people's comments on a lot of new vehicles, they're often pretty negative.

I love cars of any age but sometimes I get the feeling people won't remove their rose-tinted specs about them and never want things to change! The motor industry is constantly evolving like any other technology, but unlike every other technology it seems to be the place where people are least willing to accept something new and different...

I'm not keen on the Mini Coupe thing but props to MINI for doing something new. It's just a pity that it looks so similar to a regular MINI below the window line, as it would have been the perfect opportunity to experiment. Unfortunately, it seems that the brand is now completely defined by the retro-inspired regular MINI and they're stuck in a stylistic rut. Even the electric MINI scooter concept has head and tail-lights just like the cars...

What is that part "blocking" the view on the bottom of the read glass?

It tells you below the photo - it's a pop-up rear spoiler.

 

[raz_10]

It's a spoiler, I doubt the production vehicle will have that unless a third brake light has to be mounted to it (wouldn't be surprised if it did).

It looks like there is a 3rd light already there, right below the "Pop-up spoiler"
(Thanks homeforsummer)
The spoiler just cuts from the visibility me thinks. makes it look very Murano-ish...

 

[livemusic]

http://www.topgear.com/uk/photos/mini-coupe-revealed-2011-06-21?imageNo=0

Me likey.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I don't know ... it looks weird. Like they've cut the top off a Mini and replaced it with the top of another car. Like the Peugeot RCZ.

 

[CodeRedR51]

I don't know ... it looks weird. Like they've cut the top off a Mini and replaced it with the top of another car. Like the Peugeot RCZ.

Saw one of those at Silverstone. Great looking car in person. 👍

 

[MatskiMonk]

MINI John Cooper Works Coupé:Four-cylinder petrol engine with
twin-scroll turbocharger and direct injection, plus numerous technological details carried over directly from motor sport.
Displacement: 1,598 cc,
output: 155 kW/211 hp at 6,000 rpm,
max. torque: 260 Nm/192 lb-ft at 2,000 – 5,100 rpm
(280 Nm/207 lb-ft with overboost at 1,700 – 4,500 rpm).
Acceleration: 0–100 km/h (62 mph): 6.4 seconds,
top speed: 240 km/h (149 mph).
Average fuel consumption according to EU standard: 7.1 litres per
100 kilometres (39.8 mpg imp),
CO2 emissions: 165 g/km.

MINI Cooper S Coupé: Four-cylinder petrol engine with
twin-scroll turbocharger, direct injection and fully variable valve management based on the BMW Group’s VALVETRONIC technology.
Displacement: 1,598 cc,
output: 135 kW/184 hp at 5,500 rpm,
max. torque: 240 Nm/177 lb-ft at 1,600 – 5,000 rpm
(260 Nm/192 lb-ft with overboost at 1,700 – 4,500 rpm).
Acceleration: 0–100 km/h (62 mph): 6.9 seconds,
top speed: 230 km/h (143 mph).
Average fuel consumption according to EU standard: 5.8 litres per
100 kilometres (48.7 mpg imp),
CO2 emissions: 136 g/km.

MINI Cooper Coupé: Four-cylinder petrol engine with fully variable valve management based on the BMW Group’s VALVETRONIC technology.
Displacement: 1,598 cc,
output: 90 kW/122 hp at 6,000 rpm,
max. torque: 160 Nm/118 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm,
Acceleration: 0–100 km/h (62 mph): 9.0 seconds,
top speed: 204 km/h (127 mph),
Average fuel consumption according to EU standard: 5.4 litres per
100 kilometres (52.3 mpg imp),
CO2 emissions: 127 g/km.

MINI Cooper SD Coupé: Four-cylinder turbodiesel with aluminium crankcase, common-rail injection and variable turbine geometry.
Displacement: 1,995 cc,
output: 105 kW/143 hp at 4,000 rpm,
max. torque: 305 Nm/225 lb-ft at 1,750 – 2,700 rpm.
Acceleration: 0–100 km/h (62 mph): 7.9 seconds,
top speed: 216 km/h (134 mph).
Average fuel consumption according to EU standard: 4.3 litres per
100 kilometres (65.7 mpg imp),
CO2 emissions: 114 g/km.

Up to now, I liked Mini because it was a cash cow for BMW, this is the first Mini I would consider buying.

 

[boiltheocean]

I saw about twenty of these Mini Coupé on the road heading up to North Wales the other week, still slightly camouflaged but it really didn't hide the ugliness.

 

[Dan_]

The baseball cap roof doesn't really add to the the styling, I'd rather have the regular hatchback.

 

[Zenith]

Proportions are all wrong. It'll sell like the cure for cancer, but god is it ugly.

 

[Jondot]

Proportions are all wrong. It'll sell like the cure for cancer, but god is it ugly.

I would at least much rather see these on the roads than the bloody Countryman. Though I'm still trying to work out whether I've actually seen loads of those or it's just that the appearance of each one leaves such a mental scar that the situation seems worse than it is.

 

[Jim Prower]

I still can't get over the fact that it looks like a backwards-hat-wearing hoon. Which, I suppose, will make up the majority of the buyers, making this quickly a very hated car as it travels six inches from people's back bumpers...

It'll be for the UK like the Pontiac Grand Am/Prix here in Central Il is for F-body owners - the car for people who can't afford M3sAudis.

 

[Robin]

I really don't think they should accentuate the baseball cap roof by painting it a bright contrasting colour , it should be the same colour as the car to tone it down and blend in then it would look better.

 

[eSZee]

It looks as bad as the new camaro. 4ft of sheet metal followed by a foot of glass.

 

[robert1]

i dont get it...if u want a mini...wouldnt you go for a cooper? cant say im a fan of any but...it looks better then the other 'mini's' they have made..for money

 

[Mike0105]

It looks silly and actually weighs more than the hatch. It will sell well because of the badge and the image, but really it is no better than the hatch and looks worse.

 

[MatskiMonk]

It looks silly and actually weighs more than the hatch. It will sell well because of the badge and the image, but really it is no better than the hatch and looks worse.

No doubt the badge and the image will help it sell, but IF I was in the market for a small car this would be much higher on my list than the hatch (which would obviously have the same badge and image) ... that is because I don't actually like hatch backs, and believe it or not, many people who are in the market for this type of vehicle might not like hatch backs either.

 

[Mike0105]

No doubt the badge and the image will help it sell, but IF I was in the market for a small car this would be much higher on my list than the hatch (which would obviously have the same badge and image) ... that is because I don't actually like hatch backs, and believe it or not, many people who are in the market for this type of vehicle might not like hatch backs either.

Fair enough, but I still think that the hatch is a better car all round. More practical, cheaper, just as fast and will be just as much fun on a back road.

If MINI would have made it look better than the hatch, it could have been a fantastic little car, but as it stands, to me it's just a squashed MINI with a silly roof and two perfectly good seats missing. It should have been so much more than it is.

This could have been a new FIAT Barchetta.....

 

[JJ72]

No doubt the badge and the image will help it sell, but IF I was in the market for a small car this would be much higher on my list than the hatch (which would obviously have the same badge and image) ... that is because I don't actually like hatch backs, and believe it or not, many people who are in the market for this type of vehicle might not like hatch backs either.

and what sort of small car market are we talking about? I can't really think of any competitors.

The people who will buy such car obviously don't have much need for practicality and is in for the driving dynamics, but then wouldn't such people prefer a RWD?

as the performance is the same as the hatch, handles pretty much identical and priced similarly, I can't see anyone not buying the hatch for in case there's need to haul some luggage and take the occasional passengers.

I will say the hatch looks much better too, much more iconic.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

The people who will buy such car obviously don't have much need for practicality and are in for it as a fashion accessory

fixed

 

[MatskiMonk]

and what sort of small car market are we talking about? I can't really think of any competitors.

The people who will buy such car obviously don't have much need for practicality and is in for the driving dynamics, but then wouldn't such people prefer a RWD?

as the performance is the same as the hatch, handles pretty much identical and priced similarly, I can't see anyone not buying the hatch for in case there's need to haul some luggage and take the occasional passengers.

I will say the hatch looks much better too, much more iconic.

Meanwhile in the real world, peoples wants and needs are not so easy to pigeon-hole. Just because people want a small car doesn't mean it must be a hatchback. Just because people don't want a hatchback, does mean they automatically need RWD...

Open your minds everyone... The world is a big place,not everyone makes decisions the same way as you...

 

[Mike0105]

Meanwhile in the real world, peoples wants and needs are not so easy to pigeon-hole. Just because people want a small car doesn't mean it must be a hatchback. Just because people don't want a hatchback, does mean they automatically need RWD...

Open your minds everyone... The world is a big place,not everyone makes decisions the same way as you...

True, small FWD coupes can be brilliant (FIAT Barchetta), but they have to be nice to look at or at at least different to the car they are based on. I can understand not wanting a hatch, but wanting a coupe that looks like a squashed hatch isn't really much better.

 

[Moot]

Autocar are saying the new platform is designed to take a 2.0 engine with perhaps 230bhp+ and 4wd. Which could be featured in the JCW version of some models.
Why they would want to use this and not the 1.6 I don't know. Perhaps it will be for the bigger heavier longer wheelbase models.

 

[JJ72]

Two days ago when I was talking with one of Mini's car sales he was saying it will just use the same engine.....can't rule that out though.

But please no 4WD, the relative lightness and simplicity is one of the main merits of the Mini.

 

[Moot]

We already have 4wd though in the current mini range.

 

[JJ72]

We already have 4wd though in the current mini range.

that abomination called the countryman isn't what I will accept as a Mini..