New Mini Concept

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Young_Warrior

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New Mini concept
This is the undisputed star of the 2005 Frankfurt motor show. Not just a concept car based on a Mini, but a first look at the face of a completely fresh generation of Minis. In effect, it's a new, new Mini.

How do you go about reinventing an icon that's already been reinvented? This is the dilemma that BMW has been facing ever since the current Mini made its first appearance at the Frankfurt show, back in 1997.

The car became been a huge success, beating all predictions. It didn't solely plunder from the past, instead establishing a design language all of its own, one that worked in a modern context.

And now it's heavily evolved. While the grille, wheelarches, wing mirrors and door handles all look familiar, the headlamps are elongated, sitting atop a raised, widened bonnet profile clearly designed to meet new pedestrian impact regulations.

This allows for extra space between the bodywork and the rigid, potentially more damaging parts of the engine.

The inclusion of a prominent bonnet scoop makes one thing clear: there's guaranteed to be an all-new Cooper S in the offing.

The chief problem with the current Mini has been an absence of space in the back. But this dilemma is solved by the 'Mini Concept Frankfurt' (as they're calling it for now), a three-door estate set to join all-new versions of the three-door hatch and cabrio. And yes, it does have a retro inspiration - the 1960 Austin Mini Traveller.

There are four full-sized seats inside and an extended wheelbase, with access to the boot made easy by a pair of clap-hands doors built into the end of the tailgate. A sliding tray built into the base of the floor can be pulled out to help with loading.

The Concept Frankfurt is just a taster of Minis to come. Also, it's a chance to let the visual impact of those generously increased dimensions sink in.

Further versions are due to be revealed throughout next year, with the first of them expected to reach our roads early in 2007.

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If they go with that design I will personally go to the designers house, plant some C4 andblow himup when he's home.
 
live4speed
If they go with that design I will personally go to the designers house, plant some C4 andblow himup when he's home.
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No, you're being too kind. I'd personally want to torture the bastard. I'm talking medieval style. This thing is absolutely HIDEOUS. It looks part Scion xB, part generic ugly SUV, part PT Cruiser. All three of these cars are fugly in their own right, but put them together and you have something that I can't even find a word for. Monster is not even close.

The current Mini hardtops are amongst my favourite cars for their affordability and their go kart handling. Heck, I even plan on getting one one day as my first car. I'm sure the new one will still offer great performance at a reasonable price. But, if the concept looks anything like the production model, I will never want to touch one with a 10 foot pole. Hell, I'd want to impale it repeatedly with a 10 foot pole. This is an insult to the Mini, and if they go ahead with the design, I will personally want to kill the people who gave approval for ruining my favourite reasonably priced car. It's a monstrosity of epic proportions. It's supposed to be a small hatch, not some lame psuedo SUV made for losers who think 'pimping their rides' is cool.

I feel like shooting something right now...
 
And then I'll put dog poo through his letterbox.
 
It looks like a "mini" nuclear explosionsgoing to decimate the designers house if thatgoes into production. They are bastardising an icon by simply displaying a concept thats that ugly.
 
I'm crying. I hope that never happens.

This is going to the wrong direction.
"Let's make a new generation of Minis every 5 years, each generation being bigger and fatter and fuglier than the one before it."
Mini should be left as it is, and whatever they do, nothing can beat the original.
 
It was wishfull thinking that it was an April fools, thats all.
 
:indiff: I wouldn't mind so much if they didn't call it a Mini, I mean it's not that ugly from the side anyway I've seen worse. I just wish BMW would stop using that name.
 
More like something a Mini and an SUV would give birth to in a high radiation area.
 
Really, I think it looks more Japanese with thoes headlights and that puffed out front.
 
live4speed
Really, I think it looks more Japanese with thoes headlights and that puffed out front.
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I'm getting a hint of Aston Martin, actually. Something so very British about the whole car.
 
Really :odd:, theres only one single part of it that looks/sounds British imo and thats the name, Mini.
 
live4speed
Really :odd:, theres only one single part of it that looks/sounds British imo and thats the name, Mini.
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And the front grille, and the body shape, and the wheels. Bentley, Land Rover, Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Mini. They all chill out together.
 
The wheels yes, but looking at the lights I'm seeing Daihatsu Sirion, the grill resebles something from Toyota's concept designs more than a Mini's sinceit's bulging out more than it should. I'm not seeing any Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Aston Martin or Bentler. I can san see some Range Rover Sport in the side windows. I think it might just be that the ideas are all over the place in this car so different people may see very different things in it.
 
live4speed
Only just, but rest of the car is well off.
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Wth do you want with it? It's 50 years after the original car was made, how much do you want it to look alike? It's pretty damn close as far as I'm concerned.
 

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