MINI Roadster said to Debut at Frankfurt Show

This week's grapevine story concerns the possible unveiling of a near-to-production MINI Roadster study at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Britain's Autocar magazine joined the hype today corroborating an earlier report on the matter from French car mag, L'Automobile. The so-called MINI Roadster is said to be a sportier-looking two-seater version of the current 2+2 MINI Cabriolet featuring a steeply raked windshield and a retractable soft top. The reports also suggest that due to the lower gravity of the car, the MINI Roadster will offer improved handling over its Cabriolet counterpart.

Not surprisingly, the Roadster is said to be offered with a similar engine lineup as the standard MINI's including the John Cooper Work model's 1.6-litre twin scroll-turbocharged engine that produces 211 horsepower and up to 280 Nm peak torque with Overboost deployed.

The production version of the Roadster is slated to hit showrooms around the world as early as 2010.

However, what the reports don't say is where MINI plans to produce the Roadster model. As you may have already read before, the firm's Oxford plant is at peak capacity and due to this reason, MINI has made plans to assemble the forthcoming Crossman SUV, which will be revealed in production form at the Frankfurt Show, at the Magna Steyr plant in Austria.

Via: L'Automobile & Autocar

MINI Clubman with Airstream Trailer Concept: First Official Photos

These are the first official photos of a one-off concept of a specially modified MINI Cooper S Clubman and a 6.80-meter or 22-foot Airstream trailer that was created in collaboration with Danish furniture producers, Republic of Fritz Hansen. The design study will be unveiled to the public for the first time at the INTERNI Design Energies exhibition that takes place in Milan on 22 – 27 April 2009.

The concept behind the project is the creation of a mobile base for surfers and beachgoers alike. As such, the designers of Republic of Fritz Hansen kitted out both the American travel trailer and the MINI Clubman with unique features.

Design details include the use of what MINI describes as "surfer-dude wetsuit" neoprene, fresh colors and flower prints which are common on both the Clubman and the Aistream trailer.

The trailer comes with a waterproof interior that is outfitted with numerous chairs, a table and even two surfboards halves, which double up as shelving. A special feature of the trailer is that it fully opens on one side revealing a built-in sun-bathing bed.

In the Clubman, the designers of the Copenhagen-based Republic of Fritz Hansen removed the rear seat bench and stripped out the boot to fit four specially made securing shells with purpose-built mounts that can accommodate diving gear equipment, including flippers, a mask, wetsuit and oxygen tanks.

MINI Cooper S Clubman with Airstream Trailer Concept

Airstream, the oldest and one of the most recognized recreational vehicle manufacturers in the world has teamed up with MINI to create a one-off Cooper S Clubman with a trailer that will be presented for the first time at the INTERNI DESIGN ENERGIES exhibition in Milan that runs from Tuesday 21 to Thursday 30 April. The Clubman and Aistream trailer's interior have been designed by Republic of Fritz Hansen, a Copenhagen based premium furniture brand.

Amongst others, the Airstream trailer's interior will feature a new interpretations of Arne Jacobsen's Egg and Swan Chair and a table set up with four unique Series Seven chairs.

On the outside, the MINI Cooper S Clubman and the 22ft Airstream trailer enjoy the same exterior details including newly designed five spoke alloy wheels and lime-green pin stripping.

Video: Mini Crossover 4x4 Concept

The Crossover Concept that will first be presented at the Paris Motor Show in early October is a design study for an SUV type of not-so-mini, MINI. Measuring over 4 meters in length and almost 1.6 m in height, the proposed fourth variant of the MINI gets a four-wheel-drive system combined with an extended road clearance and a typical crossover appearance with plenty of body cladding. Other features include the asymmetric doors and the Centre Globe, a laser-etched display on the centre console that houses entertainment, communication, navigation and vehicle functions. Hit the jump to see the video that includes exterior and interior shots as well as footage from the Center Globe. -Continued

MINI Crossover Design Study Previews 2010 Production Version

Making its world premiere at the 2008 Paris Motor Show in October, the MINI Crossover design study previews the British firm’s first ever 4x4 SUV that’s due in early 2010. The fourth body variant of the MINI after the classic two-door hatch, the convertible and the estate-like Clubman, adopts the same retro look as the other versions enhanced with a more gaudy chromed grille, large sweptback headlights that look like they were startled by their own appearance and the typical for crossover models, protective body cladding.

The Crossover is not only the first all-wheel-drive MINI but it’s also the first model in the range to measure more than 4 meters in length. And at 1,830mm / 72.0" wide and 1,598mm / 62.9" high, it is bigger all round than the Clubman (3,950mm in length). The Crossover’s 2606mm / 102.6"wheelbase is also 59mm / 2.3’’ longer, thus promising to offer more interior space. -Continued

Continuing the dim-witted door theme of the Clubman, MINI’s designers have equipped the Crossver with a single, side-hinged door at the back while passengers get two normal doors on the right side of the vehicle and tow asymmetric doors on the driver’s side with the rear left-hand door sliding out and back, just like your typical delivery van. Hopefully, MINI will get it right on the production version…

Inside the Crossover features a four seat layout with adjustable rear seats that can slide by 130mm or 5.1" fore-and-aft. So depending on individual requirements, the rear seats offer either extra legroom or additional storage capacity in the rear compartment.

A further highlight of the interior is the ‘Center Globe’ that replaces the conventional instrument panel. Equipped with laser projection technology, the multi-function display serves to control all major entertainment, telecommunication and navigation functions, providing the speedometer function around its outer circumference

Although MINI hasn't announced any technical details on the Crossover, expect the production version to be offered with the same range of diesel and gasoline engines as its hatchback counterparts.

Via: Jalopnik , Source: MINI