MINI to Develop Mini-BMW

The British iconic brand could develop a new product in the next few years but it won't be sold under the MINI brand. Instead, the small car will might wear the BMW badge, company boss Wolfgang Armbrecht said in a statement according to a report by Automotive News Europe. Not much is known about the car, but Armbrecht hinted that this could become BMW's smallest vehicle, so expect an advanced mix of performance and efficiency.

Armbrecht told the Financial Times Deutschland that BMW is looking to develop a small car that would better tackle the mileage issue but, at the same time, that would offer superior comfort and interior volume.

''We have always been motivated by the idea to build a small spacious car,'' he was quoted as saying. ''Keep a close eye on the coming months,'' he said when asked about a potential preview of the future mini-BMW.

The upcoming North American International Auto Show taking place in Detroit in January 2011 might be the first location to witness the introduction of a new MINI retailed under the BMW badge, but the Geneva Auto Show scheduled for March is also a possible venue to host the release of the car. Either way, expect to see a preview of what BMW calls the smallest model of its lineup in the first months of the next year.

autoevolution will be attending the 2011 NAIAS, so stay tuned for some real up close and personal shots of the vehicles, as well as for first-hand details of the motorized contraptions.