Photo: MINI
MINI and Italian coach builder Superleggera unveiled an amazing concept earlier this year that’s wearing both their names. The MINI Superleggera Vision Concept was introduced in May and ever since the media has been talking about a possible production model.
Of course, such a car would only adopt part of the styling cues used on the car and the propulsion method. Seeing one actually hand made at the Italian company’s headquarters is crazy but the rest doesn’t sound bad at all.
In this regard, BMW board member, Peter Schwarzenbauer said to Automotive News that a decision is yet at least six months away, as the company has different options on its table too.
“To really investigate seriously ... you look into several different options, you come to the question: do we produce it ourselves, do we give it to somebody else. To evaluate all of this, I would say six months at least," he said at the company's Cowley Oxford plant on Tuesday.
A move like this would take the MINI name even further from its original design and purpose but going electric might not be a bad idea after all. If the proportions are kept and the car is designed to be part of the mini or supermini class, it could be a big seller, especially in crowded cities. It could as well be an alternative to the i3, with a smaller body.
This would also mean that MINI will be making eight or nine different cars, a number that might be just too high. According to Schwarzenbauer a decision is to be made in this regard as well, the two main options being either to grow the line-up to 10 models or reduce it to just 5, the latter being the one he’d go for.
"I think, slightly on the emotional side, that concentrating on five superheroes has a great appeal to me," he said, declining to specify which of the current models could be dropped.
That would make sense, especially if we’re looking at the sale numbers, where the Paceman, Coupe and Roadster models are currently struggling. Keeping the hardtop, convertible and Countryman alone would make more sense. Add the Clubman and the possible electric model and you have 5 ‘superheroes’, enough for the MINI name.
In this regard, BMW board member, Peter Schwarzenbauer said to Automotive News that a decision is yet at least six months away, as the company has different options on its table too.
“To really investigate seriously ... you look into several different options, you come to the question: do we produce it ourselves, do we give it to somebody else. To evaluate all of this, I would say six months at least," he said at the company's Cowley Oxford plant on Tuesday.
A move like this would take the MINI name even further from its original design and purpose but going electric might not be a bad idea after all. If the proportions are kept and the car is designed to be part of the mini or supermini class, it could be a big seller, especially in crowded cities. It could as well be an alternative to the i3, with a smaller body.
This would also mean that MINI will be making eight or nine different cars, a number that might be just too high. According to Schwarzenbauer a decision is to be made in this regard as well, the two main options being either to grow the line-up to 10 models or reduce it to just 5, the latter being the one he’d go for.
"I think, slightly on the emotional side, that concentrating on five superheroes has a great appeal to me," he said, declining to specify which of the current models could be dropped.
That would make sense, especially if we’re looking at the sale numbers, where the Paceman, Coupe and Roadster models are currently struggling. Keeping the hardtop, convertible and Countryman alone would make more sense. Add the Clubman and the possible electric model and you have 5 ‘superheroes’, enough for the MINI name.
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