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MINI at the Paris Motor Show 2014

Set to start on October 4, the Paris Motor Show will be hosting a couple of world and regional premieres from all kinds of manufacturers. This year, both BMW and MINI will be bringing impressive concepts to the capital city of France, the British manufacturer showing us its take on the future.
MINI at the Paris Motor Show 2014 47 photos
Photo: MINI
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The one world premiere that will be showcased on the MINI stand will be the new 5-door hardtop. The car that is supposed to appeal to those that want the MINI badge and a bit more practicality than in the 3-door version, will be shown in the flesh, to a real audience, in Paris.

Compared to its smaller brother, the new version has a longer wheelbase that offers more space inside but also a longer body that offers more room in the boot for extra luggage.

The 5-door MINI will also mark the launch of a new engine. The unit used on the Cooper SD is, of course, part of the B family but it wasn’t introduced on any car so far. The 2-liter, 4-cylinder diesel B47 engine makes 170 HP and 360 Nm (266 lb-ft) of torque, plenty for a car that supposedly weighs just 1,250 kg (2,756 lbs).

Unfortunately, you can only get the Cooper SD with an automatic 6-speed gearbox for now but we’re guessing we’ll not only be seeing a manual in the future but also all-wheel drive through the ALL4 system.

The future of the MINI brand will also be on set. The Superleggera Vision concept, developed in collaboration with Italian coach builder Touring Superleggera, is the result of a study done focused on the essentials of a car: driving fun and aesthetic appeal.

Being hand-shaped by the Italian specialists and using lightweight materials along with an electric motor, the Concept is supposed to shed some light into what we can expect from the British brand in the future.

Rumors have it that a car based on this concept will soon be put in production, featuring some of the styling cues but also an electric motor and compact size for inner city usage. While it might seem far fetched, the new UKL platform the company is using to make its own cars could be modified to accommodate an electric MINI as well.

Of course, apart from these two models, which are the most exciting of the line-up, the Brits will also be bringing out their usual contingent made up of their most popular models, including the Countryman, Roadster and 3-door Hardtop.
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