Once upon a time, "niche" automakers had unique appeal that wasn't for everyone. Model line-ups were simple, say a luxurious sedan and a sporty roadster, and produced in low volume to assure a measure of cachet. But the auto market got so damn competitive -- there are now 38 brands offering somewhere between 280 and 300 models -- that niche players felt pressure to compete in new segments. Never in a million years would you thought you'd see an SUV, much less a sedan, from iconic sports car maker Porsche. And while Cayenne delivered boatloads of cash to the bottom line, it pissed off more than a few loyalists.
In a Cayenne-like departure from brand character, Mini's announced a crossover concept it'll debut at the Paris Motor Show. It is cleverly titled the Mini Crossover Concept.
We are not naïve about how tough it is to stay alive in the car business these days, and we'll be the first to say the Clubman was a no-brainer for Mini. It offers a perfect solution for those who can't live with the tiny hatchback and adds utility/rear legroom while still exuding British character and great performance. But the Crossover Concept is more than a bit out of place for a brand that's made being small a point of pride. In fact, Mini almost brags in their press release, saying the concept is "the first MINI to measure more than four meters [about 160 inches] in length". Overall, the concept is about six inches wider and taller than the Clubman.
Unlike the front-wheel-drive Cooper and Clubman, the Crossover sends power to all four wheels. It also offers four individual seats and five doors. The passenger side sports two conventional doors, but the driver's side features a sliding door like a minivan. A hinged tailgate brings up the rear, a departure from the center opening barn doors of the Clubman. A trick folding roof structure runs the entire length of the car and reminds us of the optional Ski Slider Roof feature on Jeep Liberty. In a cool touch, the roof structure may be opened both from the front and from the rear, which is helpful for long items that wont fit inside.
Staying true to Mini's love of Flavor Flav-sized instrument dials, the crossover concept features a humongous, 3-D information display that is shaped like a fish bowl and reminds us of that weird globe-thing Ford put in the Explorer America concept. The "MINI Center Globe" is a futuristic attempt at interior control integration and the driver/front passenger can operate it by a touch-sensitive surface, a trackball on the steering wheel, buttons and slide controls in the lower section of the fish bowl, and a keyboard on the front passenger's side extending at the touch of a button from the dashboard. To clearly present all information at all times, the fish bowl uses laser projection technology and is also able to separate the display into two hemispheres. These adjustable, moving hemispheres allow the passenger to surf the web while the driver views vital driving statistics like MPG, MPG, etc.
Mini has said an SUV-like vehicle is in the pipeline, so this concept is likely a preview of what we will see. Mini plans to assemble the SUV at a rate of up to 50,000 per year at production specialist Magna in Graz, Austria. It is expected to go on sale in North America in 2010 and will likely share its platform with the forthcoming BMW X1 Crossover, itself based on the current 1-Series.
Photos by Mini.
