Word on the street: MINI is cooking up a even "minier" version of their MINI.

Basically, MINI is working on taking the look and feel of the classic minis into the modern MINI era with an even smaller version of the hardtop. No word yet on whether we'll see S and John Cooper Works versions but it is rumored that this vehicle will slot in under the justa hardtop price-wise and will be even smaller in size.


I, personally, think this is a winning idea. A mini MINI will appeal to enthusiasts, those with disposable income/wealth and also perhaps the urbanites and beach folk who need a quick little zip-around car. I don't see it being a big volume unit, but I think it will further substantiate the MINI brand while bringing old faces back to the dealers. Here's looking forward to the new little brother.

full story: http://www.motoringfile.com/2010/12/...ng-to-detroit/

 

The place is gonna be crawling with tiny cute Fiats

 

sounds great, would love to see it!

 

I'm buying it for sure!

 

I've never considered myself a MINI "purist" that worships the classic or has a preference of gen1 vs gen2. Nothing against those of you who are...but if they can pull this off I'm on the waiting list for sure...

 

It will be interesting to see what they come up with, sizewise, powerwise and MONEYwise.

 

I'll be watching this one with great interest, too. There are other city cars out there on the horizon, too, and MINI will be seen as coming late to the party, but if the handling is great and the car looks good, it may offer something unique.

For a city car I'd rather see BMW go nuts on efficiency...that is a weakness in the other city cars coming out at this point. I don't mind driving a smaller city car, but if I do so I'd like to see over 40 mpg in city driving consistently. I have no interest in JCW anything if all I am doing is getting to the next traffic light. Seems BMW's new 3 cylinder would be ideal for this car.

The bar has been set by the other city cars coming. It will have to have some sort of back seat and meet all crash standards, of course. Others are doing this...surely MINI will have to as well.

 

I think the rumor here is for a 1.0L 2 cyl turbo for the power.

Sizewise, i'd say imagine a smart car sized vehicle with a small back seat and MINI styling.

As for the cost, my personal guess would be a car rivaling the Mazda 2's and Toyota Yaris' of the world with a base MSRP of 15,xxx.

 

In case the little MINI gets sized similarly, according to dimensions I found, the 2011 FIAT 500 USA is about 6" shorter, 2.2" narrower, 3.1" taller, and 661# lighter than an '09 MC. It's also a 2-door front engine/drive hatchback with minimum overhang. MRSP starts at $15,500; my build at the website was $16,500, with color ($500) and 15" alloy wheels ($500) as the only added cost options. Expected highway mpg is about 40.

I didn't see the performance figures for the base model FIAT, but the Abarth SS that the US might get is a turbocharged 1.4 with 160 hp (base may be about 94 hp). It does 0-62 mph in 7.4 seconds (.5 seconds quicker than the base FIAT 500) and has a top speed of 131 mph. It also has larger brakes, lowering springs, and 17" wheels.

 

For a city car I look more to the Toyota iQ for overall for packaging with styling maybe coming from something like the Aston Martin Signet (a retooled iQ). Both of these are considered to be definite city cars and have been sold in the Europe for a few years. The iQ will arrive in the U.S. as a Scion in Spring of 2011. It is a pretty innovative design and has been referred to already in the press as having innovations "like the original Mini." Personally, I hope MINI takes this and does them one better.

Here's an iQ going through it's paces as a nimble, manuverable city car. It gives the idea of what qualities MINI might dial in to create a MINI-esque version. Fingers crossed!!!



Just for comparison:
Toyota iQ: 9.6 feet long, 4.11 feet tall, 5.6 feet wide
Smart ForTwo: 8.8 feet long, 5.1 feet tall, 5.1 feet wide

 

I uncovered this pic today also on MotoringFile, I wonder if it pertains to the other article:

 

No offense but I hope that's not what they're thinking...because that doesn't match what I was thinking...just my 2¢ I think I spit up a little bit.

 

Yeah, I agree but there's a conflict in my mind. The car above could actually be made (or something close to it) whereas a newer version of the classic mini probably could not.

If the Countryman is too narrow to put a bench seat in the back, then certainly the mini MINI would be too small. I just can't picture something like the original mini on the road today released as a new model. Sadly, for those of us who like to maintain that our MINI isn't that small at all and that it's actually a rather appropriate size, we'll be hearing it from the people who have been comparing MINI to Smart cars this whole time. ::sigh::

 

Ugh, that render is way ugly.

 

I don't know. Maybe if the black plastic bits were painted, it would look better.

 

I don't want to dominate the thread but can't seem to leave it alone. I am a victim of my own imagination/creativity. I agree that painting the black plastic bits might help but that roofline and the raked headlights are just butt-ugly. While I know the original styling can't come back to the states, I was at least hoping for something as cool/retro as the Fiat 500. As for the Smart car, I park next to one in my parking garage and my MCS looks like a limo next to that thing. A clubman or countryman would surely look Huge-esque next to it. Here's to still holding out hope that a production model will look better.

 

Does this help?

 

Now THAT is sexy! I'll take two!!!

 

I confess I really can't imagine what MINI might really have up it's design sleeve on the city car. A duplicate of the classic is out (I agree), although the dimensions in length would be close. At the same time, design renderings from other sources than MINI have typically been less then trustworthy, too. We'll just have to wait and see.

I do hope MINI might consider dialing back/simplifying the interior a bit. Gadgets are cool but I personally am a bit over having them in my face all the time, especially in a very small car. I want to see the road and have a less frenetic dash...but maybe that's just me. Check out the Honda EV-N concept...I like the simplicity of the cabin. I even think the Fiat 500 is a bit better.

 

btw, for those who really like small city cars (and haven't already seen it) check this out:

 

Sometimes I think Jeromy Clarkson is just plain out of his British Mind. I wonder if he had to grease up just to get and out of that deathtrap. To actually drive it on a street in England??? (Not Me)

They did find a small car though!!!!

 

I do hope MINI might consider dialing back/simplifying the interior a bit. Gadgets are cool but I personally am a bit over having them in my face all the time, especially in a very small car. I want to see the road and have a less frenetic dash...but maybe that's just me. Check out the Honda EV-N concept...I like the simplicity of the cabin. I even think the Fiat 500 is a bit better.[/quote]

+1

 

I think the Mini dash is just plain perfect. It is not like all of the CLONE dashboards in other cars.

Once I learned the layout and Radio controls I can find no faults at all.

The controls are so easy a "Caveman" can learn them in about 15 minutes.

The speedometer a hallmark of the Mini Cooper and looks great.

I once had a Fiat 500, The year was 1959 and I was 16.

****I sure don't want another FEET 500. ******

I'll stick with the Mini and if they do come out with a smaller car I hope it is as good as the Big Mini I now own.

 

Yes, I can't imagine any MINI without a center speedo. The Mini DNA, however does offer some latitude that I would love to see MINI exploit, although I may have my head in the clouds...they DO have to sell cars.

There was talk of the 2011 VW Beetle moving being a more retro version (whether it is or not is another matter) and it got me thinking about what would happen if MINI decided they could evolve the brand backwards a bit. A smaller MINI would be a step in that direction. I do think a certain degree of technology is with us to stay. However, what if those smart folks at BMW found a way to actually use technology to declutter the interior towards the mode of an original Mini, taking Issigonis' idea of more engaged, less distracted motoring to heart. Again, I probably have my head in the clouds, but the way city traffic is around here nowadays, and driving in a mini-sized MINI...well I think keeping one's wits about one might be a good thing (and really fun). Again, it's all there in the Mini DNA, and not many cars can say this.

It would have to be and frankly, I don't think another maker of city cars will have the drive to dial this in more than MINI. I mean, it practically defines the brand. Still, I remember back in '02 and '03 there were lots of MINI owners longing for a smaller MINI, but then again many of us were used to hanging around the classic Mini a lot. I guess this is why the city car concept resonates with me as it does.

 

Interesting that they are planning to have something on the MINI city car at the Detroit Auto Show. I hope they do not just bring a sawed off R56...they could (and need to) do so much more with this. I guess I'll just wait and see what the wizards at MINI come up with, other than the new 3-cyl engine. Fingers crossed!