The relentlessly unconventional Mini Cooper looks to be going a lot less unconventional for its third generation, at least on the inside. A glimpse of what appears to be Mini's future was snapped by KGP Photography in the Arctic Circle, and outside, there looks to be little change except for slightly larger dimensions. Inside, though, the giant-speedo-and-toggle-switch IP looks to be binned in favor of a soberly BMW-esque dash cluster and horizontally laid-out central console.

If this interior is accurate and not just an elaborate – and expensive – engineering mule bait-and-switch, then it signals a rather marked change in the Mini way of life. The theories of why it might be the real deal are, again, the testing expense, the expectation that the Mini will get a BMW 1 Series GT brother and the platform sharing necessitated more commonalities, or that designers might simply be over the still-unique first- and second-generation interior design (a retro-minded setup that both delights and enrages with its haphazard ergonomics). What's every bit as likely, however, is that this isn't a Mini at all – it's a next-gen 1 Series wrapped in a Mini mule shell.

While we all wait to find out if the Mini cabin dream is over, you can catch more high-res glimpses of this odd creature in our gallery.

Image Credit: KGP Photography

 

motoring file says it isn't the new mini

http://www.motoringfile.com/2012/01/...-mini-hardtop/

 

Yeah, I wouldn't worry: it looks like a mule for testing on some other platform.

 

id hate to see the interior to change like that ... thats one of the first thing people always compliment my mini on when they get in the car ... "ooo wow mini's interiors are really cool a nice" "WAIT THATS THE SPEEDOMETER, SOOOOO COOOL" ive gotten responses like that ... would hate to see them take that away. def keeps the mini unique my 2 cents

 

I gotta say though, getting the speedo out of my wife's face would almost be a welcome change.

 

it's a next-gen 1 Series wrapped in a Mini mule shell

I think this is the real story.....but think about THAT for a minute. If there's this much interchangeability.....

 

I was going to mention the rumblings about that in the commentary and my own opinions as a sidebar -- being a disguised and camouflaged mule for i3, 1-Series or X1.

Blurry-cam spy photo of the interior doesn't match any of those known models to date, but hey, it's a new-new unannounced vehicle, so anything's possible! But I sincerely doubt it's the all-electric i3, even though it's only been seen as a car show concept -- just looks too pedestrian and conventional.

 

It's a test mule - no point talking about the interior.

 

Just the thought of a MINI giving up it's identity and becoming more like a BMW makes me shudder. Glad I plan on keeping my 2002 R53. Heck, I even intend to be buried in it. This will solve the issue of which of my 4 kids gets it when I die.

Kevin

 

My speedo sits pretty much dead center. Where exactly is your wife sitting Seriously though, nearly every auto rag or internet review you read about Mini the author complains about the tired old ugly interior and it's lack of ergonomics yet absolutely everyone that gets in my MINI loves the interior and the fact that it's not tired and ugly. Needless to say I take auto journo's like I take movie reviewers. worthless!

 

Um...well....

No, it's just nice on other cars where she has to ask "How fast are you going" which isn't really necessary in the Mini.

 

I have owned 2 MINIs an '05 R50, and my currently broken '05 R53, and I hang out with mostly JDM and Muscle heads in my area. Every time someone gets into my MINI coming from their type of car first thing they comment on is the interior. Ive heard it all, from "Wow this things pretty sweet inside." to "Whats with the giant Flava Flave clock in the dash?"
The way I see it MINI's unique interior is kind of a trademark, and if they changed it to something like that boring sea of black plastic yuckiness, well it would just detract from the whole brand.

Just my thoughts though...

 

Ah ha! Point taken and well understood!

 

I truly like the way the retro interior looks, it is part of the hole package "Mini". That new interior will go over like the New Coke.

 

My other half usually wants me to drive faster.

 

Single income family with a two year old kid, my lawyer is already handling two tickets....yea, I don't usually get encouraged to drive faster.

 

That dashboard reminds me of the anti-theft device my buddy used to have. Instead of buying an alarm he had a fake stereo faceplate of what looked like a old stock deck. He would velcro it over the top of his real stereo. Kind of like a reverse removable faceplate. Soo cheesy it was awesome.

 

I'd like to see the Mini interior lose a little retro flash and gain a little more professionalism and functionality. There are a lot of "features" that are just styling for the sake of styling. The size of the current speedo on the new cars is just silly stupid.

That doesn't mean it has to become completely conventional, but the current Mini interior simply doesn't function very well. It may impress the occasional passenger who sits in your car once/year and finds it funky and different, but this is not who I am out to impress.

- Mark

 

There are actually three small vehicles BMW could share parts between. The Mini, the 1 series, and the z4. Two are rear drive, the Mini a front driver, except for the Countrynman all4. That's probably where we would see the connection. With an all wheel drive system that could be tweaked for each application. Let's hope they don't get too carried away with the corporate bean counting.

 

I look at the center speedometer more than the digital readout. Kinda funny with the huge speedometer and the tiny radio buttons.

 

I can't do that. Too much parallax and it's more of an effort to shift focus from the road to one side rather than just a quick eyeball down to the digital.

 

Same here.

 

The interior is one of the reasons I bought my 2010 CprS. Everyone gets in and ooohhs and ahhhs about the quality and quirkiness. Then I plant the right pedal and those ooohs n ahhhs turn into OH SHHHIIIII....LOL!! I love that.

That BMW "omg I'm falling asleep cause my interior is SO boring" would absolutely kill the MINI's attraction to new and current buyers!!

 

Yup, I gave one of my motorcycle friends a ride to his car the other day. He got in, commented on how nice the interior was, then I rounded a corner at speed and stomped on it. He grinned and said "I can totally see why you like this car."

Funny, I test drove a couple of 3 series cars when shopping for my Mini and I noticed how boring and uninspiring mainly the dash was on those cars. Yet, you go onto the BMW forums and those guys will trash talk any other dash and talk about the sleek clean lines and how beautiful their dash's are. To each their own, but the TSX I tested was much nicer from the drivers position to me than the 3 series.

It's also interesting how folks knock the Mini interior as well, especially with regard to the switches. I love my switches on my car...makes it feel all fighter jet cockpitish to me.

 

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/...-z4-sdrive28i/

New 2 liter 4 cyl turbo for Z4. Now if they drop this into the larger minis, I don't think many of us would complain.