I found this on Road and Track. This is so cool. Simply the best looking and sportiest future Mini concept yet. It looks so much better than Clubmen or Crossbows and is exactly what Mini needs to keep its momentum.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....rticle_id=8254

 

OH YEAH! I always dreamed about how a two seat Mini would look like. It's awesome!!!!

 

I will get one of those. In silver.

 

Wow, it looks nice! I hope the dimensions are small, like a traditional Mini!

 

i know this is sacrilege... but how about rwd? or would that just be wrong?

 

--> Many Many

A JCW RWD Speedster.. chasing the S2k round the track.. Dream come true!

 

A BMW Z2..chasing a S2k around the track..Dream come true!

Seriously, if the Z2 is priced similar to the Speedster, it's going to be no contest. This apparently is an attempt to get more male buyers in MINI the fold (the cabrio is bought by women in disproportionate numbers, and currently are sitting on the lots forlornly)--but anyone looking for ***** out performance is going to have to take a long look at the Z2, which WILL be rear wheel drive...

The speedster loses the functionality of the hatch, isn't on a unique platform, just cobbled together off the R56 platform, and will have a cousin that promises to a performance beast. Yes, I am skeptical on this one....

 

Guess I'm the only one who's not a big fan of this I guess I need to see it in the flesh, I want to like it as I love all Mini's but I'm just not feeling it right now

 

cct1 - Good point, I hadn't read up on the future z2... would be a hard sell unless far cheaper. I was just thinking the speedster wouldn't increase market share for mini if it is too similar to the MC drop top... no sense in stealing sales from yourself.

 

autoblog: Road and Track article on the Speedster: Sounds like fun to me. I'd love to have a JCW version. If the Speedster is "just cobbled together off the R56 platform" then it could be said that the Z2 is just cobbled together off the 1-series platform.

How competitive the Z2 is to the Speedster would depend on the prices. If they both come in with a base price of $30K, I doubt the Speedster would do very well. If the Speedster comes in at a price competitive to the MCS Coupe, I think it might do well.

 

Robin, the new 1-series platform is being designed with both the 1 series AND the Z2 in mind, the Z2 is by no means an afterthough like the speedster. The Z2 is a very, very highly anticipated RWD car in the class of the Miata/S2000--should be all about performance, especially considering the weight BMW has been throwing around for the Z2, and the four cylinder forced induction engines BMW has at its disposal. It'll be much, much lighter, and more powerful than an R56 based speedster, and probably comparably priced.....


The speedster is kind of what happend with the R53 Cabrio, only now with the R56. I really think this vehicle is going to hit a very small niche, unless it's dirt cheap, which I seriously doubt. Part of the attractiveness of taking out an R53 or R56 coupe on the track is the surprise factor when people see how damned quick they are. With the Speedster, I fear exactly the opposite--looks fast, disappointingly slow, and without the utility of the coupe. It will be a very small niche...

That autoblog post is way outdated. Check out Bimmerfile...

 

From BimmerFile: Maybe that's a good thing, or maybe it is a "Jack of all trades, master of none" compromise. Seems like some future MINIs will use it as well.

Uh, BimmerFest may be a little out of date as well. Seems that BMW is talking with Peugeot about sharing a platform.

From BimmerFile: A 50 mpg $30K base model, and you think it will be comparatively priced? I have my doubts.

As I said, price will play a big role in whether it is popular, or not. I'm not convinced that a lowered, two-seater R56 with a wider stance, bigger footprint, and chopped roof would be a bad thing.

True, it wont have the sleeper effect, but MINIs have to be well known enough at the track by now that the sleeper effect doesn't catch many these days.

 

Points well taken, with the exception of the last one...I caught a GT3(short track, lots of turns, and I believe he was afraid to push his car)--last month, he was VERY surprised, and not very congenial about the whole thing. And I had two drivers come up to me last week in my group who were stunned at how quick the MINI was; I've had two instructors this year say exactly the same thing. I've been tracking it now for three years, and it's the same thing after each event--I think the MINI STILL catches people by surprise; it's one of the reasons I absolutely love hitting the track with it.

I do have to admit, the 3 GT-R's I was on the track with last week showed me absolutely no love though, they blew by me so fast I couldn't even tell what color they were....