From Autoexpress.co.uk via Friskie The new MINI sports car will replace slow-selling Roadster and Coupe MINI is set to axe its slow-selling Coupe and Roadster and replace them with a more aggressive standalone sports car that will take on the popular Mazda MX-5. MINI has plans for an onslaught of new models over the next six years, and sources say the new sports car – which will sit on the next MINI’s front-wheel-drive architecture – will be offered as a soft-top (shown in our images) and a hard-top. Plus, unlike the current Roadster and Coupe, the new, sleeker sports cars will share virtually no body panels with the rest of the MINI line-up. However, the 2015 MINI will retain key styling cues from the rest of the new range, including round headlights with LED rings, larger tail-lamps and muscular curves along the sides. The newcomers are believed to be codenamed the MINI F58 (hard-top) and Mini F59 (soft-top) and are due to go on sale in late 2015 or 2016. Read More: MINI planning sports car to rival MX-5 | Auto Express
Thats not bad looking but they wont make that car with huge wheels and coilovers slammed down. The Miata will still be better because it RWD.
They need to do something else with the tail lights. Other than that its pretty spiffy. Though I honestly like the current coupe.
How many car makers have tried to build something to rival the MX-5, and how many have succeeded? MINI needs to concentrate on being Mini Cooper.
To me the downfall re lights is the headlights, for the same reason I dislike the F56 bugeyes. Two fat rings around there is worse than the single big chrome ring around R53 & R56 lights, and I don't care that the inner ring isn't chrome it's still too much unnecessary trim for my taste. None of that matters here though, this is just a mockup made using bits of available images. My guess is if it looks like this that will be pure coincidence. To me the important bit MINI are likely to largely ignore is that if the thing is going to 'rival' the Miata it will need (among many other things) to be priced competitively. If recent MINI pricing trends are any indication, I expect them to fail in this area, even if the car itself is wonderful. I'll be very happy to be proven wrong, fingers crossed.....
Make it a 300 horse JCW (in jet black) and I could be persuaded. Typical suspension mods will need to apply
Unless they make it AWD or RWD it will always fail against the Miata nomatter what the lights at either end look like.
If they make it BMW will make absolutely sure it will not outperform the lowest BMW version of a any BMW Vert Coupe. (1 M / 2 M Vert coupe) Then again one RMW Stroker motor with a TVS or Rotex would take care of that little problem. :devil:
Ain't that sumthin. I find the Roadster irresistible, and the rest of the world is reportedly shunning it. Sounds like I might have a collector's item on my hands and maybe I'll be eligible to join Dave.O's club of once upon a times.
LOL! You people crack me up, honestly you do. No matter what they build, 50% of the group hates it. I'll bet, if MINI brought back the R-53, you all would say there was something wrong with it too. :lol::lol:
Your 50% wrong. The first part you have right. The second, I'm taking the under on that one for 1 billion dollars. If they changed the front grill and headlights, this would be nice looking--but if they were serious about going head to head with the Miata, it'd have to be rear wheel drive, which will never happen. AWD would make an already too heavy car way too heavierister. The TT is a great car, but with AWD it's a tank, the MINI would be too.
I'd love to see a MINI sports car, but only if MINI does something new and different with the design language. Today, it's want a larger MINI? Squeeze a little more out of the MINI design tube, and you've got a Countryman. Want a MINI Coupe? Squeeze a little less. Yawn ... Think Subaru and the BRZ, which doesn't look like any other Subaru. With a new Miata and Alfa coming, not to mention the possibility of new Honda, Toyota and BMW two-seaters, MINI needs to do something truly innovative to make a significant impact in the marketplace. Otherwise, it will just have another car that sells a few hundred a month and creates a drag on the corporate bottom line.
They would be better off branding it a Triumph. Lots of old guys would love a new Triumph, plus there is the sports car heritage to market it with. You listening Jim? :smile5:
MINI would price it by looking at Miata and adding $12K to make sure that everybody knows it is a "premium" car.
cct1: "Your 50% wrong. The first part you have right. The second, I'm taking the under on that one for 1 billion dollars" If there's a 50/50 chance of something being wrong, there's a 90% it will be.