Munich. At today’s MINI Design@Home event Anders Warming, Head of MINI Design, previews a sampling of visionary design and innovative ideas. The MINI Vision, for example, showcases various elements of future MINI design. Here, MINI has developed a vehicle design laced with new creative impulses that advance the cause of premium quality in the compact class. In customary MINI fashion, the MINI Vision seizes the limelight with creativity, individuality and a generous helping of versatility. Interactive gadgets such as the Driving Experience Control switch offer a glimpse of the future. This particular feature allows the whole of the car’s interior to be transformed into a variety of different colour and experience worlds in the blink of an eye. The presentation of the MINI Vision is based around a virtual 3D hologram. This form of expression provides a window into how the MINI designers go about their business. Complementing their familiar toolset of sketches and 1:1 clay models, virtual reality allows them to test and fine-tune creative ideas quickly and under realistic conditions. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuqh35rSsLE"]MINI Vision Concept - YouTube[/ame] The exterior: a perfect balance between old and new. The design of the MINI Vision reaches pointedly into the brand’s past and combines the underlying features and values of MINI with future-focused aesthetic and technical innovations. The hexagonal radiator grille is inspired by the classic Mini, for example, and the MINI Vision integrates both the bumper and auxiliary lights into the grille. The traditional and unmistakable rounded MINI forms are reflected in the exterior through elements such as the elliptical full-LED headlights. Their outer ring emits a consistent light and fulfils a daytime driving light function. Among the stand-out signature features of the MINI brand are the clear separation of the roof, glasshouse and body. The chrome strip wrapped around the top of the body, the distinctive side indicator element and the black band framing the lower edge of the car are all hallmark MINI styling elements. The MINI Vision presents these three defining design elements as a flowing, interconnected unit – conjured from innovative and lightweight “organo metalâ€. This extremely mouldable but also very strong material is produced by pressing various fibres into a composite. Organo sheets have a unique texture comparable to that of fabrics. Alongside lightweight construction techniques, aerodynamics also play a frontline role in the conceptual ideas behind the MINI Vision. The car’s body includes an aerodynamic air intake and outlet around each front wheel arch, airflow-optimised wheel rims and exterior mirrors, and an integral, air-channelling roof spoiler. At the rear, muscular shoulders lend the MINI Vision extremely sporty and compact proportions. The finely drawn and clearly defined edging in the car’s bodywork is central to the exterior design language of the MINI Vision and underlines the concept’s precision and sporting intent. The interior: originality and creativity packed into a very small space . The interior of the MINI Vision stands out with its individual style, variability, functionality and aesthetic appeal. The fundamental idea behind the MINI brand – of providing maximum comfort within minimal exterior dimensions – filters through every detail of the interior. A transparent and open cockpit, sweeping doors and a “floating†centre console allow the driver and passengers to experience the sensation of a wide open space coupled with the benefits of a space-saving small car. Lounge seats featuring dynamic piping add the finishing touch to the unique interior ambience. The creative design solutions have been brought together with established pillars of MINI design. For example, the elastic fabric straps on the insides of the doors – arranged like the stripes of the Union Jack flag – are a nod to the brand’s British heritage. However, the stretchable straps have a functional as well as stylistic role: these flexible retaining devices are designed to hold a magazine, mobile phone or drinks bottle within easy reach. The fresh layer of variability added by the MINI click system offers additional scope for customising the interior. Smartphone holders, a storage box, cup holder or small safe can be attached and removed in a single movement as and when required. The interior of the MINI Vision as a whole can also be adapted to a variety of interaction requirements with similar flexibility and immediacy. The Driving Experience Control switch allows the driver to choose between a pure and focused or fully-interconnected mode. The two modes are expressed in different colours using calm, clear light and dynamic, energy-charged shades. Another highlight of the fully-interconnected mode is the “MINI Disco†floor. Here, an expressive interplay of colours, light and forms transforms the footwells as the MINI Vision appears to come vibrantly to life. As well as turning the ambient colour scheme of the interior on its head, the Driving Experience Control switch also changes the face of the familiar MINI circular central display. Depending on their selection, drivers will be met by either a classic, analogue-style view or an impressive 3D look, which gives the full suite of display elements an unaccustomed depth. Colours and materials: structures form characters. The Glamorous Gold paint finish – a shimmering gold-tinged orange tone – has never been seen before in the history of MINI design. And the use of organo metal creates an intriguing contrast to this gleaming metallic shade. The organo metal adds highlights not only to the outside of the car, but also to the interior, its unique structure lending the MINI Vision a cutting-edge character. A tough, dark-blue fabric recalling the properties of a high-quality suit is employed for the seats and sections of interior trim. The seamless transitions of the various materials between the interior and exterior bring consistency to the MINI Vision despite the use of different materials and textures. Its unbeatable scope for personalisation and an extremely sporty and precise design make the MINI Vision the perfect partner for the road, tailored to the needs and preferences of the individual driver. This design vision demonstrates that MINI will continue to use intelligent variability, imagination-capturing technology and a compact sporting presence to deliver unrivalled driving fun over the years to come.
They all seem to have to have these long front ends now, this is the new Opel Adam.... Citroen DS3 Even the new Ford Fiesta...
why lay the headlight back so far. and I think the tail lights need to be alittle bigger!! Just kidding, look at them honkers!!!
I like the look and do hope this is a direction MINI is headed in. I also intend on holding onto my R53 for a good long long time.
A mini started out as small and minimal car. I think BMW is ruining it by adding too much technology and trying to make every new one look like a small spaceship. Make the Mini minimal again, no automatics, Bluetooth, GPS, LEDs, Run Rocks with All wheel Drive. Just make a minimal car where the driver is connected to the driving experience and not everything else.
I agree Dave O. (Did I just say that?)That is why I like my GP. It has no cruise, no GPS, no controls on the steering wheel. It does have BT which I like and works great for hands free talking. Reminds me of when I grew up driving my Chevy Luv, no fancy stuff, but you had to pay attention and drive.
what is going on around the scuttle I like this better than another photo I saw. I am not sold on whatever is going on around the scuttle. I would miss the DS fuel filler. Need to those tail lights on the real car and hoping they look better than the photo presents.
Unfortunately I think the front end styling is dictated by pedestrian collision standards in Europe. But not to sound mean but good grief if you walk in front of a car you lose. I CAN'T STAND THE FUN SUCKER NANEYS. :mad2: That being said it does look better than the R56 pictures we've seen. Mini desperately needs to go back to its roots.
Hopefully the real car will be toned down a bit (a lot) this is just a concept, right? I kind of like the steering wheel though. edit - just saw the F56. Actually I prefer this one.
My .02 is that they should have left the original R53 alone and just made subtle changes to it like they did the classic for all those years. That is why it is the classic.. If they wanted to make all these other models go for it, I know they need to sell more cars to make money but let the Cooper be the FUN, buy a new one every 5 years and it be just like your old one kind a thing.. I think they would have actually gotten more return business that way.. It is the main reason I still have my R52 justa, and alot of others claim to be keeping their R53's for the same reasons... We've all heard stories of people trading their R53 for an R56 and then going back a year or two later and getting another R53, so just think if you could still buy a new R53!!!
I would agree it looks much better the F56 but it is still stretched out too much. The brake lights look like they need to be on a HUMVEE. There are a few things I like though. I like the spoiler. I think the interior looks pretty good, the webbing in the door is a pretty cool idea and the seats don't look to bad. There might be some techie stuff in the dash but there is less dash and down tubes than what is in a R53. From the pictures the dash looks like it has been pushed up closer to the windscreen, a little more room. I like the headlights and the lower portion of the front bumper; the lines for the air ducts are pretty nice. Is it a R53, no. :cryin: If they made it a little “stubbier†I could live with it. I‘ll keep my R53 though, as long as possible. :cornut:
And I like my 07 R56, it will do for a few more years. As a concept, it is interesting, some are almost keepers, but most will not make production anyway! Now the F56, we shall see, I really would like to try that 3 cyl. see if it revs and sounds good. 100HP per jug, think it can be done? Don
MINI's new marketing slogan......Bloated Motoring I own an R53 race it, love it. But I am not that much of a fan boy to see that at the current price point for a decently equipped Cooper S there are other cars out there that are just as good if not better. Fiesta ST, Toyota/Subaru FRS/BRZ to name a few......MINI is pricing themselves right out of the niche the MINI was made for. Since when has the MINI driving experience been based on the amount of gadgets inside the car rather than the amount of engineering to make a great drivers car.