MINI Coupe Concept to debut at Frankfurt 2009

MINI Coupe Concept

I was undecided at first what to think of this. My first instict was to exclaim “what’s wrong with them?” but then I had another look and thought, hey, this isn’t really that bad. What came to mind is a German take on the Suzuki Cappucino or Daihatsu Copen with a British badge. Maybe MINI got pissed off that Daihatsu ripped off the MINI with the Mira Gino, so it did the same with the Copen :P For some reason it also looks like its top is supposed to come off like a targa top or something but it’s actually a normal coupe with a fixed roof.

Don’t be fooled by the name MINI Coupe Concept – this baby is definitely going into production, looking at how ‘ready’ it is, as with every other concept car BMW has unveiled in the past year. You’ll struggle to point out any major difference between the production 5-Series GT and its concept.

MINI Coupe Concept

The MINI Coupe Concept is a two-seater – with that sloping rear roof, both legroom and headroom for the area behind the front seats are compromised so MINI cannot pretend its a 2+2 anymore, like with the MINI Cooper. Other than rear wheel drive, like any other car that BMW makes, they claim the Coupe Concept has perfect axle load distribution and a low gentre of gravity, but BMW boldly claims the Coupe Concept will take the agility typical of a MINI to a level never seen before.

The concept measures 3,715mm long, 1,683mm wide, and 1,356mm tall. The rear tailgate opens upwards to unveil a 250 litre boot space. Under the hood is a 1.6 litre turbocharged Prince engine carried over straight from the MINI John Cooper Works, and this means 211hpand 260Nm of torque, with a 280Nm overboost.

I think the MINI’s design team has got one of the toughest jobs in the BMW Group now. BMW’s designers have always followed this simple rule: revolution, then evolution, and repeat. The original New MINI was clearly a revolution of the old school MINI and then the second generation R56 MINI Cooper was an evolution of the first new MINI. Soon it will be time for another revolution, and how do you do that with a car that has so much of its identity ingrained in its looks?

Look after the jump for a hi-res photo gallery.

[zenphotopress number=99 album=451]

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • Cutester on Aug 27, 2009 at 1:51 am

    Hmmm…. I thought it's Theo's photoshop work at first. Looks cool yet weird. Needs time to get used to the design. Hehe….

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  • c14man on Aug 27, 2009 at 1:55 am

    i just can't get myself to buy such a small car at such a huge price….

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  • Lancermania on Aug 27, 2009 at 1:55 am

    nice looking car…

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  • Automotive Jury on Aug 27, 2009 at 1:55 am

    ha..1st..wow!..what a car..

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  • Automotive Jury on Aug 27, 2009 at 1:56 am

    only in Malaysia we got a huge price..hehe

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  • Yoezpo on Aug 27, 2009 at 1:57 am

    nice wat?

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  • MINI-lover on Aug 27, 2009 at 2:01 am

    Though it looks very weird at first sight, it's quite attractive as an overall package. That's what a MINI supposed to be – eye capturing!

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  • milanRed (Member) on Aug 27, 2009 at 2:12 am

    eeekkk… what a concept… but love the leather seat though…

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  • Maserati on Aug 27, 2009 at 2:14 am

    Wah,damn nice!

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  • mystvearn on Aug 27, 2009 at 2:34 am

    Weird looking, but then not sure if tall people can fit in it

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  • roti naan1 on Aug 27, 2009 at 2:56 am

    for a moment i thought it was a remote control toy car…..

    the roof line, looks weird…

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  • Waters on Aug 27, 2009 at 2:57 am

    Nice, I can see a really sharp looking and handling rally car in the making!

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  • acerman on Aug 27, 2009 at 3:02 am

    I think the car is wearing a cap. Stripe one.

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  • Better not judge b4 seeing the real thing. Hope it turns out good. Mini, a class of its own is crossing the line into coupe territory. Good luck

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  • One word to describe, BEAUTIFUL!

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  • tis is d results after "think outside d BOX"

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  • Gajen on Aug 27, 2009 at 4:14 am

    looks awesome…!!

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  • Looks great in certain angle.

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  • armandd on Aug 27, 2009 at 5:13 am

    so, it's basically a mini with the roof chopped off..

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  • Hadi1975 on Aug 27, 2009 at 5:20 am

    Not bad… Kind of weird at first but the longer u look…. Not bad… :o

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  • Mazda 3 MPS on Aug 27, 2009 at 5:21 am

    its a peugeot 207 cc.

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  • paparazi (Member) on Aug 27, 2009 at 5:25 am

    it's modification/adaptation from cooper, like mitsubishi lancer applied to other Mit cars.

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  • fuyiopo on Aug 27, 2009 at 5:25 am

    Do i want a jet plane or a MINI? LOL!

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  • Ariff on Aug 27, 2009 at 5:52 am

    it's cool because it's weird..and i dun think it looks like a Copen,though..but really nice..a real head turner!!

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  • that topi not nice ah, should mould it into the body of the car, probably look better. but not bad eh.

    same with the beetle. how to change a car that is so iconic with its look.

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  • mitlanevo on Aug 27, 2009 at 6:19 am

    WOOOOOOOW !!!!!!!!

    damn nice….. i want one!!!

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  • valandil on Aug 27, 2009 at 6:56 am

    looks out of proportion to me, huge fat body with a tiny, no, puny head.

    its ugly!

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  • bmpower on Aug 27, 2009 at 7:12 am

    damn nice!

    but it's not for a poor people btw. :D

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  • tats one brutal mods

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  • indeed! a good car!

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  • zarbo on Aug 27, 2009 at 9:00 am

    one word, sexy

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  • i love the super weird but sexy roof~yeah!

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  • mohd hafizzul on Aug 27, 2009 at 3:36 pm

    Woow….cantik…Aku suka warnanya…warna apa tu? Kalau cat kat Honda Accord aku mesti lawa. AccordBuruk.com (SA6Y)

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  • ALPINA_BMW on Aug 27, 2009 at 3:55 pm

    Copy Kelisa, just like the new mini

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  • FEMLab on Aug 27, 2009 at 4:35 pm

    Hmmm..indecisive..cool..wtf..great..ugly..

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  • pumpkin on Aug 27, 2009 at 4:53 pm

    i want this cutie….!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  • Bella italia on Aug 27, 2009 at 5:25 pm

    to mat jambu go n buy… add more chicks…but no passion on driving….yaks

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  • p1basher on Aug 27, 2009 at 5:32 pm

    looks so weird

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  • azrai on Aug 27, 2009 at 5:37 pm

    Nice. Although the essence of the mini's have gone.

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  • chaos on Aug 27, 2009 at 5:41 pm

    Bella italia said,August 27, 2009 @ 9:25 am "to mat jambu go n buy… add more chicks…but no passion on driving….yaks"

    What do you mean no passion on driving??..this car is all about passion…have you driven a european hothatch before?? europeans know more about passionate driving…sorry to say but you have no idea man..peace

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  • Wak Rempit on Aug 27, 2009 at 6:15 pm

    Much as I love the Mini… why don't we stop all these forever lasting evergreen nostalgic crap and move on… the Mini need a new face!

    it's kinda boring to see the same Mini over and over again… time to work BMW!

    As for this car, dont like it. Too ah beng for my taste… so a credit too all ah bengs.

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  • mr_3m on Aug 27, 2009 at 6:55 pm

    wak rempit,

    so now we all know that all ah bengs' design are too advance for its (our) time, but in a few years, all mainstream designer will copy our ah bengs' design… hehheheh… so to quote you again, credits to all ah bengs…… looks like the next Mini may be such a design…

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  • CBRian on Aug 27, 2009 at 7:15 pm

    freakin' ugly!

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  • mouse on Aug 27, 2009 at 8:39 pm

    wak rempit. with such a clasic interior design and out standing exterior.. i dont think ah beng will like it. i would say they did a very good job either to face lifting it or a new model.. just awsome..

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  • henry on Aug 27, 2009 at 9:07 pm

    weird.. need time to get use to the roof..

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  • 4G63tDSM on Aug 27, 2009 at 9:30 pm

    Wak Rempit said,

    August 27, 2009 @ 10:15 am

    Much as I love the Mini… why don’t we stop all these forever lasting evergreen nostalgic crap and move on… the Mini need a new face!

    —-

    LOL.

    Right. If it doens't look like a mini, why call it the mini then, better yet, how to continue to milk the mini brand that BMW spent millions for.

    Its no longer small and compact, nor cheap for that matter. The looks is all the mini has left for it.

    If you take out the face, and ignore the funky roof lines, this reminds me of 2 small 2+2 Japanese cars. The Nissan NX2000 and the Isuzu Impulse Turbo AWD.

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  • it looks like a mini, it doesn't look odd . that is brilliant !

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  • btw guys , do search on the mini broadspeed coupe , this isn't a new breed that bmw have created .

    anyway turning something into it is such a success . becasue the DNA of mini is still there.

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  • BRAZBUZ on Aug 27, 2009 at 10:25 pm

    looks like kemek roof MINI

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  • P1_P2_Are_Shit (Member) on Aug 28, 2009 at 12:08 am

    Cool…

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  • mini porsche

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  • the stik on Aug 28, 2009 at 1:26 am

    the roofline sgt pelik..

    this mini dah macam di pijak oleh ultraman gaia yg sedang berlawan dgn makhluk dr planet zorgon..

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  • rockkyman on Aug 28, 2009 at 2:42 am

    looks nice, easy and cool, but the roofline should be more clean or blend in with the body panels

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  • lazyf on Aug 28, 2009 at 6:03 pm

    cool n sexy…i like it!!!

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  • lowered roof + high price + weird color scheme = oh s–t.

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  • awg1031 on Aug 29, 2009 at 6:22 am

    kinda like it..nice!!

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