Spy Shots: Could this be the face of BMW's Project i?
Take a good look at the spy shot above. The car you see is obviously a MINI of some sort, though nobody seems quite sure what to make of it. There's certainly a possibility that it's nothing more than a clay mock-up of a possible design direction that didn't make it into production, but it could also be some sort of early prototype for a future vehicle.
L'Automobile Magazine, the French site that the images originate from, seems to believe that this is a new version of the MINI Cooper that will be ready sometime in 2011. If so, it's clear that the car's basic shape will remain the same while details like the droopy front grille and oval-shaped head lamps will be borrowed from the MINI Crossover Concept that debuted at the Paris Motor Show in 2008.
According to World Car Fans and BMWBlog, there also exists the possibility that this is the upcoming Megacity electric vehicle, an eco-friendly offshoot of the MINI family that's part of parent company BMW's Project i initiative. So, just what is this thing exactly? Dunno. We're taking the wait-and-see approach.
[Source: L'Automobile Magazine - translated]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Matt 3:59PM (5/14/2009)
That Mini looks angry.
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Throwback 4:29PM (5/14/2009)
Looks more like a mid cycle refresh of the current Mini. An eletric car would not have the huge lower grill opening.
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Enda 5:30PM (5/14/2009)
My father was telling me BMW were working on a crossover/SUV-styled car, this is what this could be.
I've no source on this other than his 20+ years of working with various German auto manufacturers. Could be public knowledge too, I wasn't too interested when I heard it. *shrugs*
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win39 6:48PM (5/14/2009)
Or hopefully it is a hint of a move to a simpler, more purposeful design including a modern, more functional dash. A little retro goes a long way and a lot of people are getting tired of the giant scoops of it.
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