Rendered Speculation: MINI Speedster, chop the windshield, drop the back seat!
One of the few brands to show any growth in 2008 was MINI, thanks to a combination of high fuel economy and fun to drive characteristics. The MINI convertible, in particular, is a fun sunny day conveyance. However, the back seat of the MINI is so small that it's virtually useless. What better way to address this issue than discard the rear seat altogether? Install a hard rear deck and you also get a secure storage area. To make the car even sportier, replace the standard upright windshield with a more laid back unit that's also shorter and you suddenly have a modern answer to the old Porsche speedster. This is what a rendering over at Automobile-magazine.fr looks like, and we can't help but think, now that the MINI E is out and about, the space under the rear deck could even be used to hold a battery pack. Imagine an electric speedster!
When we asked MINI USA spokeswoman Nathalie Bauters about rumors of a MINI speedster a few weeks back, she denied any knowledge of such a project. So far the only additional MINI model that has been announced is the new crossover that will likely debut at the 50th anniversary party this August. If the MINI speedster does arrive, it could be shown as a concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
[Source: Automobile-magazine.fr]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris 10:04AM (5/18/2009)
Just in time to fill the hole left by the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn SKY.
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brentil 10:35AM (5/18/2009)
Seriously... That's a Pontiac Solstice with a Mini front end photoshopped to it. The doors, windshield, and aero ferrings (humps behind driver) are all 100% off a Solstice photo.
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required 2:28PM (5/18/2009)
I don't care much for what BMW has done with the Mini (I prefer the original). It's too bad that Land Rover never brought theirs (1984 - 2000) to the US. At 51mpg, it was a much better car.
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