Press Release
Page 1: In Short
Page 2: Great Days
Page 3: Exterior (I)
Page 4: Exterior (II)
Page 5: Interior
Typical in Design, but New in Every Inch
Unmistakable: MINI all the way
Just one look is sufficient: Like the “regular� model, the Concept Version of the MINI is “as small as possible and as big as necessary�.
Particularly this was the special challenge facing the MINI Design Team, with MINI Concept Geneva being a truly unique car all the way from its characteristic hexagon grille to the very functional split-door rear end.
MINI Concept Geneva naturally boasts numerous highlights which have made MINI design a genuine hallmark in the course of many years and decades: These include the straight shoulder and roof lines with the shoulder line rising up gently to the rear to give the car the exciting wedge shape of a genuine MINI further accentuated especially on this model by the extra length of the car.
The wheels positioned far to the outside, the very wide (more than 160 cm or 63.0´´) driver and front passenger doors relative to the overall length of the car, and the characteristic joints around the side direction indicators all bear out the enhanced, upgraded design language so characteristic of MINI Concept Geneva.
The diagonal joint between the side direction indicator and the side door is a genuine icon which has developed consistently over the years, originating from the welding seam on the classic MINI. The glazed window line extending all round the car and the omission of a B-pillar creates the impression of a “free-standing� roof again characterising the Concept Car just like the door handles so typical of MINI.
Firm, sporting, masculine
Many features of MINI Concept Geneva are familiar – but in actual fact everything is different: In its overall look and appearance, the car is firm, sleek and smooth, with features such as the wheel arches, the shoulder line and the powerdome standing out as particularly striking details. At very first sight, MINI Concept Geneva makes a clear statement – the car has stance, looks muscular and elegant all in one. This impressive appearance is further accentuated by the headlights integrated directly in the engine compartment lid and by the hexagonal grille sculptured in one single piece to give the Concept Version a particularly alert, performance-oriented, likeable and charming appearance.
Engine compartment lid hinged at the front
This sporting look is further enhanced by the engine compartment lid hinged at the front, the wheel arches and radiator grille forming one homogeneous component without any seams or dividing lines in between. And like on a classic sports car, the engine compartment lid swivels to the front and upwards when opening, with only the headlights remaining in their original position.
A further benefit of this particular configuration is optimum access to the engine compartment at all times.
Sophisticated design and top-quality materials also give MINI Concept Geneva its particular qualities beneath the engine compartment lid: The wheel arches and all visible parts on the engine are finished consistently in Satellite Silver, the exterior colour of the car, the engine thus standing out almost as if it were being presented in a display cabinet.
Sporting drivetrain, sporting features
To ensure that the car accompanying the rally is always there when needed, MINI Concept Geneva comes with a MINI Cooper S power unit clearly characterised by the additional air intake scoop on the engine compartment lid and the dual tailpipes. Right in the middle above the air intake scoop, the engine compartment lid proudly bears a graphic reminiscent of the classic symbol of the Monte Carlo Rally.
Further ingredients ensuring that go-kart feeling so typical of MINI are the long wheelbase, the wide track and short overhangs both front and rear.
The grid in the radiator grille is finished in black acting, just like the integrated chrome-plated additional headlights, as an indispensable attribute of a genuinely sporting car. The logo on the radiator grille of MINI Concept Geneva reminds the beholder in the year 2006 that the creator of Mini, Sir Alec Issigonis, was born exactly 100 years ago.
All doors with parallelogram kinematics
Extra space inside naturally calls for good access from outside. Ensuring easy access and loading was one of the fundamental philosophies in developing MINI Concept Geneva. So through the driver and front passenger doors as well as the two rear doors, MINI is introducing a design configuration simply ideal for much easier and more convenient entry to and exit from the car, as well as better loading and unloading even under confined conditions: All four doors run on “intelligent� hinges and pivots in kinematic parallelogram arrangement, the doors swivelling in one single motion with minimum movement to the side and maximum movement to the front. This significantly reduces the space required all around the car when opening the doors while nevertheless offering the user generous access to the interior.
Coupé-like appearance for convenient access. Long side doors, split side windows at the rear
Through their parallelogram kinematics, the long coupé doors turn the occasional disadvantage of a smaller opening angle into a significant advantage ensured by the concept of the car – especially because the side doors on this design concept are more than 160 centimetres or 63.0´´ wide. And a further important point is that the side doors, like on every MINI, come with frameless windows.
MINI’s new cosmopolitan athlete takes up the elements of a two-door coupé also in many other respects, at the same time offering particular practical value through easy access and loading.
Further highlights are the two split side windows at the rear merging directly when closed with the side windows at the front and the front section moving electrically beneath the rear section when opened. This prinÂÂÂÂciple of split windows at the rear incidentally comes straight from the classic Mini Traveller and has been re-interpreted on the MINI Concept Geneva.
Longer wheelbase for extra space inside
MINI Concept Geneva quite simply offers more space for the team accompanying the rally with all their equipment, fully prepared for any eventuality. The long wheelbase, for example, guarantees particularly ample space on the rear seats of the car. An important contribution to the excellent driving characteristics so typical of MINI, on the other hand, is the particular position of the wheels “right at each corner� of the car.
Deliberately maintaining this important feature so typical of the brand, MINI Concept Geneva – like all other MINIs – boasts an extra-short and compact body overhang at the rear. And last but certainly not least, the two wide-opening rear doors hinged at the side make loading and unloading very easy and convenient.
The Cargobox – the “butler� within the luggage compartment
Behind these doors MINI Concept Geneva takes up items loaded into the car on two different levels. This is made possible by the Cargobox, a very helpful “butler� for handling both small bags and big cases. Just one feature is that the floor can be pulled out to the rear, enabling the team to simply put down their toolbox on the floor panel and slide it smoothly into the car.
A further feature is that the floor of the Cargobox may be swivelled up, serving as a partition between the passenger compartment and the luggage area. The entire Cargobox can then be moved easily and smoothly to the rear and up into the opening in the rear doors, for example to accommodate exchange parts and other materials.
Fully retractable, frameless windows in both rear doors serve, finally, to provide extra fresh air and again allow convenient access to the luggage compartment without requiring the driver to open the doors.
The Sports Utility Box: Take along anything you want
Whether it is tools or spare parts – you always need the right equipment in your car to be a real member of the team. And that’s easy with MINI Concept Geneva: Just fit the Sports Utility Box into the opened rear side window and you’re ready to go, fully prepared for the challenges on the next leg of your trip.
The Sports Utility Box is an additional, multi-functional, storage compartment made of specially moulded plastic. In its length and height, it fits perfectly into the rear side window, where it is fastened in position. To do this, all you do is open the vertically split window (the front section moves back electrically) and hang the Utility Box with its lower section into the window opening. Flaps on either side of the Sports Utility Box allow the user to load and unload the Box both from outside and from the passenger compartment, with the additional and very practical option to pass through all kinds of odds and ends. The lower section of the Box extends all the way back on the car to the C-pillar.
MINI Concept Geneva provides for simultaneous use of several Sports Utility Boxes used flexibly and individually depending on the user’s requirements. The Boxes may be fitted either on one side of the car or – as is the case here – on both sides to provide extra storage space.
Roof structure with integrated spare wheel
MINI Concept Geneva uses the roof structure to consistently gain extra storage space inside the car. A recess in the rear section of the roof serves to house the spare wheel. This special structure ensures optimum streamlining of the spare wheel in the car’s direction of travel, with the grab bar above the rear doors shaped as a spoiler for aerodynamic reasons.
Pulling the grab handle, the user can pull this part of the roof to the rear and fold it down, gaining convenient access to the wheel on two bracket handles fastened to the bolting points for the rim inserts.
Free-standing round search headlights are positioned directly above the A-pillars on the roof left and right.
