Next Generation Mini Revealed

Press Release

Page 1: Short Version
Page 2: Exterior Design
Page 3: Interior Design
Page 4: Power Units
Page 5: Transmission/Chassis
Page 6: Safety

The evolutionary development of the new MINI’s exterior is supplemented by a radical change in the car’s interior design: “Looking at the interior, we decided to revolutionise the design of the new MINI inside the car in order to give greater emphasis to the MINI’s strong and masculine character�, states MINI Chief Designer Gert Hildebrand.

With the dimensions available for this purpose remaining almost the same as in the previous model, innovative ideas were very important in order to create a generous feeling of space: “In developing the design of the car in general and the interior in particular, our objective was to provide maximum space inside on minimum dimensions outside�, says MINI Interior Designer Marc Girard.

Hence, a wide choice of fabrics, leather trim, interior colours, body panels and trim materials offers all purchasers of the new MINI the opportunity to personalise the car individually according to their individual preferences. Indeed, the range of interior features meets all kinds of demands extending from sophisticated elegance via dynamic sportiness all the way to distinctive extravagance. And apart from personal style and customisation, premium quality and love for each and every detail come out clearly in every new MINI.

An ambience appealing to all your senses.

While the human being perceives technical features and the design of the body above all with his eyes and ears, the interior, through the use of partic­ularly sophisticated materials, also appeals to your sense of smell and sur­face feel. Exceptional combinations of materials and perfect finish giving utmost attention to even the smallest detail therefore harmonise with clear surfaces and discreet surface patterns.

“The surface touch, that is the actual feel of the materials used, is extremely important�, states MINI Material and Colour Designer Annette Baumeister.

In all, the surfaces and trim elements are smaller, the surround rings even more filigree in design in order to accentuate the quality of the material. And through the exciting combination of individual design features, the various surfaces and structures form a perfect match.

Within the interior, the high shoulder line of the body gives the new MINI a sporting cockpit ambience also borne out by the unique combination of shapes, colours, and materials. The combination of circular elements such as the instruments and air vents, on the one hand, with the firm, horizontal geometry of the instrument panel, on the other, characterises the design language of the interior, making the new MINI even more generous and optically “light� inside – the interior is sophisticated, strong and purist all in one. And at the same time the interior exudes a premium character quite unique in the new MINI’s market segment.

The colour worlds for the interior trim are Carbon Black, Gotham Grey, Tus­can Beige and Redwood Red, depending on the customer’s request either in perfect harmony with one another or forming an exciting contrast to the respective body colour and trim variant.

Again typical of MINI: light effects in the customer’s favourite colour.

The new ambient illumination included in the optional lights package creates a particular highlight within the interior of the MINI: Acting as “waterfall� illu­mi­nation flowing discreetly down from above and as indirect illumination in the roof lining, the door storage compartments and grab handle recesses, the interior lights scheme creates a unique atmosphere of sophisticated style. And as yet another feature typical of MINI, the light colour may be changed at any time in five stages from warm orange to sporting blue, de­pending on the occupants’ personal mood and preference.

Authentic and sophisticated: materials in premium quality.

The dashboard in the new MINI is made up of two horizontally segmented sections with a trim element in between. Finished in a special synthetic ma­terial, the surfaces come in a particularly fine grain emphasising the sheer value of the material.

Round air vents placed far to the outside give the dashboard an even wider look, emphasise the horizontal orientation of the cockpit and serve as a con­nection providing a clear transition to the door linings.

The optional Colour Line allows very individual and highly personal design and configuration of the cockpit. Colour highlights in the lower sections of the dashboard flow on into the door linings, where they are combined very attractively and effectively with the materials on the trim surfaces. Colour Line is available in the five colour shades Dark Grey, Cream White, Pacific Blue, Rooster Red, and Mellow Yellow, with the trim surfaces coming in four exclusive variants over and above the versions already standard on the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S: glossy black piano paint, dark brown grain­ed oak, brushed aluminium, and an extra-fine gloss surface inspired by the structure of liquid metal.

A particular expression of the authentic premium character of the new MINI is provided by the use of natural wood and solid aluminium. And as an op­tion, a fully closed glove compartment or a CD-changer may be integrated in the trim panel on the front passenger’s side.

Upgraded Center Speedo with additional functions.

The Center Speedo is and remains the central highlight within the cockpit of the new MINI, not just due to its particular position in the middle of the dash­board. Indeed, the Center Speedo is an absolutely unique, unmistakable MINI design icon, a circular instrument cluster not only larger than on the former model, but even more striking and distinctive in its look.

This special effect further intensifies the atmosphere of the cockpit on board the new MINI, especially as the Center Speedo has not only grown signifi­cantly in size, but also in its functions: Apart from the analogue-face speed­ometer presenting road speed on a scale extending round the entire display, the Center Speedo, depending on the model variant and level of equipment, now also comprises the audio system as well as the optional navigation and entertainment units.

The round contours of the display are another unique detail again typical of MINI, the central and high position of the Center Speedo ensuring optimum ergonomic control by both the driver and front passenger. Indeed, this alone makes it an integrating element for life and enjoyment on board the new MINI.

Like in motorsport, the rev counter is a free-standing instrument placed di­rectly in the driver’s line of vision behind the steering wheel.

Both the steering wheel itself and the gearshift lever knob may be finished in a special wood look as an option, the cockpit as a whole serving as an inter­face between the car’s technical features and the driver, and thus underlin­ing the overall dynamic character of the new MINI.

New design on the door linings and seat upholstery.

The particularly slender centre console helps to provide more space than be­fore in the footwells on both the driver’s and front passenger’s side.

The horizontal orientation of the cockpit, in turn, is reflected by the arrangement of the instruments and controls housed beneath the Center Speedo in the Center Stack. Further features typical of MINI are the vertically arranged ventilation knobs, the two cupholders integrated in the bottom of the centre console, and the toggle switches carried over from motorsport.
Serving, inter alia, to operate the electric window lifts, seat heating and central locking, these switches are now larger on the new MINI and are matched for the first time by toggle switches also in the roof lining. Opening and closing the slid­ing roof, therefore, is now also a smooth operation carried out in that typical MINI style.

The door linings and panels also take up the design language of circular ele­ments combined with horizontal structures. The main, elliptical lining ele­ment now extends all the way to the rear, the elliptic contour surrounding the armrest light in appearance, a door bag and the round door openers in an attractive elliptic line.

Different seat covers distinguish between the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S, with special effect seams enhancing the lifestyle ambience of the particul­ar­ly purist “basic� fabric in the MINI Cooper.

The seat upholstery in the MINI Cooper S, in turn, features “checks� bearing testimony to the checkered flag in motorsport, the checkered cloth used for this purpose emphasising the sporting character and dynamic performance of the MINI Cooper S.

Classic pinstripe cloth comes as an alternative, combining an elegant and fine woven look with leather on the side supports of the seats available in four different colours. Clearly, this particularly sophisticated, high-quality material pays tribute to the classic cloth used on sophisticated pinstripe suits.

Hand-sewn piped leather for that unique touch of class.

In the process of designing and refining the interior, the designers have once again shown their great attention and, indeed, love for detail. And the customer is able to follow this example, using the many options to personal­ise his or her new MINI.

A set of no less than 16 chrome-plated trim rings, inter alia for the air vents, cupholders, and instruments, makes the interior even more elegant and so­phisticated in its look. Moving on to the leather upholstery, the customer has the choice of Leather Punch in Carbon Black or Leather Gravity in Tuscan Beige.

Classic Leather Lounge seats complete with attractive piping and available in two colour variants as an option bear out the very special touch of class so distinctive of the new MINI with its very British heritage. These seats with their exclusive piping combine the traditional values of the brand with very modern design language, the exclusive piped leather being hand-sewn and exuding supreme quality for all your senses.