MINI's Crossover Gets A Name
MINI enthusiasts have a whole new reason to get excited, now that the name of the company's upcoming crossover has been released. The MINI Crossman, previously referred to internally as the "Colorado," will bring the brand firmly into new territory. This news comes from an auto motor und sport interview with MINI CEO Kay Segler.
What will likely be called the R58 within BMW from here on out, the Crossman is expected to ride higher than current MINI models, and have All Wheel Drive, making it a potential choice for off-roaders. With these new capabilities, MINI plans to expand their customer base to include young men who want something a little more "masculine" than the current models.
Initial response to the new name has made some wonder if MINI lost its creative edge. Likewise, one potential downside to the company releasing a crossover is if they will end up alienating the fan base that has rallied around the small car brand since the release of the Cooper. A possible look for the crossover, displayed above, makes the MINI appear as if it were named in the Mitchell Report on steroid use in baseball.
This new vehicle will also mark the first time a MINI is assembled outside the U.K. Austrian manufacturer Magna Steyr will build the car for MINI, which is rapidly running out of space at their current facilities.
The MINI Crossman is scheduled for release in 2010. Segler says there are currently no plans for a fifth MINI model.
Oh my good god. What a rendering. That thing looks like something from another planet. I think the Chinese are designing prettier things right now.
uugghhh..... another crossover. is it just me, or are you guys also getting tired of crossovers?
yep crossovers, it's a band wagon, so..until they get me somethin like 80 mpg, i am getting tired of them
Yuck. I owned a 2004 and 2006 Mini Cooper. The newest one (2007) looks uglier for sure, but this car is just plain foul. Let's hope the Mini designers do better than this rendering!
Why ? It just does not make sense especially considering the new Mini Clubman...except as a way to lower cost with platform sharing with the upcoming BMW 1 series SUV...the BMW I understand but the Mini variant...errrrr no
kind of defies the point of a mini, even the brands name.
look like a giant catfish..i dont know why people keep trying to put any types of car into SUV,crossover platforms..mini is mini,the name tells you that,dont change it to something else
I find only the Audi-esque grille distasteful... what a production car it would be!
Have you guys burned your fuse or somethin?? That car looks fab!!! Crossovers are really something, aren't they??
is it a concept design from china???if yes,,its really nice.
it looks great but what is a mini? is suposed to be small, they are just to big.
if this is how the real car is going to be, then mini should really learn a thing or two about designing :P