Mini Speedster from 2001 - looks set to form the basis of a new MINI Speedster
Bit of a MINI day today. First we had spy shots of the MINI Crossman Crossover out testing at the Nurburgring before its launch at Frankfurt this year, and now news is reaching us that the MINI Speedster concept may finally have been signed off for production.
Based on the MINI platform, the Speedster version was talked about as long ago as 2001, but never made it to production on the first MINI platform. But perhaps having now covered just about every variant they can think of, BMW has decided that now is the time to revive the car and get it in to production.
Small Roadsters, in the vein of the old British open-topped 2 seater ( and its modern ‘Homage’ version – the MX-5) will, I’m sure, see something of a renaissance in the next few years as people start to turn away from big, profligate cars, but still seek some fun motoring. Porsche/Audi/VW/Skoda are all rumoured to be preparing a small Roadster based on the VW Blue Concept, and Mercedes are thought to be working on bringing to fruition a small Roadster based on the next generation A/B Class platform.
So this could be a timely move for MINI. Whether they will utilise the 4WD of the Crossman, or offer the car as a front wheel drive isn’t clear. But it would give MINI the option to produce a range of Roadsters from an economical diesel (or even something based on the MINI EV platform) up to a real fun-mobile by doing a JCW version.
As soon as we know more, you’ll be the first to know. But it certainly looks interesting.
Source: Autoblog via Motoring File
what a brilliant idea. I reckon this will sell in huge numbers. And now America has worked out that little cars can be huge fun the sky’s the limit. Mini + roadster + affordable = big sales.