MINI Paceman arrives

The MINI Paceman Concept - a MINI Countryman Coupe

MINI has revealed yet another model in the MINI plan to spawn more models than any other car – the MINI Paceman.

It’s been at least a week since MINI announced a new model or limited edition. And there’s still a pair of MINIs waiting in the wings to be launched – the MINI Roadster and MINI Coupe.

But that hasn’t stopped MINI coming up with yet another MINI – the MINI Paceman – which will debut at the Detroit Motor Show. And concept tag or not you can bet your boots this one will hit the road in the next couple of years.

Call us old cynics, but the MINI Paceman looks like it’s been dragged in to being to take on the Range Rover Evoque. MINI – or should we say BMW – are calling the Paceman the “First Sports Activity Coupe in the small premium segment” and say it has “…muscle car design cues”, but it’s basically a MINI Countryman Coupe.

Whether dumping a couple of doors from the Countryman, sticking in the biggest engine in its range – the JCW lump and the All4 drive – and attaching a coupe roof that ‘Floats on Glass’ in the same way as the Citroen DS3 – or even the Evoque itself – is enough to make the MINI Paceman a car the world will want is another question.

With this second foray in to the MINI on steroids – after the MINI Countryman – and plans to venture smaller than the regular MINi with the MINI Minor, it seems BMW is prepared to exploit every single niche it can that sits below its own models to get its money’s worth from the MINI badge.

But isn’t the MINI Paceman just a step too far?

Note: All the Paceman bumph in the MINI Paceman Concept Press Release