Say it isn’t so: A Mini Cooper SUV?
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Mini has just revealed the next step in its quest to be everything a Mini isn’t supposed to be. And it’s not pretty. This is the Mini Crossover concept that will be shown at this fall’s Paris Motor Show. Yes, it’s an SUV.
Stretching the Mini to create a Clubman made a kind of sense. But when does a Mini become so big that it can no longer be called ‘mini’?
The Crossover concept is taller, wider and longer than the Clubman and has permanent all-wheel drive and one heck of a funky interior (if that ever makes it into production, it would be a miracle). Four separate seats are attached to a central rail. This rail can be used to attach cup holders, storage units and entertainment consoles that can be passed between the front and rear quarters. And the dash houses a globe where the driver can consult the navigation system while the front passenger may surf the Web.
The Crossover concept also has three ‘normal’ doors, but the left-rear passenger door slides out and back, just as with a minivan. Again, this feature may not make it to production.
But BMW (Mini’s makers) has set an on-sale target of 2010, it’s a sure bet it will be available in North America (land of the SUV), and the general design points to how all Minis could look in the future.