The Automotive Crystal Ball: MINI to make Cooper SUV?

BMW Looks Ready to Build on MINI's Success by Introducing More New Models in Unprecedented Market Segments

Late last year, I reported that MINI was contemplating all-wheel drive for its compact sportster, the

Late last year, I reported that MINI was contemplating all-wheel drive for its compact sportster. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

Cooper (see automotive news section for Dec 20, 2004: Is MINI Cooper to get All-Wheel Drive Option). In that article, I assumed that the all-wheel drive Cooper would bring a new level of performance to the Cooper, helping to deliver neutral steering as opposed to the understeer that its current front-wheel drive layout defaults to. There was, however, one very obvious avenue which I failed to explore - the option of a MINI-based SUV.

At the beginning of May, BMW's DesignWorks studios, the facility responsible for many of BMW's modern interpretations, concepts and designs, released a preliminary sketch of a road-biased compact SUV. Known across the globe as "soft roaders" for their limited capabilities off the paved path, the MINI SUV (or SAV, in BMW terminology) would provide an economical, stylish and fun alternative to the current

BMW's DesignWorks studios has released a preliminary sketch of a road-biased compact SUV. (Photo: BMW DesignWorks)

crop of cute 'utes, such as the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Ford Escape and Mitsubishi Outlander.

The sketch depicts a slightly longer, taller hatchback version of the familiar MINI shape. Heavily rolled wheel arches that are finished in matte plastic (like today's Cooper), the trademark floating roof, minimal overhangs, blacked-out pillars and MINI's traditionally cute, smiling face will definitely be key features to link this to the brand's other models. Elsewhere, the design team began to play with shapes and details that are foreign to the heritage-rich British classic. A side sketch depicts a four-door body with high-mounted round tail lamps on the rear pillars, and bulbous front and rear glass.