Gautam Sharma•10 Oct 2014
NEWS
MINI Superleggera – blurred Vision?
MINI design chief says the rear-drive, electric-powered Superleggera Vision concept won't result in dilution of the iconic British brandAlthough it's been seen before at the Villa d'Este concours in May, the MINI Superleggera Vision concept was one of the most polarising vehicles at the Paris motor show. Some showgoers loved it, while others thought it was a cheesy effort conceived purely to grab attention.
Propelled by an electric motor driving the rear wheels, the diminutive roadster is as far removed from the core MINI ethos as one could imagine, even though offerings such as the Paceman and Countryman have stretched the envelope considerably in recent years.
MINI chief designer Anders Warming says the concept needn't be taken too literally, as its main purpose is to experiment with fresh design themes and see how far the brand can be diversified.
"I cannot definitely confirm that a roadster concept such as this [will go into production], but what I can say is that this car is a clear vision for our new form language, and this applies equally to the [minimalist] interior, which will find its way into many Minis of the future," he told motoring.com.au.
"This is a one-off study to see what MINI can do in the future. Its first purpose is to show a completely new concept for the MINI brand – a roadster based on what the Italians refer to as a 'barchetta' (little boat). So it's similar to coasting in an Italian lake in a speedboat, or in this case cruising on an Italian road with the top down.
"The second purpose was to showcase ideas for a new form language. MINI has a very recognisable face and headlights, but with this concept we're introducing new lines, such as the one extending rearward from above the front wheelarch.
"At the rear we have a fin and taillights with a Union Jack graphic. All these are indicators for what we refer to as a new MINI form language, and we believe firmly that it's a preview of what's to come in the future.
"The inspiration for this car is written right here 'British born, Italian tailored'. I've been a fan of Italian coachbuilt cars for a long time. There were so many beautiful cars in the past, but one example that stood out was the Aston Martin DB5 that James Bond drove. Here was a British car with the design of Superleggera in the 1960s.
"So, borrowing from the same idea, we approached Superleggera and discussed how we could meld our British heritage with a very exclusive Italian coachbuilt theme. It was a fifty-fifty collaborative project."
Warming says he and the design team working on the concept also drew inspiration from cars such as the Austin-Healy 'Frogeye' Sprite [he formerly owned one] and Jaguar D-Type [which the concept's fin references].
Inside, the concept's vast aluminium dashboard is fabricated from a single piece of metal, and the centre console has a touch-sensitive satnav system, an analogue clock and a novel camera function "to capture those worthwhile moments".
Although Superleggera translates to 'superlight' – something that's not compatible with electric power and the heavy batteries that come with them – Warming says the weight gain has been offset through lightening in other areas.
The concept is underpinned by a one-off alloy spaceframe chassis, cloaked in handbeaten aluminium panels, with the exception of the doors, bonnet and bootlid, which are made of carbonfibre.
Warming denies that an electric motor dilutes the appeal of a roadster, which should be an inherently emotive product.
"Within the BMW Group we believe electrification is a highly emotional product," he says. "When you drive the i3 for example, you get a 'wow' feeling. We also learned a lot from the MINI E [sold in California and Europe], in particular how to drive electrically but still drive like a Mini.
"This car also performs exactly as a MINI should do – it's agile and go-kart-like in its electrical form. We're sure that electrification will be part of the MINI future."
Rear-wheel drive is another set-up that's foreign to the brand, although the first MINI created under BMW ownership – the ACV30 concept in the late-1990s – was based on an MGF (mid-engined, rear-drive) platform.
"We don't believe front-wheel-drive is the only way to drive a MINI as we already have all-wheel-drive in products such as the Countryman," Warming says. "For me, it's not about which wheels are being driven, it's how the car drives and performs.
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Written byGautam Sharma
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalists
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