MINI to axe Coupe, Roadster, Paceman

MINI by name, mini by nature. That's the edict from MINI boss and BMW Member of the Board, Peter Schwarzenbauer, who has officially outlined MINI's plans to shrink its range.

Currently at eight models, the strategy to shrink the range by almost half to just five models is part of a concerted push to increase profitability. While more models (usually) means more sales, it also adds complexity in the manufacturing and promotion stages and some vehicles make more money per unit than others.

As we reported a month prior, MINI's top brass had been agitating for a contraction of the range since the Detroit motor show in January 2014, and although Schwarzenbauer didn't reveal which models face the axe or how soon, it's likely that the MINI Coupe, Roadster and Paceman are all facing death row in a few year's time.

That means the MINI range will be comprised of the hatch, five-door hatch, Clubman, Countryman and Cabrio in the near future.

Bloomberg news reports that Schwarzenbauer says MINI would focus on its "superhero" models. Just don't expect spandex unitards and capes...

"Like a superhero, each of these cars has its own personality and unique capabilities," he said at a recent event held in Munich near BMW's head office.

"It is important to find the right balance between growth, on the one hand, and profitability, on the other," added Schwarzenbauer.

What does that mean for the John Cooper Works (JCW) sub-brand? It's expected to be business as usual for MINI's high-performance skunkworks outfit, tweaking models that deliver stronger profits than entry-level MINIs. The company also showcased the MINI JCW Concept at the 2014 Detroit motor show early in the year, a strong indication that it plans to retain the sub-brand.

Schwarzenbauer, who is also the BMW board member for Rolls-Royce, said that MINI would expand in one area – powertrains. The MINI chief confirmed the brand is working on an electric vehicle, which would be publicly available soon and may take a few styling cues from the MINI Superleggera Vision concept (pictured).

Despite the planned contraction of the brand's product portfolio, the MINI supremo says sales predictions are positive and that we can still expect some surprises.

"We will take new and unexpected directions," he said. "The brand will continue to evolve over the coming years to ensure that we remain leading edge."

The iconic MINI brand was relaunched in 2001, based on the iconic BMC Mini first seen in the late 1950s, and known for its zippy nature and ease of use.