SPY PICS: R56 MINI Cabrio undercover

Look closely at these pics. See any camouflage? It's like the vanishing cream of automotive disguise, but it is there.

It certainly doesn't hide the fact that this is the latest R56 generation MINI Cabrio caught on the ground by the spy snappers extraordinaire from Carparazzi, not far from the company's bunker in Munich.

What camouflage there is conceals the existence or otherwise of the previous model's external hinges for the fold-down tailgate. We suspect that this points to the R56 model using internal hinges.

The roof raised leaves it to our imagination as to whether MINI's designers have made changes to the roof operation and the way it stows. Based on the roof as it shows in the raised position, we doubt that there'll be much difference in that area.

According to Carparazzi, the R56 model MINI Cabrio is set for an international launch during the Northern Hemisphere spring (our Autumn) in 2008. That will maintain the interest aroused by the new MINI Clubman (more here)

-- with Carparazzi