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We’re big fans of Cool Hunting. What follows is an interview between Cool Hunting’s Ami Kealoha and BMW Design lead Adrian van Hooydonk. You can find the original interview here. Is there a danger of being too cute with Mini? The lines are more crisp and taut on this concept, because we feel that a Mini should always be like a friend, let’s say. But if it becomes too cute, than maybe people will see it like a toy, a teddy bear. Of course we like to appeal to young customers, but Mini traditionally is a car that appealed to people of all ages, cross-gender and all around the world. The elements in this car, we believe are elements that could do that: keep Mini exciting, interesting fun, endearing, but also something to be reckoned with, also serious. Almost like a British bulldog—a small dog, but people take it seriously. What are the challenges of designing small? On a big car, it’s easy to make things move, do a door opening or a trunk. On a small car, it’s much, much harder. But exactly what Mini stands for, right from the very beginning, is being clever in a small space. And this car is full of ideas for a small space. The way the trunk opens, the original Mini had that too. In a tight parking spot, if a car is parked behind your Mini, you can still open this trunk and put your stuff in. Or the side doors, they have a double hinge that allows you to open the door, even when there’s another car parked right next to you. How much less room does the door need? I would say one-third, if you have to put a number to it. The Mini has quite a long door, because it’s a four-seater but a two-door car. If you open it with one hinge, you hit the other door and then you have to sort of squeeze in. With the Rocketman, we solved both issues. You can crawl in the back because the door’s quite long, but you don’t have to squeeze in through a narrow opening because of the double hinge. That’s actually why we called the car Rocketman. On the one hand, Rocketman sounds like a brave little guy—and Mini is that, a brave little guy. But this car to us is so full of ideas, that we thought it’s rocket science by Mini. That’s why we call it Rocketman. How did you treat the interiors for this car? Of course we are dealing with a small car, but as a designer you can do a lot to give the feeling or the sensation of more space. We did this in the Rocketman in the sense that there is no dashboard like we know it today. The dashboard takes up a lot of space. In the old Mini there was only a steering wheel and one big dial, and that’s what we’ve done in this Rocketman as well. But the steering wheel and the big round center dial have grown together into a structure. And then the rest of the dashboard is gone, you don’t need it. The lighting is another feature which I believe can do a lot to create a very nice atmosphere, even in a small space. We’ve played with that a lot in the car, and we believe that the light or the light color in the future is going to play a bigger role in the whole color and material set up of the car. Right now the light is treated very separately from the materials that we use in the car, and in this concept we made it an integral part. We thought about it from the beginning, it could light up in red or blue or some other colors. You could customize to your mood, which is something that Mini offers today. There’s just one or two LEDs in the Mini interiors today so you can change the color seamlessly from orange to blue. But in this car now, there’s big surfaces of light. And the roof of course is transparent which is another element that increases your sensation of spaciousness. What other examples of industrial design inspired the car? We’re constantly not just looking at other fields of design, like industrial design, furniture design or fashion design, we also have a part of our team—actually a large part of our team located in California—called Design Works. And this design consultancy, we do industrial design for other companies as well. We are actually in touch with other industries, like aircraft industry, or boating. We design airplane interiors or boats exteriors and interiors. And you always learn, so as a designer you become more creative the more you work on different types of products, or design problems. LED light is something that is coming anyway, also in furniture, also in housing. It is simply very small, it uses less energy. It led to a whole creative outburst, because now we can position these lights in places where in the past a lightbulb would have to go in and there wouldn’t be the space. Without LED we couldn’t have done this roof or the illumination of the door panels, or the tail lamps where the air can pass through. It wouldn’t be possible. What about the headlights? In the headlamps, the way we use LED is we would like to make the light in a way that is soft and homogenous. We don’t like to see the dots actually, because we think it’s a little bit too bright, a little bit too cold. And we want to have the light be somewhat soft and warm. What are the features you think are most likely to go to market? When you’ve just presented a concept car that’s meant to go very far in the future, then that’s probably the toughest question to ask. But, the lighting ideas for sure. I would say things like the hinges, or the way the trunk works. This would be possible to put in production. Also a lot of the surface features, the design the ideas, the form ideas we’ve put in the car, both in the interior and the exterior. I can see a lot of potential in using those because that is not necessarily technically difficult. That’s just a matter of seeing how it was received—judging by tonight that was good but let’s see if the broader audience in Geneva sees the car. And this was also deliberate. If people see this car as part of what could be Mini, then we have just broadened our palette. We’ve just given ourselves more room to play. Because Mini has such a strong history, such a strong heritage in one car. Of course everything gravitates towards this one original car. Does it look like that car or does it not? I think this concept car will help us widen the palette a little bit, which I think is necessary to develop the brand into the future. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

What do you get the gamer who has everything? You get him this: a radical gaming chair literally made out of the nose of a classic Mini. Built by designer David Gawhtorpe, the chair includes a built-in Xbox 360, 500W amp, speakers, strobe lights, lasers, a small refrigerator at the back and — wait for it — a remote controlled smoke machine. Doubling also as a home theater chair, there’s a rumble pad under your backside to really put you there. A one-off, the original chair has been sold to a London fellow, who’s going to put it up for sale in his Pimlico shop. It can be yours, for a mere $12,967. See the chair all folded up after the break. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

MINI has just released a fantastic video that gives you the thought behind the Rocketman as well as a tangible connection to the classic Mini. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

Some people like to describe their tuned Cooper S as “fire breathing”, but BMP Design of Tyler, Texas wins the brag with the MINI Jet. The 420 hp, 400 ft-lb of torque, RWD monster is literally powered by a Rolls Royce-Allison helicopter engine (the 250-C20B to be exact). Complete with helicopter style lever throttle between the seats, it’s unclear if the MINI Jet retains its original engine up front as well. If it does, that would make this the most seriously badass hybrid to date. More video after the break. [source: Jalopnik] </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

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Today is the day that BMW took the wraps off its biggest gamble to date. No it’s not a full car reveal. Actually much more grand and has greater implications than any single new model. The brand is BMW i and the idea is to rethink the car and the way we use our transportation infrastructure. Along with the brand, BMW announced its plan to produce two cars under the i name. The i3 will be a fully electric three and five door hatch with a carbon fiber monocoque on an aluminum frame (yes body on frame is back). Pricing has yet to be even hinted at but we expect this to be a premium offering (ie high-end 3 Series territory). The i8 will also be much more premium costing more than $150,000. But it will have performance, design and engineering that will live up to that price. Likely very similar to the Vision concept that debuted at Frankfurt a year and a half ago, the car will likely redefine what a sports car is. With its three cylinder turbo diesel developing great power while being extremely efficient, the i8 will lead the brand. Look for the BMW i8 to debut in 2013 and the i3 to follow it about a year later. Official Release: The new BMW sub-brand focused on developing sustainable mobility solutions has been launched. “BMW i represents a new movement in premium mobility. With the introduction of this new sub-brand, the BMW Group reaffirms its leadership as the most innovative and sustainable premium car company. The products and services have been conceived around a revolutionary approach: purpose designed and purpose built for sustainable, premium mobility. It’s a new day in our industry; a new era for individual mobility. This is BMW i – Born Electric.” said Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales and Marketing, in Munich on Monday. (Official gallery and video after the break) In a first move, two models will be launched under the new sub-brand from 2013 – the BMW i3 and BMW i8. The BMW Group will also significantly expand its range of mobility services over the years ahead. To achieve this, a Venture Capital company was founded in New York City, BMW i Ventures, with an investment totalling up to 100 million US dollars. “BMW i offers visionary cars and services, inspiring design, and an entirely new concept of premium mobility – all with a focus on sustainability”, explained Robertson. The BMW i brand comprises vehicles and services developed since 2007 as part of project i, a BMW Group think tank exploring sustainable mobility solutions. It is the BMW Group’s response to changing customer needs, including increasing demand for alternative drive trains, such as electric drive systems and hybrids. There is a widespread desire in megacities for solutions which intelligently combine the benefits of various mobility concepts in a single package. Revolutionary vehicle concepts “With BMW i, we are building on the success and strength of our core brand,” emphasised Robertson. The BMW i3– previously known as the Megacity Vehicle – will be the BMW Group’s first series-produced car for urban areas to be driven by electric power alone. The BMW i8, meanwhile, is based on the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept study. Its plug-in hybrid drive blends the sporting ability of a high-performance machine with the fuel consumption and emissions of a small car. Both models are based on a revolutionary construction concept known as LifeDrive architecture. An aluminium chassis houses the powertrain, and the passenger cell consists of high-strength but extremely lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP). “Both cars have been designed specifically for their respective alternative drive systems. We used the innovative architecture and CFRP to cancel out practically all of the extra weight added by the batteries. For our customers this means superior driving dynamics combined with significantly increased range using electric power,” explains Klaus Draeger, BMW Board member responsible for development. BMW i8 to be built in Leipzig Like the BMW i3, the BMW i8 will also be manufactured at BMW’s Leipzig plant. Around 400 million euros will be invested in new plant facilities and some 800 jobs will be created up to 2013. Development and production synergies will be achieved through both vehicles using the same component sets for the electric motors, power electronics, and high-voltage lithium-ion batteries. A range of vehicle-independent services An additional range of mobility services – which can also be used independently of the cars – will be an integral component of BMW i. This will allow the creation of a new, profitable area of business over the long term and attract new customers to the company’s brands. “Mobility requirements are changing in rapidly expanding megacities” adds Ian Robertson. “Our commitment to car-enabled mobility services, like BMW ConnectedDrive, will be significantly expanded under BMW i. We’ll also grow our car-related premium mobility services. What’s truly groundbreaking is that we’ll begin offering car-independent premium mobility services. BMW i aims to provide customized mobility solutions across a seamless network of premium products and premium services.” The focus is on solutions which will improve usage of existing parking spaces, as well as intelligent navigation systems with local information, intermodal route planning, and premium car-sharing. In addition to services developed in-house, the BMW Group is pursuing collaborations with partner companies and exploring strategic capital investments in providers of mobility services. To this end, the venture capital company BMW i Ventures has the goal to expand the range of products and services offered by BMW i in the long term by taking stakes in highly innovative service providers. New York-based My City Way is the first company in which BMW i Ventures has taken a stake. Of the partnership, Ian Robertson said, “I am thrilled to announce that we have just signed our first strategic partnership with My City Way. As a mobile app, My City Way provides users with information on public transportation, parking availability, and local entertainment for over 40 cities in the US. Another 40 cities will be part of the global rollout, including Munich, of course.” [show as slideshow] [View with PicLens] </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

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This comes to us from White Roof Radio co-host and MotoringFile contributor, Todd Pearson. In 2006, MINI announced they would be producing a performance-oriented special edition model that would be lighter weight and limited in quantity worldwide. As we all know, that edition was dubbed the MINI Cooper S John Cooper Works GP edition. Two thousand individually numbered GPs were produced with 415 sold in the US. I wasn’t immediately smitten when the GP was announced but the car grew on me so much that I put a deposit down and paid extra to take part in a special delivery of the very first GPs delivered during the first MINI Takes The States. The special delivery took place at Laguna Seca during the kick-off to the Monterey Historics in 2006. Needless to say, as soon as I laid eyes on the Thunder Blue Metallic paint, carbon fiber wing and unique aero kit on the GP, I was in love with this car. As many know, I was so in love with the GP that a couple years later I bought a second one when it showed up at my local dealer. The car is that great. After almost a year with two GPs, I’ve made the tough decision to sell that first GP. You read that correctly. At the risk of sounding self-serving, I’m writing about it here because it’s a rare car with a great history and, while a GP shows up for sale now and then, it’s nice to be able to let the MINI enthusiast community know about a great car like this when it becomes available. So for the next week, you can bid on GP #0083 by clicking on over to eBay. Not to worry, I keeping the second GP and will stay a MINI owner and enthusiast for a very long time. It’s just time for someone else to enjoy owning this truly great MINI. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

The title says it all. BMW will launch the highly anticipated new sub-brand on Monday. We’ll be in Munich later in the week to talk with BMW about plans for both the new sub-brand and the future of MINI. For more background on the Megacity project head over to our sister site BimmerFile to read a full report. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

SimpleViewer requires JavaScript and the Flash Player.Get Flash.As many of you know, MINI made a sizable marketing investment in the Super Bowl this year — running an ad as well as giving away tickets to “the big game.” MINI also threw a Bootparty to celebrate and it included some game day themed MINIs that we’re told we’ll see round the country at similar events in the future. Looks like good times. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

Here Evo puts the European hot hatchbacks through the ringer, comparing the Citroen DS3R to the MINI Cooper S and others. A terrific summary of each vehicle, showing just how close all these cars really are to each other on paper, but how far apart they are in dynamic driving appeal. The MINI fairs well, but we won’t spoil the ending. Definitely worth a watch. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

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Via @Jen_Just_Jen on Twitter, here we get a small behind the scenes peek at how the first WRC Countryman came to be. I never get tired of that engine noise, do you? </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

In what’s being described around the internet as an “implosion”, Penske Automotive has announced its intention to relinquish Smart distribution rights in America to Mercedes Benz. Given the abysmal US sales and the reality of what a Smart car really is, we can’t say we’re shocked the whole house of cards finally came tumbling down. However, the story from Penske is that this was actually Merc’s idea. In a nutshell, Benz selling the Smart in-house is a shortcut to meeting the upcoming 2016 CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards. This is not unlike Aston Martin restyling the Toyota IQ to bump its terrible MPG fleet average up to something the feds won’t ding them for. Included in the restructuring is the likely closure of 21 Smart-only dealerships (dealers who do not also sell Mercedes Benz vehicles) and probably Smart’s Michigan headquarters. Additionally, Smart will forego its planned four door model, based on the Nissan Micra, in favor of a FourTwo+2 currently in development. Mercedes-Benz USA President Ernst Lieb had this to say: “We are very excited about working toward integration of Smart into the MBUSA organization and look forward to working with our dealer partners to exceed customer expectations for this unique vehicle.” Benz seems to think they can better handle the sales and marketing of the Smart, which is probably true. They’ve got plenty of cash to spend on marketing and advertising. In the end though, I can’t help but wonder if Benz really cares about the success of Smart itself, or if they will simply maintain the brand like a pet for the sake of better fleet MPG numbers. And if you really want to know why Smart USA is dead, read our review from a few years ago. [source: WorldCarFans.com.] </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

Nathaniel joins us for news from Motoringfile.com again. If you missed the Marcus Syring interview, you can hear it again here. And, if you are a fan of the AMC Eagle, leave a comment below! For part 2, we dissect the Super Bowl commercial and talk about the resulting aftermath of comments. This is definitely a show you don’t want to miss! Download | WRR @ iTunes | 28MB | 1:01:16 </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

In a interview with AutoGuide Jim McDowell dispelled two MINI myths about the US market. First there will not be a larger MINI than the current Countryman for the foreseeable future. Second there will not be a smaller MINI than the current R56 hatchback. But what of the MINI City car concept we know will be debuting in Geneva in the coming days? Based on these comments we would assume that MINI USA currently has no plans to offer it in the US. Where MINI does have plans are making use of the “very flexible” R60 platform for more crossover variants. MF readers will know that that comment likely pertains to the upcoming Paceman crossover coupe and the next generation Clubman. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

A little birdie informed us this early this morning and now MINI United official Facebook site has confirmed it. MINI United will not be taking place this summer as originally planned. Instead MINI is planning on moving the event to the summer of 2012. The location will remain France but no details have been given. I think I speak for all MF readers everywhere in saying… bummer. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

An old maxim states ‘necessity is the mother of invention.’ This statement sums up the MINI aftermarket succinctly. Once the first-generation cars were unleashed on an unsuspecting automotive industry, an enthusiast following appeared shortly thereafter. Once owners were given a chance to use their cars for longer periods of time, small niggling issues popped up here and there. One such issue was the driving force behind the development of InvisiLens: glare on the MINI’s gauges. Richard Woo bought his MINI in 2005 and quickly noticed that the gauge lenses would often reflect light in unforeseen ways. Richard says that he “hadn’t experienced this in any other car….most other cars have a functional design to help prevent ambient light from interfering with gauge readability. Their gauges are inset into the dash and shielded by a visor, and the lens in front of the instrument panel is tilted downward.” So, with an engineer’s eye for solving problems, Richard went to work on coming up with a better material for the MINI’s tach and speedo lenses. “After a long search, I found a possible candidate in a premium plastic that is anti-reflective on both sides. Optically, it outperforms glass. The material is expensive but the small size of the lenses makes it affordable, and I purchased samples for experimentation. I wasn’t sure whether I could find a way to actually mount it in the gauges. I fabricated some lenses with power hand tools in my garage.” This solution eliminated both glare and the haze that the stock MINI lenses have out of the box. He made one set for himself and put the idea away for a while. In 2009, his brain turned to the issue of mass-production. Because of the way that much of production is sent overseas, it can be hard for a boutique product like Invisilens to get off the ground without a sizable investment. Richard discovered that laser cutting the lens material was the best solution for cutting out the lens material. Enter TechShop, an extremely unique business. They call themselves a “membership-based workshop” and offer classes and tools of the caliber only industrial-grade businesses usually have access to. Leaving his garage behind, Richard was able to leverage the laser cutter at his local TechShop to streamline a right-sized production run. A neat detail Richard added to the design is an engraving which is not visible once the lens is installed. So, what is the final product like? Excellent. Installation takes about 45 minutes and requires fairly standard hand tools. The tach pod has to be removed from the car in order to be disassembled and the trim ring and lens of the speedo must be taken off to install that piece. Although I should be clear I benefitted from the assistance of Matt “Dr. Obnxs” Richter, founder of FES Auto. Disassembling the gauges and removing the stock lenses revealed just how scratched my lenses were. The light surface swirling and scratches made the clear plastic cloudy. Also, it became clear why a stick-on film wouldn’t be sufficient to cut the glare– both lenses are slightly concave. Adhesive vinyl would be a nightmare to apply. The real magic comes into play when the lenses are on your car. In high-contrast driving situations such as in a forest, glare is eliminated entirely. True to its name, the InvisiLens disappears in the nighttime and the driver is left with the crisp typeface of the lit gauges behind the moving needles. InvisiLens is offered by FES Auto, the same company that sells the Ian Cull Auto-Up Circuit and their own patent-pending configurable shift light. The price starts at $60 for the first-gen cars (R50/53) and $140 for R56 cars (The tach lens will fit the newer facelifted 2011 models but the speedo lens, I’m told, is incompatible for the time being). It’s a mod that you’ll take advantage of every day and come to miss if you drive another MINI without InvisiLens. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше