The Mini Beachcomber is a first look at the upcoming Countryman. Just fill the gaping hole in the side and throw some all-seasons on it. This is a bigger Mini that will actually seat four full sized adults and tease you with the thought of going off road. For me this is a welcomed addition and I am excited to see it on the road.
Watch head of MINI Design Gert Hildebrand introduces the Mini Beachcomber.
Some design thoughts and sketches after the jump….
The Beachcomber has taken a nice transition from its concept form. Everything has been tweaked and prodded with the only big visual change being the greenhouse. The strong horizontals made with the traditional blacked out pillars are gone and instead show a more conventional execution. I am waiting to see this in person, but so far I miss the blacked out pillars.
Knowing this is a production vehicle done up concept style there is not a ton of flexibility for creativity. Not to say that Mini didn’t do a great job but this would not have been the sketch to come up with when thinking of a Beachcomber Concept. A doorless Mini is pretty awesome, but why leave two of the three cut lines? The three indentations in the rocker inspired from the Moke also look a little forced.
The rear cross bar is pretty sweet with the word Mini making up the structural center of it.
These are some great illustrations as always from Mini. Keep them coming please. We will have more after we see the Beachcomber at NAIAS and hopefully speak with the designers. Stay tuned it will be a fun week!
[Source: video MotoringFile]
I think mini should stick to what they do best, making small cars. Most of the design cues on this car looks tacked on. Its just an over blown doorless mini.
i think MINI need more series to strengthen her brand
I really wonder what’s been keeping the Mini brand from producing some of these concepts they’ve come out with as limited production models. It would be sweet to see something like this rolling down the road as a sortof mini-Wrangler… pun intended. If Jeep can get away with removable doors, why not Mini too?
Basically, enough showboating around the concept car circuit, do it already!