2012 MINI Coupe
In 2009, MINI created a concept car based of the successful Cooper S. The long, practical hatchback roof was lobbed off, and in its place was a sleek, fastback-style top. While it might have been an awkward combination, and the loss of the rear seats and cargo room, it did help remind people of the rebodied classic Minis of the 1960s like the Mini Marcos.
Now, for the 2012 model year, MINI has saw fit to move the concept into production. Today, the company has given the public some information on what to expect from the hot un-hatch, despite a full reveal being announced and some of the car still under its swirly wraps.
The big trait that the company seems to be touting is the car's new handling dynamics. The MINI Cooper and hotter Cooper S are no slouches when it comes to handling, with some saying that they are the best handling of the hot hatches. For the Coupe, the engineers have reworked the weight distribution for better balance compared to the current line-up. They also claim that, thanks to the new roof, the chassis is much stiffer than the hatches as well. The roofline is over an inch lower than the regular cars, which should also help bringing the center of gravity down.
Everything else seems to be available to the standard Cooper, Cooper S, and John Cooper Works equipped cars, and that includes similar performance numbers like acceleration, braking and fuel economy.
The press release also states that there is an "extremely high-opening tailgate and large luggage area with through-loading facility." While there is no doubt that the cars will still be practical for daily use, just how much usable cargo area that has been lost with the roof change has yet to be revealed. Nor has pricing, but expect premium prices when it does
[Source: MINI]
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario