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Mini's not-so-mini Urbanaut minivan concept comes to life

BMW-owned Mini showcased one way it could branch out into new segments when it unveiled the Vision Urbanaut concept in late 2020. At the time, the design study existed merely in a series of digital renderings. It hasn't been approved for production yet, but it was recently transformed into a real concept car that people can experience. Executives argued the idea of an electric Mini minivan isn't as far-fetched as it might sound. "We have developed an idea of how we can take the Mini attributes — as here, with the focus on the clever use of space — into the future of mobility and interpret them in a typically Mini way," said company boss Bernd Korber. Clever use of space was the original Mini's claim to fame thanks in part to an ingenious drivetrain layout, and the Urbanaut takes it to a new level. Longer than a Countryman and shaped like the box it came in, it offers a lounge-like cabin that can be configured in a variety of different ways depending on the number of passengers it's carrying, and whether someone is driving. Mini created three profiles called Chill, Wanderlust, and Vibe, respectively. Chill lets the passengers relax, work, or sleep with minimal distractions while the Urbanaut drives itself. In this mode, the instruments and switches on the dashboard are hidden out of sight to make users feel like they're in a living room, not in a car. Wanderlust allows passengers to choose whether they want to drive or be driven. Vibe may as well be called Party; it configures the Urbanaut's lights and screens to make users feel like they're in a club. Alternatively, users can configure their own driving profile thanks to a feature named My Moment. While the Urbanaut doesn't look like a traditional Mini, it will (hopefully) smell like one. For the first time, Mini is linking its brand identity to a fragrance. We can't convey a smell over the internet, there's not an app for that yet, but we're told it is refreshing and discreet. It's accompanied by a welcome sound that greets users as they enter the cabin. Mini will present the Urbanaut concept to the public for the first time at the Digital-Life-Design (DLD) Summer Conference opening July 1 in Munich, Germany. What happens next hasn't been revealed yet. While we'd be surprised to see it land in showrooms, something like it could zig-zag across major cities in the coming years. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Mini John Cooper Works previewed in camo keeping gas performance alive

Curious about the next Mini Cooper JCW? Well, here’s a great sneak peek, as Mini just dropped a cache of photos showing it in race guise and wearing a thin layer of camouflage. WeÂ’ve already seen the electric John Cooper Works version of the two-door hardtop Mini, but this is the gas-powered variant. Many of the design elements weÂ’re seeing here like the grille, front lower side vents, rear bumper and more should make their way to the production car, which Mini says will be revealed this fall. The grille might be new, but it looks a whole lot like the front end we saw on the outgoing Mini Cooper JCW. That said, it adopts the new shape and minimalist vibes from the 2025 Mini weÂ’ve seen in the less-sporty variants. The rear end with its taillights are what we expect from the production car, though the rear diffuser shouldnÂ’t be anywhere near that aggressive. The specific car youÂ’re looking at here is covered in red and white camo as an homage to the red and white color schemes used in the 1960s for Minis in motorsports. It also has a “37” logo to commemorate the Mini Cooper SÂ’ victory (a car wearing 37) at the 1964 Rallye Monte Carlo. We still donÂ’t know specs, but since Mini is done with manual transmissions, expect this JCW to feature an automatic paired with an updated version of the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine found in the outgoing model. It should also feature a sportier version of the interior weÂ’ve already seen in the new Cooper. All the details will be made available before the year is out, but for now, enjoy these photos as a preview of whatÂ’s to come.

Mini STRIP gets Paul Smith's help with graceful sustainability

For the 40th anniversary of the original Mini in 1999, British designer Paul Smith created a vintage two-door Mini overlaid with the multicolored stripes he's known for. You can buy still buy a set of his "Artist Stripe" Mini-Car Cufflinks at the Paul Smith site. For Mini's newest collaboration with the knighted Royal Designer for Industry, the partnership dropped the "e" from "stripe" to create the one-off Mini STRIP concept. Given the tagline "Sustainable design with a twist," if you wanted to show off the possibility of combining high design with unprocessed, renewable materials, the Mini STRIP is a sensational way to do it.  The project started with the steel bodyshell of a battery-electric Mini Cooper SE. Everything added to the shell needed to satisfy the themes of simplicity, transparency, and sustainability, which meant eliminating anything that could be eliminated, and rethinking the materials and forms of the rest. Outside, the STRIP bears its naked steel, complete with the grinding marks from the finishing process. There's naught but a layer of transparent paint to shield the metal against corrosion. The duller, contrasting hue in places like the front and rear apron and hood intake are from 3D-printed parts. The grille trim has been fashioned from recycled Perspex, same as the panoramic roof and the aero covers on the wheels. The silver screw heads in the black trim are intended to highlight and ease the process of dismantling the car when it's time for bits to be recycled. The only color outside is a splash of neon green that hides under the charging port cap. The cabin hardware is nothing but the indispensable, lightly trimmed. Smith insisted on painting the steel shell a vivid blue. The instrument panel is a single semi-transparent piece, a smartphone replacing Mini's usual large center gauge. The only switchgear consists of five toggles hanging above the area that's clearly missing its center tunnel. The dash and upper door pads, plus the sun visors, are made from recycled cork without any synthetic filler. The door pulls are wound climbing cord, the door openers made of milled, recyclable aluminum, same as the steering wheel spokes. The seat surfaces and piping are knitted fabric, tying in with mesh panels used on the lower doors, the airbags running along the roof, and the cover over the airbag in the steering wheel. That wheel is wrapped in bicycle tape, a nod to Smith's taste for cycling.