BMW and MINI show stunning MINI Superleggera Vision concept

MINI has been moving in the right direction with design ever since the company began in the modern era. However, until now none of the MINIs have ever been what this author would consider “beautiful.” However, this now concept roadster changes things dramatically. Even at a quick glance this car is truly stunning to look at.

To create the MINI Superleggera Vision BMW and MINI turned to the specialty coachbuilder Touring Superleggera. The resulting car is a two-seat open top roadster (so in fact it is a spyder), that finally brings beauty to a company that already had more than its share of good features. This car may in fact be the most European of all cars in existence if it becomes a production vehicle. MINI embodies British small car traditional values, with BMW’s German engineering excellence, and finally, the Italian flair for making things with wheels art.

The Milan-based design company should be applauded for the design. Its frameless windscreen may be the coolest element of all, though it will never be a production feature. The swept back design and the rear wings recall a prior era of automotive design that got ridiculous. However, in this car we see that there was good intentions in those older designs with upwardly flared rear fenders.

Anders Warming, Head of MINI Design, commented on the car saying “"The MINI SuperleggeraTM Vision elegantly perpetuates what the Classic Mini started 55 years ago: reduction to the essentials. Its energetic, minimalistic design embodies the dynamic essence of an automobile. At the same time it creates unique emotional beauty in combining the past and future of the automotive industry, i.e. traditional coachwork craftsmanship and modern design styling. It was a pleasure for me to design a concept like this.”

Seeing the MINI roadster running gear draped in such an outstanding body makes us hope that this concept goes beyond the concept phase and someday enters production.