MINI Paceman Concept

The Mini, as people remember it originally, never died and still lives on as an iconic model. However, 10 years ago, the owner of the MINI brand (note the distinction with all capitals) rejuvenated the brand in a very significant way and created a new era for the little car. This milestone in the Mini’s history occurred at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit and the 10^th anniversary of that launch is being celebrated with the world premiere of the MINI Paceman Concept.

To be unveiled at the motorshow next month, this study vehicle is said to establish a totally new category of car with its potential for providing even more driving fun and an even greater range of usage. Insiders suggest that the Paceman Concept could become another building block in the ongoing development of the brand and its product portfolio.

The Paceman Concept takes the fundamental strengths of MINI – its uniqueness, go-kart handling, agility, dynamic capability and individual design – and gives them a fresh twist with the help of cutting-edge technology and an innovative body concept. It combines a sporty, masculine appearance, versatility and coupe looks with the dimensions of the 4-door Countryman.

The Paceman Concept, whose crossover design makes it the first Sports Activity Coupe (SAC) in the small car segment, blends lifestyle elements with premium quality. It is aimed at young, modern, extrovert urbanites who love the MINI character and its individuality, and place great importance on the personality of a brand and buy into its character and ethos.

The masculine design language of the Paceman Concept spotlights both the stand-alone identity of the concept and its membership of the MINI family. The two large doors and a wide-opening tailgate are cleverly integrated into a body that has the familiar MINI proportions. Noticeable are the increased ground clearance and raised seating position.

The Paceman Concept measures 4110 mm in length, 1789 mm in width and 1541 mm in height. In telltale family style, it has extremely short overhangs, which lend particular emphasis to the car’s athletic stature.

Largely replicating the front grille design of the Cooper S Countryman, the familiar ‘face’ is given a distinctive flavor for the Paceman Concept. The large headlights with chrome surrounds extend far into the front wings and, together with the strikingly contoured bonnet, emphasize the imposing front end. However, additional intakes in the lower section of the front bumper ensure improved brake ventilation and combine with the study’s deep-set foglamps to sharpen its sporting edge.

Large 19-inch wheels designed exclusively for the concept car and dark wheel arch borders with side skirts highlighted in the same colour team up with the familiar MINI shoulder line rising slightly towards the rear to underline the car’s sporty and powerful appearance.

To highlight the roof contours effectively, the flat roofline runs horizontally from front to rear, where it flows into a wide, transparent-looking C-pillar. The windows appear to wrap around the car like a band of glass, with the “helmet roof” – in a strikingly contrasting colour – suspended on top. The coupe-specific windows taper as they extend to the rear, and combine with the slightly rising waistline to create a prominently dynamic wedge shape when viewed from the side. The classic MINI three-level split roof, greenhouse and body is again clearly recognizable.

“In contrast to the more vertical design of the MINI Countryman, we’ve given the MINI Paceman Concept a horizontal emphasis and accentuated the width of the car rather more,” explained Marcus Syring, Head of MINI Exterior Design, to underline the powerful appearance of the study. The new interpretation of the traditional coupe values (the word “coupe” comes from the French “couper” meaning “to cut off”) produces a new homogeneous coupe tail which retains the unique MINI charm. Powerful proportions and the muscular design of the vehicle flanks, with their broad rear wings, reinforce its unconventional, athletic impression.

The interior deliberately draws from the MINI design language, yet also comes across as refreshingly new. Behind the study’s masculine exterior lies an elegant yet sporty core imbued with a premium sense of quality. The instrument panel is defined by distinctive, concave forms and the sporty but functional impression it creates. Particularly large side air vents underline the character of the interior, which is defined by cutting-edge functionality. The central air vents, centre speedometer and gearshift lever are given broad surrounds in a contrasting colour.

The slim centre console, which maximizes legroom for the driver and front passenger, melts between the seats into the Centre Rail familiar from the Countryman, creating a visual and functional link between the front and rear seats. This unique and innovative U-profile rail system runs through the middle of the passenger compartment back as far as the rear seat backrests.

The new interpretation of the brand’s familiar elliptical door and side trim extends along the length of the cabin, taking in the B-pillar and emphasizing the length of the interior. At the same time, the communicative and communal character of MINI cars is clearly highlighted. Embedded in the elliptical main element are the shaped armrests with large stowage compartments, ergonomically designed door pulls and the speakers for the sound system. Behind the sports seats are two comfortable individual seats, whose backrests merge boldly into side sections to create fully contoured supports. The “lounge” character that this creates underlines the individual, unconventional appearance of the study car and turns every journey into an experience for the rear passengers, as well as those in the front.

The Paceman Concept has been designed to allow the most powerful drivetrain currently available for a MINI to be fitted under the bonnet. This is the John Cooper Works 1.6-litre twin-scroll turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine which develops 155 kW/211 bhp and generates maximum torque of 260 Nm (which can be increased to 280 Nm in brief bursts thanks to the Overboost function).

The optionally available MINI ALL4 permanent all-wheel-drive system is also found in the Paceman Concept. This features an electromagnetic centre differential positioned directly on the final drive which varies the distribution of power seamlessly between the front and rear axles. In normal driving conditions, up to 50% of the drive is sent to the rear wheels; in extreme situations as much as 100% can go to the rear.


 

With the Countryman having already opened up a fascinating new avenue in the expansion of the brand family, the designers are now tapping into the potential of its state-of-the-art drive technology and flexible space concept once again to develop additional usage options in a coupe sibling. The Paceman Concept prioritizes a particularly emotional driving experience and demonstrates this ability in a style typical of the brand. It shows that totally new vehicle concepts can still be developed today through unconventional creativity.
 

To know more about the new MINI range or to find a showroom, visit www.mini.my