Mini has released images of its next concept ahead of its official début at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan.
The Mini Paceman is, once you take away the marketing-speak, a coupé version of the Mini Countryman crossover, and shares its frontal look with that model.
Parent company BMW calls the Paceman Concept ‘the first Sports Activity Coupé in the premium small segment of the market.’
Although the Graz, Austria-built Countryman is targeted at the likes of the Toyota RAV4 and the Suzuki SX4, it is also aimed at traditional Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf buyers. Like basic Focuses and Golfs, the entry-level Countryman is front-wheel-drive, not four-wheel-drive. Its 4·1 m length dwarfs the original Mini, which measured a mere 3·05 m, and even the current Mini, at 3·72 m.
While BMW has made no confirmation whether the Paceman will be produced, it is perhaps best thought of as a Golf GTI rival.
More clues are in the official statement about where the Mini Paceman is positioned: ‘The Paceman combines the classical Mini concept with the defining features of the Mini Countryman and the style of a coupé. The result is a Mini with visual “muscle car” design cues, displaying its dynamic capability from every angle.’
Mini will soon release coupé and roadster models, demonstrating that BMW is keen to expand the marque’s reach as greatly as possible.
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