Many years ago, there was a version of the Mini called the Innocenti, with the body designed by Bertone. As they say, history repeats itself and (new) MINI and Touring Superleggera, the tradition-steeped design and coach building house based in Milan, have brought the MINI Superleggera™ Vision out from under wraps.
My Press kit claims that the MINI Superleggera™ Vision is on the one hand a classic roadster – a compact and agile two-seater – expressing the most minimalist and emotional style of motoring; and on the other hand its electric drivetrain gives the car distinctly modern driving dynamics.
“Super-MINI”
“The MINI Superleggera™ 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,” says Anders Warming, Head of MINI Design.
The front of the MINI Superleggera™ Vision features the traditional MINI design icons: two circular headlights and a hexagonal grille define the unmistakable front section, providing a contemporary interpretation of features which have become firmly established over decades. There are also striking classic sports car elements such as a wide track and distinctively curved wheel arches that give the front a dynamic presence. The classic MINI bonnet stripes are three-dimensionally embossed and run on into high-quality polished aluminum accents.
Now, despite the rhetoric, this version of the MINI (BMW likes us to use caps for MINI, to differentiate from the original “Mini”) is taking another step forwards with the electric powertrain, which is most likely borrowed from the BMW i3
