In celebration of the fiftieth birthday of Mini in 2009, BMW, the company that owns MINI, announced that there would be two new Minis available for the 2011 season. Actual models, or rather prototypes, of the 2011 Mini Coupe and Roadster were shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show. Once the official press release was announced, confirming production of the two new models, referred to as the twins, the Oxford plant which builds the MINIs began a massive hiring plan to complete production for the 2011 projected launch. At the February 2011 Canadian International Auto Show, it was announced that release of the coupe is slated for Fall 2011.
The MINI Coupe is a two-seater model with 211 horsepower, and based on the John Cooper Works (JCW) platform. The prototype or concept car showed little space for storage, other than behind the seats, but for the occupants, the ride should be comfortable enough. Nevertheless, the interior would offer several designs and various colors, making this compact vehicle appealing to car buyers. The steering wheel comes in a three-spoked design with leather padding for easy maneuvering on tight bends. The Mini Coupe boasts an ergonomic dashboard with the control features arranged according to how often they might be used. In other words, the functions that were used frequently would be closer and more accessible to the driver.
The MINI Roadster is a sportier convertible version, also two-seater, with rear end design, featuring a soft canvas roof, instead of the regular hardtop. The roof is operated by hand, and stows in its own storage bay at back. Using the twin-scroll turbocharged engine from the Cooper S, horsepower is 175. For such a short car, those that have seen the Roadster indicate that there is plenty of legroom for the driver and passenger alike. The inside is similar to previous MINIs with the typical features such as Center Speedo, audio system, and multi-functional display. The Roadster is sharp looking in its white finish and gold racing stripes down the front of the car.
Various car enthusiasts have seen both models being tested, so it appears likely that they are close to being released and sold. Some are saying, however, that the Coupe is now scheduled for early spring 2012, while the Roadster will appear about six months later. Both cars in the testing phase and the concept phase had that traditional funky feel of the Mini brand. While some people find them to be juvenile looking, those that buy any model of MINI love their appearance, in addition to their efficient fuel consumption and easy to park sizes. Speculation is still rife concerning pricing, as no indications have been made, thus far, as to estimated price points.
Just as a side note, we interchanged the spellings of Mini in this article for ease of writing, but, the real spelling of the MINI is in capital letters in order for BMW to differentiate the brand from the original Mini.