Mini's latest production car – the Countryman – may be the automaker's largest offering to date, but now the brand known for its pint-sized fighters is returning to its roots with its latest concept. But this isn't a preview of the next-generation Cooper – oh no, no, no – it's the Rocketman (cue Elton John). At just over 11 feet long, the bug-eyed little hatch is slightly shorter than a base Cooper hardtop and uses a unique three-plus-one interior seating arrangement.....
The Mini Coupe is set to go on sale this Fall and that means testing of the hatchless Cooper has begun in earnest. Caught by our spies running around outside BMW headquarters in Germany, the 2012 Mini Coupe uses the Bavarians' standard psychedelic camo, but it wasn't able to hide a new retractable spoiler nestled within the trunk – something that wasn't fitted to concept shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009.....
This is the Mini Cooper SD, and it is the most powerful diesel ever slotted into the not-actually-that-small supermini.
Mini's model line is expanding at an exponential rate, and according to BMW's smallest division, the Paceman Concept will form the basis of its eighth production vehicle. Even if that's the case, nothing resembling the Paceman is going to beat either the Mini Coupe or Roadster to market, which are expected to hit dealers in late 2011 and 2012, respectively.....