All-new MINI at the LA Auto Show 2014
With its characteristic driving fun and individual style, the British premium brand MINI has now enthralled discerning and trend-conscious target groups in the American automotive market for 12 years. The new generation of MINI interprets this successful vehicle concept more impressively than ever before, providing high-end technology, premium quality, expressive design and innovative equipment features to create a driving experience that is unique in the small car and compact segment.
The fact that the latest generation of the original offers a whole new range of possibilities when it to comes the creative use of space is demonstrated with the US premiere of the MINI 5 door at the 2014 LA Auto Show. The second body version of the new MINI has two additional doors as well as expanded space for both occupants and luggage. This means that for the first time in the brand’s 55-year history, MINI is now represented in the small car category with a 5-door model.
The new MINI 5 door is the latest addition to a model family which currently comprises seven members and will be presented to visitors at the LA Auto Show from November 21st – 30th 2014 at the Los Angeles Convention Center along with current new products in the areas of equipment, accessories and MINI Connected. What is more, the design and entertainment Mecca in sunny California provides the ideal stage on which to showcase an exceptional concept vehicle. The MINI Superleggera Vision on show at the 2014 LA Auto Show embodies a pioneering version of the tradition-steeped roadster concept – blending British style, Italian flair, purist design, consistent lightweight construction and purely electric power.
An individual character with versatile qualities and yet still a genuine MINI: such is the MINI 5 door, presented for its US premiere at the 2014 LA Auto Show. Two additional doors facilitate entry to the rear, where three seats are available. The MINI 5 door has a wheelbase that has been extended by 72 millimetres, providing increased space – not just for occupants. The luggage compartment is now also around 30 per cent larger than that of the 3-door model, with a volume of 278 litres. The rear backrest with a 60 :40 folding split enables expansion of the luggage compartment volume to as much as 941 litres.
In the US automotive market, the new model will be available in the form of the MINI Cooper 5 door and the MINI Cooper S 5 door. Powerful yet outstandingly efficient engines of the new generation with either three or four cylinders along with MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology are combined with modern, model-specific suspension technology to ensure unique driving fun. Authentic MINI feeling in state-of-the-art form is also provided by the optimised display and operating concept as well as a large selection of innovative driver assistance systems.
A collaborative venture between MINI and the Italian design and body manufacturing specialist Touring Superleggera has produced the study of a compact roadster whose design and concept focuses entirely on the essentials: driving fun and aesthetic appeal. Elaborately crafted by hand, the MINI Superleggera Vision presents a modern interpretation of a classic open-top two-seater. Its minimalist yet highly emotional design combines British style and Italian flair.
The roadster’s characteristic MINI proportions derive a fascinating charismatic touch from being synthesised with the lines and surface finish that are typical of Touring Superleggera. The tradition-steeped art of lightweight construction applied to the manufacture of the body and the study’s modern electric drive both contribute to pure driving fun with enthralling agility not to mention groundbreaking efficiency. In the interior of the MINI SuperleggeraVision, purist and therefore timeless aesthetic appeal is created by means of generous surfaces and high-quality materials which are especially authentic since they have largely been left in their original state.
