Confirming earlier reports, BMW chairman Dr.Norbert Reithofer announced on Thursday that a version of the forthcoming MINI Coupe concept will be heading to production at MINI’s Oxford plant. Reithofer also revealed that a second, yet-to-be-revealed MINI model will be making the leap from show car to production.
Although Reithofer failed to specifically identify the second MINI model for production, he did say it would make an appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show alongside the Coupe concept. Thanks to an earlier leaked image, we know that a MINI Roadster is primed for a Frankfurt reveal, so expect an announcement in just a few days about a production version of that show car.
No timeframe has been given for the production versions of the new models, but an inside source revealed two new MINI models would make production for the 2011 model year. If that rumor holds true, expect to see the Coupe and Roadster in MINI showrooms by mid to late 2010.
The MINI concepts will be based on the John Cooper Works, but we fully expect the production versions to available in base and S guises.
