The next generation Mini Cooper is widely expected to come in standard-length (R56) and extended-wheelbase (R55) variants. What’s not so clear is how many doors the long-wheelbase edition will have. Recent reports have suggested that the stretched Cooper could get two additional doors a la RX-8. These ’suicide doors’ would provide easier access to the back seats — something that should help sell the mini to more families. A new set of spy photos from Autobild show that something is definitely going on around the doors, but we’re still not entirely convinced. (Front View, Side View, Rear Angle, Rear View). The vehicle appears to have a b-pillar, which makes such doors almost impossible in this situation. The pillar could be part of the car’s camo, but that leaves an awfully large area without any structural support — not a good thing for a car that already has an “acceptable” side impact rating.
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04/21, 11:39 AM
posted by:
Andre Neves
Uh, it’s a MINI!
Why are they now going to come in 4door? Hey, how ’bout a pickup truck version. Or maybe a Mini SUV?
They’re going to ruin it.
04/21, 12:05 PM
posted by:
steve
Indeed. Why can’t they just leave it the way it should be?
04/21, 12:35 PM
posted by:
SR
I agree with the above. It looks queer.
04/21, 12:42 PM
posted by:
TW
Thats what happens when you’ve got an excess of designers and engineers sitting around on the payroll with nothing to do but to screw up good product.
I’m sure someone in marketing is pondering the name Maximini.
04/21, 1:36 PM
posted by:
tosta_mista
Oh dear…
04/21, 2:50 PM
posted by:
manny
its about damn time… motor trend has been talking about mini variants since like 2002… itd be nice to see the variants like pickup and traveller like they had in the 60s again…
04/21, 6:12 PM
posted by:
MotoringFile » Archive » New Spyshots of the MINI Traveler
[...] Update You can see a few more at Autobild.de here (via Leftlanenews). [...]
04/22, 12:44 AM
posted by:
soh
SR– What exactly do you mean?
04/22, 12:27 PM
posted by:
jit
There is a suv in the planning, should be here soon
04/23, 3:32 PM
posted by:
Frank Boulton
The original Mini wagon was very popular. If the cladding on that test car reveals enough remembrance of the original car it could also sell very well.I see it as a wagon, not a four door, it shows a split rear window as one clue.That is good disguise for the moment, let’s hope it isn’t too close to what the car would actually be like.
Frank Boulton Marietta Ga.