Mini is going to the Detroit Auto Show with a doorless, roofless concept car - the Beachcomber - that previews its all-new fourth model line. This will be a compact crossover available with FWD and AWD. It is launched at the Geneva show in March and on-sale as a 2011 model.
Obviously the real car will have doors and a roof. Unlike the existing Clubman, all four side doors will be conventionally front-hinged, and the car is symmetrical left-to-right. The B-posts have been removed only for the concept.
At 160 inches, this is the longest Mini ever but will still be one of the smallest crossovers on sale. It is also wider than a hatchback or Clubman and will be available as a five seater with a rear bench, as well as the four-chair layout seen in the Beachcomber.
The platform is closely related to the standard Mini's, although wider. It has the same transverse engine layout and the same choice of 1.6-liter naturally aspirated and turbo motors as the Cooper and Cooper S. Transmission is six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. Euro models also get an economical 1.6-liter diesel.
But the crossover also has an optional add-on diff to channel power to the rear wheels when the fronts begin to slip. AWD will be optional with all engines and the FWD versions won't have any visual differences beyond badges.
This is very much a road-biased crossover, even in AWD form. Ground clearance is only about 4-in more than the existing Minis, and much of that is down to the tires - which by the way will be a lot less aggressive than in the concept.
The Concept does however show us the exterior sheet metal, and the production car's five-sided headlamp units and relatively tall hood line and vertical grille. It will likely have a conventional mesh grille though, rather than the grater pattern on the concept which is intended to evoke the classic Mini Moke. The production car will have a more vertical rear windshield than the concept.
Thanks to: Motor Trend
Detroit Show 2010 Highlights: Mini Beachcomber Concept
