Wednesday, August 26, 2009

RPMGO.com (former Auto Unleashed)

Posted by rin at 5:09 AM

RPMGO.com (former Auto Unleashed)

MINI Coupe Concept set for Frankfurt debut

Posted: 26 Aug 2009 05:08 AM PDT

I still have a big smile on my face every time I think about last week’s test drive with the MINI Cooper S, which has also changed 180 degrees my perception on MINI. And now MINI wants to finish me (Mortal Kombat style) with this, the MINI Coupe Concept, which will make its world debut in a couple of weeks, at the Frankfurt Motor Show. We knew that MINI was going to launch a coupe and a roadster concept at the German show, but we didn’t imagine it would look THAT good. Which means we’re even happier and more excited about being there, in Germany, witnessing the cars’ debuts.

Ok, now let’s see what this baby can do. At a first glance, the MINI Coupe Concept is basically a two-seater restyled version of the Cooper John Cooper Works. More proof that the starting point for this concept was the JCW model lays under the hood, where the little fellow is powered by the 1.6-litre twin-scroll turbocharged engine which delivers 211 hp(155 kW) and peak torque of 260 Nm/192 lb-ft increasing through the Overboost function for a short while to 280 Nm/206 lb-ft. But MINI says the model will be even more fun to drive than the JCW, thanks to lightweight construction and new suspension technology, which provide a new feeling of go-kart driving. For more details about the car’s specs, feel free to check out the official press release.

Like we said at the beginning of this post, MINI, which also celebrates today its 50th anniversary, will launch the concept at next month’s Frankfurt show (we’ll be there on press days - September 15,16) saying that it will be “an unusually attractive vision of how the model family may well develop in future”. And we really hope the car will get the feedback it deserves, because it would be a big shame if it didn’t make it into production.

Full Photo Gallery: MINI Coupe Concept