Sports Car Modification

Mini Beachcomber Concept 2010

The MINI Beachcomber Concept is a four-seater concept car designed for maximum driving pleasure, incorporating key features of the new MINI and combining them with the vision of a radically open body concept.

The driver and passengers will enjoy everyday motoring conditions - simply because the MINI Beachcomber Concept retains its unmistakable character in all conditions. In the event of bad weather, drivers can either use the soft roof or the lightweight door and roof elements, all of which fit easily and can be installed within a few minutes.

MINI designers were inspired by the new MINI crossover production model, which they enhanced beyond the realms of urban mobility to create the MINI Beachcomber Concept. In creating this concept, they utilized the technical qualities of the production crossover model, and made adaptations to offer the ultimate expression of freedom. The result is a new open concept driving experience for all your senses, plus a greater degree of versatility than ever experienced before in a MINI.

The Unique, typical of MINI, and with a great role model from way back when.
The MINI Beachcomber Concept is the vision of a car that leaves behind conventional standards and creates momentum for innovative mobility of the future.

The body of the Mini Moke, as it was called, was made up of little more than a floorpan, wide sills at the side, an engine compartment lid and a windshield. A folding roof served to protect the driver and passengers from precipitation.

With its robust structure and the drivetrain technology carried over from the Mini, this four-seater fun car became a great success, particularly in the sunny regions of the U.S. and Australia. Production of the Mini Moke continued in Great Britain until 1968 with a production volume of approximately 14,500 units. In the following years, production was continued in Australia and Portugal.

Even ALL4 all-wheel drive can be seen in a role model from the past. A prototype Mini Moke developed by Alec Issigonis in 1963 had two engines and an early ALL4 system. On this test car, appropriately referred to as the "Twini," the front and rear wheels were each driven by a four-cylinder from the Mini range of engines.
Versatile, modern, and safe at all times.
Modern from A-Z, the MINI Beachcomber Concept offers a wide range of technology and features for driving pleasure in the 21st century. The premium manufacturer touches in the areas of design, drivetrain, safety and production technology bring together the undiluted character of a concept car with a wide range of possibilities in the real world.

Extreme variability for all kinds of activities, weather and road conditions.
Individual rear seats adjust forward and back to offer the passengers a supreme standard of grand touring comfort tailored to their individual requirements. The rear seat backrests fold down completely to allow appropriate adjustment of interior space for all needs. In practice, this means that the driver and passengers are able to conveniently stow even bulky sports equipment such as mountain bikes or wakeboards securely held in position by special fastening systems.

When open, the MINI Beachcomber Concept is also able to carry extra-long objects, such as surfboards, with ease. Fastened firmly to the lateral support, surfboards fit conveniently into the car, sticking out at the top on the way to the beach.

Flexible protection from wind and weather: soft roof or hardtop inserts.
The MINI Beachcomber Concept is built for the sunny side of life and is simply perfect for spontaneous action. Through its optimum flexibility, the car is able to meet many different requirements, naturally coping with any sudden change in outdoor conditions.

The soft roof offers convenient and effective protection from rain and weather, and comes off the body completely and folds up into a compact unit. Whenever required, the roof may be drawn over the car within a few minutes, like a tonneau cover on a boat, fastening conveniently on the windshield frame, the rear panel and the side openings.

The removable door elements maintain their defined position through their firm connection to the opening points and the A- and D-pillars. They are transparent at the top to provide good visibility to the outside. The rear element is held firmly in position through its contact to the left door element, the rear body panel at the right, and the loading sill.

The removable hardtop is connected to the windscreen frame at the front and rests in special mounts on the rollover crossbar. Precisely arranged connections joining the hardtop with the side and rear elements keep the entire structure extremely strong and stable, with the appropriate connection being unfastened in each case when opening a door.

Typical MINI design, re-interpreted and concentrating on the essential.
Thanks to its clear design language, the body of the MINI Beachcomber Concept concentrates on the essential and leaves no doubt that this is a genuine MINI. At first sight, unmistakable design elements reminiscent of the brand clearly stand out. Like the MINI Crossover Concept presented for the first time at the Paris Motor Show in autumn 2008, the new model clearly reflects the ongoing process of MINI design and the introduction of MINI design language in new types of vehicles. Indeed, both the smooth and firm design of the body and proportions typical of MINI show that this is clearly a member of the range.

Side view: new combination of robust strength and lightweight look.
Extending far into the side of the car, the headlights additionally emphasize the short front overhang. The powerfully designed wheel arches on the MINI Beachcomber Concept boast large 17-inch light-alloy wheels and off-road tires with a rough tread.

The surrounds on the turn signal indicators come for the first time in a diagonal shape in the extended A-pillar. They create a wide band in distinctive color precisely at the same point as on the classic Mini, now forming a visual connection between the windshield frame and the front wheels. This graphic element again underlines the solid nature of the MINI Beachcomber Concept, with its A-pillars appearing to rest powerfully on the front axle. At the rear, the rollbar forms an equally direct line extending towards the rear axle of the car.

The interior: sophisticated, versatile, robust, and full of character.
The interior design of the MINI Beachcomber Concept focuses on maximum driving pleasure in the great outdoors. Extra features added to the car, as well as appropriate and conscious reduction to the minimum versus the existing models in the MINI range, serve to focus on the essential. The Center Speedo is in the typical MINI design, comprising the usual display for navigation and audio functions.

Contoured seats and an additional handle on the front passenger side optimize driving pleasure on rough terrain. Open-pore footmats allow a good view of the floorpan, and characterize the robust ambience of the car. The stitching seams on the seats are matched specifically to this concept car.
The Center Rail with new features: everything the sportsman needs at your disposal at all times.

The Center Rail that was presented in the MINI Crossover Concept plays a particularly important role in the new concept model. Extending from the instrument panel all the way to the luggage compartment, this fastening rail connects the front seats with the rear, emphasizing the common driving experience enjoyed by the occupants.

The special fastening system developed for MINI enables the driver and passengers to place individual elements and components on the Center Rail, such as external music players and other devices, armrests for the front and rear seats, storage boxes, shelves and holders of all kinds.
The MINI Beachcomber Concept: variable and always open for maximum driving pleasure.
The MINI Beachcomber Concept offers driving pleasure in its purest form, concentrating on the essential elements required for genuine joy of individual mobility.

Introducing this concept, MINI once again proves the ability of the brand to convey the values so typical of MINI such as driving pleasure, lifestyle and premium quality, to a completely new type of vehicle.

From the start, the MINI Beachcomber Concept offers a preview of an incomparable driving experience in new, unprecedented style reflecting the needs and wishes of a modern, lifestyle-oriented target group and the authentic character of the brand.

The same high performance engineering modifications as the Hatch model carrying the John Cooper Works badge, the Convertible's 1.6-litre twin scroll-turbocharged engine produces 211 hp and up to 280 Nm peak torque with Overboost deployed.

The newcomer's petrol power plant is a significantly revised version of the 1.6-litre turbocharged unit found in MINI Cooper S models, and the same as that in the MINI Challenge race car. The engine is lighter, stronger and is supplied with a larger air intake and an exhaust system specifically designed for John Cooper Works cars.
The transmission's gearing is strengthened to handle the extra available power; power that pushes the car to a remarkable output of 132 hp per litre, yet still able to offer an amazing 39.8 mpg.

The lengthy standard kit list of every MINI John Cooper Works Convertible includes a bespoke John Cooper Works Alcantara steering wheel, sport seats, John Cooper Works floor mats and glossy piano black interior. Air conditioning is fitted as standard, as it is now on every new MINI.
Performance of the Works car is underlined by an exclusive speedometer, which runs to 160 mph to account for the car's higher top speed than that of any other MINI.

A Sport button is located in front of the gear stick. When pressed it activates a bespoke engine control map producing boost earlier in the rev range and sharpening steering and throttle response. The gear knob featuring a red gearing diagram is unique to the MINI John Cooper Works.
Unique lightweight 17" alloy wheels in Cross-spoke CHALLENGE, shod with Run-flat tyres, feature on the exciting new Convertible. A John Cooper Works Aero kit is standard and the tuning brand's logo is positioned on the grille, brakes and door sills.



Unique to MINI John Cooper Works models is EDLC. With DSC fully deactivated, the car's Electronic Differential Lock Control delivers an even sportier driving experience. EDLC works when the car is accelerating hard out of corners or tight bends. In this situation, it electronically slows the spinning inside wheel to enhance grip and ensure that all available power is transferred to the road through the wheel with greatest traction. In contrast to the way DSC and DTC manage power delivery to the wheels, EDLC does not intervene with the throughput of engine power, meaning the driver is in near total control of the handling of the car.

The MINI John Cooper Works Convertible will be built entirely in the UK
With the new MINI Convertible now rolling off the line, several points of operation at MINI Plant Swindon have been modified. BMW Group invested in new assembly stations for the Convertible tailgate at Plant Swindon. At the bodyshop installed and commissioned all necessary facilities and infrastructure to meet the high quality standards and geometrical accuracy for the Convertible body.

Associates in final assembly have transformed all work areas to integrate production of the new Convertible efficiently, and are now building the complete MINI model line-up once again on a single assembly line.

The Mini Coupe Concept is an expression of Mini design and the great ability of the brand's designers to fill the elementary values of the brand with new life, using the options of modern drivetrain and suspension technology, and developing fascinating perspectives for the future of the brand on this basis.

Presenting the concept of an uncompromisingly sporting two-seater to be seen for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show (17-27 September 2009), Mini is unveiling an unusually attractive vision of how the model family may well develop in future. The source of inspiration is once again the fundamental motive so characteristic of every Mini: driving pleasure. The Mini Coupe Concept therefore represents the ideal of a car destined in every respect to offer a thrilling experience and make every journey a truly unique thrill.

The Mini Coupe Concept: an invitation to enjoy spontaneous mobility.
With the growing model portfolio, the popularity of the Mini brand has also grown consistently in recent years. The Mini has moved beyond the restraints of urban mobility, opening up additional options and winning over new target groups. And Mini allows you to enjoy spontaneous mobility, sporting and agile handling and unmistakable style on virtually every occasion.

The current models in the range already meet the most varied demands. As individual characters in their own right, the Mini, Mini Clubman and Mini Convertible all offer a unique rendition of the driving experience so typical of the brand. And now the Mini Coupe Concept brings out driving pleasure in its most concentrated form, extreme lightweight technology making this two-seater particularly agile and unusually efficient. At the same time the low roofline, the precisely defined spoiler edge at the rear and other aerodynamic features enhance the car's performance to an even higher standard.

This 2-seater is designed to accommodate even the most powerful engine currently available in the Mini - and with the 1.6-litre twin-scroll turbocharged power unit carried over from the Mini John Cooper Works, the Mini Coupe Concept offers truly outstanding performance. Maximum output is 155 kW/211 hp, peak torque 260 Newton-metres/192 lb-ft increasing through the Overboost function for a short while to an even more substantial 280 Newton-metres/206 lb-ft.
At the same time this concept car clearly follows the BMW Group's EfficientDynamics development strategy. More driving pleasure, lower emissions - the Mini Coupe Concept lives out this philosophy expressed by Mini as MINIMALISM in a particularly attractive manner.

Fifty years of Mini: a vision of tomorrow marking an anniversary of today.

Exterior design: the look typical of Mini but with individual character.
The body design of the Mini Coupe Concept also bridges the gap from the earliest days of the Mini's history all the way to the more distant future of the brand, emphasising the unique nature of the concept as well as its full membership in the Mini family.

Especially at the front end of the car a number of icons typical of the brand, as well as the design style so characteristic of Mini, all come together to create a strong family resemblance. In addition, the individual look of the Mini Coupe Concept comes out also in the side view of the car as well as in the design of the rear end.

This unique new two-seater measures 3,714 millimetres (146.2") in length and 1,683 millimetres (66.3") in width. Height is 1,356 millimetres (53.4"). Through these dimensions and its athletic proportions alone, the Mini Coupe Concept stands out from the beginning as a compact and muscular sports machine.

The typical Mini look in particularly sporting style.
The chrome radiator grille on the Mini Coupe Concept is the same as on the Mini Cooper S. The inner section in the grille is however finished with bars in body colour creating a clear sign of distinction at very first sight from the other members of the Mini family. The bonnet stripes also extend into the radiator grille to provide an even more sporting and dynamic touch.

Individual roofline as a sign of sporting presence.
The side view of the Mini Coupe Concept also brings together features typical of the Mini family and new highlights in design to form a fascinating whole. The front side panels, for example, come straight from the Mini Convertible. The body joint forming the diagonal line characteristic of every Mini along the front lid and the surrounds on the front side indicators bearing out the style of the Mini Cooper S again provide an unmistakable sign of distinction with historic roots - here the classic Mini had a visible welding seam along the body.

The familiarity in design resulting from these features forms an attractive contrast to the far greater rake of the A-pillars leading into the brand-new, sweeping line of the roof.

Large wheels and a high waistline already give the Mini, the Mini Clubman and the Mini Convertible a particularly powerful and sporting look, with the black strip around the lower section of the body underlining this compact appearance and short body overhangs front and rear emphasising the athletic stature of the car and bearing testimony to that typical go-kart feeling at very first sight.

Another feature of the Mini Coupe Concept is the strongly inclined windscreen merging gently into the roof. At the rear the roofline initially moving straight back above the heads of the driver and front passenger flows on into the sturdy C-pillar. The entire roof with all its contours thus comes in a bridge shape quite unmistakable and featured for the first time on the Mini, made up of a strong rear cornerstone formed by the C-pillar and the almost filigree structure above the passenger cell.

The C-pillar is a strong visual expression of the particularly solid and torsionally rigid body structure providing not only superior occupant safety, but also the agility typical of Mini in fast manoeuvres. The C-pillar very powerful in design serves at the same time to guide your perspective towards the rear end of the car, while the side view of the Mini Coupè Concept forms a very strong and convincing wedge shape created by the roofline tapering out to the rear and the waistline rising up slightly in typical Mini style.

All this gives the Mini Coupe Concept a forward-moving impression right from the start, the car clearly expressing its power and muscle even at a standstill. Through its design alone, therefore, the Mini Coupe Concept authentically visualises sporting qualities of the highest standard.

Striking contours and smooth flow of air ensured by the roof spoiler and the rear spoiler edge.
Beneath the air spoiler at the rear the overall look and design of the Mini Coupe Concept follows the typical philosophy of the brand. Horizontal lines running parallel to one another emphasise the wide track of the car, the body growing wider from top to bottom in cascading style highlighting the muscular stance of the car resting on its wheels in that characteristic style.

The rear light clusters in upright arrangement and surrounded by a wide chrome frame are also typical of the brand. The rear air dam on the Mini Coupe Concept, in turn, comes with a diffuser split up into two sections and ensuring a smooth, swirl-free flow of air beneath the car.

Impressively functional: wide-opening tailgate, generous luggage space.
The tailgate on the Mini Coupe Concept is yet another highlight of the car. Deliberately foregoing the rear seat bench, this unique two-seater offers lots of additional space for taking along all kinds of luggage.

Luggage capacity is 250 litres or 8.8 cu ft. To use this space most conveniently, the rear end of the Mini Coupe Concept comes with a large and wide-opening tailgate. Hinged above the roof spoiler, the entire tailgate including the rear window swings up gracefully, offering convenient access to the generous luggage space behind the rear seats of the car. And thanks to the low loading sill, accessing the luggage compartment with even heavy and bulky objects is significantly easier.


Interior: sports car ambience with an exclusive range of colours and materials.
The Mini Coupe Concept combines the vision of a compact sports car with thrilling agility, on the one hand, and the individual flair and style of the Mini, on the other. Through its entire concept, the car is perfectly designed to offer concentrated driving pleasure of the highest standard. This is borne out not only through the extroverted exterior in its fascinating, sporting look, but also through the interior conceived from the start for active motoring.

The breakdown of the cockpit, the dashboard and centre console again follows that special interior design so typical of Mini. Horizontal lines and air vents placed far to the outside emphasise the sheer width of the instrument panel and, at the same time, the generous style of the interior, the slender centre console giving the driver and passenger maximum legroom. The structure of the door linings so typical of the brand, finally, has also been re-interpreted, with the elliptic main element now completely closed in.

The colours and materials featured inside the Mini Coupe Concept symbolise the classic sportiness of the car. Like the dashboard, the roof lining of this unprecedented two-seater comes in black providing a calm atmosphere just right for concentrating on driving conditions and essential requirements. Black trim bars combined with a carbon interior trim strip, finally, further enhance this purist look.


Lightweight construction and modern suspension technology providing a new feeling of go-kart driving.

The Mini Coupe Concept is definitely a Mini and definitely a sports car. The particular charm of this combination results from both the drivetrain and the suspension technology already featured in the current production models, as well as the special highlights of this two-seater concept car.

Over and above their body design, the Mini, Mini Clubman and Mini Convertible already set the standard today for agility and driving pleasure in their respective segments. Powerful engines and suspension technology quite superior in the small car segment then ensure a truly unique driving experience. Front-wheel drive, powerful disc brakes on all four wheels, the front axle with McPherson spring struts and a centrally guided rear axle with aluMinium longitudinal arms and anti-roll bars set the foundation for uniquely safe and agile handling.

EPS Electronic Power Steering with speed-related power assistance, finally, ensures precise manoeuvring round bends and gives the driver exact feedback at all times on road and driving conditions. At the same time on-demand management of steering assistance serves to maximise the car's efficiency.

The Mini Coupe Concept offers ideal conditions for raising the go-kart feeling created by the car's drivetrain and suspension technology to an even higher standard. Its entire construction is based on a lightweight concept reducing weight particularly where it really counts for even greater agility. As an example, this two-seater comes with an aluMinium roof not only optimising the overall weight of the car, but also lowering the car's centre of gravity for a significant reduction of body movement and optimised driving behaviour.

Since lower weight also means greater efficiency, the Mini Coupe Concept again offers the option to combine even greater driving pleasure with fuel consumption and CO2 emissions reduced to a Minimum as an important sign of our times.

Traditional values, modern quality, progressive concept.
Sporting success and agile handling of the highest standard are significant highlights in the history of Mini now going back five decades - and both factors have made a fundamental contribution to the ongoing popularity of this small premium car.

3 overall wins in the Monte Carlo Rally and the concept of driving pleasure expressed so clearly by the car's go-kart feeling definitely confirm the sporting potential of this small compact both back then and today. The anniversary year is therefore the ideal time to present the Mini Coupe Concept as the vision of an uncompromisingly active sports car.

Another concept car presented even before the re-launch of the Mini brand proves that this philosophy has always fuelled the creativity of the Mini's designers: The Mini Concept Monte Carlo presented in 1997 was a two-seater with a 160-hp mid-mounted engine. Through its design alone, this concept car already came with a wide range of features destined to be taken up again by the first Mini, short body overhangs front and rear, round headlights and the re-interpretation of the hexagon radiator grille providing an outlook at important styling elements on the production model to follow later. With its extremely powerful body and direct references to motorsport, the Mini Concept Monte Carlo also made a clear pledge to the rally history of the brand.