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Exterior |
The MINI's styling immediately grabs the attention with its clean, muscular lines. It is a shape that crouches low to the ground, hugging the road, and is instantly
recognizable.
It was vital to follow the wheel-at-each-corner principles of the original car to recreate the classic Mini look. But this is more than just a design feature. It gives the car real dynamic advantages on the road with excellent handling and road-holding, making it both inherently safe and also great fun to drive.
From the front, the shape of the bonnet and the large round headlamps give the MINI its characteristic face. The bonnet is a masterpiece of design and engineering as it sweeps seamlessly down to the wheel arches in one piece. The front lights are integrated into the bonnet, which is unusual and a challenge to the precision of its production and assembly.
MINI Cooper's radiator grille, which also forms part of the bonnet, has four horizontal chrome strips (MINI One has black fins), giving it a unique appearance. A much-loved feature of the original, black or white bonnet stripes, will be available as options towards the end of the year. Gas struts help the bonnet to open smoothly and remain upright without the need for a prop.
Chrome inserts can be chosen for the bumpers, whilst the air intake grille, which is integrated into the bumpers, is made from chrome-plated steel (MINI One: painted black). Splash shields are attached to the outer edges of the bumpers, which blend into the mudguards and sill strips.
The roof line is angled down slightly at the rear, giving the MINI a powerful profile. This characteristic stance is emphasized by the lateral and vertical design details, from the "shoulders" (the lateral line directly below the side windows) to the vertical sides and down to the sills.
All models are three-door. The front doors can be opened extremely wide - up to 80 degrees - making it easy for passengers to get in and out, and providing excellent access to the rear seats. When the MINI's doors are fully open, it is wider than it is long.
The doors with their frameless electric windows are elegant and unconventional. When the doors open, the windows automatically slide down slightly and when they are closed, they move back up to ensure a perfect seal. This is a system which has proved its worth for the BMW Z8 and the 3 Series Coupé and Convertible models.
From the rear, design echos of the original Mini are evident: an extremely short tail, a steeply rising side section and the characteristic tail lamps give the MINI a squat, compact yet agile appearance. The flared wheel arches, wide track and horizontal lines of the tail section give a low road-hugging look from behind.
The wide-opening tailgate provides easy access to the boot and allows someone six feet tall to stand upright under it. The latch has an electric lock and is opened via a button in the handle - another unusual feature in a car of this class.
The use of glass on the car is particularly creative. The upright windscreen is reminiscent of the original, but from there backwards the structure is pure 21st century. The A-pillar is concealed behind a black, high-gloss plastic panel and the B- and C-pillars are 'hidden' behind glass, giving the impression of a continuous window extending all round the car - a design with its roots in architecture, where glass walls disguise load-bearing structures.
The windscreen may be heated as an optional extra and the rear window is heated and provided with a rear wiper as standard. Heated wing mirrors and headlamp water jets are also an option.
In an unmistakable echo of the past, MINI Cooper's roof and outside mirrors can be ordered in white or black - irrespective of the wide range of body colors. If the roof is the same color as the car, the (electric) door mirrors are black. For MINI One, the roof is body-colored. There is also an optional panoramic sunroof.
Wheels and tires can have a dramatic impact on the appearance of a car, so special emphasis was placed here for the MINI. MINI Cooper is fitted as standard with 15" aluminum wheel rims in white or silver, whilst MINI One has 15" steel rims with silver wheel covers as standard. 16" and 17" rims are also available as options for both cars.
For MINI Cooper, the door handles, radiator grille, tailgate handle, exhaust and rings around the front and tail lamps are all chrome, emphasizing the high-quality appearance of this vehicle. MINI One doesn't hold back on the chrome either. The only difference is that the tailgate handle and radiator grille fins are left in black.
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