Monday 20th December 2010

Mini Reveals Paceman Coupe-SUV Concept

Curious coupe concept set for Detroit debut

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Continuing its theme of slightly awkwardly named new models, Mini is set to unveil this - the Paceman concept - at the Detroit motor show in January.

Based on the Countryman SUV, the Paceman is, says Mini, the "first Sports Activity Coupe (SAC) in the premium small segment of the market." Bearing in mind that, in BMW speak, SAC is the acronym that's guilty of creating the X6, we rather hope that the Paceman remains the only small SAC out there.

Apparently, the Paceman combines the "classical Mini concept with the defining features of the Mini Countryman and the style of a coupe" and that the result is a Mini with "visual 'muscle car' design cues, displaying its dynamic capability from every angle."

Translating that into English, the Paceman is actually basically a Countryman without the rear doors.

Beneath the bodywork is Mini's John Cooper Works version of its 1.6-litre twin-scroll turbocharged engine, pushing out 207bhp and 192lb ft of torque, with up to 207lb ft available in brief spurts with the Overboost function.

As with the Countryman, the Paceman gets Mini's ALL4 permanent all-wheel-drive system. In normal driving conditions up to 50 per cent of the drive is sent to the rear wheels, but in extreme situations as much as 100 per cent can be directed to the rear. The Mini Paceman is also available with two-wheel drive.

Mini says that no official decision has yet been made about the future of a car, but that the Paceman could "form yet another building block in the development of the Mini brand". Which we think means they might build it.

[broker1]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

Seriously, just don't.

[Rude]

...like a broken pencil...

[drewbagz]

The only way for me to describe how little i am interested in BMW's most recent SAC, is to talk about the weather;

DAMN IT'S COLD. -5 degreed celcius in London.

[Twincam16]

Yet another car that suffers from the iPad complex.

Utterly, utterly, utterly pointless, and yet the second-level MINI Thetans will buy it because L. Ron Marketing-Department told them to.

And they'll tell you how much they adore it in a slightly disturbing, borderline-sexual way.

Apple products are like this, as are Audis, MINIs, Smeg fridges and various clothing brands.

The hold marketing has over otherwise intelligent people is frankly scary. I do sometimes wonder whether I'm one of a dying breed of people whose response to marketing or advertising of any sort is 'fk off'. The harder the sell, the more vehement the 'fk off'.

[Imafreeman]

Looks just like one of those normal crap mini's, just with different lights? Am I missing something here?

I think they should make it. It'll be sucked up like the rest of the crap by brand blind idiots.

[Beefmeister]

BMW said:

the "first Sports Activity Coupe (SAC) in the premium small segment of the market."

Er, I guess they missed this being launched then?

[Riggers]

Beefmeister said:

BMW said:

the "first Sports Activity Coupe (SAC) in the premium small segment of the market."

Er, I guess they missed this being launched then?

I think it'll be a little smaller than the Evoque - but I take your point .

[jonm01]

Twincam16 said:

Yet another car that suffers from the iPad complex.

Utterly, utterly, utterly pointless, and yet the second-level MINI Thetans will buy it because L. Ron Marketing-Department told them to.

You what? The iPad's sales and fact that every other manufacturer is scrambling to get a tablet on the market proves what a ridiculous opinion that is.

[PaulMoor]

Twincam16 said:

Yet another car that suffers from the iPad complex.

Utterly, utterly, utterly pointless, and yet the second-level MINI Thetans will buy it because L. Ron Marketing-Department told them to.

And they'll tell you how much they adore it in a slightly disturbing, borderline-sexual way.

Apple products are like this, as are Audis, MINIs, Smeg fridges and various clothing brands.

The hold marketing has over otherwise intelligent people is frankly scary. I do sometimes wonder whether I'm one of a dying breed of people whose response to marketing or advertising of any sort is 'fk off'. The harder the sell, the more vehement the 'fk off'.

Seems odd that you miss out on some good products just because the marketing offends you.

Also... There seems to be little diffrence between this and the X1.

[Twincam16]

jonm01 said:

Twincam16 said:

Yet another car that suffers from the iPad complex.

Utterly, utterly, utterly pointless, and yet the second-level MINI Thetans will buy it because L. Ron Marketing-Department told them to.

You what? The iPad's sales and fact that every other manufacturer is scrambling to get a tablet on the market proves what a ridiculous opinion that is.

It's not a ridiculous opinion. It sells well because it's an Apple. People would queue round the block to buy an Apple-branded st, then go on and on about how smooth and shiny it is.

Yes, there are plenty of tablet PCs, many of which are much better, or the same but cheaper - the iPad is effectively a big iPhone that won't fit in your pocket or a severely limited netbook.

The only reason why it sells so well is marketing.

[StuMI16]

Alec Issigonis , Will be Turning in his Grave - Whats happened to the car he designed for the district nurse

[donteatpeople]

Could be a slightly prettier base for the WRC car than the countryman.

[PetrolAholic]

If I see that again I may have to gouge (spelling??) my eyes out with a red hot poker. At least that'll keep me warm anyway.

[Denorth]

Should've been called PacMan. Looks the same (EDit) imagine in yellow

Edited by Denorth on Monday 20th December 11:23

[Kawasicki]

Haven't Suzuki already done the SAC, what about the beautiful X-90?

[EDLT]

StuMI16 said:

Alec Issigonis , Will be Turning in his Grave - Whats happened to the car he designed for the district nurse

Morris stopped making it.

[KMT]

This may have already been done - but I recon a thread around the potential mini variants could run 'til the end of time... think of any automotive product and "mini" it. Yuk.

[supersingle]

I like taramasalata.

[Imafreeman]

StuMI16 said:

Alec Issigonis , Will be Turning in his Grave - Whats happened to the car he designed for the district nurse

District nurses were got rid of and replaced by beauticians and celebrity watchers.

[Twincam16]

PaulMoor said:

Twincam16 said:

Yet another car that suffers from the iPad complex.

Utterly, utterly, utterly pointless, and yet the second-level MINI Thetans will buy it because L. Ron Marketing-Department told them to.

And they'll tell you how much they adore it in a slightly disturbing, borderline-sexual way.

Apple products are like this, as are Audis, MINIs, Smeg fridges and various clothing brands.

The hold marketing has over otherwise intelligent people is frankly scary. I do sometimes wonder whether I'm one of a dying breed of people whose response to marketing or advertising of any sort is 'fk off'. The harder the sell, the more vehement the 'fk off'.

Seems odd that you miss out on some good products just because the marketing offends you.

Not quite. If I want to buy something, I'll do my research, work out which one's best and buy it. I'd never buy anything because the company who made it told me to, and if the advert genuinely offended me, I'd make a point of not buying it in the same way that if a waiter told me I was a dhead for ordering something on a menu, and that all the 'cool people' were buying something I had no interest in, I'd walk out of the restaurant. If you want to sell something to me, (1) be polite, (2) don't get annoyed if I don't do what you want.

Several mobile phone salesmen have managed to do this, being downright offensive if I question any of their claims, and some mobile phone adverts in particular have seriously wound me up. As a result, I wouldn't touch an iPhone or anything by Samsung with a bargepole, and I wouldn't set foot in a Phones 4U.