The Opel and the MINIs

The MINI Press release for the new MINI Rocketman

The creation of innovative concepts for urban mobility has seen MINI  grow into the successful brand we know today. A constant stream of new  ideas from its beginnings more than 50 years ago to the present day  have ensured that driving fun has continued to grow even though space  on our roads has become ever tighter. Underpinning this success has  been the creative use of space, a principle that enters new territory  with the MINI Rocketman Concept. The study car, which will be revealed  to the public worldwide for the first time at the International Geneva  Motor Show (3 – 13 March 2011), harks back to the classic  Mini in terms of its exterior dimensions, while its technology points  to the future of automotive design. A 3+1-seater with 3 doors and  a length of just over 3 metres (approx. 10 ft.), the MINI  Rocketman Concept responds to the fundamental requirements of mobile  lifestyles in the big cities of the future by pooling the  brand’s core values in concentrated form. Ingenious  functionality, smile-inducing agility, exceptional efficiency and  irresistible design come together into an extraordinarily attractive  and groundbreaking, yet typically MINI, subcompact car concept for the  premium segment.

Displaying both an awareness of tradition and talent for innovation,  the MINI design team developed the vision of a car that takes up  impressively little space on the road but boasts an enviably  spacious interior.

The MINI Rocketman Concept therefore carries  over the classic virtues of the brand into a pathbreaking vehicle  concept. It offers a fresh interpretation of unmistakable MINI design  features, and uses cutting-edge construction and manufacturing  technology to create unique solutions in body and interior design.

The innovative character of the study is defined by the systematic  application of lightweight design principles and a pure-bred interior  geared to maximum driving fun and unbeatable variability. A carbon  spaceframe construction, whose striking surface structure is visible  at the front end of the car, around its doors and in the interior,  forms the basis for a weight-minimising construction. Indeed, the MINI  Rocketman Concept offers the ideal platform for achieving outstanding  efficiency. To this end, it is designed to allow the integration of a  drive system which combines further enhanced sprinting ability with  average fuel consumption of just three litres per  100 kilometres (94 mpg imp).

Wide-opening doors with double-hinge joints and integrated sills  facilitate entry into the MINI Rocketman Concept. The lightweight  seats are contoured in customary MINI style and can be arranged in a  variety of different positions. This allows owners to choose between  maximum driving fun two-up, a comfortable amount of room for three  occupants, or even an exceptionally efficient division of space  accommodating four seats.

The capacity of the luggage compartment can be adapted to passenger  requirements just as flexibly. The two-part tailgate consists of one  section which is attached to the roof and opens extremely high, and a  lower section which extends out of the body in the form of a drawer.

The operating logic of the MINI Rocketman Concept is also geared to  the multi-layered demands of a contemporary target group, whose  mobility needs are shaped by their desire for driving fun, flexible  usage possibilities and extensive connectivity with their lives  outside the car. The central control unit can be taken out of the car  and configured on a computer before the journey begins to update  navigation destinations, the music playlist or contact details for  mobile communications.

Body design: hallmark MINI design language in  particularly concentrated form.

The MINI Rocketman Concept body is shaped by an avant-garde  interpretation of time-honoured brand features. Innovative  construction techniques allow the principle used in the classic Mini  – of providing the maximum amount of room on the smallest  possible footprint – to be carried over to the mobility  challenges of urban areas in the 21st century. The MINI Rocketman  Concept measures 3.419 metres (approx. 11 ft. 3 in.) in length,  adding just a few extra centimetres to the front and rear of the  brand’s founding father born in 1959. The new study is 1.907  metres (approx. 6 ft. 3 in.) wide, including the exterior mirrors, and  stands 1.398 metres (approx. 4 ft. 7 in) tall. Its proportions  also display clear symmetries with both the classic Mini and the  brand’s present-day line-up. The brand’s familiar  appearance is therefore concentrated into a new set of dimensions,  with the concept for a new vehicle segment remaining unmistakably  recognisable as a MINI.

The interpretation of the characteristic MINI design language chosen  for the study car also exudes a powerful and dynamic allure. Tightly  contoured surfaces, large wheels and a basic form dictated by straight  lines help give the MINI Rocketman Concept a resoundingly solid  structure. In addition to its telltale proportions, a sprinkling of  distinctive design features ensure that its brand affiliation is  immediately clear. Large, circular headlights and a radiator grille  with chrome surround dominate the front end. While the exterior  contours of the headlights fit the familiar visual template, their  inner structure has been further developed for the new study. The  centrally positioned LED units generating full beam are bordered by an  eye-catching light ring for dipped-beam mode. Direction indicators  integrated into the headlight units are a feature shared with the  current range of series-produced MINI models.

The dimensions of the headlights reflect those of the current MINI,  which means they come across as particularly large when set against  the smaller face of the study car. As stand-out features of MINI  design they symbolise the core values of the brand, which remain  reassuringly intact in the new vehicle concept represented by the study.

In the area surrounding the headlights and around the front apron and  radiator grille, sections of the carbon spaceframe are visible  alongside the painted and chromed surfaces. Its striking surface  structure serves as a reminder of the study’s innovative  construction blueprint.

Powerful silhouette, innovative door concept.

Large wheels and the three-level structural split of body,  “wraparound” greenhouse and roof resting on top give the  flanks the same appearance as the MINI models already in series  production. The windows taper as they extend back towards the rear,  emphasising the body’s dynamic wedge shape and offering an  immediate hint of the vehicle’s sporty and agile character. The  high waistline, accentuated on the MINI by a chrome frame ringing the  vehicle, takes the form of a light strip on the MINI Rocketman Concept  and throws the study’s powerful silhouette into even sharper focus.

The study’s 18-inch wheels likewise leave no doubt that the  sure-footed road-holding and sporty handling properties of a MINI can  also play a key role in a car with smaller dimensions. The  weight-saving wheels specially developed for the MINI Rocketman  Concept have an aerodynamically highly effective, enclosed surface  structure. And the carbon wing contour of the directional wheels also  helps to reduce drag. An aluminium trim strip on the wheel rim adds an  attractive stylistic touch.

Among the car’s key design and functionality-related  innovations are the two side doors. Their length and the  specially designed arrangement of the door sills allow extremely  comfortable access to all the seats in the MINI Rocketman  Concept. When opened, the doors pivot outwards complete with their  sills, enabling the driver and front passenger to climb in right next  to their seats and get settled in comfort. Entry to the rear seats is  also made much easier by the car’s unusual door concept. The  carbon spaceframe construction, together with the impressively high  torsional stiffness of the underbody structure, allows the arrangement  of the side sills to be combined with extremely high body rigidity.

In addition, an extremely sophisticated opening mechanism ensures  easy access into the car, even in tight parking spaces. The  front-hinged doors have a double-hinge joint, which also allows a  large opening angle when space is restricted. The innovative character  of this construction element is also evident when the doors are  closed, the carbon hinges standing out visibly in form and colour from  the rest of the body. The MINI Rocketman Concept thus takes a  stylistic cue from the classic Mini, whose exterior-mounted door  hinges also went on to become an identifying characteristic.

Projector-style rear lights, transparent and illuminated glass for  the roof.

The rear lights of the MINI Rocketman Concept have a trapezoidal  stirrup design – into which all the light functions are  integrated – and work using projector technology. The lamp  assembly projects the rear and braking light and the light for the  direction indicators onto the car body. The high-output LED units used  for the lights ensure that even this indirect illumination concept  produces the accustomed intensity of light that is necessary for safety.

The roof of the MINI Rocketman Concept also puts on an extraordinary  light show. The full-surface glass roof is segmented by illuminated  braces to recreate the look of Britain’s Union Jack flag. When  not illuminated, the longitudinal, horizontal and diagonal braces glow  a bright Porcelain White. In darkness the integrated optical fibres  give the interior of the MINI Rocketman Concept a pleasantly indirect  illumination and, as a result, a more effective nocturnal appearance.

The bright colour of the roof and mirror caps – likewise  painted Porcelain White – create an attractive contrast to the  Bermuda (a warm shade of grey) of the body. The areas of carbon  visible at the front end and around the doors add further striking touches.

Split tailgate with drawer and integrated rear cargo carrier.

The MINI Rocketman Concept also uses creative design and innovative  technical solutions to open up new layout options for the luggage  area. This enhances the versatility of the existing space and means it  can be used more efficiently. The split two-part tailgate consists of  one section which is attached to the roof and opens extremely high and  a lower section which extends out 350 millimetres from the body  in the form of a drawer unit. The drawer represents the further  development of the downward-opening tailgate seen on the classic Mini.  This construction principle allows room to be made for pieces of  luggage and travel items even when the car is carrying four occupants.  The MINI Rocketman Concept literally grows as a vehicle when  it’s time to start loading up the gear.

An intelligent folding mechanism makes it possible to lock the cargo  drawer of the MINI Rocketman Concept either higher up or further in  towards the passenger compartment, as the loading scenario demands.  This allows loads to be transported out of sight and protected from  the weather. If required, items can also be loaded through into the  passenger compartment. In addition, the open-top cargo drawer can also  serve as a rear luggage carrier. Here, purpose-built inserts make it  easier to transport snowboards and other bulky items of sports  equipment. Added to which, the glass tailgate, which extends well into  the roof, helps to enhance loading flexibility. It is connected with  the body via a centrally positioned hinge with integrated gas strut  system, which also allows it to be opened when the rear carrier is  loaded with gear.

Seat concept: the ideal position for every mobility requirement.

The arrangement of the seats and control elements in the passenger  compartment of the MINI Rocketman Concept ensures maximum versatility  for the widest possible range of mobility needs. The low-weight seats,  which are traditional MINI in form, offer a high level of comfort and  optimum lateral support even for sporty drivers. The amount of space  for the driver and passengers can be varied as required. Three  individual seats slide fore and aft, allowing a high level of comfort  with generous head, leg and shoulder room. There is also an additional  seat in the rear, whose backrest can be folded down fully to serve as  a stowage surface.

Three mobility scenarios have been developed to define the real-life  usage possibilities offered by the interior of the study. In a layout  designed specially to enhance a sporting driving experience, the MINI  Rocketman Concept offers just the right amount of space for the driver  and front passenger. The front seats are pushed back as far as  possible and the instrument cluster also slides fore and aft to  provide the ideal position for a full-blooded driving experience.

If an additional passenger joins the two already on board, the front  passenger can move his seat forward again to take a position slightly  further forward than the driver. In this configuration, the front  passenger’s legroom is reduced to standard MINI levels to  accommodate an equally generously sized rear seat behind him. The MINI  Rocketman Concept also offers a practical solution for travelling with  four people. Once the driver has returned both his seat and the  instrument cluster to the standard position, a second rear seat allows  a fourth person to climb aboard for shorter journeys, at least.

Innovative mix of materials, hallmark MINI design.

The impressive variability of the interior is complemented by a  pure-bred design which spotlights both the unmistakable style of the  brand and the study car’s pioneering technology. The intention  behind the selection of materials and interior trim structure was to  create a feeling of contemporary functionality and lightness. To this  end, the carbon structure of the body frame has been left exposed in  the footwells and around the centre console.

A fresh interpretation of customary MINI design features emphasises  the further development of the brand’s characteristic design  language inside the study car as well. The door panels house the door  pulls and the stowage compartments, which feature trim elements whose  elliptical form reaches past the B-pillar into the rear compartment.  The surface design therefore offers a stylistic nod to the variable  division of space and shared driving experience provided by the MINI  Rocketman Concept interior.

Inside the car, leather covers and high-gloss painted surfaces  combine with armrests and trim strips made from a special paper that  has been pressed and folded into the desired structure. The trim  strips are backlit by LED-powered fibre optics. Plus, a light strip  that wraps around the interior at waistline height generates a  particularly harmonious ambience.

Innovative operating concept: trackball on the steering  wheel, 3D-effect graphics in the Centre Speedo.

An operating concept developed for the MINI Rocketman Concept brings  together principles from the MINI design handbook, innovative new  functions and a pioneering operating system to serve up even greater  driving fun over both short and long journeys. A cockpit instrument,  positioned above the steering wheel and therefore directly in the  driver’s field of view, houses the rev counter and on-board  computer display. The large-format Centre Speedo with peripheral  speedometer and multifunctional colour display also adheres to the  system logic familiar from the current range of series-produced MINI  cars as far as display arrangement is concerned. The development of  the rigorously applied display/control element separation principle,  meanwhile, has been taken to the next level.

In addition to multifunction buttons on the steering wheel, the  current MINI also has a joystick on the centre console for  operating vehicle-related, navigation, entertainment and  communications functions. By contrast, the MINI Rocketman Concept  concentrates all the control elements on the steering wheel. This  reflects an ongoing commitment to the concept of simple and intuitive  operation, and means that the driver can operate more functions than  ever while keeping both hands on the steering wheel at all times.

A press of the thumb on the relevant multifunction buttons on the  left-hand steering wheel spoke is all that is required to use  front-line controls such as the volume for the audio system and the  call pick-up function for incoming telephone calls. In addition, a  trackball is integrated into the right-hand steering wheel spoke.  Inspired by computer operating, this element allows the driver to  control an impressively wide range of processes. For example, to  navigate through the menu levels the driver turns the trackball  horizontally, while vertical movements allow him to scroll up and down  lists. The driver then selects the desired function with a press of  the trackball. With selected functions such as in-car internet, the  driver uses his thumb to move the cursor around the display in any direction.

The graphics in the colour display of the Centre Speedo are more  diverse, higher quality and sharper than ever. High-resolution 3-D  graphics open up new possibilities in the need-based selection of  functions using the trackball and display. According on the  driver’s preference and the driving situation, particularly  relevant displays and alerts are moved into the foreground, while the  remaining status displays remain visible on a display level further  back. This makes it significantly easier to move quickly and  intuitively between the navigation map display, music programme  selection and telephone contacts list.

Flawless connectivity and new ways of personalising the car configuration.

The navigation, communications and entertainment systems in  the MINI Rocketman Concept represent the consistent further  development of the functions already available through MINI Connected  in current series-produced MINI cars. Intelligent connectivity turns  the car into a mobile element of the driver’s personal  lifestyle. Internet-based services for communications, integrated  navigation and an almost limitlessly expandable entertainment  programme play a key role in maximising driving fun, comfort and  safety. With the control elements developed for the MINI Rocketman  Concept, personalised usage of these functions reaches a new level.  The removable control unit (for comfort and connectivity functions)  integrated into the Centre Speedo can be configured on a computer  before the start of a journey, enabling the driver to transfer new  music files, a navigation destination and contact details for mobile  communications and internet usage into the vehicle with maximum convenience.

These innovative control systems allow driving fun in a MINI to  become an integrated component of the driver’s personal  lifestyle more than ever. Indeed, information, images, data, contacts  and media can be made available in digital form for mobile usage  anywhere – at home, at the workplace or while on the move. Known  as the MINI Rocketman Concept, the mobile control unit stores  telephone numbers and email contacts, as well as navigation data,  internet addresses and full websites or messages from online social  networks, music files, photos and videos. This provides a direct route  into the MINI for additional sources of driving fun in the shape of  new destinations, important contacts, up-to-date information, exciting  sounds and powerful images. In the opposite direction, this extended  connectivity can also enrich everyday life outside the car; for  example, new contact details from telephone calls or online  connections can also be made available outside the car via the MINI  Rocketman Concept.

MINI Rocketman Concept: compact dimensions, new format, the usual  driving fun.

The MINI Rocketman Concept once again brings the traditional  principles of the classic Mini onto the road through the introduction  of innovative ideas.

The creativity of the MINI design team  enables them to transfer fundamental MINI features and values into a  groundbreaking new vehicle concept in untarnished form. As a  vision of the urban mobility of tomorrow, the MINI Rocketman  Concept captures the imagination with its unflappable charisma,  surprising variability, and lifestyle-oriented functionality,  and provides the ideal platform for agile and efficient driving characteristics.

While the study showcases a new format, MINI still remains true to  its bloodline. More than 50 years ago the brand’s first car  triggered a revolution in the small car segment. The classic Mini met  the needs of urban mobility more comprehensively than any other  vehicle before it, while at the same time offering the driving fun and  individual style that sealed its legendary status. Today MINI  continues to fulfil – in its own unique way – the desires  of demanding target groups with a sense for the creative use of space,  inspiring handling and premium quality. The MINI Rocketman Concept  offers a glimpse of how these features may look in the future. Using  innovative technology and creative solutions, the study reflects the  brand’s unsurpassed expertise in the development of vehicle  concepts producing maximum interior versatility within minimal  exterior dimensions – and all while delivering unbeatable  driving fun.

The verdict at Beastie Folly is that MINI have produced a fun, cute, small MINI that really does get back to the roots of the car. The bloated looks of the R56 have been blown away by a thoroughly good looking, finely proportioned MINI, that is pleasing to the eye. We would love to see one of these in our stable!