MINI, purveyors of all things lilliputian, cute, and cuddly, is branching out into the rough and tough world of SUVs.
The new MINI crossover, rumored to be named Crossman, is not exactly going to be a Chevy Suburban killer. Sized closer to a RAV4, the Crossman will be the first MINI available with all-wheel drive.
The look of the new MINI will closely ape that of its siblings, just with four doors, an elevated ride height and a larger front grille. While the image provided by Auto Express UK is not the definitive word on what the SUV will look like, we think it appears to be a winner. No doubt the automaker will sell each one it can make.
The interior is rumored to be entirely carried over from the smaller MINIs so at least we can expect a speedometer the size of a dinner plate. We are surprised more manufacturers haven’t switched over to speedometers with huge numbers, what with the aging of the U.S. population. (No matter how old you are or how bad your eyes are, you have no excuse for not knowing how fast you are going in a MINI!)
Engines for the Crossman will be carried over from the coupe and Clubman, as well. While we know the turbocharged engine from the regular models has more than enough power, we wonder if a heavier SUV will not feel a tad underpowered. Perhaps Mini can tune the four cylinder engines to give more power for the SUV. Not that we are power hungry or anything.
Note that the new Crossman will not be based on the same platform as other vehicles. Parent BMW is donating the running gear from its upcoming X1 sport utility to the new Crossman. While we rarely doubt the handling prowess of BMWs, we hope that the new MINI Crossman can continue the effervescent, fun to drive quality of the brand.
Finally, the MINI is going to have to outsource manufacturing of the new model to Magna Styr in Austria as its factory in Oxford, England already works at full capacity making coupes and Clubmans. Hopefully this new factory will be able to maintain the high quality feel that makes the smaller MINIs so successful.
So when can a buyer expect the Crossman to be on the market? Unfortunately it is looking like it will probably be about a year and a half before the vehicle goes on sale. MINI still has to finalize the appearance of the vehicle and will no doubt be releasing concept versions of the model at upcoming auto shows. All we can say is, the slightly larger MINI can’t come soon enough.