Boston: 2010 MINI may indeed one day get smaller and although this may be a hard concept to grasp seeing as how the MINI is already, well, quite mini, it is nevertheless true. MINI (the company, not the car) recently debuted its newest concept at the Geneva International Auto Show earlier this month. The vehicle, which is called the MINI Rocketman, is instantly recognizable as a MINI as it utilizes nearly all of the iconic vehicle's notable features. However, the MINI Rocketman is clearly the MINI's baby brother.
In a clever host of advertisements, MINI explains that the MINI Rocketman is by no means a new idea, but rather is the same idea that allowed the original MINI to come to life. Only now, the idea is being put to use in 2011 as opposed to 1959. In that year, a man named Sir Alec Issigonis designed and built the original MINI. At the time, the world was experiencing an oil shortage, people were relocating to cities and the vehicles on the market were large, very large. His answer was the MINI.
Fast-forward to today and it's easy to see the connections: gas is now well over $3.00 a gallon, oil is an increasingly fought over substance, and vehicles are smaller than in 1959, but still not small enough. And, over 50% of the world's population lives in cities and that number is forecasted to increase significantly over the next few decades. So once again, MINI is coming to the rescue.
To start, the MINI Rocketman is just over three meters long and is described as a "3+1" seater. To MINI this means that four is possible, three is ideal and 1+1 is fun. Space is next conserved thanks to the door design on the Rocketman. The door opens first as any door would, but a portion of the vehicle's door, in front of what would be a normal door (the area over the front wheel), also detaches from the body of the vehicle. A hinge on both the car body side and the door side of this piece allows for several different configurations of an open door. Ultimately, it means easier ingress and egress for passengers and more flexibility in tight parking situations.
More space-saving considerations exist in the back of this vehicle. The trunk is like a hatchback but opens from nearly the center of the roof of the Rocketman, allowing for a large opening to the vehicle. The clasp of this hatchback sits where the rear windshield would normally meet the body of the vehicle in a hatchback. This part of the Rocketman does not open downward like normal, but rather slides out from the vehicle like a drawer, again for added storage while maintaining maximum passenger space inside of the vehicle.
The style of the vehicle is a creative combination of history meets future. As stated above, conventionally MINI characteristics such as curves throughout the exterior are combined with modern technology and lighting. In fact, the driver has a choice between three "lighting modes," which can set the mood and driving tempo and, as would be expected, connectivity reigns in the vehicle.
For Boston 2010 MINI and Boston convertible MINI dealerships, the thought of the Rocketman is exciting and interesting. The fact that the vehicle is attractive will likely be one of the most important factors playing into the vehicle's success in Boston. Convertible models of the Rocketman would likely be the next step for MINI, should the vehicle go from concept to production and do well.