MINI’s parent company BMW is to platform a MINI Speedster concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, alongside a coupé version.
This will prove to be an exciting MINI two-seater with an electric folding roof but there are plans to expand the successful range further with a fixed-roof model.
Rumoured to be called the Broadspeed Coupé, the newcomer would be the sportiest variant yet to come from the reborn brand. The car’s name is a reference to the racing team which built the famous 1966 Broadspeed GT Coupé, a low-volume model that was based on the Austin Mini Cooper 1275 S.
The new coupé would rival the Audi TT, Mazda MX-5 RC and upcoming Honda CR-Z and would be an exciting addition to the range. Thanks to a fixed roof, it will boast an even stiffer chassis than its open-top sister. That will mean it will deliver sharp handling and it will have the power to match.
The line-up will comprise Cooper, Cooper D and Cooper S variants, with a range-topping John Cooper Works version producing 218bhp.
That model should cover 0-60mph in less than six seconds. As with its Speedster sister car, the styling will be developed in-house, although there is a chance the bodyshell will be produced by a third party.
The Speedster will go on sale in 2010, while the coupé will follow in 2011.
