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.
