PressClub Global · Article.
Colour and material design: more character, more modernity, more MINI.
23.09.2024 Press Release
The new MINI family represents a completely new design language that focuses on the essentials and emphasises each model’s individual character. The clear and minimalist design language creates a modern, cosy feel in the redesigned interior. The new colour and material scheme makes an important contribution to this: innovative materials, fresh colours and new patterns create a brand-typical feeling that transforms the interior into a feel-good place.
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Laura-Marie Kremser
BMW Group
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Laura-Marie Kremser
BMW Group
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Munich. Developing colour and material schemes is an independent discipline within the MINI Design Studio. The interplay of newly developed patterns, colours, small design details and the use of innovative materials creates a particularly harmonious, homey ambience in the new MINI model interiors. Drawing inspiration from fashion, art, architecture and modern furniture design, completely new design worlds, still maintaining links to the rich tradition of iconic MINI design, emerge.
A key and consistent feature of the colour and material design for the new MINI model family is their particular attention to detail. It can be seen and sensed in every equipment variant. The colour scheme, choice of materials, visual and tactile elements combine to create an immersive and typical MINI overall experience.
Innovative materials offer new design
possibilities.
One particular highlight is the
innovative 2D weaving process used in the production of interior
surfaces made from recycled polyester. The dashboards and door panels
designed in this way create a sense of warmth and cosiness. The
weaving process offers new design possibilities in terms of colouring
and structure. It enables a dual-colour design with a particularly
striking sense of depth. This comes about when the lower textile
layer’s colour subtly shines through the upper one. This technique,
inspired by sneaker design and meticulously refined, gives the
surfaces a visual complexity, bringing a high-quality and unique
appearance to the interior.
“The weaving process allows us to create unique dual-colour designs that bring a special aesthetic and atmosphere to the interior,” says Elena Schwörer, designer for materials and weaving. The woven textiles are not only visually appealing, but also offer an attractive tactile experience. The woven structure specially developed for the new MINI model family is a unique selling point, setting it apart from the competition. It also offers extensive customisation potential, as new colours and patterns can be easily introduced.
Colours and materials harmoniously combined.
The
headrests of the new sports seats in the John Cooper Works Trim also
feature an exclusive 2D woven surface that extends into the shoulder
area. The combination of high-quality materials and precisely
coordinated colour tones generates a harmonious, modern appearance in
the cockpit as well as an exceptionally homey character. The new
Vibrant Silver accent colour is a nuanced set-off to the contrasting
stitching on the steering wheel.
“We wanted to use colours that respect the heritage of the brand and at the same time create a fresh, contemporary aesthetic,” explains Jeanette Ohlhäuser, colour designer at the MINI Design Studio. For example, British Racing Green, the iconic colour closely associated with the brand’s motorsport tradition, is interpreted as Dark Petrol in the new MINI Aceman interior. Favoured Trim picks up on the elegant colour tone in the woven surfaces of the dashboard and door trim as well as in the seat accents. Dark Petrol also harmonises particularly well with the Rebel Red exterior colour. This alternates between different shades of red and orange depending on how the light falls on it.
Precisely crafted structures for a special tactile
experience.
The overall feel plays just as central a
role in the interior design of the new MINI model family as the colour
scheme and visual appearance of the materials. The surface textures
and graining, found on almost every plastic part in the interior, are
also developed with the utmost precision. “It is important to us that
the texture of the surfaces harmonises perfectly with the other
materials, such as the woven fabric in the interior,” says Marlies
Michel, designer of MINI graining. The blueprints for the various
surface textures used in the new MINI model family are based on
influences that the design team draws from nature and science. This
could be the grain on wood or rock, for example – but it could just as
easily be a satellite photo of the earth, where fields, bodies of
water or mountains can be seen as graphics with the appropriate
resolution and provide inspiration for new grain patterns and
structures. The very subtle MINI grain developed in this way blends
perfectly with the visually strong weave and serves as a link between
all the materials in the vehicle interior.
Many small individual elements form the parts of the equation that combines to form a harmonious, modern and high-quality overall picture. This extraordinary depth of detail once again emphasises the enormous leap forward in design that MINI has made with the new model generation.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Corporate Communications
Laura-Marie Kremser, BMW Group Design Press Officer
Phone:
+49-89-382-98114
Email: laura-marie.kremser@bmwgroup.com
Almut Stollberg, Head of Communication Innovation, Design, Technology
and Digital Car
Phone: +49-89-382-96543
Email: Almut.Stollberg@bmw.de