The Next Mini, Now with 50 Percent Less Practicality

The degree of practicality is what often defines how cool a car is.

Impractical cars, like a Ferrari, are considered cool because they have ridiculously powerful engines that suck gas down faster than a black hole, stylish bumpers that can't get over a standard speedbump and prices that will buy at least four standard houses.

This inherent lack of usability, and high price, ensures that the most expensive cars will be driven rarely, which means it's an important event when people see one in person. Hence, the car is cool.

A Toyota Camry, on the other hand is very practical. It will seat at least four people, its trunk will carry everything from groceries to mom's potted plants and the price is something people can afford. Thus, it is seen everywhere and doesn't garner the same amount of attention.

So what does this have to do with the next Mini? Well, take a look.

Behold, the Mini Coupe Concept. This is what happens when Germans get creative and start playing with the roofs on hatchbacks.

For comparison to the original model:

All that glass and metal disappeared in the Coupe. It saved somewhere between 175 and 200lbs.

But there's still a trunk. It's not nearly as large as the standard model's hatchback, but at around eight cubic feet it's enough to carry a couple of boxes.

When they trimmed the roof they also threw out the backseats. By getting rid of the rear seats, ones that only children could sit in for a short period of time, Mini has increased the coolness factor of this car.

Now, that is a rather typical thing to say about a car, that it's cool. But when it comes to cars, and most products, image is everything. While Mini is still associated with sporty, fun to drive hatchbacks, it doesn't turn heads and garner a double-take any more.

When they first came out, people took notice of the hatchback because it was a fresh design. Now, they're seen everywhere and the redesign a couple of years ago didn't change enough to keep it fresh. So something new is needed.

By introducing some impracticality, and drastically changing the profile of the car, Mini created something new and interesting. It's something that will turn heads when it starts rolling down the streets, which will revive interest in the brand.

Combine those looks with a very nice interior and you've got a desirable compact car.


By wrapping the well equipped interior with a fresh package, and a decent sized trunk, Mini has found the intersection where useful and impractical meet at what should be a reasonable price.

When this is built, and it's going to reach showrooms eventually, let's hope that BMW doesn't change a thing.