Classic Mini gets a big facelift

The classic Mini is turning a half a century old in 2009, but you wouldn't know it by looking at the youthful concept car the automaker is presenting at this years Frankfurt Motor Show.

Though the hatchback design sets this new vehicle far apart from the instantly recognizable Mini Cooper, the eye-catching Mini Coupé Concept is still a two-seater that doesn't look to stray far from Mini's 'driving pleasure' tagline.

The company says that this is "an unusually attractive vision of how the model family may well develop in future".

For the concept, the Mini Coupé is fitted a 1.6-litre twin-turbocharged 4-cylinder that produces 211-horsepower and 192 lbs.-ft. of torque. No transmission is specified, but it wouldn't be ridiculous to think it would be fitted with a 6-speed manual, similar to the one used in the John Cooper Works models.

It certainly looks track-ready, but there is more to the look of the Mini Coupé Concept than to just turn heads. The low roofline and rear spoiler make for a much more aerodynamic body, and though the front end looks very similar to current production Minis, the windshield has greater rake for less wind resistance. The roof is made of lightweight aluminum, meaning more of the vehicle's weight resides closer to the ground, resulting in a lower centre of gravity and improved handling.

Large wheels pushed right to the corners show that this is likely to provide just as much go kart handling as current Minis.

Mini follows the belief that form follows function, but that doesn't mean there aren't a few snazzy visual cues on the Mini Coupé Concept's exterior to simply serve as eye candy. The rear light clusters, arranged upright, are surrounded by a wide chrome frame, while a chrome radiator grille (the same as the one used on the Mini Cooper S) draws attention to the front end of the car. To help set it apart from its siblings, the Coupé Concept has body-coloured bars within the grille.

Though passenger space is limited to a couple of people, luggage capacity is fairly generous, with a total of 8.8 cu ft. of space behind the seats. The hatch is hinged above the roof spoiler, allowing it to open high. The low loading sill makes access to the luggage compartment even better, meaning bulky objects are easier to load.

The interior not so much hints at the vehicle's sportiness, but screams it the moment the doors are opened. Strongly contoured sport seats hug the driver and passenger during advanced manouevres, while the small three-spoke steering wheel allows the driver to take turns with confidence.

Like other Minis, the speedometer and tachometer are oversized, with the former being placed in the middle of the centre console just below the dash, and the latter going right behind the steering wheel so you'll always know just how close you are to reaching the 7,000 rpm redline. There are even two clocks to the right and left of the rev counter, which harken back to earlier Mini concepts. One clock is a stopwatch for taking lap times, the second clock shows the time in classic style. Carbon fibre trim pieces help keep with the classic Mini interior look.