BIKERS ADVENTURE GROUP MALAYSIA

kennylee · Joined: 25 Jul 2007 Posts: 348 Location: Cheras

The wraps are officially off MINI’s new 4x4 this week. Tipped to bear the name Crossman, the SUV is targeted at buyers downsizing from bigger, full-blown off-roaders. And just like the current Clubman before it, the new Crossman is packed with challenging concepts.

These include an unusual rear door layout, with a conventionally hinged door at the passenger side and a sliding rear door opposite. The driver’s side B-pillar has been dropped, too, giving the beefed-up MINI even more practicality. Inside, the Crossman has four individual seats – all of which tilt and slide.

To distinguish the model from larger SUVs, MINI is calling the car in these official images an SAV, or sports activity vehicle.

But it’s not without controversy, as the machine’s new face will no doubt spark debate among MINI enthusiasts. As you can see, the brand’s trademark circular headlights have been ditched in favour of a pair of unique lamps, raked upwards towards the windscreen.

Plenty of ground clearance and jacked-up suspension provide the newcomer with a ‘MINI on stilts’ look. But unlike many rivals, the Crossman will deliver on the promise of its appearance – the tough 4x4 drivetrain will make it a capable off-road machine. The model unveiled this week has a number of pure concept features, too, many of which will disappear from the 2010 production cars. These include a three-dimensional MINI Centre Globe display.

The groundbreaking Globe, which sits in place of the central speedometer, employs a laser projector to display full-colour 3D images to the driver. But it can be separated into two ‘hemispheres’ – allowing the front passenger to surf the Internet without getting in the way of essential driver information, for example.

The Crossman, which will be called the Crossover Concept when it debuts at next month’s Paris Motor Show, also takes keyless go systems to the next level. MINI has introduced the Keyball, which rolls towards the driver when placed in the Centre Globe. They then simply press it to start the car.

Versatility

Easily the most practical feature is the clever centre rail, which extends the entire length of the car from front to back. By allowing occupants in the front and rear to affix and remove various attachments – such as iPod docks and cup-holders – it adds a dash of versatility to the new model.

The SAV is officially a design study at the moment, but in an exclusive interview with Auto Express, MINI chief designer Gert Hildebrand – the man responsible for the Crossover’s styling – confirmed “this kind of car will go into production”.

Hildebrand said the design is a “pre-communication that MINI could do these things”, paving the way for the brand to pioneer a shift in direction for future cars. However, he stopped short at confirming whether the headlamps will go further than this machine.

“In a concept car you always use different design languages to try things for the future. It has its own message, its own values,” he explained. And the Crossman isn’t only spearheading a new design direction for MINI; it’s also targeting a completely new customer base. According to Hildebrand, this will be the first MINI bought as a household’s main family car. “It’s a bigger MINI for people who have only one vehicle,” he said. “It’s for customers who need four-wheel drive – people with Range Rovers and BMW X5s.”

So, even though the Crossman is the first MINI to measure more than four metres in length, it could become the acceptable face of the SUV. “Small will be the name of the game in the future,” he told us. “This is a very politically correct 4x4.”

That appears to be the message from parent firm BMW, too – as Auto Express has learned that the Crossman will form the basis of a new blue propeller model. This is expected to wear the X1 badge, and offer the blend of rugged ability and desirability found on the X3, X5 and `X6 in a far smaller package. However, the BMW’s design will be much more conservative than the new MINI’s.

The X1 is scheduled to debut at a major motor show next year – by which time the Crossman will already have made a big impression. And when the wraps come off the MINI on the stands in the French capital next month, with its blend of retro cool, rugged ability and desirability, it might just strike another nail into the coffin of the 4x4 as we know it!

rashid · Joined: 26 Jul 2007 Posts: 66 Location: shah alam

i think a bit over gadget particularly the doors,..no space for outdoor gadgets,golf set