Now that the Mini Coupe has been officially unveiled, interest has turned to the Mini Roadster. Our latest spy photos show the soft-top two-seater with its roof up, with BMW’s usual camouflage sheeting applied.
The spy photos give us a clear photo of the soft-top roof, although the Roadster’s bootlid remains under wraps. The Mini Roadster’s curving side windows integrate nicely with the compact folding top, but are the primary culprit for the controversial ‘cap backwards’ roof styling on the Mini Coupe.
The Mini Roadster will feature the same technology as its twin-under-the-skin, the Mini Coupe. The car in our spy shots is in top John Cooper Works trim, with the turbocharged 1.6-litre four cylinder engine packing 208bhp.
Mini Roadster: last of the Mk.2 Minis?
The Mini Roadster, due to be released in 2012, could well be the last of the Mk.2 Minis, certainly on the hatchback platform. The only remaining vehicle on the current architecture yet to be released would be a three-door Countryman Coupe, based on the Mini Paceman concept.
In 2013, Mini moves to the Mk.3 hatchback, underpinned by the new UKL1 platform which will form the basis of a range of Mini and entry-level BMW models in front- and four-wheel drive.
>>Mini Roadster: a classic in the making or brand extension gone mad? Share your thoughts in the comments section below: