Large 19-inch wheels designed exclusively for the study car and dark wheel arch borders with side skirts highlighted in the same color team up with the familiar MINI shoulder line rising up slightly towards the rear to underline the car's sporty and powerful appearance. The MINI Paceman Concept shows off its roof contours particularly effectively. The flat roofline runs horizontally from front to rear, where it flows into a wide, transparent-looking C-pillar. The windows appear to wrap around the car like a band of glass, with the "helmet roof" - in a strikingly contrasting color - suspended on top. The coupe-specific windows taper as they extend to the rear, and combine with the slightly rising waistline to create a prominently dynamic wedge shape when viewed from the side. The classic MINI three-level split of roof, greenhouse and body is again clearly recognizable in this study vehicle.

The newly interpreted rear lights are positioned at the outer edges of the rear and underline the dominance of horizontal lines, which run parallel to one another and emphasize the wide track of the rear axle. As with the MINI Cooper S Countryman, the rear apron of the MINI Paceman Concept has a diffuser design. The airflow is channeled between the twin-tailpipe exhaust on the underbody section, further optimizing the car's aerodynamic properties. Even the license plate recess echoes the form of the air intake in the front bumper, forging a stylistic link between the front and rear of the car.

The four-seater car measures 161.8 inches in length, 70.4 inches in width and 60.7 inches in height. In telltale family style, the MINI Paceman Concept has extremely short overhangs, which lend particular emphasis to the car's athletic stature.

Interior: Modern Functionality and Luxurious Character

The interior of the MINI Paceman Concept deliberately draws from the MINI design language, yet also comes across as refreshingly new. Behind the study's masculine exterior lies an elegant yet sporty core imbued with a premium sense of quality. The instrument panel of the MINI study is defined by its distinctive, concave forms and the sporty but functional impression it creates. Particularly large side air vents underline the character of the interior, which is defined by cutting-edge functionality. The central air vents, Centre Speedo and gearshift lever are given broad surrounds in a contrasting color.

The slim centre console, which maximizes legroom for the driver and front passenger, melts between the seats into the Centre Rail familiar from the MINI Countryman, creating a visual and functional link between the front and rear seats. This unique and innovative U-profile rail system runs through the middle of the passenger compartment back as far as the rear seat backrests. Light shades of leather pervade the interior of the MINI Paceman Concept and lend it an expressive, luxurious allure. The new interpretation of the brand's familiar elliptical door and side trim extends along the length of the cabin, taking in the B-pillar and emphasizing the length of the interior. At the same time, the communicative and communal character of MINI cars is clearly highlighted. Embedded in the elliptical main element are the shaped armrests with large stowage compartments, ergonomically designed door pulls and the speakers for the sound system. Behind the sports seats are two comfortable individual seats, whose backrests merge boldly into side sections to create fully contoured supports. The "lounge" character that this creates underlines the individual, unconventional appearance of the study car and turns every journey into an experience for the rear passengers, as well as those in the front.

John Cooper Works 1.6-Liter Engine

Both from a space point of view and in its chassis set-up, the MINI Paceman Concept has been designed to allow the most powerful drive unit currently available for a MINI to be fitted under the bonnet. The MINI John Cooper Works 1.6-liter twin-scroll turbocharged engine gives the MINI Paceman Concept the means to achieve top-class levels of sports performance. The four-cylinder unit develops 211 hp and generates maximum torque of 192 lb-ft, which can be increased to as much as 207 lb-ft in brief bursts thanks to the Overboost function.

Its MINI Countryman roots give the MINI concept study an ideal platform for the optionally available MINI ALL4 permanent all-wheel-drive system. This features an electromagnetic center differential positioned directly on the final drive which varies the distribution of power seamlessly between the front and rear axles. In normal driving conditions up to 50 per cent of the drive is sent to the rear wheels, in extreme situations as much as 100 per cent. Harnessing the power of the brawny four-cylinder engines, in all-wheel-drive form the MINI Paceman Concept would offer an extra dose of driving fun through a traction-led, sporty expression of the agile handling for which MINI is famed.

The Best Handling in the Segment

MINI chassis technology has been further developed for the MINI Paceman Concept to turn the potential of the extremely powerful engines - safely and with impressive poise - into inspiring agility. Precise, sporty handling and excellent ride comfort set the MINI Paceman Concept apart. That is down not least to the go-kart feeling typical of the brand. The front axle features MacPherson spring struts with lower track control arms, while Electric Power Steering with speed-sensitive power assistance plays a major role in giving the SAC the agility customers expect of the brand. The multi-link rear axle was developed on the back of BMW Group chassis expertise and is designed for use in both the front-wheel-drive and the ALL4 all-wheel-drive versions of the car.

MINI Paceman Concept

The MINI Paceman Concept embodies the idea of an incomparable driving experience in a way that meets the needs of a modern, lifestyle-oriented target group but also stays true to the character of the brand.

With the MINI Countryman having already opened up a fascinating new avenue in the expansion of the brand family, the designers are now tapping into the potential of its state-of-the-art drive technology and flexible space concept once again to develop additional usage options in a coupe sibling. The MINI Paceman Concept prioritizes a particularly emotional driving experience and demonstrates this ability in a style typical of the brand. Here you can find clear evidence of how totally new vehicle concepts can still be developed today through unconventional creativity.

MINI Paceman Concept: Photo Gallery, Review (1/2) and Specifications