Mini Rocketman concept in pictures

The glass roof is segmented by illuminated braces to recreate the look of Britain's Union Jack flag; the braces are white so they're visible through the roof even when they're not lit up - and they match the side mirrors. At night the inside is indirectly lit by optic fibres.
The glass roof is segmented by illuminated braces to recreate the look of Britain's Union Jack flag; the braces are white so they're visible through the roof even when they're not lit up - and they match the side mirrors. At night the inside is indirectly lit by optic fibres.
Leather upholstery and glossy painted surfaces combine with armrests and trim strips made from a special pressed paper, backlit by LED-powered fibre optics.
The lower section of the tailgate can be pulled out like a drawer to extend the body by 350mm; it's a logical extension of Issigonis' original downwards-opening boot design and enables the car literally to grow when necessary to accommodate four people and their luggage.
What made the original Mini so special, more than 50 years ago, was designer Alec Issigonis' creative use of space. BMW has adopted the same design philosophy for today's Minis - and never more so than in this concept, the Rocketman.
The stirrup-shaped tail lights project the rear, brake and turn signals on to the body to make them look bigger and brighter.
The doors also have double-jointed hinges, allowing a large opening angle when space is restricted.
The glass roof is segmented by illuminated braces to recreate the look of Britain's Union Jack flag; the braces are white so they're visible through the roof even when they're not lit up - and they match the side mirrors. At night the inside is indirectly lit by optic fibres.
The lower section of the tailgate can be pulled out like a drawer to extend the body by 350mm; it's a logical extension of Issigonis' original downwards-opening boot design and enables the car literally to grow when necessary to accommodate four people and their luggage.
In addition to multifunction buttons on the steering wheel, the Rocketman has a trackball on the right-hand spoke.

Published Feb 23, 2011

Most interesting here are the rumours that have been flying around recently, that Mini is set to build a smaller entry-level hatchback to slot beneath the current car - and this concept surely proves that intention.