Radical Mini Urbanaut concept is blueprint for the brand's future

The concept’s vertical sides have a largely unadorned look with smooth surfacing devoid of any major feature lines.

At the rear, the window recalls the shape of the grille, while the wheels are inspired by those of a skateboard, lighting up in one of three Mini mood themes – Chill, Wanderlust or Vibe – when they rotate. The tyres feature a tread pattern resembling the Union Jack.

The Urbanaut’s cabin is entered through a large single side door that uses a slide-and-swivel mechanism to enable parking in tight spaces. In a design twist that recalls the Isetta bubble car produced by BMW between 1955 and 1962, the large windscreen is designed to open when the Urbanaut is stationary.

The tall glasshouse and glazed roof aim to flood the interior with natural light. Its lounge-like ambience is made possible by a steering wheel that was conceived to stow away when not in use and front seats that swivel around to face the rear. The rear seats fold away to form a sofa and a large digital panel is integrated into the interior trim and roof.

While this concept interior is intended to preview how future urban vehicles can be used as a ‘mobile living space’, Mini has already built interior packaging models of the Urbanaut that feature a more conventional layout with seats that fold flat to provide a bed.

Notably, Heilmer said the Urbanaut would influence future models: “You will find some citations of design items and language, especially in the interior, that will be translated into series [production] cars in the next model generation.”

The adoption of an MPV bodystyle was made possible by a decision to base the Urbanaut on a new, skateboard-like electric vehicle platform, because this affords greater proportional freedom than the BMW-developed-and-engineered FAAR structure used by Mini today.

“In 1959, the first Mini ushered in a revolution in vehicle construction with its transversely mounted engine,” said Heilmer. “With the Mini Vision Urbanaut, we have been able to rethink and increase the usable surface area inside the car even further in relation to its footprint.”

While BMW hasn’t named the platform that the concept is based on, the production version could use the EV architecture being developed by Spotlight Automotive, a joint venture between BMW and China’s Great Wall Motors.

That platform is set to underpin the new Mini crossover announced late last month and will be produced in China by Spotlight Automotive. The same operation is also planned to produce the next-generation Mini Electric hatchback.

Although bold, the Urbanaut isn’t the first MPV designed by Mini. Under the stewardship of Rover, the brand created the Spiritual Too, which was shown as a concept in 1997.