MINI previews new Crossover in Paris

MINI has taken the wraps off its new Crossover concept a few weeks ahead of the show car's debut in Paris and the company has admitted that it hints at a new series production car.

The Crossover takes the overall proportions of the Clubman model and adds a dose of SUV muscle - along with a new four-wheel drive system and increased ground clearance - to create a MINI more suitable for use away from the beaten track.

Dig a little deeper into the specification of the show car though and it's clear that the Crossover is not just a modified Clubman. Smooth nose, off-road detailing and new lights aside, the Crossover features a different set of doors on each side of the vehicle, neither of which mimics the Clubman's rear-opening 'Clubdoor'.

Instead, the right-hand side of the car has two conventional doors, while the left-hand side features a sliding rear door. It's highly improbable that this layout will see production, with MINI's new car likely to feature regular doors on both sides of the car. It's unclear as yet whether the showroom model will boast a side-hinged rear hatch (as utilised by the concept) or the distinctive vertically split rear doors of the Clubman model.

Inside the concept, MINI's unique style is retained, though the dashboard is more minimal thanks to grouping of the car's controls in the centrally-mounted 'MINI Centre Globe', which can be accessed using a track ball integrated into the steering wheel.

MINI will give the new concept its first public outing at the Paris Show next month and it's predicted that the showroom-ready version will debut at next year's Frankfurt Show.

Shane O' Donoghue