MINI at the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show 2011.

MINI at the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show 2011.
(Short version.)

Premium quality, expressive design and a peerless balance between driving fun and efficiency underpin the status of MINI as a one-off in the premium small car segment. A principal contributory factor in the dynamic worldwide growth of the British brand – alongside the opening up of additional markets – is increased variety within the model line-up, a development that has been fuelling the appetite of discerning new target groups for the unmistakable MINI style. MINI is using the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show to present the latest additions to its product range and, at the same time, open a window into the longer-term future of the brand. Taking centre stage is the Asian premiere of the MINI Coupé, which showcases the brand’s hallmark driving fun in a particularly concentrated form. Added to which, visitors to the Tokyo Motor Show from 3 –11 December 2011 will be able to explore a fascinating concept study which embodies alternative facets of the MINI character and offers an insight into the potential for fresh expansion within the model range.

As the first two-seater in the brand’s current model family, the MINI Coupé wastes no time in revealing its sporting character. Powerful engines join forces with a bespoke chassis set-up, harmonious weight distribution, stiff body structure and optimised aerodynamic properties to deliver the ultimate expression of the traditional MINI go-kart feeling.

An intriguing concept study provides an alluring preview of how a further addition to the model line-up might shape up. The MINI Paceman Concept fills a niche as the first Sports Activity Coupé in the MINI segment.

MINI is also presenting a selection of other highlights from its current model range at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. The MINI Countryman, for example, is the brand’s first model to feature four doors and a large tailgate, not to mention ALL4 all-wheel drive (optional). And then there is the MINI John Cooper Works, which is powered by a 155 kW/211 hp twin-scroll turbo engine with direct injection and brings an undiluted feel of the race track to the road.