Mini Might Finally Produce City Car

Mini Rocketman concept (Credit: Mini)

Many people have complained recently that most Mini models aren’t so mini anymore. While it’s legitimate to ask if those people gave the Roadster a second look, they still have a point and Mini knows it. According to a report from Auto Express, that has been fueling the potential return of the Rocketman. For those who are well-versed on the brand’s recent history, the little Rocketman was set to launch as a production model, but that never came to fruition and the concept was shelved.

Originally, Mini said that the Rocketman would be far too expensive to produce to make the city car a practical business venture. Considering that other automotive brands make city cars and somehow has found a way to make such endeavors profitable enough, such a reason sounds suspicious, especially considering how shrewd BMW is at making something completely backwards and wrong and making it profitable (like the X6).

Anders Warming, who is the head of design for Mini, told Auto Express that not having “the right tech solutions” is what is keeping the Rocketman from seeing the assembly line. One big hint he dropped was that the city car would feature the extensive use of aluminum in its structure, which is a move quite a few other automakers are incorporating in new models. At the same time, Warming reassured everyone that a solution would be forthcoming, but provided no timeline.

Minimalists will be pleased to know that Warming says the simple interior of the concept vehicle would likely be preserved to one extent or another. The concept behind such a cabin has to do with decluttering things so the driver can concentrate on navigating busy city streets instead of toying with a huge array of controls. Warming said that the only necessary interior components were a seat, steering wheel, and a user interface.