BMW’s #NEXTGen event continues as the automaker has announced plans to unveil the MINI Vision Urbanaut on November 17th. The company is keeping details under wraps, but confirmed the concept will be an electric vehicle that features a “totally new vision of space.”
MINI didn’t elaborate, but they released a
colorful teaser image which suggests the concept will have a lounge-like
interior. As you can see, there’s a large window and sofa-like seats with
two-tone upholstery as well as blue contrast stitching.
While the teaser isn’t very revealing, it
suggests the Vision Urbanaut could be an autonomous electric vehicle or
possibly even an autonomous shuttle. That remains unconfirmed, but MINI says
it’s “something to be excited about.” Regardless of what MINI has planned, it
appears the Vision Urbanaut isn’t the same vehicle that was teased in
yesterday’s Chasing iNext mockumentary. As you may recall, the series featured
a brief glimpse of what’s believed to be the Electric GP as it showed sketches
of a sporty three-door hatchback that closely resembled the John Cooper Works
GP. The model also had yellow accents and aerodynamic wheels like the electric
Cooper SE.
Spy photographers have caught the Electric
GP in the real world, and those pictures revealed the model will have a fully
enclosed grille as well as a ‘missing’ exhaust system. While the company hasn’t
officially confirmed its existence, previous reports have indicated the car has
been green-lighted and will feature an upgraded version of the Cooper SE’s
powertrain.
