MINI Rocketman Won't Be Part of Lineup Expansion
It’s been over a year since rumors first spilled out that MINI had shelved its Rocketman model, and recently the British automaker confirmed the Rocketman will remain a concept.
At a recent event in Puerto Rico where MINI showed its 2013 Paceman and John Cooper Works GP to the media, the automaker said it wants to expand its product range to 10 body styles from the current seven. The focus of course would be on niche, small car markets and according to MINI USA sales manager David Duncan, any market is a consideration “as long as we’re the smallest player in any segment.”
SEE ALSO: MINI Rocketman Reportedly Shelved
Unfortunately, the automaker also reiterated that the Rocketman won’t see production any time soon, if at all, due to the fact that MINI would need to develop a completely new platform for such a compact model. With such a high cost in developing a new platform, it isn’t in MINI’s best interest.
The maker didn’t elaborate on what additional models could be coming but it’s highly unlikely it’ll develop anything larger than the Countryman. The automaker in the past has stated that the Countryman would its largest. While nothing is definite, the British automaker is pondering diesel engines for the U.S.
[Source: Autoblog]
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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Why is it when you get a chance to produce a cert winner do they say production costs out way the cost to put this car on the road. Stuff BMW. Let someone else build it. This car will sell like hot cakes at the right price.COME ON THE JAPS OR KOREANS PROVE TO THE WORLD THIS CAR WILL BE A WINNER LIKE THE OLYMPICS.
I was at mini dealership this week, the salesman confirmed there is a mini rocket man coming out...but is it just salesman talk?