The Future Mini Can Change Color And Recognize Who Shares The Car +VIDEO

By Henny Hemmes
Senior European Editor

LONDON - June 17, 2016: As part of celebrating 100 years of BMW, Mini has revealed its Vision Next 100 concept that provides a glimpse of the future Mini models. Yesterday the concept was unveiled at an event in the Roundhouse theater in London (LINK) The Vision concept shows what a permanently available, but individualized premium compact car for the city can be.

As Mini sees it, car sharing will become the most natural thing in the world. And they may be right, given the fact that society and mobility are changing at a rapid pace and people are looking at sharing houses and offices. With the new technologies, digitalization and connectivity, the opportunities for car sharing will be endless

Therefore, the British division has designed a car that is intended to provide great individuality in combination with possibilities for car-sharing. The concept can drive itself to pick you up and change its appearance to match the color of your dress, or tie, or your mood. The car has a what mini calls ‘blank canvas, a discreet silver skin’ that varies according to the individual user. This means that not only the exterior color and the interior lighting can be adjusted to the personal taste of the driver, but also the information provided during the trip.

The team of Mini design chief Anders Warming started with a light-weight platform for electric driveline, sculpted a round body and pronounced wheel arches and applied large wheels at the corners. The doors slide forward and backward to open up the side for easy access and using a minimum of space. I find the concept really futuristic, but still remaining loyal to the current Mini design.

Interior designer Christopher Weil mounted a round instrument in the style of the current Mini’s and used projections adapted to the driver in color, graphics and content for a truly personalized and customized package of on-board information. So the car can greet the driver with projecting her or his name on the ground directly before the door.

Weil produces a broad grin when speaking about the name of the circular instrument: Cooperizer. Well, leave it to the Mini guys to come up with special names - think of the Always Open Timer that monitors the amount of time that the roof of the Mini Convertible has been open during a journey.

The Cooperizer is the center of the car’s digital intelligence and chooses individual settings for each driver, such as autonomous-driving options, communication and entertainment.

Pressing the 'Inspire Me' buttons offers another Cooperizer function: it can check downloaded user data en recommend points of interest, or digitally switch the drive train into John Cooper works mode for driving fun. Inspire Me also uses stored user data and can, for instance, make suggestions for a singer, whose concert the driver has recently visited.

Christopher Weil used a combination of innovative and sustainable materials, from knitted Alcantara to brass and from recycled cellulose to light weight basalt.

The Mini Vision Next 100 concept is 3.63 meters (261 inches) long and 1.85 m (72.8 in.) wide, not far off a Mini 3-door hatch. Warming said that he aimed at building a concept for a model that seats four, which is possible thanks to the EV drive train and the lack of bumpers. That helped to design an interior that offers a feeling of space, as well as the see-through front of the body and the lack of a center console.

The steering and pedals can be moved from left to right and to go into autonomous drive the steering wheel has to be pushed to the center. The Mini will be able to find its way to charging stations, parking lots, or to the next user.

Anyway, the concept offers a lovely view of what the future Mini brand may offer. The Mini Community and other interested car aficionados in the UK will have the opportunity to see the Vision Next 100 in the Roundhouse the next couple of days.