Another motor show, another MINI

I’m only aware of the phrase Sports Activity Coupé being used to describe one car to date, and that’s the BMW X6. But now it’s appeared again, and it’s on the German firm’s other brand, MINI. This is the Paceman concept – somewhat smaller than the X6 – and it’s making its debut at the Detroit Motor Show next month. At 4.11m it’s the longest MINI to date – it’s a couple of centimetres more than the Countryman – but it’s much lower than its sibling. It won’t be slow either; power comes from the 211bhp 1.6-litre twin-scroll turbo from the John Cooper Works cars, though there’s no details on a 0-60mph time. Will this four-seater go into production? The company says it “could form yet another building block in the development of the MINI brand”. That probably means yes, though they say officially no decision has been made. Bosses are certainly not holding back in their desire to fill all possible niches. Personally, I think this is a better expression of the brand than the Countryman.