Mini Crossman
Spy shots of the new off-road Mini crossover in action
The Mini Crossman seems to be reaching the late stages of its development. It has been spied looking close to production form (if you ignore the smattering of stickers and graphics) and sadly a bit more toned-down than the Paris show car.
Clues to its production readiness include the conventional rear passenger doors and the Mini Clubman-style rear doors, meaning the clever (and patented) rear door set-up from the Mini Crossover Concept has been lost. This will be the first five-door Mini - six-door if you want to be wholly accurate about those back doors - and could finally be the model that nails a bit of practicality.
It should also be one of the tiny handful of off-roaders that can dodge the heavy criticism that comes as standard for most chunky, jumped-up cars. Its styling and use of BMW Efficient Dynamics (ensuring low emissions compared to most other mud-pluggers) should make it one of the less controversial 4WD choices.
