MINI has finally made up its mind and greenlit the Superleggera roadster for production.
Created to be a direct rival for the new Mazda MX-5, the new two-seat drop-top will feature a range of engines that will include a new plug-in petrol hybrid that produces 160kW and features all-wheel drive.
Following the announcement that it will push ahead and produce the Superleggera MINI boss, Peter Schwarzenbauer said: “The interest was tremendous when we showed this concept car. We are now working hard to get it on the street. It’s an economically challenging project and there is no firm decision, but we have a lot of people here that are fighting for it. I think it would be extremely good for the brand.”
Based on the MINI hatch, the majority of Superleggeras will be front-wheel drive and will be offered with a similar engine line-up to the current three-door range, kicking off with the 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol and building to the most powerful 170kW 2.0-litre turbo from the John Cooper Works flagship.
Confirmed for production some time in 2019, the Superleggera is expected to stay faithful stylistically to the 2014 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este concept that shares its Superleggera (Italian for lightweight) name.
For those who might think the new roadster is a natural replacement for the recently culled MINI Coupe and MINI Roadster - you couldn’t be more wrong, according to Schwarzenbauer: “They don’t compare. The Superleggera is a serious sports car,” said the MINI boss.