Paris unveiling rumored for MINI SUV
by Damon Lavrinc on May 27th 2008 at 2:02PM 
Common sense says that MINI is gearing up to unveil its convertible Cooper before the end of the year, but according to AutoTelegraaf, the purveyors of everyone's favorite retromobile is planning to debut its new SUV in Paris. The Dutch site claims that the cabrio version of the Cooper and Cooper S won't make an appearance until the Spring of 2009, but the jacked-up Crossman CUV could launch around the same time.
The "Crossman" is slated to be produced by Magna Steyr, riding 80 mm higher than standard MINIs and will be powered by the same 1.6-liter naturally aspirated and turbocharged mills found in the Cooper and Clubman, and their S-badged counterparts. Magna says that it will be producing 80,000 Crossmans (Crossmen?) each year on an entirely new platform that allows the use of both AWD and FWD drivetrains.
[Source: AutoTelegraaf via Motor Authority]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Torrent 2:08PM (5/27/2008)
It better not look like this.
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Rick 6:31PM (5/27/2008)
That's horrible.
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shadysi 2:23PM (5/27/2008)
I don't understand the point of this car unless it is all time awd. Even then I question its worth with the loss of mpg of a larger vehicle and added weight of the AWD hardware.
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FThorn 2:25PM (5/27/2008)
Great timing to be introducing an SUV. Bring me the diesel MINIs!!!!!!!
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jv2k 3:13PM (5/27/2008)
How is it an SUV if it is relatively small and powered by a tiny engine?
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Pluton 3:13PM (5/27/2008)
would it have 3rd row seating? Sigh :'(
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ken_aisin 3:32PM (5/27/2008)
When are we going to see the MINI minivan? What about a MINI sedan for the U.S.?
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epiech 3:35PM (5/27/2008)
It might be just the ticket for people living in snow country. FWD is usually fine, but additional ground clearance is absolutely necessary for getting to work before the roads have been plowed. If it could also handle an occasional forest service road for camping and a receiver hitch (for a receiver hitch bike/ski rack not for towing) than this would be an ideal vehicle for many people living in the mountains.
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aron 6:23PM (5/27/2008)
That's true; even with snow tires, I got stuck this winter on a snowbank, as did my friend's Mini. Higher ground clearance is critical especially with winters as bad as the one we just had in the north east. Not everyone lives in California!
Tomahawk54 5:38PM (5/27/2008)
Man, that looks really bad, those blue rims look horrible, and wtf is that on the back side window.
I won't even respect this car as much as a oldmobile if it looks like this.
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CalGuy 11:28PM (5/27/2008)
Crossman?
Really????
Sounds either like a cross-dressing man or an angry man. Neither of which are the first connotations one craves when describing a new vehicle. (-absolutely no offense to cross-dressing angry men, nor happy cross dressers!)
I do understand why so many companies use alpha-numeric names. Sure avoids all the stupid names like this one.
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