MINI Clubman Rickshaws running around Beijing
by Jeremy Korzeniewski on Aug 8th 2008 at 12:59PM 
Click above for more shots of the MINI Clubman Rickshaws
The rickshaw is a time-honored method of transportation in China. While the vehicles were initially pulled around by men on foot, the pedal-powered versions have grown much more popular in recent years and are a symbol of Chinese culture. When Beijing MINI needed an interesting way to communicate that the Clubman model was being introduced in Chinese, especially in light of all the media attention on the Olympics, it back-halved a slew of new Clubmans, mounted a pedicab front-end and sent them out for business.
According to China Car Times, MINI's publicity stunt is working exactly as planned. Though the vast majority of media coverage is centered on those games from Greece, the MINI Rickshaws have managed to make some headlines of their own. We think the cabs turned out pretty cool, even incorporating the sunroof into the final design.
Gallery: MINI Rickshaws
[Source: China Car Times]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
1.8 TEE-HEE 1:05PM (8/08/2008)
That. Is. Awesome!(sound of giant gong being hit)
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Alvin W 1:08PM (8/08/2008)
Whoa, that's actually pretty cool. I wonder if it's heavy since it's the rear half of a car chassis...
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TheRedMonkey 3:26PM (8/08/2008)
Seems like it would be a little heave to peddle around.
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Farris 1:21PM (8/08/2008)
How much do those things weigh? I can imagine pulling around some fat American tourist like me, but the ass end of a car???
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Franz 1:25PM (8/08/2008)
Very cool. I too imagine that they must be quite heavy, but still they are very cool.
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3seriesisking 2:12PM (8/08/2008)
The gold dragon on the side just puts the icing on the cake. Very cool.
Andrew 1:33PM (8/08/2008)
I was thinkin' the same thing, must be awfully heavy. Maybe it's just a fiberglass shell.
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mr.ed 1:57PM (8/08/2008)
Fiberglass windows, wheels and tires? I'd bet no.
Penguin 7:36PM (8/09/2008)
Even if it were fiberglass those seats have to weigh a ton by themselfs. My guess would be some special gearing that could work somewhat like an automatic transmission that would shift gears, allowing easy pedaling even from a stop. It is something they are starting to introduce in current high end bikes I wouldnt see why Mini would try something like that.
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Andrew 2:15PM (8/08/2008)
That's quite the literal interpretation. Yes, fiberglass tires, dipstick... haven't you heard they're the latest trend? Would you accept plastic windows, at least?
mr.ed 4:01PM (8/08/2008)
As an industrial designer of almost fifty years, I think I know my materials pretty well by now. And please keep the comments civil and to the subject, numbnuts.
Wally 1:56PM (8/08/2008)
Can't be too safe..what if it runs into a SUV headon?
('cuse the sarcastic comment seen so often here in reference to small cars)
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P.V. 2:59PM (8/08/2008)
THAT is pretty FUNNY.
For that matter, why doesn't someone take a Chevrolet Suburban's rear and tack it onto a rickshaw? Then these things WOULD be as safe as SUVs!
Seanross 2:05PM (8/08/2008)
Whether it was the back end or the front end, It shouldn't be too heavy, it's a small car with the engine and the transmission gone, any able bodied adult should be able to pedal that around.
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BlackCanary 3:10PM (8/08/2008)
I am guessing these guys dont have any hills to traverse correct? If so they must have Lance Armstrong like endurance!
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BlackCanary 3:12PM (8/08/2008)
Why did they not take the time to upgrade the bike portion while they were at it.
The fact that China builds most of the worlds bikes and they still ride around on those is amazing.
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A Porsche Fan 3:16PM (8/08/2008)
What is that fuel tank cap for?
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Clinton 3:27PM (8/08/2008)
Gatorade.
Seanross 6:33PM (8/08/2008)
I fell out my chair...
You win the internet Clinton, you win...
s13hybrid 4:02PM (8/08/2008)
Cool, and very nice pictures.
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