Straight from the front lines of the spy shooter war on secrets, comes this bizarre and fascinating test mule from BMW. This extraordinary test car was spotted on its way to BMW’s Munich Tech Center, while wearing the familiar front clip and tail lights of a Mini.
The mule also is very clearly Mini-sized, showing the wheels at the corner proportions that are one of the hallmarks of that brand. So the real question is, what sort of Mini is this crazy yellow box destined to be?
(Click through the jump to read more about this very odd test mule or on the thumbnails below to launch a gallery of images.)
Luckily we have access to the wisdom and experience of the professionals at KGP photography to help us puzzle out this Mini mystery. Though nothing can be certain yet, one possibility is that this is the first iteration of the new generation Mini Moke. The Moke is a long-rumored Mini SUV spin-off, a more capable 4×4 than the upcoming Crossman CUV, and one that may even involve a small truck bed tacked on.
Also mentioned are a possible retractable hard-top convertible, or a stripped down, open-air speedster variant. Both very cool possibilities. Despite the look and tenor of the photos, this writer seems to be the only one pondering a Mini-based armored personnel carrier for the cheeky military man.
Got a thought on what might be under all that cladding? Take a shot a prognostication in comments.
You see some pretty strange things monitoring an automaker’s testing circuits, but things don’t get much stranger than BMW’s earliest development mules. The latest development mock-up we just snapped as it was being trailered to BMW’s Munich Tech Center is sporting a Mini front clip and Mini tail-lights, and quite clearly has Mini proportions. But exactly what model does this mule foreshadow as Mini continues to work at expanding its brand? It’s obviously difficult to say, given the Erector Set construction of this particular test mule.
A few niche models have been rumored in stories about BMW’s expansion plans for the Mini brand, which would seem to be the leading candidates for identity of the mule. One of the suggested spin-offs is the Mini Moke–an off-roader more utilitarian than the upcoming Crossman crossover, which could even have a small pickup bed variation. Two more conventional models have also been mentioned: A new convertible with a retractable tin-top, or another open-air option dubbed the speedster, which would be a bit more stripped-down take on the sporting roadster.
Even if we can’t exactly I.D. this future Mini model just yet, it’s always encouraging to see that the brand continues to forge ahead with new model programs. It’s also nice to see that this Mini model–whatever it may be–remains nice and compact, showing no signs of expansion above the Clubman and Crossman models. At least not for now.
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