The Mini Aceman Is An Interesting Study
It shows the brand’s new design language and packs a blend of minimalism with sustainable materials, all in a new body type.
It isn’t a secret that Mini has already embarked on a journey to become an entirely electric brand by 2030. The first chapter came in the form of the Cooper SE. But, as you must be aware, that doesn’t have the pure DNA of an electric vehicle (EV). It actually has the same platform, albeit a tweaked one, that underpins the standard, conventionally-powered Cooper range.
However, what you see here is a concept car that could possibly have a bespoke EV architecture. Unfortunately, there is no confirmation on that yet. Mini calls the show car the Aceman. The British brand hasn’t revealed any mechanical details. Instead, it has focused on the new design language and a mixture of minimalism with sustainable materials, all in a new body type. Mini labels the four-door Aceman a crossover, and it occupies the space between the Cooper and the Countryman models.
The Aceman measures 4.05 metres in length, 1.99 metres in width and 1.59 metres in height. Like all Minis, the Aceman has a two-box layout. But, gone are the round headlamps and the large imposing grille. Replacing those are light enclosures with a hexagonal shape with LED elements and a completely sealed-off grille area with an LED display area and a downturned highlight. The side profile reveals 20-inch wheels and prominent protective cladding that skirts the entire car. The rear is also different, with a smoother tailgate and a two-tone bumper. There’s a roof rack in the shape of the Union Jack and is placed on a British racing green-coloured rooftop. As for the body, that’s finished in Icy Sunglow Green, a bright turquoise shade.
Even indoors, the Aceman aces the concept of minimalism. Like the exterior, there’s no chrome inside the cabin. And neither is there any leather. Instead, all the surfaces are draped in sustainable textile materials, with the seats boasting a 3D look. The dashboard houses two round things – a round steering wheel for the driver and an equally-round central display. Accompanying the latter are a few toggle switches to make life simpler.
Features? Well, get this – as the user approaches the vehicle, the Mini Companion comes into life to welcome the person using light and sound effects. And that welcoming continues even after the doors are opened. As for the round display at the front, it packs OLED technology. It can even project stuff on the entire dashboard, delivering a different digital experience. In the production version, the touchscreen system will run the latest Mini Operating System built, for the first time, on an Android Open Source Project platform.
The Aceman will hit the production line, but that will happen later. If you wish to see it in the flesh, it will debut at the Gamescom video game convention. That starts on August 23, 2022, in Cologne, Germany.
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