GENEVA -- Mini may not replace its Coupe/Roadster and Paceman cars. Instead the BMW Group subsidiary will focus on three "pillar" models.
Mini needs to be ''more relevant for more people,'' Oliver Friedmann, the brand's head of product management, told Automotive News Europe at the auto show here. ''Our first priority is to roll out a portfolio that has strong pillars and to be absolutely clear what each stands for.''
Friedmann identified the Mini hatchback and the Countryman SUV as two pillars of the brand. The potential third pillar is a compact-sized model based on the Clubman concept shown in Geneva. If the concept is built, "it will be a separate strong pillar,'' he said.
With the new focus, the hatchback-based Coupe and Roadster are unlikely to continue. ''It’s not decided but most probably this is not a priority,'' Friedmann said.
The Paceman, which is a coupe version of the five-door Countryman, could also be dropped when the Countryman is eventually replaced. "The Paceman is also not a first priority,'' Friedmann said.
