tuningblog.eu Your magazine about tuning the car
MINI Concept Aceman
In the next model generation, the MINI Cooper in the classic three-door body shape, which has been reinterpreted time and again for more than 60 years, will for the first time be joined by a crossover model. "The MINI Concept Aceman offers a glimpse of a completely new vehicle that will occupy the position between the MINI Cooper and the MINI Countryman in the future model family," says Stefanie Wurst, Head of the MINI brand. "This concept vehicle reflects how MINI is reinventing itself towards a fully electric future and what the brand stands for: an electrified go-kart feel, an immersive digital experience and a strong focus on a minimal ecological footprint."
Dawn of a new era of MINI design.
"The design language of the MINI Concept Aceman represents the dawn of a new era in MINI design," explains Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design. The typical design features of the MINI brand have always been unmistakable, continues van Hooydonk. “We are now returning to these, but at the same time consistently combine them with innovative technology. This is how we are redesigning the design icon MINI with all its analogue strengths for the digital future.”
In addition to the clear and reduced design of the exterior and interior, the holistic user experience made up of light, movement, interaction and sound also contributes to this. Surfaces made of knitted recycled textile with fresh color contrasts and a seamless digital operating concept with a new OLED display for the central instrument ensure a unique interior experience typical of MINI. In addition, the fully electric models of the next generation will for the first time have their own sound design for emotionally powerful drive sounds and authentic background music for the new experience modes.
Creative use of space reinterpreted.
The MINI Concept Aceman embodies agility and self-confident presence in its appearance. The features of the brand's two most successful models, the MINI Cooper and the MINI Countryman, merge into a modern interpretation of a crossover model. "The purely electric vehicle concept makes it possible to direct the design more towards the traditional core values of MINI in the sense of the principle of the creative use of space," says Oliver Heilmer, Head of MINI Design. "This creates models that take up little space on the road while offering more comfort, more versatility and more emotion inside than ever before."
A functional two-box design with short overhangs creates maximum space for occupants and luggage in a minimal footprint. The MINI Concept Aceman is equipped with four doors and a large tailgate, and there are five seats available in its interior. With an exterior length of 4,05 metres, a width of 1,99 meters and a height of 1,59 metres, the MINI Concept Aceman shows proportions typical of the brand in a particularly present form. The classic tripartition of the body, surrounding window graphics and roof has been reinterpreted.
A flush transition between the vehicle body and glass surfaces optimizes the aerodynamic properties. The clear and reduced design of the MINI Concept Aceman does without the surrounding chrome strip that was common in earlier model generations. Wide surrounds on the lower edge of the body, strongly contoured wheel arches, large wheels, a striking roof rack and front and rear apron panels in the style of an underride guard emphasize the solid all-round properties of a crossover model for urban driving fun.
Vehicle front with a strong presence and individual accents.
The upright front gives the MINI Concept Aceman a powerful appearance with a strong presence. With reference to its crossover characteristics and the purely electric drive, the design features typical of the brand are reinterpreted. At the center of the front of the vehicle is the radiator grille element surrounded by clear surfaces, whose traditional hexagonal outlines have been further developed into an octagonal contour. The new shape is emphasized by an illuminated frame. The LED contour lighting in a bright shade of green ensures a striking light signature both in its function as daytime running lights and in the night design.
The central grille element of the MINI Concept Aceman is completely closed. Matrix LED units are integrated in its upper area, which are used to create impressive lighting effects for a welcome scenario. The headlights of the MINI Concept Aceman also have unique contours that deviate from the classic round shape. The daytime running lights in the form of continuous contour lighting emphasize the independent character. The contour of the lights is continued in the surfaces of the outer areas of the front hood. As a result, their individual characteristics become even more important.
Clearly designed surfaces with precise edges.
Like the bonnet, the wheel arches also have flat and geometrically modeled surfaces. This too is an expression of the clear design in the new MINI design style. In addition, there are precise edges that structure the taut surfaces of the body. In combination with the powerful proportions and the upright front, this "edginess" gives the MINI Concept Aceman a progressive interpretation of the robustness and versatility that are characteristic of a crossover model.
A diagonal contour below the A-pillars is reminiscent of the concise weld seam of the classic Mini. Between the front and rear wheel arches, surface modeling and lines create an exciting waistline that lends the MINI Concept Aceman a dynamic expression when viewed from the side. As a result, the powerfully shaped rear wheel arches come into their own. They are additionally emphasized by striking contour lines, which are being shown in this form for the first time in a MINI. With a dynamic upward movement in the front area, an elongated course and a steep downward curve, they ensure a lively play of light and shadow when viewed from the side. A side skirt painted in matt green, which is particularly pronounced in the area of the doors, gives the vehicle an athletic appearance.
Characteristic elements with attention to detail and typical MINI twist.
The clear surface design of the exterior is combined with characteristic features that signal attention to detail and at the same time impress with a typical MINI twist. A recurring element is the elongated hole contour, which characterizes, among other things, the door handles integrated flush with the surface for the first time in MINI, as well as the exterior mirror caps and the MINI logo in the lower door section, and can also be found in numerous details in the interior.
The equally distinctive Union Jack design, which nods to the brand's British roots, can be seen in both the rear lamp graphics and the robust roof rack. 20-inch light-alloy wheels fill the generously dimensioned wheel arches of the MINI Concept Aceman. The triangular contour in the center of the rim, which gives the spokes visual depth and dynamics, is a graphic feature that only becomes apparent at second glance.
Athletic shoulders, powerful rear.
Generously designed surfaces and horizontal lines give the rear of the MINI Concept Aceman a powerful and modern look with a clear emphasis on the vehicle's width. This effect is supported by a concise indentation at the transition between the body and window graphics, which optimizes the vehicle's aerodynamic properties and gives it a pronounced, athletic shoulder section. When viewed from the rear, this creates the typical MINI cascading contour that gradually increases in width towards the road.
The dark roof spoiler and the glass surface of the rear window further reinforce this impression by optically receding into the background. The typically MINI vertical rear lights create an exciting contrast to the clear, horizontal surfaces. Similar to the radiator grille element on the front of the vehicle and the interior of the headlights, they also have matrix LED units that enable different lighting scenarios depending on the situation. A wide, dark border on the lower edge of the rear apron and the underbody protection element integrated in the middle refer to the versatile properties of the crossover model.
Expressive exterior colors for a lively vehicle character.
The youthful, lively character of the MINI Concept Aceman is underlined by an expressive paint finish for the body and a stylishly coordinated contrasting color for the roof. The body paintwork in the variant Icy Sunglow Green, a light turquoise tone with a flop into gold, has a shading that can be perceived with varying degrees of intensity depending on the incidence of light and perspective. In this way, it impressively traces the subtle three-dimensionality of the surfaces and lines on the exterior. The roof of the MINI Concept Aceman is painted in the traditional British Racing Green metallic colour. Similar to the roof, the dark green surrounds on the lower edge of the body and on the wheel arches create an attractive contrast to the light exterior color. Neon green splashes of color create a lively depth effect.
The roof rack has green fastening straps and an iridescent coating that creates a metallic sheen in a wide range of colors from blue, turquoise, green and violet. On the light-alloy wheels, the basic color navy blue is combined with spoke surfaces painted blue-grey. The underbody protection elements at the front and rear of the MINI Concept Aceman are royal blue. In addition, the front and rear aprons are each equipped with two distinctive loudspeakers, which attract attention not only acoustically but also visually. The loudspeakers, which accompany the welcome scenario with a model-specific sound, have an eye-catching pink and orange paint finish.
Interior: MINImalism redefined.
The interior of the MINI Concept Aceman is also dominated by a reduced design with clear shapes and carefully executed details. It is combined with innovative technology and reinterpreted typical MINI design features. The cockpit of the concept vehicle shows a consistent reduction to the essentials, just as the designer of the classic Mini presented in 1959 had in mind. Alec Issigonis designed an interior in which, in addition to the seats, the steering wheel and the shift lever, only a central round instrument and a toggle switch bar were sufficient to experience incomparable driving pleasure.
“In the interior of the MINI Concept Aceman we are concentrating on a reduced appearance in combination with high-quality materials and friendly colours. Digitization allows us to get by with just a few controls while maximizing the experience in a typical MINI way,” explains Oliver Heilmer. "The entire design is focused on providing the occupants with a holistic interior experience."
Wide, gently curved surfaces in the area of the door panels and the dashboard promote the generous feeling of space. The large panoramic glass roof of the MINI Concept Aceman contributes to the light-flooded ambience. Its glass surface is divided by the transverse and diagonal struts of the roof rack, the structure of which takes up the flag motif of the Union Jack and is thus also a reminder of the origin of the brand when looking up at the sky from the interior.
The dashboard, a flat design element in the style of a soundbar, extends across the entire width of the interior in front of the driver and front passenger seats. With its soft surfaces made of knitted textile, it creates a modern and homely atmosphere in the interior of the MINI Concept Aceman. The dashboard is connected via a support structure which, like the roof rack, quotes the Union Jack pattern and thus underscores the harmony between exterior and interior design.
Central instrument and toggle switch: hallmark MINI harmony of digital and analog controls.
The dashboard, which protrudes particularly far into the interior in the middle, forms the ideal stage for the central instrument, which, as a round OLED display, combines all the functions of the instrument cluster and the on-board monitor. A toggle switch bar is arranged in the traditional way below the large screen. In this way, touch operation with the help of state-of-the-art digitization and analogue functionality with physical switches are combined in a unique and typical MINI form. The redesigned toggle switches are used to operate the parking brake, select gears, activate and deactivate the drive, select the experience modes and adjust the volume of the audio system. For the most intuitive operation possible, each toggle is individually designed as a rotary control or toggle switch.
Circular OLED display as an innovative user interface.
With the reinterpretation of the characteristic central instrument, the typical MINI display and operating experience has reached a new level. MINI is the world's first automobile manufacturer to present a circular OLED display that covers the entire surface of the central instrument. The OLED technology gives the display a particularly high-quality appearance and enables the display of strong contrasts and deep blacks. The user interface is also characterized by a completely new graphic display, a modern layout and attractively designed widgets. The display and control system in the production vehicle will be based on the latest generation of the MINI Operating System, which for the first time is based on an Android Open Source Project (AOSP) software stack.
This enables a particularly comprehensive expansion of digital offers in the vehicle. Another highlight is the display area that extends beyond the central instrument. With the help of moving image projections, the contents of the operating system can be transmitted to the entire dashboard, resulting in a unique digital experience that extends right into the door panels. The projection allows an infinite variety of representations - from a sharply defined map to diffuse cloud images. The color scheme and mood lighting of the projection are accompanied by appropriate sound sequences.
Three new Experience Modes for an overall vehicle experience.
New options for customizing and personalizing the driving experience in the interior of the MINI Concept Aceman are created with innovative Experience Modes. They are made up of specific displays and color worlds, which are shown on the central instrument and by means of interior projection, and a sound production tailored to this. The personal mode allows the user to transfer a freely chosen image motif to the OLED display. This new form of personalization is supplemented by a moving image projection on the dashboard, which shows, for example, cloud formations, sea waves or the glittering water surface of a swimming pool. The selected projection is accompanied by a suitable soundscape.
The pop-up mode in the MINI Concept Aceman invites you to an eventful navigation with surprising moments. Based on the category selected by the user, the system suggests corresponding navigation destinations and shows the route guidance on the OLED display and via projection on the dashboard. In the "Adventures" category, for example, an attractive leisure offer can be selected, under "Tasty" a popular restaurant or as a "Trending" destination a currently particularly popular event location. Specific sounds are played for each category, which further increase the anticipation of the upcoming experience.
The Vivid Mode enables an interactive design of the display area on the OLED display and the adjacent areas. It represents an innovative entertainment function that can be used both during short breaks when stopping at traffic lights and while charging the high-voltage battery. By touching the touch display in the central instrument, the user can create colored "letter bubbles" from the components of the lettering "Aceman" and move them to the left and right on the dashboard. The letters have their own movement algorithm and interact with each other in the projection by overlapping and forming a variety of graphic shapes and patterns. The playful aspect of the Vivid Mode is underscored by experimental sounds that constantly change to the rhythm of the interaction between the user and the vehicle.
Welcome scenario with the MINI Companion.
Even before the start, the newly developed user experience of the MINI Concept Aceman offers a holistic experience of lighting and sound, realized with digital technology, with a flowing transition between exterior and interior. It makes it possible to intensively experience the different states of the vehicle and the interaction with the occupants. The headlights and radiator grille element, central instrument and projections work together in a precisely orchestrated coordination.
Exterior lighting includes displaying the MINI Companion as a sensor-based animation. As soon as a person approaches the MINI Concept Aceman, a cloud of light follows them in the front area of the vehicle, which gets brighter as they get closer. At the same time, an interactive sound can be heard from the exterior speakers, the intensity of which also depends on the distance between the vehicle and the user. When the vehicle is unlocked, the matrix LED units on the grille surface show a Union Jack graphic. At the same time, the surround of the grille element lights up and the LED matrix of the right-hand headlight generates a wink signal. The light animation is accompanied by an unmistakable sequence of sounds. It consists of four tones, each of which represents a letter in the MINI brand name. This sequence is referred to as an earcon, which, like an optical icon, serves as a clearly defined symbol for specific events or information.
When the door is opened, a colorful graphic representation is projected onto the floor in the boarding area. A corresponding "color burst" of radially arranged, maximized pixels can also be seen on the circular display of the central instrument, accompanied by a multicolored projection directed from the headliner onto the dashboard and door panels. The greeting scenario is completed by the lettering "Hey Friend" on the display and a spherical development of sound, in which overlapping voices and music sequences give the impression of a happy get-together that is to be explored on the upcoming journey with the MINI Concept Aceman.
Progressive color and material concept in the interior.
The purist design of the interior is combined with a color and material concept specially developed for the MINI Concept Aceman. New, high-quality materials selected with a clear focus on sustainability characterize the ambience. Attractive color contrasts catch the eye on the minimalist door panels and in the area of the dashboard. There, the basic color khaki-green for the background areas is combined with knitted textile circumferences made of recycled polyester, which are kept in a light gray with a slight blue tinge and have precisely placed decorative seams.
The seats of the MINI Concept Aceman are characterized by their subtle geometry with integrated headrests. Their materials, their coloring and their graphic patterns come into focus all the more. A combination of textile flat knit, velvet velor and waffle fabric, a disproportionate houndstooth pattern and embroidered X and O graphics create a lively, three-dimensional impression on the seat surfaces. The great potential of textile surfaces for modern design expression is demonstrated in an innovative way in the MINI Concept Aceman.
Relocating the controls for the gear selector and parking brake creates space between the driver's and front passenger's seats. It is used in the MINI Concept Aceman with a flexible center console that is transparent and appears to be floating, extending all the way to the rear. The surface of the center console offers the option of freely positioning storage compartments, a wireless charging station for smartphones, cup holders or other inserts.
Consistent renunciation of chrome and leather.
Chrome elements have been completely dispensed with not only on the exterior of the MINI Concept Aceman, but also in its interior. Instead, for example, the support structure of the dashboard with its iridescent coating, similar to the roof rack, creates a high-quality, individual highlight in the interior. Like the seats, door panels and all other interior surfaces, the steering wheel of the MINI Concept Aceman is also leather-free. The steering wheel rim is lined with dark green velvet velor and is particularly pleasant to the touch. The multifunction keys are integrated under backlit textile surfaces. The lettering "Aceman" and a robust band form the six o'clock spoke of the steering wheel.
First public appearance at gamescom 2022 in Cologne.
The MINI Concept Aceman will be presented to the public for the first time as part of the world's largest games event, gamescom 2022, in Cologne. The event starts on the evening of August 23, 2022 with the big opening show gamescom: Opening Night Live, which can be followed both in the gamescom event arena on site and all over the world via live stream. From August 24th to 28th, 2022, gaming fans will meet in the Cologne exhibition halls, where they can expect games and programs from numerous developers and publishers as well as an extensive supporting program in the many gamescom areas (e.g. on indie and retro games or cosplay). . The gamescom program can be accessed online until the end of September.
Don't worry, of course that was far from being the case when it came to auto / auto tuning. Our magazine still has tens of thousands other tuning reports in stock. Do you want to see them all? Then just click HERE and look around. Or are you particularly interested in everything to do with vehicles of the Mini brand? Then click on one of the following posts!
other related posts
The MINI Concept Aceman: The first all-electric crossover model in the new MINI family.
Photo credit: BMW
