MINI Superleggera Vision cancelled Despite Miata-Rivaling Specs and Porsche Dynamics
When you think of MINI, you think of cheeky little city cars, which is why the 2014 Superleggera Vision raised so many eyebrows. The concept was a lightweight hybrid sports car designed to be MINI’s equivalent of the Miata. However, despite seven years of development and having a production-ready prototype, the MINI Superleggera Vision cancelled before it ever reached showrooms.
The project was ultimately shelved, not due to technical failure, but due to internal corporate strategy. This decision deprived enthusiasts of a lightweight, rear-wheel-drive roadster that engineers claimed “drove like a Porsche.”
Here is a look at the spectacular performance credentials that were lost.
Ferrari Inspiration, Porsche Dynamics
The Superleggera Vision was a collaboration between MINI designers and the prestigious Italian coach builder Touring Superleggera. The car was engineered with genuine sports car credentials that belied its small size.
The car was intended to be positioned as an “i4” model under the flagship BMW i8, making it a sophisticated, rear-wheel-drive sports car that was fundamentally different from anything MINI had built before.
The Corporate Decision to Cancel
Despite being green-lit for a limited production run with an estimated price tag of around €120,000, the MINI Superleggera Vision cancelled program became a casualty of corporate complexity.
- Official Reason: MINI claimed there were too many model variants already in the lineup. Adding another niche sports car would increase manufacturing and logistical complexity rather than streamline operations.
- Failed Rescue: Former BMW R&D boss Herbert Diess made an attempt to salvage the project by partnering with Austrian manufacturer KTM for low-volume assembly, but that plan also fell flat.
Ultimately, the small sports car was ironically deemed too big a conceptual step for the brand at the time. All that remains is one near-production prototype that serves as a reminder of MINI’s most beautiful and compelling missed opportunity—a pure RWD sports car that could have competed with the segment’s best.
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