{"id":49282,"date":"2023-05-09T22:13:15","date_gmt":"2023-05-10T02:13:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=49282"},"modified":"2023-05-09T22:13:15","modified_gmt":"2023-05-10T02:13:15","slug":"future-of-mini-design-with-oliver-heilmer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=49282","title":{"rendered":"Exclusive: The Future of MINI Design with Oliver Heilmer"},"content":{"rendered":"

MINI is updating the iconic Cooper model pretty heavily for 2025. The new Aceman<\/a> model and the brand\u2019s larger Countryman<\/a> model (which enters its fifteenth year and third generation of production for 2025) will see similar designs. All three models get propelled into the future with a generous smattering of updates \u2013 inside and outside the vehicle. We sit down with Oliver Heilmer, Head of Design MINI, and discuss some of the decisions and changes that bring MINI into the next generation.<\/p>\n

Heritage and How to Move Forward\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Heilmer is clear from the beginning about where the new MINI designs come from. \u201cWe tried to understand the brand from its beginning,\u201d he says. The first MINI, to Oliver, was pure disruption \u2013 despite being a direct response to the original oil crisis in the 1950s. So how does the brand evolve nearly 70 years later without losing its iconic appeal? \u201cThe DNA of MINI\u2026is going in different directions when no one is expecting it,\u201d he says. \u201cWhat\u2019s the purpose, what do we need to do now? And this is the approach to our [design] form language\u2026sometimes you need to change things in order to remain iconic.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, MINI changed things. Citing the cluttered and over-styled mess that much of the new car market is, they channeled the simplicity and aesthetic of the original MINI into developing something that stands out without losing its, well, MINI-ness. \u201cSo we say, okay, maybe the hardware should be reduced,\u201d Oliver says, a delightfully fresh take I wish some of his cohorts at BMW might consider.<\/p>\n

A Clean and Rethought Interior<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The new MINI interior is a step towards that overall reduction in hardware. \u201cTaking out elements of something that is already, you know, evolved in several generations more and more was a hot approach,\u201d Oliver says. The steering wheel shrinks while retaining a similar thickness as the outgoing models. Other small revisions abound, but \u201cBasically, it\u2019s back to the roots of the brand,\u201d Heilmer says. A playful theme emanates from the new MINI cabin, with touches like a modern take on the iconic British houndstooth pattern and driving models like \u201cTimeless\u201d that provide an even more vintage MINI feel.<\/p>\n

Notably, analog-style gauges and purposeful switchgear populate the cabin and do a good job of conveying the \u201ccharismatic simplicity\u201d that informed the new MINI design. \u201cWe try to implement a charismatic appearance which is then able to be changed by the customer,\u201d Heilmer says, \u201clifting up personalization to the next level.\u201d It\u2019s a good look for MINI, with vehicles largely reliant on their style and character to move units.<\/p>\n

Exterior<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cTalking about the exterior, I think that we had the same approach,\u201d Heilmer begins. \u201cI think the entire front of the original MINI was grille. It was a tiny car,\u201d he says. The new face of MINI products is \u201cmuch less complicated,\u201d Heilmer assures us. \u201cWe get rid of the framing around the headlights, from a production standpoint it\u2019s unnecessary anymore. There\u2019s just one thin frame with a lot of body color at the center, at the top of the rail you see black because of the radar integration.\u201d It\u2019s a refined and daringly simple design that flies in the face of BMW\u2019s big-grille approach.<\/p>\n

A shortened overhang accompanies new MINI vehicles \u2013 specifically, the Cooper- but the design language should also transfer over to the Countryman and Aceman. Wheel size increases and allowed Heilmer and his team to ditch the protruding wheel arches. Finding balance in the design after eliminating the funky arches was tough. They walked the line by blending \u201ca combination of keeping this kind of MINI softness but making some crease lines a little bit more sharp\u2026giving definition around the rear wheel.\u201d The rear overhang shrinks compared to the current model, and the rear bumper is more flush with the body than before.<\/p>\n

New Look, Same Playful MINI Brand<\/strong><\/h2>\n

With the new MINI Cooper, MINI Countryman, and MINI Aceman comes a slew of typical MINI additions that imbue the vehicle with a bit more personality. Configurable display and driving modes, hello and goodbye animations, and plenty of customization options. And while the Countryman, perhaps predictably, increases its proportions year-over-year, the Cooper shrinks compared to the current model. That\u2019s a wonderful and welcome change of pace in the automotive industry. Heilmer says the Countryman grew intentionally to become a bona fide family car with plenty of room for cargo.<\/p>\n

Overall, the new MINI lineup looks more compelling than ever before and certainly does a good job of bringing the brand forward. Here\u2019s hoping Heilmer\u2019s focus on small changes and details permeates the rest of the auto industry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MINI is updating the iconic Cooper model pretty heavily for 2025. The new Aceman model and the brand\u2019s larger Countryman model (which enters its fifteenth year and third generation of production for 2025) will see similar designs. All three models get propelled into the future with a generous smattering of updates \u2013 inside and outside […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":49283,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49282","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=49282"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49282\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/49283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=49282"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=49282"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=49282"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}