Rumors in June indicated that MINI had already given the green light to the Superleggera Vision Concept, which debuted at the 2014 Villa d’Este Concours d’Elegance, but it appears as though the British automaker is still waiting to make a final decision on the roadster. Peter Schwarzenbauer, a board member for the MINI brand, says a ruling on the Superleggera is still about half-a-year out.
“To really investigate seriously … you look into several different options, you come to the question: do we produce it ourselves, do we give it to somebody else,” he told Reuters.
“To evaluate all of this, I would say six months at least,” Schwarzenbauer said.
Designed jointly by MINI and Milan-based coach builder Touring Superleggera, the Superleggera Vision Concept would represent MINI’s eighth model line. The concept car is powered by an all-electric drivetrain, but it’s possible the production version could use a conventional gasoline engine. The Superleggera would arguably be the biggest diversion for the MINI brand yet, eschewing the brand’s typical hatchback practicality for a two-seat roadster more along the line of the classic British sports car.
Interestingly, Schwarzenbauer also noted that MINI is considering either expanding its model lineup to 10 or shrinking it to just 5. It remains to be seen which models would make the cut to 5, including the proposed Superleggera.
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