BMW Board Member Peter Schwarzenbauer has confirmed that MINI is working on a production version of the Superleggera concept and will be on the roads in 2019.
Speaking to Autocar, Schwarzenbauer said “We are now working hard to get it on the street. It’s an economically challenging project and there is no firm decision, but we have a lot of people here that are fighting for it.”
While the model hasn’t officially been given the green signal, reports suggest that it will be underpinned by the front-wheel drive UKL platform and feature an assortment of familiar three- and four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines.
Rumors also suggest that there will also be a plug-in hybrid variant that would use the same powertrain as the upcoming BMW 2-Series Active Tourer plug-in hybrid. For the record, powering the BMW 2-Series Active Tourer plug-in hybrid is a 1.5-liter TwinPower Turbo engine that develops 136 PS and 220 Nm of torque as well as an electric motor that produces up to 88 PS and 165 Nm of torque. The engine powers the front wheels, while the electric motor powers the rear wheels.
The hybrid powertrain will be making its way to the Mini brand under the hood of the next-gen Countryman due in 2017 before making its way to the Superleggera roadster in 2019. When launched, the two-seater roadster will lock horns with the likes of the Mazda MX-5 in international markets.