BIRMINGHAM, England -- Mini is still examining whether it can make a business case for its Superleggera Vision roadster, according to a senior BMW executive.
"The interest was tremendous when we showed this concept car," Peter Schwarzenbauer, head of the Mini, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorcycle brands, told the annual Automotive News Europe Congress here last week. "I think also the technological part is extremely interesting because we are working on electrification for Mini.
Schwarzenbauer: "Extremely good for the brand"
"But we haven't made a decision yet. It's an economically challenging project. I keep pushing for it because I think it would be extremely good for the brand."
The Superleggera Vision, which was unveiled by Mini last year, highlights potential new design cues for the brand such as a stretched hood, long wheelbase and short overhangs. Company sources said a production version could cost about 35,000 euros ($39,485).
Mini is trimming its portfolio of eight models under Schwarzenbauer, a former Porsche and Audi sales exec, to focus on a handful of distinct products.
Small-volume models such as the Mini Roadster and Coupe as well as the Paceman SUV-styled coupe, which together accounted for just over 8 percent of the brand's sales last year, likely will not be replaced at the end of their life cycles.
Asked about the impact of the U.K. possibly quitting the European Union, dubbed a Brexit, Schwarzenbauer told the conference: "It would be bad for both sides, bad for Europe and bad for the U.K."
But BMW would continue to build cars in the U.K. in the event of a Brexit, he said.
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