The easily forgotten MINI ACV is something that needs to be seen to actually believe
- The MINI ACV is a concept vehicle unveiled years before the new MINI came along
- ACV stands for Anniversary Concept Vehicle, a tribute to MINI’s victories at the Monte Carlo Rally
- It’s the only mid-engined MINI in the world
Published on May 21, 2024 at 12:15 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on May 22, 2024 at 12:09 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
This is the MINI ACV, a unique MINI concept most people probably forgot about.
Even though it looks totally different when compared to most MINI models both from today and from the past, this is an official MINI vehicle.
As is often the case with these prototypes, it is more than just a standalone concept.
Instead, it’s a tribute to something quite important.
The concept was designed by Adrian van Hooydonk, the man behind the ginormous grilles that adorn the front section of most BMWs today.
At the time, BMW Group was trying to revive the original MINI and this was one of several initial concepts that van Hooydonk, former MINI designer and now VP of BMW Group Design, sketched.
This particular concept ended up being rejected, as the company opted for a different design, which was the one that eventually led to the unveiling of the first-gen R50 Mini Hatch in 2001.
Mind you, it was so unique that in 1997 MINI still decided to show it to the world as the ‘ACV 30’ model, which stands for Anniversary Concept Vehicle.
The name is a reference to the victories at the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965, and 1967.
It was based on the mid-engined MG F roadster, which means this concept was not a front-engined MINI, which is unheard of because both the original MINI and the modern ones are front-engined.
Of course, with the new electric model, the difference between a front, mid, or rear-engine layout is no longer that clear.
But the thing is, with a gas engine, the position of the powertrain also dictates the proportions and shapes.
In this case, this explains the slightly elongated rear section of the MINI ACV, when you compare it to the relatively flat rear section of a production MINI.
The MINI ACV was bold and different.
Unfortunately – like many concepts that are bold and different – it never make it to production.
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