The MINI Superleggera concept thrilled designers and captivated onlooker’s hearts back in 2014. Just yesterday, we brought you a little insight into how the car came to be. And apparently, MINI hasn’t forgotten about it either. The MINI Superleggera made a rare appearance on the company’s classic Instagram page wearing a bright new shade of (unspecified) metallic gold. A commenter suggested Sunburst Gold, but it’s equally likely to be Solid Gold metallic, a color that’s appeared on MINI vehicles in the past. The photos show the car’s folding soft top lowering in a series of 19 pictures.
The new color, which is reportedly a vinyl wrap rather than actual paint, replaces the car’s initial hue of Cosmo Blue. The blue paint was developed solely for application on the MINI Superleggera. So, it makes sense that MINI would wrap the car rather than repaint it. The new color isn’t the only thing that’s changed since the last time we saw the car. Like at Ville d’Este 2014, the car wears black-painted wheels. But instead of the multi-spoke design we last saw, the MINI Superleggera now rocks John Cooper Works alloys.
The MINI Superleggera Is Truly Unique
While the MINI Superleggera is fairly recognizable as something special, its cool design does little to hint at the unique powertrain underneath. The MINI Superleggera is, in fact, one of MINI’s earliest EVs. It’s a clear philosophy mash-up of the two companies that made the MINI Superleggera a reality: MINI, of course, and Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera, a Milan-based shop specializing in body work. Touring Superleggera has worked on everything from small-batch hypercars to specialty one-offs and everything in between. The MINI Superleggera features high-end materials, including leather and aluminum, and even dons a small front splitter made from carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP).
When the MINI Superleggera launched, Adrian van Hooydonk, then BMW’s Senior VP of Design, arguably said it best. He claimed that both companies “attach great importance to their history and this is something which defines their outward appearance. These elements are merged in the MINI Superleggera Vision to create an elegant automobile which interprets a British roadster under the influence of Italian style and hand craftsmanship.”
Even more than a decade later, the commentary holds up — to say nothing about the car’s design. With enhanced electrification abilities at MINI’s disposal, maybe the MINI Superleggera still has a life to live. Though this innocuous feature on the brand’s classic page is likely nothing to look that far into, who knows? Perhaps the higher-ups are giving it a second look.
