Magna to Build MINI's Upcoming SUV?

MINI has been in the news lately with regards to the forthcoming Clubmanmodel, the much awaited MINI Cooper wagon. Much like the internationally-inspired wagon concepts, the new Clubman will feature a rear-hinged access (suicide) door plus an extended wheelbase for much-needed extra interior room. Undisguised interior and exterior spy shots have already made their way onto the internet and it’s common knowledge that the car will be debuting this September in Frankfurt. But what’s also got MINI in the news is word regarding a forthcoming compact sport utility vehicle, filling in the niche that smart didn’t when the formore compact SUV was canned.

According to the Globe and Mail newspaper, Canadian automotive consortium Magna is in talks with BMW to produce this vehicle, which is rumored to be called the Colorado (although GM, with its Colorado pickup truck, may have something to say about this… how about Mini Moke instead). The Colorado would utilize the stretched platform of the Clubman, but would feature additional ground clearance plus a new all-wheel drive system. The little SUV is expected to account for 65,000 units per year. Surprisingly, along with this info came news of a scheduled production figure of 20,000 units for a Volkswagen roadster (see yesterday’s news).

The MINI has always been a popular vehicle, appealing to consumers of all types, but the new model with its refined new engine lineup, improved safety and better build quality has had consumers snapping them up as fast as they’re being churned out of the Oxford factory. As of right now, there’s no extra capacity to build more models, let alone the new Clubman and SUV. In order to keep the brand profitable, MINI needs to keep its production numbers up, and by expanding its product range to an expected five vehicles, it should have no problem staying in the black.

With the SUV on the way, Magna looks to be finally getting a break. After being pegged as the next owner of Chrysler Group earlier this spring (instead, it went to Cerberus), Magna also lost two consecutive contracts for the assembly of vehicles at the Magna Steyr plant in Austria. First BMW announced that it would be building the next-generation X3 (currently produced in Austria) in Spartanburg, South Carolina alongside the X5 and upcoming X6. Last year, BMW produced 113,000 X3s, which represents a good chunk of the facility’s capacity. More recently, Chrysler announced that it would be shifting the production of the European and international market 300s from Austria to the Brampton, Ontario assembly plant.

Meanwhile, MINI is preparing to launch the second generation cabriolet. The formula for the drop top model hasn’t been changed, and therefore will still feature the same retro-style cloth top with retractable fabric sunroof. Though the new ‘07 model has been on sale since early this year, dealers are still selling the outgoing model.