MINI's Rocketman Concept. Image: BMW Group
MINI’s Rocketman city car took last year’s Geneva Motor Show by storm. The small (even by MINI’s standards) urban commuter seemed destined for production, giving MINI another weapon to counter attacks from Toyota (the iQ and Scion iQ), Audi (the A1) and even Mercedes-Benz (the A-Class).
MINI's Rocketman Concept. Image: BMW Group
As Left Lane News, via Car Magazine, reports, the Rocketman’s size (just under 135 inches in length) may have been its undoing. After researching the project, parent BMW realized that the car couldn’t be built to meet E.U. standards for crashworthiness, stability and handling, at least not economically. Building the Rocketman would have required the design of an all-new platform, and BMW couldn’t justify the expense for a single vehicle.
MINI's Rocketman Concept. Image: BMW Group
While the Rocketman may be resigned to the hangar, it’s funky-fresh designs may live on. We liked the idea of articulating doors for easier entry into the rear seats, and really liked the concept of a slide-out rear cargo tray. We wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see these features re-appear on future MINI concepts, and maybe even on future MINI production vehicles.
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Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
