The Mini Urbanaut is not really a Countryman JCW, now is it?

Despite some strange products, such as the Roadster JCW, Mini is a brand that has a legacy of practical family transport.

Although BMW has spent a fortune reinventing Mini and making it into an A-Class and VW Golf/Polo rival, there is a timelessness about the brand. People have a very high tolerance for quirkiness from Mini, and the company’s latest concept is a play on that.

It is called the Urbanaut and what was merely a digital rendering last year, has now transformed into a driveable vehicle. The Urbanaut configuration is decidedly MPV, instead of crossover, which is a clear indication of its purpose as a sustainable people mover.

At 4.46m, this Urbanaut is longer than any current production Mini – even the Countryman. There are no powertrain details yet, but as you would expect from any new vehicle concept, this Urbanaut is battery-powered.

The pod-like exterior proportions are telling. Mini has designed the Urbanaut to be a terrifically comfortable vehicle, adaptable to moodand socializing.

Urbanaut’s cabin architecture is more pleasant than most boutique apartments and uses a majority of recycled and sustainable materials: such as wool and polyester. Minimalism is the interior theme and there is no longer any leather or chrome, present in the cabin.

The interior can be transformed into three different modes. In Chill configuration, it has a lounge-style set-up. This is ideal for relaxing near a lake, the seaside, or when you feel like that impromptu yoga session, in the car, whilst travelling through the Karoo.

Urbanaut’s Wanderlust cabin setting is for driving, with more conventional seating positions and then there is Vibe, which folds the windscreen and projects a graphic display onto the wheels. Yes, your Urbanaut can be used as a mobile entertainment venue.

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