MINI set to take on TT!

Calling all coupé fans – MINI is making an Audi TT! Auto Express has learned that not only will parent company BMW reveal a MINI Speedster concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month, but it will also launch a coupé version.

As we have previously reported, bosses have already confirmed plans for an exciting MINI two-seater with an electric folding roof. But it’s now come to light that they want to expand the range further with a fixed-roof model.

Rumoured to be called the Broadspeed Coupé, the newcomer would be the sportiest variant yet to come from the reborn brand. The car’s name is a reference to the racing team which built the famous 1966 Broadspeed GT Coupé, a very low-volume model that was based on the Austin Mini Cooper 1275 S.

The new coupé would rival the Audi TT, Mazda MX-5 RC and upcoming Honda CR-Z, and would be an exciting addition to the range. Thanks to a fixed roof, it will boast an even stiffer chassis than its open-top sister. That will mean it will deliver sharp handling – and it will have the power to match. The line-up will comprise Cooper, Cooper D and Cooper S variants, with a range-topping John Cooper Works version producing 218bhp.

That model should cover 0-60mph in less than six seconds. As with its Speedster sister car, the styling will be developed in-house, although there is a chance the bodyshell will be produced by a third party.

The Speedster will go on sale in 2010, while the coupé will follow in 2011. Prices are to be confirmed, but expect the line-up to start at around £18,000.