Wild MINI x Deus Ex Machina concepts are a new type of fast fashion

MINI has revealed a couple of show cars – the MINI x Deus Ex Machina concepts – that bring together the worlds of cars and fashion, and will be revealed in the flesh at this year’s IAA Munich Motor Show. They are based on the hot John Cooper Works road cars – one electric and the other petrol-powered – and both are a collaboration between MINI and the Deus Ex Machina fashion brand. 

The latter company designs and sells clothing that uses cars, bikes and motorsport as an inspiration, tying in nicely with an automotive design studio such as MINI. If you’re interested in a more conventional MINI, you can buy a new MINI Cooper through our Buy a Car service, with prices starting from just over £20,000.

The Skeg

The first concept is called ‘The Skeg’, and uses the new MINI JCW Electric as its basis. It then takes inspiration from the world of surfing for its unique design elements and materials. 

There is semi-transparent fibreglass across many of its panels, including the wider wheelarches, spoiler and even the roof panel. These have been designed specifically to have a rough finish, and help contribute to the concept’s 15 per cent reduction in weight over the standard car. 

The designers have also given the concept much wider wheels and tyres, a striking livery and an illuminated grille, which we could well see on future MINI models. The Skeg has the same powertrain as the road car, with a 254bhp electric motor powering the front wheels. 

The cabin has been aggressively stripped of most of its components, and a new fibreglass dashboard panel and neoprene-covered bucket seats channel the MINI’s motorsport connections. In place of the rear seats are a pair of fibreglass wetsuit trays. 

The Machina

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MINI’s second concept, ‘The Machina’, is a little more literal in its motorsport connections, and is based on MINI’s petrol-powered Cooper JCW. This has a peak power figure of 231bhp derived from a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission. 

While the two concepts look similar at first glance, they follow the road cars by sharing no body panels. In place of the MINI Electric’s smooth body, petrol-powered models stick with the separated wheelarch surrounds that have defined the modern MINI since it was reborn in 2001. 

In the case of The Machina concept, these wheelarches have wider panels housing a larger set of wheels and tyres that take inspiration from American NASCAR racers. The bodywork looks similar to that of the road car, and the main headlights have been swapped out for a set of round intakes with horizontal LED lighting. An open mesh grille and big splitter also give the front end more aggression.

The four rally-style floodlights are a quintessential MINI design element inspired by the car’s success at the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally. The rear end features a large high-mounted wing and more aggressive rear diffuser, and keeps its single, centrally placed exhaust outlet. 

Inside, the cabin has a more traditional motorsport theme, with winged bucket seats, a dished steering wheel and a fly-off handbrake standing proud in the centre console. 

While it’s unlikely that we’ll see any direct influence on future road cars from these concepts in the near future, The Machina does give us an idea of what a potential re-boot of the high-performance MINI GP hot hatchback could look like. 

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