Ever since Mini showed off the stunning Superleggera Roadster concept last summer, the masses have been begging them to make it a reality. Since then we've gotten nothing but a solid "Maybe," but a new report says it's happening after all. Wooo!
While it's not an official confirmation from BMW or Mini yet, an inside source tells the UK's Car Magazine that the project has been greenlit for production in early 2018. That would help explain those patent drawings we saw in December that appeared to show a production-spec Superleggera Roadster.
Mini is in the midst of a big brand shakeup, dumping the slow-selling Paceman, Roadster and Coupe models to focus on five core "superhero" cars. They include the new Cooper and its five-door and convertible variants, the upcoming new Clubman wagon, the next-gen Countryman crossover, and two other models.
The Superleggera Roadster appears to be the fourth. The fifth might be a smaller Mini hatchback built with Toyota's help that could be called the Mini Minor.
Now, the Superleggera Roadster concept had a complex all-wheel drive electric hybrid setup, but I expect the production version will be on the conventional Mini front-wheel drive platform with three and four-cylinder engines. That's not a bad thing. It's a solid platform with good motors, and in this sharp-looking form it could be even more fun to drive.
Sounds good to me. Now, about that Minor...
Contact the author at patrick@jalopnik.com.