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Mini Vision concept: what does it say about the brand's future?

The sight of Mini design head Anders Warming presenting a holographic, 3D projection of the Mini Vision concept as if appearing in his own cartoon was certainly a new one on us, but it captured the quirky, slightly left-field image the subsidiary of BMW Group has cultivated since its relaunch 13 years ago. As the 'Vision' tag suggests, this is billed as a marker of intent for the brand's future design direction rather than a pre-production teaser of the new Mini hatchback (Cooper in most markets) we'll see later this year. However if the third-generation 'new' Mini doesn't look remarkably similar we'd be amazed, such is the level of productionized detailing on this purely digital model.

BMW 'looking' at an M1 supercar successor

BMW is actively considering a new range-topping supercar model in the spirit of the M1 and Z8, CAR has learned. Global sales and marketing chief Ian Robertson said the company had other priorities, but that there remained a desire to showcase the brand's sporting aspirations. 'We have never replaced the M1, although we have made ventures in that direction,' he said.

BMW displays Calder art car, racers and classics at Amelia Island

The first BMW art car -- a 1975 3.0 CSL wearing a paint job designed by Alexander Calder -- headlined a class of significant cars from the German automaker at the 2014 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. It was joined by a BMW M-powered McLaren F1 GTR, a first-generation 320i, winners of the 1975 12 Hours of Sebring, a BMW 320 Turbo race car, and the first BMW convertible. The Calder art car is the first in a series that has spanned more than 40 years of Roundel history.