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Stylish Mini Roadster Concept Wows The Crowds At Annual Design-Fest

MINI, the car maker more famous for its compact hatchbacks and growing range of family-orientated models, has surprised audiences at the traditional Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este design gathering with a new roadster concept. Called the Mini Superleggera Vision, its name is a nod to Touring Superleggera, the tradition-steeped design and coachbuilding house based in Milan. Although a one-off, the car not only demonstrates the good work of one of Italy’s most renowned coachbuilders but, according to industry observers, could also hint at a possible future new model in the Mini line-up.

Worth a read: Wired's 'Why Getting It Wrong Is the Future of Design'

Wired has just published a series of short articles entitled 13 Lessons for Design's New Golden Age. While there are some interesting examples cited in the piece, the concluding article, ‘Why Getting It Wrong Is the Future of Design' by the former creative director of Wired magazine, Scott Dadich, feels like it has particular resonance for car design. Dadich's Wrong Theory uses disruptive examples from the world of art, plus his own experience of working at Wired, to explain how design goes through phases: establishing a direction, creating a set of rules that define that direction and finally someone who dares to break from that direction.

Confirmed: Kia’s new GT super coupe

Back in 2011 Kia’s Frankfurt show car was the inspiring GT Concept. Now we can report, directly from Korea, that Kia management intends to bring that concept to a street near you in two years. Kia is on something of a roll, with a portfolio of good-looking models built under the design guidance of German Peter Schreyer, the guy behind the original Audi TT.