The Mini enjoys a very strange quality -- its classic design and city car philosophy has continued since 1961 generally unchanged yet somehow, Mini owners are among the youngest in the industry.
A sign of the times, images from Autocar reveal that Mini will be retiring its signature large central speedometer in order to adopt a new infotainment center console for the next generation of Minis. Although the classic Mini interior is instantly recognizable, one of the main complaints Mini has received was the distracting placement of the speedo, causing eyes to dart away from the road.
Thanks to clever thinking from the Mini design team, the speedo changed positions, but the bold center circle remains. Now acting as the housing for an LCD display, pictures from Autocar suggest a BMW iDrive application for the Mini. Other details noted inside inclue a repositioned engine start-stop button as well as a 'Green' and 'Sport' mode selector by the shifter knob.
We won't know the official details of the new Mini three-door until its unveiling towards the end of the year. Expected to go on sale for 2013. The Mini Cooper will also offer an available five-door variant for the first time.
