MINI's Countryman SUV is one of the funkier family crossovers out there, so it's probably appropriate that MINI reckons the car is perfect for a summer music festival. The car maker has worked with Austrian design studio Vagabund to create a pair of concepts, under the Countryman by MINI x Vagabund tag.
Tell us more...
The idea is to take the basic Countryman and turn it into a vehicle that's not so much about attending the likes of Electric Picnic, but more about being the centre of a local community festival.
So, the side windows of both cars have been removed, and replaced with an external speaker setup with a loudspeaker housing made from cast polymer granite - a material that offers ideal conditions for precise and unadulterated sound reproduction, apparently.
Tweeters and mid-range speakers are integrated directly into the bodywork, while additional subwoofers in the rear deliver a powerful punch when the tailgate is opened.
The plan is that individually, each Countryman x Vagabund could operate as its own standalone sound system, for either music or public announcements, or if you park both of them together, you've got enough sonic punch for a rock concert.
What else has changed?
There's a neat touch on the cars in that a classic Walkman personal stereo has been fitted into a specially designed, 3D-printed housing. So you can either choose to listen to the big broadcast from the speakers or have a little personal time with your own tunes.
The whole image of the Walkman also ties in nicely with MINI's retro style.
These look different to a regular Countryman...
Quite right. The two cars have been finished in Melting Silver metallic and Midnight Black, and both get new wheelarch finishers, creating a wider stance. There's also a new front bumper design, and a new radiator grille, as well as the word 'Vagabund' along the sides in 3D lettering.
Both Countryman models also get raised-up ride heights, to go with their All4 four-wheel-drive setups, and the 20-inch alloy wheels get 3D-printed covers, which are meant to mimic stereo speaker inserts.
There's also, for both cars, a roof rack made up of three laser-cut and folded aluminium plates, complemented by an integrated stainless-steel mesh as an open surface, and again the design of this is meant to look like a speaker.
Can I buy one?
No. Or at least not yet. Both cars will be shown off at the upcoming Beijing motor show, but right now there are no plans for production.