#3 A spaciously cosseting interior
Inside, the MINI Aceman continues MINI’s ‘Charismatic Simplicity’ approach to electric design: contemporary, progressive and streamlined in equal measure.
The large, round, centrally mounted 9.4in OLED touchscreen that dominates the dashboard harks back to the original round dials of the 1960s Mini. It’s now used to control most of the MINI Aceman’s main features and functionality, but MINI hasn’t forgotten about the good old tactile convenience of traditional switches and buttons.
Underneath the touchscreen is the MINI toggle bar, housing important controls such as the start/stop switch – which is shaped like a key – the gear selector and parking brake, as well as the MINI Experience Mode toggle and the audio volume control.
It all sits on top of a curved dashboard, trimmed with soft knitted two-tone recycled materials that feel warm, homely and premium to the touch, while the new two-spoke steering wheel is trimmed with a vegan-friendly Vescin that offers a premium tactile leather-like feel. The steering wheel also has a fabric strap instead of a third spoke.
“At MINI, sustainability and the responsible use of resources have nothing to do with compromise,” Heilmer explains. “Rather, it lets us explore new possibilities in our creative process. Instead of materials such as leather, we can use alternatives that allow more design freedom and individualisation: for example, using patterns or two-tone colours. The 3D knit is an example of one of the central design elements, which has been inspired by the sneaker industry.”
