Frankfurt Motor Show: Mini steals show with two-seat Roadster

Autoblog's Will Powell reports from the Frankfurt Motor Show

Mini has wowed the crowds on the first day of the Frankfurt motorshow with its stunning two-seat Roadster - a Mazda MX-5 rival that looks certain to dramatically broaden the brand's appeal.

The Mini Roadster is based on the recently revealed Mini Coupe, itself a re-engineered version of the standard hatchback with a lower roofline and sleeker, sportier proportions. But the difference here is that the Roadster has a lightweight, canvas roof and a steeply raked screen creating sharp styling that seems certain to shake up the value end of the sports car market when it goes on sale in 2011.

Unlike the Mini Coupe - which is powered by JCW Mini's 208bhp turbo engine - the Roadster will come with the smoother and more refined 175bhp version of the 1.6-litre petrol turbo. It'll be built in Britain, at Mini's Oxford plant.

"Its significantly lower, slimmer and more dynamic than the regular production models," said Mini design chiefs, but the interior takes cues from high fashion with designs, patterns and textiles intended to make the Mini Roadster a desirable accessory as well as a sharp driving sports car.

Mini is still some way from confirming prices for the new models, but we expect the range to start at around £25k - pricing that's competitive against rivals likes the Mazda MX-5 and Audi TT Roadster.

If Mini gets the look, price point and driving dynamics right (and there's every reason to believe that it will) then we expect the Mini Roadster to be a massive seller come 2011.