VIDEO: MINI Drops New Teaser for Crossover, Official Presentation on February 7

MINI's love affair with the psychedelic-looking swirly camouflage that it uses to wrap its prototype models during testing is so strong that the British firm decided to employ the same black and yellow design in its latest teaser video for the new Crossover model.

The film doesn't show anything that we haven't seen before, but MINI did announce that the official reveal of the crossover model will take place online on February 7. From what we gather, the automaker will most likely release the first official pics on that date.

The latest member of the MINI family is a small crossover measuring around four-meters in length that will be offered with an optional four-wheel drive system, both a first for the automaker. Sales are scheduled to start in Europe later this year and in the US in early 2011.

MINI Beachcomber Concept Live from the Detroit Auto Show

BMW Group's MINI brand brought along a new concept, or rather a new variant of the concept model that previews its forthcoming Crossover model, to the Detroit motor show. The all-wheel drive, open-body Beachcomber study was designed to capture the spirit of the original Mini Moke of the 1960s.

The Beachcomber gets a new all-wheel drive system called ALL4, as well as an elevated seating position with the British brand supporting that it can be driven without doors and a conventional roof. However, just to be on the safe side -in theory of course- it comes with a soft top and lightweight doors made out of plastic material.

The concept model is supposed to provide us with new clues about the MINI Crossover will be available in Europe later this year and in the US in early 2011. The Crossover will be the first production MINI to have all-wheel-drive, four doors, four full-size seats and measure around four meters in length.

MINI Beachcomber 4x4 Concept Heads to Detroit Auto Show [New Photos Added]

Less than a year before the launch of MINI's new five-door crossover model in autumn 2010, the BMW Group-owned brand will display another take on the SUV theme with the Beachcomber Concept at the Detroit motor show in January 2010.

The door-less concept study is based on the firm's crossover model and according to MINI, "it projects the principle of the 1960's Mini Moke into the 21st century." While the Beachcomber Concept has very few -if any- chances to enter production, it's styling is supposed to hint at what MINI's crossover model will look like.

Measuring approximately four meters or about 157-inches in length, the Beachcomber Concept gets an open roof that can be covered with either a hardtop or a soft top that fold up into a compact unit.

As a further option for protection in bad weather, MINI says that there are fully functional doors made out of extra-light plastic material that connect to the A- and C-pillars.

Inside, the concept model's four independent seats are divided by a "multifunction fastening rail" borrowed from the MINI Crossover Concept.

Extending from the instrument panel all the way to the luggage compartment, the rail allows the driver and passengers to place / fasten individual elements and components such as external music players, armrests for the front and rear seats, storage boxes, shelves and holders of all sorts.

The British firm did not disclose any technical details about the concept other than the fact that it is equipped with the company's so-called "ALL4" all-wheel drive system.

2010 MINI Crossman: New Spy Shots of Five-Door Crossover

The highly anticipated MINI Crossman (bear in mind that it could be named Crossover or something entirely different) has been out testing again and our spy photographers where on spot to capture it red handed. While the prototype models continue to wear the full body psychedelic camouflage, these latest scoop photos give us a better view of the car. Changes from the more avant-garde Crossover Concept seen at the 2008 Paris motorshow include the replacement of the complicated asymmetric doors with conventionally hinged rear doors and a normal liftgate (don't let the disguise fool you into believing that it features Clubman-style split rear doors) instead of the concept's huge side-hinged door.

The Crossman, which is larger than the Clubman, will be first production MINI to measure more than 4 meters in length. Expect its exterior dimensions to be similar to the concept measuring around 4,050mm (159.5-in.) in length, 1,830mm (72.0-in.) in width and 1,598mm (62.9-in.) in height.

Even though this has not been officially confirmed, it is believed that the Crossman is loosely based on BMW's upcoming X1 SUV with the two crossovers sharing the same platform and plenty of technology including the Bavarian firm's all-wheel drive system dubbed 'xDrive'. From the photos it is evident that the Crossman features an increased ground clearance which should help bolster its (soft) off-road credentials.

From what we understand, MINI will offer the Crossman with a mix of new and currently available four-cylinder diesel and gasoline engines, the latter in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged forms.

Notably, it will be built the first MINI to be built outside the UK at Magna Steyr's factory in Austria as the British automaker's Cowley plant does not have sufficient capacity to handle production. The Crossman is expected to arrive in MINI showrooms sometime during the second half of 2010.