Frankfurt 2009: Mini Coupe & Roadster Concepts

Some automakers celebrate their birthdays with special editions. Some celebrate with big parties. Mini has celebrated its 50th anniversary at the Frankfurt Motor Show with not one, but two new performance-oriented models. Now that's more like it.

Okay, so they also unveiled a couple of special editions, called Camden and Mayfair. And they're throwing a little shindig at their show stand later on. But forget those for a minute and feast your eyes on the Coupe Concept and Roadster Concept. We've already brought you details on both, but the jubilant BMW division took the wraps – or rather, the cake – off the pair at a press conference here at the show. And while they were at it, they confirmed that both are headed for production, expanding the Mini line-up to no less than six models: hatch, cabrio, Clubman, the upcoming crossover and the Roadster and Coupe in question.

Whether the hounds-tooth interior on the Roadster makes it to production, however, remains to be seen. It'll take them a little while to gear up the Oxford factory, but given that both are essentially the same as the existing models below the belt-line, it shouldn't take all that long.