Spike, the four-legged digital friend of the MINI brand, has been reinvented and brought to life in the digital world. Inspired by the look of an English Bulldog, he will guide customers through the new multimedia and operating system of the future model family of the English brand. In its role as the MINI Intelligent Personal Assistant, it will provide various forms of support and officially debut at the Shanghai Auto Show (April 18-27, 2023) in China.
The new Minis with the digital companion
Precisely at the Asian Motor Show, Mini’s four-legged friend will become an art toy that will welcome visitors to the British brand’s stand, in the form of a life-size sculpture. Spike will also appear as an active protagonist in the cockpit of the new MINI Concept Aceman. The new Spike mode will serve to bring the digital companion inside the prototype cabin, thus introducing customers to the new circular OLED central display and the new dashboard. MINI will enable comprehensive insights into the digital world of the new model family and the different functions of the Spike throughout 2023.
Spike’s evolution
Spike has accompanied the success story of this premium British brand since the debut of the modern MINI in 2001. The bulldog, with its compact and powerful stature, British heritage and friendly nature, was considered the perfect animal equivalent of the MINI even at the time. “MINI will always be synonymous with extraordinary emotions and experiences”said Oliver Heilmer, head of MINI design. “That’s why we’re now bringing Spike into the future as a digital character. And it’s not just a design experiment: he’s becoming a characteristic companion to the user experience.
Spike, what he represents to the Mini community
For the MINI community, the MINI Design Team has developed the Spike from an initial sketch into a versatile companion that attracts attention beyond just the vehicle; it has already been staged as an art toy as part of the world premiere of the MINI Concept Aceman. Wherever Spike appears, he offers unexpected experiences and exciting encounters. The launch of the brand’s new model family strengthens the vehicle’s link with the individual lifestyle of the drivers. This emotional connection between the person and the car is reinvigorated by a digital persona that Spike embodies in his own way.
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