MINI coupe cuts out the back seat driver!

MINI has finally dispensed with the rear seats altogether to create the latest addition to its range—the compact MINI Coupe.

Promising to focus more on dynamic ability than any existing car in the already sporty MINI range, the Coupe goes on sale in October and will be available in four guises, including a 211bhp John Cooper Works.

The coupe sports an identical face to its big-selling stablemate, but a dramatically lower roofline and more rakish front and rear screens make it 29mm lower than the hatchback.

So low is the roof that recesses have been created inside to offer greater headroom.

Ironically, dispensing with the rear seats has liberated a 280-litre boot space, however. That’s 20 litres more than the MINI Clubman.

Coupe prices will start at £16,640 for the Cooper, with Cooper S, Cooper SD and John Cooper Works models all available from launch.

The car's standard spec will include: DAB digital radio; air conditioning; parking sensors; alloy wheels; a three-spoke leather steering wheel and sporty bonnet stripes.

The diesel-powered Cooper SD Coupe will be the most environmentally friendly of the new range, delivering a claimed 65.7 mpg and 114g/km CO2 emissions, but still being capable of accelerating to 62mph in 7.9 seconds and a 134mph top speed.

The range-topping John Cooper Works Coupe is set to become the fastest MINI to date with its nought to 62mph sprint of 6.4 seconds and 149mph top speed (0.1 seconds and 1mph faster than the hatchback).