MINI has teamed up with lifestyle brand Deus Ex Machina to create two radical concept cars unveiled at the IAA Munich Motor Show: The Skeg and The Machina. Both are based on MINI John Cooper Works models—one electric, one petrol-powered—blending performance engineering with Deus’s surf-and-motorsport-inspired design ethos.

The Skeg starts with the MINI JCW Electric, transformed with semi-transparent fiberglass body panels across the spoiler, roof, and wheel arches. The treatment not only delivers a raw, hand-crafted aesthetic but also cuts weight by 15 percent compared to the standard model. Wider wheels, a striking custom livery, and an illuminated grille push the futuristic surf vibe further. Inside, the cabin is stripped down to neoprene-covered bucket seats, a fiberglass dash, and rear trays designed to carry wetsuits—making the electric hot hatch feel part surfboard, part track weapon.

The Machina takes MINI’s petrol-powered 2.0-liter JCW as its canvas, leaning into motorsport nostalgia with NASCAR-inspired wide arches, floodlights referencing MINI’s 1964 Monte Carlo Rally triumph, and aggressive aero touches like a splitter and high-mounted rear wing. The cabin swaps out daily comforts for winged racing seats, a fly-off handbrake, and a motorsport steering wheel, underscoring its track-ready spirit.

While neither car is headed for production, the collaboration signals MINI’s continued playfulness in design and its willingness to fuse performance heritage with lifestyle culture. The Deus partnership showcases how the JCW badge can extend beyond the road, blending motorsport, surf, and fashion in equal measure.

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