Mini's Paceman concept car.

Mini's Paceman concept will debut in Detroit on January 10 next year , with production starting in 2012.

Mini calls it a "sports activity coupe" and will sell the Paceman as a premium car, with no entry-level engines.

The concept is fitted with a tuned John Cooper Works 1.6-liter twin scroll turbo-charged petrol engine and Mini's permanent four-wheel-drive system, though production vehicles will include front-drive variants.

The car uses the Countryman platform and much of the basic structure but it's 20mm lower, a tad longer, and uses longer doors and a C-pillar tinted to match the glass.

The narrow streak of windows, the rising waistline and new rear wing further emphasize the car's dynamic feel.

The cabin will match the Countryman's but for its new seats, the concept using quilted tan leather and a single rear pew deeply sculpted for two.

Motorsport icon dies

Former Formula One team boss of Arrows, V8 Supercars personality and Gloucester rugby club chairman Tom Walkinshaw has died at age 64.

Tom Walkinshaw, who had been suffering from cancer, was a former racing driver whose Formula 1 career began with Benetton after successes at Le Mans and in touring cars with Jaguar.

The Scotsman brought Ross Brawn along with him and then helped lure Michael Schumacher to the team from Jordan.

Walkinshaw moved to Ligier after Schumacher's first of seven championships in 1994 before taking over the top position at Arrows two years later.

Arrows - which first raced in 1978 - eventually folded in 2002 after 382 Grand Prixs without a single victory, although Damon Hill almost did in Hungary in 1998.

In 2005 the Scotsman returned to V8 Supercars, re-establishing relationships with the Holden Racing Team and Holden Dealer Team.

In 2006 his efforts helped Rick Kelly to the teams' first series win since 2002. The feat was repeated the following year with Garth Tander.

He owned Aussie smalltime manufacturer Elfin Cars, and his Walkinshaw Peformance company bought a half share of HRT from Skaife Sports in 2007, buying the balance in 2008.