We can't say we're entirely surprised, but then again, we kind of are. According to a report coming from UK automotive magazine CAR, Mini's parent company BMW has canceled plans to build a production version of their Rocketman concept. The Rocketman, first display at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, was the automaker's attempt to show the industry what a scaled-down Mini could look like. In fact, it was closer in size to the original Mini and would have been marketed as a city car, if produced.

And with city cars, such as VW's all-new Up!, about to become what will likely be a solid source of income for automakers, it seems a bit strange that Mini would call off such a model. So what's the reason? According to CAR, BMW would have to make a considerable investment in order for the Rocketman to meet regulations, specifically in the areas of "stability, handling, and crash performance." If they had decided to move forward with the project, CAR estimates it could have been on the road by 2016. Fortunately, an all-new Mini Cooper is on the way shortly along with the Paceman.