It's been over one year since we were introduced to the Mini Coupe and Roadster concepts at the Frankfurt Motor Show. We're excited about the news that Mini has finally started production and now we see the first spy shots of the car in testing. Unfortunately, previous reports of a fast-track production of the Coupe and Roadster variants ended up going slower than anticipated due to the launch of the automaker's Countryman, not to mention the sluggish economy.

The Mini Roadster is expected to draw its power from the same range of engines available in the standard Cooper line, including naturally aspirated and turbo 1.6-liter four-cylinder. The vehicle's suspension and handling will be nearly identical to the Cooper, but the Roadster is said to shift some of its weight rearward for better distribution. Expect to see the production Roadster officially debut this year and on sale toward the end of the year or early 2012. Photos courtesy of MINIFORUM.com