So what do you think?

Discussion in 'Future MINIs' started by MCS02, Dec 13, 2013.

  1. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    This is paragraph is from a short book I am reading titled The Mini by Brian Laban. I believe that BMW is going down the same road as British Leyland.
    What do you think?
    I'm not trying to bring out the flame throwers, or start a debate about design. But its more about the direction BMW is taking Mini. So here it is.

    Chapter Three: Class
    So from an almost terminally slow start, the Mini found its character, shrugged off the resistance, became classless, popular and successful. By 1961, annual sales had passed 150,000 cars a year; by 1969 they were over a quarter of a million a year. It passed the first million cumulative sales in 1965, the second million in 1969, and the third million in 1972. But by then, the Mini’s production figures had already peaked. By the time production ended, in 2000, the classic Mini had finally sold close to five and a half million, but for many years towards the end, its sales had been cruising. The irony of it is that the more up-market its makers tried to make the Mini, the less appealing it became to the classless society. No class is classy. The pretence of class is simply tacky. Issigonis would have known that. British Leyland didn’t seem to.

    Now I know how the classic guys feel about us.:biggrin5:
     
  2. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    That is SPOT ON! Please send this to MINI.
     
  3. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    The thought crossed my mind! When Mini came out with the twins I thought they were headed in the right direction. They may look different but are great driver cars. I just wish I could give my R53 a JCW coupe as a brother.
     
  4. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
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    My main issues are the ever increasing size, and the ever increasing busy-ness of the design--minimalist work great on MINI's, adding more edges to the front bumper, more grills, more vents, it just doesn't work on a MINI. It looks like BMW is taking a design cue from Japan rather than Europe--don't get me wrong, I love some of the Japanese designs--but they just don't work on a MINI, any more than BMW styling would work on an Infinity or a Lexus.
     
  5. Dave.0

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    MINI are all about being minimal and less is more.

    Not 30-40 k ever growing larger and full off crap a MINI driver does not need.
     
  6. Justa Jim

    Justa Jim Well-Known Member
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    This is one time that I have to agree with you completely Dave. :eek6:
     
  7. maacodale

    maacodale Club Coordinator

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    Look at the RX-7. The first gen was loved by damn near everybody. Second gen got bigger and heavier. Third gen was stupid quick, but they made it even larger and added more buttons and whistles on it. Basically pricing it out of the affordable niche market it was originally designed for.

    Listen up MINI, simple is better. go upscale and you lose your target market. Rich people can afford less expensive cars. That gives you a bigger demographic market. Raising the price quickly eliminates a significant segment of the market MINI was originally designed for.
     
  8. minirab

    minirab Well-Known Member

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    I agree completely but I will say that the 3rd gen. RX-7 was one of the

    best looking cars ever made. My two cents.
     
  9. maacodale

    maacodale Club Coordinator

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    Agree entirely. Damn good performer too. But, the people that could afford that car were entirely different demographic group than the ones that could afford the first gens. MINI would do good to learn that.
     
  10. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    I agree with everything that has been said so far. I know Mini is a premeum small car, at least I keep hearing that. But couldn't they make a striped bace model that is true to it roots.
    I understand that some people need a 4door so make one, that's fine. But do we really need A paceman? Every time someone tells me they would like to have a Mini but don't want to drive something that small I want to gag becouse I know the next question. "Do they make something bigger?" Learn to drive and you won't need something big.

    I don't mean to offend enyone if your on this forum than you probably get it.
     
  11. Mr Salt

    Mr Salt New Member
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    I hope that MINI learned from the Goodwood. The car was just too expensive for the average MINI owner in the US, at least, and they finally had to take drastic reductions to get them out of inventory. BMW needs high mileage MINI to help them meet the CAFE mileage standards. On the other hand Mini sold more than 5 million copies while BMC, British Leyland, MGRover owned them over some 41 year period. BMW has already sold over 2 million copies in a little better than a ten year period of its ownership. All the Brits did was to milk the car and with out BMW we would not have the MINI here in the states. BMW will keep the car competitive, while its English owner saw little need to invest in it.
     

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