The classics were always a British car even when they were made in another country. Because they were designed and owned by a British company. With the new MINIs the company is German, the 1st gen were British designed but the second gen was only partially and the 3rd gen not at all. If MINI sets up shop to build our cars in another country as they have in the past, are those cars not British? Maybe what make it British is the spirit of the car. The Miata was designed in the spirit of the Lotus Elan but we wouldn't call it a British car. So what makes MINI and MINIs of the future a British car?
Is a BMW built in South Carolina not a German Car? Or a Chrysler built in Canada not an American Car? Or a Honda built here in Ohio not a Japanese Car?
Or is Sushi made in the Short North by an Italian at the Giant Eagle on Neil avenue not strange, when eaten by a Russian visiting Columbus in a Avis rental car without a dash camera..........
The woman that makes all the sushi at the Neil Ave Giant Eagle is Japanese. That store is my "neighborhood" Giant Eagle.
So, the Countryman is an Austrian MINI and sushi is sushi no matter who makes it. Sushi is different here in Colorado than in Austin, etc.... and very different from sushi in Japan! MINI is a MINI, think about the fact that almost all cars are put together from parts from many different countries, a world economy. Not a problem in my eyes, if I like them I buy them. Don
MINI's headquarters are in Great Britain, they are only owned by a German company, that doesn't make MINI a German car. By that logic, Chrysler is an Italian car company. Dave
^^^ Yep :lol: This is worth a watch..... [ame="http://youtu.be/bARAs3nrTxQ"]What is the best British sports car? Clarkson's Car Years - BBC - YouTube[/ame]
Where a car is made or who it was designed by has nothing to do with me liking it or not. It's all about the car itself. Minis were made in many places & if MINIs are too, so what.
Rolls is also owned by BMW, would you consider Rolls British or German. To me it's a British marque. Bentley is owned by VW, would you consider Bentley British or German. To me it's a British marque. Jaguar is owned by Tata, would you consider Jaguar British or Indian. To me it's a British marque. Range Rover is owned by Tata, would you consider Range Rover British or Indian. To me it's a British marque. TVR has been owned by people of many nationalities. It's still a British company. Lotus was owned by the Malaysian company Proton for years. It's still a British company.
When is mini no longer British? When German chocolate cake is actually known for Sam German and not the country. When polish sausage is merely only a hot dog. When Swiss cheese is called wholly provolone. When ballpark franks are sold at arenas. And when Texas toast, god forbid, becomes just toast.
I think of the Mini as a World car, with parts and services made in many countries all over. The UN of cars! LOL
The classic mini was never always built in the UK...they were made globally to meet global demand...honestly i like the fact BMW owns and oversees the MINI...german anal retentive engineering and QA overseeing a marque that had a rampant history of quality issues and constant striking...
At this point with MINI, its not what nationality the car is (I just applied Plasti-Dip to my rims...on the backside I can see they were made in Poland), its the SPIRIT of the car. I dont view German cars as tiny two-seaters with horrible ergonomics, but I suppose mine is. That didnt matter. MINI is a good story, fun to drive, and actually IS quite a nice car (silly interior toggles nonwithstanding). I didnt buy it to say I have a British car. I bought it because it is a MINI. I bought a BMW X3 previously because it seemed to be a great GERMAN vehicle that was beautiful to sit in and drive. Never heard of "X3" in my life. I bought a MINI because it kicks butt, and I HAD heard of it.