Rumor: New Mini Minor City Car in the Works

Discussion in 'Future MINIs' started by Nathan, Jan 22, 2015.

  1. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    I call this slow news day and we need to generate some content.

     
  2. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    Less models, more models, new models it's all rumors ....
     
  3. DneprDave

    DneprDave Well-Known Member
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    I once had a Morris Mini Minor.
     
  4. Zillon

    Zillon Well-Known Member

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    Anyone want to put money on this car coming with a CVT only?
     
  5. TheModFather

    TheModFather Well-Known Member

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    Probably... They have to kill it for the enthusiasts somehow. :(
     
  6. mrntd

    mrntd Well-Known Member
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    Sounds like a MINI i3
     
  7. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    To keep the cost down for the electrification buyers will have to buy 7,000 standard Duracell AA batteries rebranded as "Special" BMW/MINI batteries for 4x's the cost they could buy them at Costco.

    The battery cost will not be included in the sale price but it will be listed with a small * letting the buy know the car comes with no batteries.
     
  8. N2MINI

    N2MINI MINI of the Month

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    yeah, I didn't understand that either. No production electric cars out there for that price range. If they can do that it, and actually have a decent range it would probably sell like hot cakes. Twice the money as an Eilo, but maybe more practical.. Still looks like a catfish up front.
     
  9. Firebro17

    Firebro17 Dazed, but not Confused
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    MINI Minor implies smaller. We will see...
     
  10. Eric@Helix

    Eric@Helix New Member
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    I wonder if Scion's pulling their microcar, and Smart cars selling like curdled milk will have an effect on this decision.
     
  11. Zillon

    Zillon Well-Known Member

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    If they make it look like a normal car... they might sell. We all know that driving an iQ or a Smart car in the US might as well be committing social suicide.

    Also, global economies, too. The Mini Minor should sell well in Europe. If they introduce it to the US with realistic sales goals and a good marketing campaign, it might do alright.

    Toyota and Smart haven't done much to push the iQ or Smart car in the US. Mini's marketing team does a nice job with promoting the brand, too.
     
  12. TheModFather

    TheModFather Well-Known Member

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    I kinda like the iQ... But you cant get it in the states with anything but the autotragic/snowmobile trans. :(

    In Europe they got a limited number of iQ's reworked by Aston Martin... That was actually a cool little appliance!
     
  13. JenLane

    JenLane New Member

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    The rumor is that it would cost between "$14,500 and $16,000." Electrification isn't off the table. And "simplified" seems to be tossed around in various ways of saying it.

    Frankly, I'm not believing a small city car, electric, for that price. Even in 2019. Nope. Even if you take the Toyota / BMW relationship and BMW's interest in their fuel-cell tech into account.

    But I can see a Rocketman in some variant by 2020.

    The only thing that was new in that story, which originated with Automobilemag, was the quote from an unnamed source with MINI who said, “It’s still early days as far as the baby Mini (sic) goes... But when our new R&D board member Klaus Fröhlich traveled to America early in the new year, this was one of the subjects on his agenda.”

    We can hope (?) that he went to California to meet with DesignworksUSA. We know that Fröhlich was at Detroit and his scope for interviews there was the small car segment, so it's possible that this quote means little. Automobilemag also referenced the fact that the 177 foot MiniVan passenger van is also off the table and seemed to do it in all seriousness so, as original news sources go, I'd not give this one much weight just yet.
     
  14. BruceK

    BruceK Active Member

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    Seems like this is going the wrong way.

    [​IMG]

    Don't get me wrong. I love my R53. But I do wish it was more the size of my '88 Mini.

    I wonder if there is any chance for the smaller Rocketman concept to influence future MINIs? Will there be a Mini Minor?
     
  15. TheModFather

    TheModFather Well-Known Member

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    At the rate MINI is expanding, if the Rocketman is ever built for production, it will probably be about the size of an R53... Just a little longer in the front bumper area. :(
     
  16. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    Maybe they should make a mini MINI.....you know something different for a change.
     
  17. wmwny

    wmwny Well-Known Member

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    Me too..my first car!
     
  18. wmwny

    wmwny Well-Known Member

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    The new Mini Minor is supposed to be just a few inches longer than the original. Automobile Magazine had quite a spread on it. it's supposed to come out around 2020. By that time I just may be ready for another MINI.
     
  19. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    By 2020 the MINI 3 door hatch will be the size of a Chavy Suburban and the Countryman will be a Winnebago. :lol:
     

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