MotoringFile Frank Stephenson: MINI Has Lost it

Frank Stephenson is my HERO! Its about time the guy that designed the original modern MINI stepped up and said BMW ruined the brand after 2007.

See first Gen owner are not alone.

 

If you say what Stephenson said on MF, you will instantly be branded a pariah. I'm surprised they published it, they are the preeminent BMW apologists on the web, probably so they can get the occasional scoop. And in the end, they try to take the edge off what Stephenson said. I'll give them props for facts--sales figures, release dates, etc., but unless you like the phrase "better in every way" constantly shoved down your throat by Gabe, any of the "reviews" are pretty much worthless.

Motor On Motoringfile!

 

MF has long ago jumped the shark.

Motor On indeed.....

 

I don't think I have ever liked so many comments in a thread before....

 

There is so much wisdom in why Toyota couldn't find the courage to stop making those Land Cruiser 70 series....such classics. VW did same w/ their classic Beetles long after the German plants stopped. Brazil was supplying all other markets that still craved for it. Hope BMW sees the light & goes back to reviving Gen1s for other markets that don't have paranoid Euro/US safety laws.......& put in that 4cylinder 2.0L Turbo if it turns out to be any good!

 

What utter drivel.

You all expect the original car to remain unchanged "forever" like the Classic?

Unrealistic expectations.

BMW didn't buy the brand to sell a dwindling number of cars each year, which is what happened to the classic and what would have happened with the new gen cars too.

While I do agree that the styling doesn't work so well with me on the bigger cars, I completely see the reason and need to evolve the car and bring out more variations, and I think they've done a pretty good job of it. The proof is in the increasing sales each year.

And for those of you stuck in a 1st gen car, you're selling the marque short - the second gen car has many things about it that you only wish you could have - better brakes, lighter weight, more low end torque, better fuel mileage, better A/C, all wheel drive and on - and the next gen cars will have improvements over the second gens too.

As to the new "Rocketman". I agree that a smaller car that would compete with VW's Up and other small ones would be a great idea, but I hope it doesn't look like the car in the header - that fish mouth thing is UGLY! I'll take an Up over that any day.

My biggest gripe with BMW is the price, they've taken the car completely out of the price range it should be in. I'll never buy another new one......can't afford it.

 

Evolution is expected, but the loss of of design is not. Porsche is the perfect example of what evolution for an iconic design should be.

 

This is true, but I'm still hearing the Porsche purists screaming. WATER COOLED!!! :mad2:

:wink:

 

And how long did the classic last, with year to year SUBTLE changes?

There are other ways BMW could have gone, and MINI would have been just fine. If you don't think Stephenson's opinion is dead on, that's fine, you're entitled to your own opinion which I'm trying my hardest to respect, but Stephenson's got credibility in spades, so all I can say to "utter drivel" is "motor on".

No car will last forever. The Classic Mini is considered one of the most influential automobiles of all time, but it's time ran out, just like the MINI's will at some point.

I've yet to hear excitement over the F56 styling ANYWHERE. The R53 is iconic; although I'm not a fan of the R56, many people liked it, and it got generally positive press by the auto press. The F56? BMW missed the mark on styling, and the auto press has not been kind, especially to the S. It's gotten too big, too diluted with cross-platform sharing, and too generic. Sure, it'll sell great, so did Toyota Camry, maybe we should all by one of those...

 

The "classic" look is still there. The proportions may have changed, but the look has held up very well. The driveline/engine changes don't change the car IMO. I have no issues with the changes made to the new MINI's engines and such, just with the exterior/interior funny-ness.

 

I still say I "Don't Hate It". For what that is worth, which is not much. I know this will bring out hate blasts, but honestly, I am not a fan of the R53. The R56 made some good changes, but still had some short comings. I still see the MINI in the design of the F56 and look forward to driving one.

Time marches on...........we can move forward with it or not.

 

Wait until Dave puts a picture of an R53 next to an F56 up...Then we'll see how well the new look holds up.

I'm thinking it's not going to be pretty...The base may get by with really bad reflux, but I'm pretty sure the S side by side will result in intractable regurgitation. Just make sure you have some gatorade around to quickly rehydrate, just in case.

 

Jim you are my friend. I may have to come over with some friends & do an intervention. :wink:
F56 sponsored by prilosec otc....

 

I tried prilosec OTC, but you really need to go IV to give it a fighting chance...:cornut:

 

^^^^ LMAO

I have better brakes than a 2 Gen. I have more Power and Torque than any 2nd or Turd Gen. My AC is fine I don't use it that often and my car is lighter and handles even better than the new GP 2. The only thing my R53 does not have is the butt ugly looks of a second to Turd Gen F'ed 56. (thank GOD) :lol:

I have a real Modern MINI designed the right way and it's unique compared to the poser / clone MINI's that are being produced now. Just because it has a MINI badge does not mean its a true MINI.


MOTOR ON ! :ihih::lol:

 

LOL. Good comebacks gang. Let me explain. Is the R53 closer in looks to the classic Mini? Yes. Does it have the low end torque of the R56? No (and the AC vents work). Does the R56 have some issues (carbon build up)? Yes. Is the F56 bigger and have too many gadgets? Yes. BUT, there have been improvements to the engine and the over all body design looks like a MINI and not like every other car on the road. Did I like the classic, back in the day? Yes. Would it be my daily driver today? No. (heck, if I was going to go that route I would be driving an Austin Healey 3000).

All I'm saying is, MINI is fixing mistakes, keeping the car within safety standards (I hate the safety approved riding helmet I have to wear now) and still keeping it looking like a MINI. I'm good with all that, but when it starts looking like a Ford Taurus, I'm out of here. :lol::lol:

 

The new MINI looks like a Hyundai Veloster but worse.

 

I sure hope for MINIs sake the engine in the F56 is better. Remember they said the same thing about the Prince of an engine in the R56. Better torque yep some more, but at the expense of timing chain problems & carboned valves. Those do not sound like improvements to me.

MINI is not aiming their sales at the enthusiast market these days. They have polished off the rough edges that made the earlier MINIs so much fun. The market they are aiming for wants a cute appliance. We enthusiasts put up with a lot of the quirky little things our cars do, because they are so damned much fun. The appliance drivers are going to scream bloody murder if MINI doesn't get things right with its new MINI & its new family of engines.

End of old fart rant.....