MotoringFile Most liked posts in thread: Frank Stephenson: MINI Has Lost it

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!

 

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.....

 

+1
The essence of a mini is buy it for a low upfront $$, then mod it..make it YOURS. Was true on the classics... Was true on the gen1.....
If a car is sold maxed out, the upfront cost is crazy...besides...all the cars end up alike!! How can you make you car YOURS AND DIFFERENT if firstly you spend $40,000 and you cannot even change a radio......
Mini in changing simple things like
Center speedo
Canter locking
Center window switches...shall I go on...so many small items...items that said "i'm different...I don't NEED to be like other car...I am what I am...love me or hate me, but I am what I am." When I see the NEW MINI, it knda reminds me of a ugly girl who got plastic surgery.... Sure they look good, but not quite "right", too made over, too generic, no character.
BMW removed much of what made a mini UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT....and made it JUST A SMALL CAR MADE BY BMW....could be a pugot...or fiat...its just a small car with a shape now (a few sizes larger too.....like a person buying "relaxed fit pants")...it is ONLY 4.5 INCHES LONGER, 2 INCHES WIDER....
Park your gen1 next to CRX....the mini looks huge...taller longer...gen2 grew it a bit...
Park a gen3 next to it....will look like a VAN....

 

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.

 

J.C. Whitney - you must be as old as i am!... lol

Did you have a reverb unit on your radio?

 

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.

 

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...

 

My only problem with the R56 is I like walnuts. And the price of walnuts has gone up dramatically because of the blasted 2nd gen.

My great fear is the F56 will need hazelnuts for valve blasting. Not only will my favorite snack food be gone because of gen2, but my favorite coffee flavor is going to get screwed up by gen3. I'm out food and drink, and I find this unacceptable.

 

I hear what you are saying Dave. Back in the day, we were always souping up our cars, making them faster, louder and fine tuning them. Heck, they did not even come with a radio, so off to J.C. Whitney for an AM radio to install ourselves.

I think those days are gone for the current generation. For the most part anyway. Once they got rid of carburetors, added computers and turned the engine sideways I gave up doing that.

There have been other shifts I notice. Way back in 2009, the trend was for roof graphics, stripes, side graphics and such, to individualize your MINI. Now that is going away as well.

People what an "out of the box"car, so the car makers are going that route. Even Harley Davidson will sell you a "chopper" right out of the box. Now where is the fun in that????? :lol:

 

MF has long ago jumped the shark.

Motor On indeed.....

 

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.

 

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

 

^^^^ 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:

 

The new MINI looks like a Hyundai Veloster but worse.

 

No it did not come that way but what true MINI owner keeps a MINI stock?

Anyone can buy a car with all that stuff but what FUN is that? The new MINI's may have all that stuff but they are all UGLY and who wants an ugly car?

 

I hear they already have JCW eyelashes works F'ed56. :lol:

 

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.