BMW and Mini are set to share an all-new platform — and three and four-cylinder engines — to create an army of front-wheel-drive cars that could notch up a million sales a year. Could Mini have survived to a third-generation model without the involvement of BMW? There are cold-eyed City analysts who will tell you that although Mini made a profit on every car it sold — often quite a healthy profit — it probably did not fully pay back the big industrial investment. Indeed, until the launch of the Countryman, Mini was only selling just over 200,000 cars a year across five model lines. Could BMW have sensibly invested in a new platform, new tooling and a range of five models on sales of 200k? Probably not. The Countryman helped the case for Mini by adding 100,000 sales a year. About four years ago, BMW decided to start building front-drive cars under its own badge. By building two ranges of front-wheel-drive (and all-wheel-drive) cars, BMW can dramatically improve the profitability of the Mini range. So now it’s time for Mini to get serious. Design is under the control of Anders Warming, who will have overseen all of the new Mini designs that will come after the new three-door hatch. Mini plans to add at least three new body styles. The saloon will be primarily aimed at booming Asian cities. Mini will also get a proper baby MPV, and in turn the Countryman will become more of a true compact SUV and less of an oddly proportioned supermini. More can be found at: How BMW and Mini will sell a million cars per year off one platform | Autocar
Looks like MINI is headed for bigger.... Nooooooo.... A 5 door hatch..... On the other side of the fence, the Z2 looks interesting... Will be interesting to see how this moves forward, as BMW seems to be diluting their performance image, and moving more towards luxury boulevard cruisers with engine noises emanating out of speakers... What will happen to the sporty MINI driving image? Obviously it will need to be repressed to a performance position somewhere below the Big Motoren Wagons....
Perhaps, time will tell, however, I'm not impressed with what I am seeing of the F56, IF the interior/exterior shots I have seen are final production designs. The 2014 F56 dash? IMO a lot of the Mini uniqueness is stripped from it. no center speedo, no more "turbine" shaped A/C vents, no more true 3 spoke steering wheel(the wheel looks like it could have come out of any BMW/Honda/Toyota).The speedo now takes the front and center position in front of the driver. The tach is a small half moon gauge hanging on the left side of the speedo....Everyone knows that in a true driver's car the most important gauge is the tach...c'mon..... Obviously the way to increased profitability is sharing parts across lines and beginning with the F56, that appears to be happening in a big way...I don't care how many horses or how efficient a 3 cylinder motor is, I would never purchase a car with one. Maybe all of this is necessary for the future of the Mini brand, I just feel that year by year Mini may lose it's identity and connections to it's past visually. Although the CM is not set for a redesign for several years the BMW way has already had a small effect in that the window switches were moved to the doors for 2013. More efficient or not, my wife really was looking forward to having the window switches in the console....where they belong on a Mini!
I too think that the Z2 is interesting. I'm also sure it will be shunned by many because of the fwd layout. BMW enthusiasts as a whole will more than likely dismiss any fwd BMW. For some MINI has already jumped the shark. Now MINI even has a 4 door sedan coming. Oh man. :rolleyes5: I hope the shots of the F56 that have been floating around are just mules with cammo. If that is the real face of the new MINI on man. :rolleyes5:
4 door sedan coming...hmmmm..I should mention that I am fully aware that as I make comments regarding Mini losing it's identity, my wife and I will soon be driving what can charitably be called the red-headed stepchild of the Mini line up. 5 doors :wink: It's ok though, I'm used to getting smacked by purists....I also ride a Harley V-Rod !
Everyone makes the choice of what they drive. Different strokes as they say. The world would be a boring place if we all liked the same things. Did you get a red roof on your stepchild? :wink: Nothing wrong with a V Rod. For my money all the other Hardly Ablesons are farm implements on 2 wheels. Once again, different strokes. Potato Potato Potato.... :wink:
"Hardley Ablesons"...nice.... No red roof. My wife said Minis should never be a single color, so it's Chili Red with white roof and mirrors..