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!
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Z06_Pilot Well-Known MemberLifetime Supporter
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Dave.0 Helix & RMW PoweredLifetime Supporter
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Metalman Well-Known MemberLifetime Supporter
- Sep 29, 2009
- 7,688
- Ex-Owner (Retired) of a custom metal fab company.
- Ratings:
- +7,952 / 1 / -0
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.... -
I was just going to post this. Interesting and exciting things are coming to MINI.
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Crashton Club Coordinator
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: -
Z06_Pilot Well-Known MemberLifetime Supporter
It's ok though, I'm used to getting smacked by purists....I also ride a Harley V-Rod ! -
Crashton Club Coordinator
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: -
Z06_Pilot Well-Known MemberLifetime Supporter
"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.. -
Crashton Club Coordinator
Nice colors, but we ALL know Blu/White is fastest. :smilewinkgrin:
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The article states that the MINI 4 door sedan is for the Asian market.