I don't blame them for it either; it's consistent with their business model. It's not for me, but I get it. Heck, buying the stock suspension and replacing it with aftermarket coil overs are a much better way to go anyway.
The more things change.....the more MINI assimilates into every other damn car out there. Someone find out who is making these decisions and maybe give their address to an ISIS affiliate or something. At least the Jehovah witnesses or somethings.
(note for those with no sense of humor, that was done with tongue firmly planted in cheek)
Besides, it's not like they [BMW] listen to anything other than their sales reports and bottom line. Can't blame them for it... but it is disappointing.
So people who want rear fogs will obtain the necessary part from the Euro market. Problem solved, unfortunate about the sport suspension - but again buy an ordinary 'S' and go aftermarket - more satisfying if you want to carve corners.
"streamlining" the options list. That is obviously done to save costs. When we ordered our R60 a couple of years ago, i was blown away by the possible configurations. So now, everybody's Mini can be exactly the same...precisely how BMW likes things to be.
*removed the Mini wings from the seats. Of course they did. Within 5 years, the Mini brand will likely be gone and they will become "BMW .5's.....
Every time I get into my R56 and see that dinner plate speedo, the wing-shaped air controls, and operate the center-stack window switches, I get a big smile on my face. So glad I got one before the Germans completely sanitize the marque.
Neither of these changes make any sense IMHO. Sport suspension and rear fog lights are two options which I would include on any custom ordered MINI.
My suspicion is that a much larger percentage of cars are being spec'd by dealers these days. When dealers spec a car, they don't add invisible items like sport suspension and rear fog lights, because they want to keep the cost down and make the price point more attractive to buyers. As a result the "take rate" on these options is very low, so now MINI USA decides to cut them out completely.
Have a little faith, it's early yet....He's probably too busy on Bimmerfile at the moment to properly spin this, this one is going to take a bit of creativity and ingenuity, but I have full confidence in him, he's never let me down yet. Just give him time. He'll find a way to eventually turn this into a "better in every way" positive, BMW apologists always do...
Sad to see we saw it coming....sadder to see it happen...
The intent is patently obvious IMO...
Force the "sporty" buyer to upgrade $$$ to the JCW, and have the S be the mainstream upper trim (soccer mom car, like the MDX, but the "anti SUV version) while the cooper is aimed at the more mpg seeking nd urban driver...
Guess I might have made the right choice to jump ship...but makes me sadder to know I sold my one of a kind, end of an era modern classic...
Too see the MINI kinda walking away from many folks who made their modern brand...
Folks who understood rear fogs, and IMO liked the idea of a factory sport suspension that was not a $$ upgrade to JCW save a few $$ and in some parts of the country, give you more ground clearance for snow.....
On paper it must have made sense...sure many folks opted for the adjustable suspension...but the complexity and the fact its not " quite" as sport as the sport+ makes me think it is a bit of a line in the sand for BMW...
If they runoff the folks who run the cars the hardest, the typical S driver, their reliability goes up and the warrenty costs drop....
And IMO many folks that have the $$$ for the JCW, it is more of a status symbol.....and the margins on the extra JCW parts more than pay for the extra warrenty costs...which my gut tells me is why the items cost 50% more than aftermarket...to pay for driver abuse while keeping the warrenty.....
We're getting left behind, but we're a minority. A vocal minority, and most of us will move onto something else, or a used one of the same, if/when our R53's die. But it's really the only way this could have played out--the R53 didn't make money. So it was either a one-off, or BMW had to make the car more mainstream to keep costs down, and make the car more refined and livable on a daily basis to attract more buyers. They're at least attempting to throw in a limited number performance models along the way, they don't appeal to me personally, but at least they haven't given up on those. I guess the bottom line is I've come to peace with it, it is what it is, it makes sense from BMW's perspective. I don't like it personally, but I'm not who they're after anymore, I get it. There will still be fanatics that buy the new models though, so I figure the community will live on.
As I understand it, the sports suspension and rear fog deletions were only MINI USA's choice. The options will continue to be available outside the US.
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