I agree with the tech nanny statements. This same argument is going on in the aviation realm. Many advocate for airline pilots to go back and fly Piper Cubs, the lowest tech, most basic aircraft. The reason being that with all of the bells and whistles flying the plane, pilots are losing the basic skills. Loss of these skills can be catastrophic when the nanny systems fail and we, as the user, don't react automatically as we would if we had been manually operating the machine. I don't like the auto park systems. I don't like the auto stop and lane departure systems. I don't like autopilot. These allow us to rely on the computer to 'save us' and we unconsciously devote less mental power to ensuring everything is in check. I guess at the old age of 32, I just got get these new fangled technologies but that is just me. WALL-E is one of my favorite movies to watch with the kids. It is exactly where society is headed.
Who's doing better at updating their models, Mini or Mazda? The up coming new MX-5: ...and yes it is no bigger and is actually lighter than the previous model.
With that sentiment in mind, and with a nod to "Something About Mary," I will forever refer to the F56 as the "FBM", or the Frank and Beans Mini. I like that "BM" is part of the acronym. As for the "F", I'm stuck there, maybe Dave can help come up with something creative....:devil:
Like both the Mazda's. With the s2000's forever gone, and the BRZ underpowered and expensive to increase power, if the MINI was ever gone, the new Mazda would be on the short list. Was there any hint of a TRD FRS, or a BRZ STi?
I don't understand what it is you want MINI to do - keep making the exact same car year after year? Each new gen has been lighter than the previous, safer, has more performance, better handling and gets better mileage - how is that a fail? And don't forget, a lot of the front end styling has less to do with what MINI wants and more to do with what the Euro pedestrian laws have mandated. I haven't seen the car in the metal yet, so I won't comment on the looks, tho I have to say my first impressions are not positive - but till I do I'll reserve comment on that. I do agree that they've gone silly with all the electronic "enhancments" but I'm pretty sure you can still order one without any of that stuff. My point is, other than the looks what's yer beef? And how about some specifics? As to the Mazda, I hate the look of the current M3-M9, and if you read the forums, they almost unaminously will tell you that each succeeding gen of the MX-5 since the first has simply "lost the plot", becoming smoother, more refined and having considerably more power, while getting heavier, adding too many features and loosing it's sharp edged handling. Sound familiar?
I will add that I like the side view of the F56 and the 2L definitely interests me! I'm ready to see them in person. I know it would make it heavier and 'less a MINI' to some, but I would love to see AWD on the hardtop. I had a blast in my AWD, turbo 4G63 (2.0L) talon back when I had it!
Disappointed in the styling, though. The front looks like a generic Japanese sedan, not a sports car.
Well, that's kinda sorta what they did with the classic, and that turned out pretty well, considering the Classic is on most "best cars of all time" lists... So what I'd like is for BMW to go evolutionary, rather than revolutionary. The Classic had a bump in the road--that would be the Clubman, and like I said earlier, this is reminiscent of that. Yes, I do make fun of the R56 too, but truth is it's not that much different from the R53, with the exception of the headlights. The F56 is a departure from "simple", which is the MINI trademark, there is way too much going on, in a nod to Japanese styling. The appeal of the MINI is a hint of retro, it's gone too far this time, there isn't a hint of retro there. Like I've said ad nauseum, we'll have to agree to disagree.
I agree that the Classic Clubman hatch did not look good, the longer front end done so they could introduce a more modern engine looked completely out of proportion to the rest of the car, the wagon tho looked OK with it's longer wheelbase to offset the longer front end. However, I don't think MINI could get away with just introducing new tape versions of the R53, the popularity of the Countryman (1/3 of all MINI sales this year?) tells us that the market is changing and MINI could not survive on just one car - the hatch. Like I said some of the look of the front end is due to Euro ped standards, but the busyness of the front end is certainly not. I'm withholding final opinion on the looks till I see it in person in March at the car show....but as I look at the concepts that were introduced at this year's international car shows, it seems like they all had horrible crazy busy front end styliing - maybe MINI is just ahead of the trend? And no, it's not a trend I like at all - I like clean, simple, purposeful fluid lines. However, I'm still not clear on the OP's comment that MINI sold out? Sold out to whom? And for what? Meaning MINI is trying to sell old skool cars in a modern trending marketplace? Not sure what he was going for there..... Anyone know when the 2014 configurator will be online?
How should it look? What would make it look more like a sports car to you? What's missing? Just curious... Years ago my wife wouldn't be caught dead driving a Japanese car of any stripe - saying that they had "no soul"..... No one has ever been able to tell me exactly what that means...including her. She still doesn't like Japanese cars tho .. :biggrin5:
Looks like a photochop job. No one knows what the next MX5 is going to look like yet. Hoping it looks better than that car with it's tacked on Mazda 3 front end. What worries me more than its looks is the fact it houses a Fiat engine under its hood. Besides all Miata guys know the NA is the best Miata ever. It's the R53 of the Miata world. :lol:
NB for the win, everything before it was getting to it, and everything after was change for change sake... All MX-5 folks know that...lol
It's all subjective, of course. It might help if there was a person in the picture to give a sense of scale and size. It just doesn't scream "fun little roadster" at first glance like early models.