This is deep in rumor territory I think. Follow the bouncing ball here... In a short blog post on BMWBlog is this image... As you can plainly see the image is attributed to Auto Motor und Sport, a German car mag that has been around as long as I can remember. (On looking it up the mag has been around since 1946 and started as Das Auto). Anyway, I digress... BMWBlog also links to the article in Auto Motor und Sport. Translating it from the German, thanks Google, there is not a word about the MINI Mini Van. So where did that image come from and what do you think about MINI building a Mini Van? I'm of two camps about this. One the one hand I'm screaming at the picture, which I'm sure is a photoshop job, wondering how in the heck the MINI management could even think along these lines. But then I think more about it and think it could be a great thing too. Granted, it will not have the go cart handling but for a Mini Van would probably be a heck of a lot better in a driving experience than say a Dodge Caravan. The world does need it's Mini Vans, we have seen that niche does well with a subset of consumer, so why not a MINI version. Thats my 2 cents for the day...
If they are going to make a minivan, they should make it a 7 seater, like a real minivan. This one looks like it has just 5 seats + cargo. It would be nice to have a reasonably good handling minivan since I need to drive one occasionally!
I just saw something similar posted up in MINI of PDX's facebook page, I really hope it's not true. FUGLY! MINI Cargo - the Mini Van is back
Yeah... both that link above and the story on Motoring File say that the new MINI Van to be featured in Geneva is a Clubman that has a flat rear interior surface (no rear seats) and metal instead of the rear side windows. It's an urban delivery vehicle (think delivery services, florists, pizza delivery, etc.) for Europe... not sure if it's coming to the USA. The pic at the top is not only very ugly, but is also a complete fabrication.
I don't care what they build to make a buck, just as long as they don't mess up the Roadster or the Hatch. Nathan is right, there is a nitch for everyone. Jim
I suspect this thread has got mixed up because of the difference between the British and American uses of the word 'Minivan'. In Britain it means the van version of the classic Mini shown below - what the US calls a 'minivan' is a 'people carrier' or 'MPV' here. So I think a Clubman with no rear side glass is what a new Minivan implies.
If that's a Minivan (3 posts up ^ ), what is this? [and yes, I do know I'm resurrecting an ancient thread...don't care]
Because I have a business that depends on the MINI, and wouldn't want to ruffle any feathers at MINI headquarters in the hopes to curry some favor in the vague future, I'll also cautiously support MINI's move to also introduce the 7 door MINIVan, apparently scheduled to debut a year later.
I think (but don't know for sure) the only Mini part in that is the fibreglass (sorry, fiberglass) flip front that's been added on the front of whatever that was. The wheels are nothing to do with a Mini and look like something from one of those Nissan skunk works cars, like the S-Cargo. Other things you can do to a Mini are make a promotional car for oranges, make a camper or sell ice creams from it.
To me this is a delivery vehicle, or panel van. Updated version would be a Clubman no rear seat or rear windows. I have not seen the inside of a classic panel van, not finished anyway, I know some did come with seats, curious to know what they sat.
I have nothing against mini vans. We had a few. Now days they are the size full size vans were when the mini van came out. This is not either. It looks like someone used photo show to stretch the height of a Countryman.
In Steve's picture, there there are some yellow letters on the windshield, top center. I think they say "UPS".
There's value in grasping the "never" part of the phrase "never too late". I mean honestly what value does this bring to the table?! Completely ridiculous.