Everything is fine. It's because gas is cheap, and no one wants small calls that get good gas mileage when gas is cheap. I know it's true because MF said so.
But if that's the case, why are they selling used, older MINI's in record numbers? Hmmm...
They're in trouble. The lack of vision is catching up to them. An expensive premium small car is a tough sell; they're trying to create a niche that doesn't exist. They're trying to hedge their bets by going large, and in the process going up against stiff competition.
It looks like the Rocketman is dead. And so is the MINI brand.
Those of us that are the "die-hard" MINI folks could see this coming....
Sure you can spend $40,000 and get a fun JCW...the car for the die-hard mini lover...
But how much fun do you get in the entry level car compared to the MINI of old?
To try to make the MINI more "relevant" it has lost something IMO...
To make it appeal to the "soccer" mom many things were dumbed down....
Is the gen3 more appliance like IMO? Yes...
It is a time for transion for MINI...
Out with the old ....in with the NEW...
NEW MINI.
By trying to be all things to all people (IMO) something has been lost....mainly the special feel and looks...
Yes...the gen3 is a good car...maybe a great car...but it's not what many folks went to MINI to get.
Folks didn't want a great Toyoda/Honda appliance with a MINI badge....
They want a car with personality, a car with character.... A car with style that was NOT MADE BY A FOCUS GROUP.
MINI didn't do that...they want to grow the brand...be more mainstream.... Find more buyers...more appeal...
So MINI IMO moved on from US or what many of look for in a MINI.
How does it feel to be put out to pasture?
MINI had a loyal following....
Folks who would plunk down their $$ and wait for 6 months, without having driven a car....
But they wanted to go big....
They are in the middle of what many companies call a "pivot"...
A radical change in product or customers or both....
Some say the brand is just " growing up"...lol
What is a grown up MINI? A GM or Ford IMO....lots of those around....
They're shooting themselves in the foot. They have built a mainstream car. A few tacky badges and gimmicky interior/exterior color combos don't change that, and in fact detract from it. This will probably have no or minimal appeal to the market MINI has gone after (the MC40, Checkmate, etc. versions of the R53 weren't exactly gangbusters either, and that was with a demographic that probably got into that more), and it's not going to bring back the faithful.
They've gone from trying to appeal to everyone to now making a model that appeals to no one. Poorly played IMHO.
Yeah..good points...very good thoughts....kinda like a Pontiac... Bolt on more stuff, more stickers...
But at least they KNOW and have heard some of the complaints...
Watching the management at mini USA change to more of a straight-laced BMW TYPE of executives over the last few years says lots...
I can hope.....
Maybe they will see the light...
