Great but long post Lee! MINI must have realized that it's target audience (21-35) wasn't the ones buying the cars... Since the beginning the average MINI owner has been 40+, and I agree that they are making more of a family brand out of the cars now because of this number. MINI failed to realize that they were doing just fine selling cars outside of their target with what they had going, there was no need to change to suit the actual buyers if they were selling as is. Trying to accommodate the family is doing the opposite and just pushing people away. As stated above, why spend $40K on a small somewhat fuel efficient family car when you can get a Carola for less than $30K? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
BINGO! Remember when you had to order the car you wanted because the sales lot was not full of MINI's? :idea: All the cars coming is were already sold.
Heck.... When I test drove mine.... The dealer had 2 USED cars in the showroom.... And ONE NEW COOPER AUTO, and one Cooper S stick as demo cars....had maybe 4 other used cars on the lot.... everything else was waiting for pickup.... I ordered around July 2004 , for NOVEMBER Production....got the car Christmas Eve..2004 as a 2005.....heck...I had people approaching me offering me sticker plus $3000 when it was 6 months old....that's how limited the number of cars were.... Kinda different now.
When I had my R53, I had several people (admittedly retiree age) offer to buy my car from me. I loved that car. Unfortunately it was too pricy to fix at the time and I got my R56. I love my R56. A lot. That being said, the R53 had way more soul. I think it was the SC. I think even the runflats I had gave it some character (not pleasant mind you). The F56 has many points I do not care for. I wont dig into it because I think most of my point have already been hit above ^. That being said, I am a car enthusiast and will not pass judgment on another for loving something I don't. "Artistic" taste is like a persons food palate. While generally speaking peoples food tastes are regionally similar. But there always some foods you love while others may refuse to eat it. I'm not going to harp on someone how I love a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich but refuse to eat a Italian beef sandwich that they love. We're all different so are our cars. Diversity was always a MINI thing. Make it yours. For some the F56 is it. For me its not. I think I started to talk in circles there. I was interrupted several times while typing. Sorry if it was way redundant....
Gah dayum... I'm going to have to pick up a few of these lutefisk dinners to grub down before a work out...