In Robert Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values, the narrator takes the reader on a journey that explores the nature of “Quality” as a thing we all instinctually understand, but none of us can adequately define. His conclusion [SPOILER ALERT] is that what we perceive (if only peripherally) as... (visit MotoringFile for the full article) More...
I think some valid points are made here, between what we expect and what the reality is. People make a big deal about how the new car shouldn't be this way or that, but does that really matter as long as it stays true to it's core values? People talk all the time about how Honda lost it's way, especially with the Civic - what did THEY do wrong exactly? The car got heavy, lost it's crisp steering and many of the luxury features added that compromised the design weren't really needed to make the car sell well. MINI isn't going that route. The cars are getting lighter, they get better mileage, have more power, ride better, stop better and handle better than they did. It's not about the center speedo...... and frankly I find the window switches to be a total PITA. And for those who say a MINI isn't a MINI without a center speeedo, remember the later years of the Classic Mini didn't have one either......are those cars not Minis? Economy, performance, handling, efficient packaging - those are the core values of the brand.