31 replies to this topic

[cooperdan]

a clown, not at all
thats like saying if dont like chocolate your an idiot,
if anything that merley makes you look said clown, someone doesnt like valid opinions

[huntface]

BINIs just make me think, "estate agent".

 

Not for me!

[Tanya]

I've seen them out on the Oxford Ring Road over the past week or so.  Being a little slow and not very up on MINI, when I saw the first one I just thought it was a new fancy paint job!  To the untrained eye driving past it, it just looks like a MINI and I really wouldn't taken any notice if I hadn't remembered that the Plant are producing a new one.  

[mab01uk]

that's good, they're making a MINIVAN, will there be a PICKUP soon?

 

(The swirled yellow black vinyl covering and cladding is now fairly standard use by most car manufacturers to disguise new models undergoing testing).

 

As said they have recently launched a MINIVAN........

 

MINI has priced its first new commercial vehicle, the MINI Clubvan, from £11,175 excluding VAT. The MINI Clubvan is inspired by the 1960s Mini van.
The two-seater has a maximum 860 litres of load capacity, and a maximum payload capacity of 500kg. The cargo area stretches back 1150mm and at its narrowest point behind the rear doors is 1020mm wide.
Cargo can be accessed through either the twin opening rear doors, or the rear door on the driver’s side. The load bay is completely flat, and rear load area features include multiple 12-volt sockets for charging electric items and six heavy-duty attachment loops to secure cargo.

 

Edited by mab01uk, 19 May 2013 - 10:17 AM.

[Orange-Phantom]

Yes indeed things do move forward and change which is generally a good thing.  I actually like the Cooper S having driven a few and thought they were a good fun car!

 

The point I was making is that the word MINI means small as I previously pointed out with my dictionary definitions of the word.  It's kinda like your girlfriend / wife saying she is going to give you a bit of a treat and where a mini skirt.  Next thing she turns up wearing a Burka!  It's more of a trade descriptions issue!

 

BMW should have called it the MIDI or going by the Clubman the MAXI!

 

I'm not saying they are not bad cars, but to call something by a name that does not fit it's description is incorrect and as such I fell they should not be called MINI!

[mab01uk]

Yes indeed things do move forward and change which is generally a good thing.  I actually like the Cooper S having driven a few and thought they were a good fun car!

 

The point I was making is that the word MINI means small as I previously pointed out with my dictionary definitions of the word.  It's kinda like your girlfriend / wife saying she is going to give you a bit of a treat and where a mini skirt.  Next thing she turns up wearing a Burka!  It's more of a trade descriptions issue!

 

BMW should have called it the MIDI or going by the Clubman the MAXI!

 

I'm not saying they are not bad cars, but to call something by a name that does not fit it's description is incorrect and as such I fell they should not be called MINI!

 

Mini is now a brand for a range of small cars (by todays standards) which BMW consider also included the Issigonis BMC 1100/1300 range so that when owners outgrow the MINI they don't have to always leave the brand.  All supermini class hatches like the Fiesta, Corsa, Clio, Yaris, Audi A1, VW Polo, Fiat 500, etc have grown (most bigger than the MINI hatch).....the current Polo is the same size as the Mk1 Golf.......small cars have grown as have people......the very small bargain basement cars of today are mostly dull but functional and built in cheap labour economy factories in India and Eastern Europe like the Nissan Micra and Fiat Panda, Peugeot 107, Citroen C1 and Toyota Aygo.....they are neither performance drivers cars or aspirational cars like say a MINI or Audi A1. The original R50 MINI as designed by Rover successfully created the 'prestige' superMini class of car which 10 years later other manufacturers are now copying....such as Citroen DS3, Audi A1, Alfa Mito, Vauxhall/Opel Adam, etc.

 

If or when MINI introduce a 'Rocketman' size of MINI it will almost certainly have to be built in a low wage economy to be profitable and so will not provide British jobs as Rover realised and is the major reason why they never replaced the Mini with a similar size car in 40 years.

Edited by mab01uk, 19 May 2013 - 11:38 AM.

[Ryang556]

I don't have a problem with the cars themselves, although why use the name 'mini' when it's huge, it just makes them look ridiculous, the badge on that new all 4 thing would barely fit on my proper mini's bonnet. 

 

Plus the 'MINI' is an awful car in it's class, riddled with problems and don't drive well at all, I'd rather own a Renault clio than a MINI, that's saying something.. 

[CobraV8]

BMW have turned the Mini from a pile of ******* into a car that is hugely profitable, and a sales success. Everything moves on, and nothing lasts forever, and that is exactly what BMW did with the Mini.They have maintained production in the UK providing thousands of jobs. In fact, without BMW I'd go as far as saying that the original classic Mini would not be seeing the the revival and boom in popularity that it has done over the last few years. Bini bashing may have been fun 13 years ago when they came out, but now it's just a bit daft to be honest.  

I disagree.... We had a 2002 MINI and that was awesome, regret selling it. I like the older ones better,but as an every day car the 2002 was great. The new ones are huge and ugly. They have lost the look they had in the early MINI days. Whatever they are called, they simply are not a nice looking car anymore.

[mab01uk]

2014 MINI Options – What’s New:
"In 2014 MINI will usher in an entirely new MINI platform and family of engines with the F56. This also means a serious upgrade in technology and options. Taking advantage of the latest BMW advancements in tech, for the first time MINI will be able to offer identical technology to what most smaller BMW currently have.
Thanks to various internal sources we’ve compiled a list of the most notable new options on the F56. From new colours to cameras surrounding the car, the F56 will offer more than we could have imagined even just five years ago."
http://www.motoringf...ions-whats-new/

Edited by mab01uk, 24 May 2013 - 11:53 AM.

[Naughty 40]

Tanks

[lawrie124]

I saw the minivan at Goodwood FOS last year and was quite taken with it.

 

Wonder what the towing capacity is. Would LOVE to sling a single trailer on the back with my PROPER mini race car on it!

[cooperdan]

still same lazy arse front on allll variants on pieces of ****... make an effort

[mattdc2r]

Yeah, because the changes to the front of classic minis changed massively with each mk.  Until the Clubman came along and then the Metro and then back to what worked.

[mini-luke]

still same lazy arse front on allll variants on pieces of ****... make an effort

 

Yes, because a 2000 mini looks nothing like a 1959

[cooperdan]

yeh your right, later ones rust easier