118 replies to this topic

[Badboytunes]

Im not a fan ( and currently own 2 R56's ) but im curious to know , that if Rover designed and built the current new MINIS , would the haters still be hating.........?

 

Or is it just sour grapes because Rover has closed and BMW now own and build the brand.?

[mab01uk]

just when i thought it couldnt get any worse... fair play to BMW, the first BINI was actually not that bad because it was kept simple. this has just been over done though.

 

Although it was BMW's cash that allowed the 2001 New MINI R50 to be launched it was actually Rover engineers at Gaydon and Longbridge who designed and built it........click the links below for details:

"Rover" MINI Prototype Launch 1997:

http://www.theminifo...pe-launch-1997/

 

The New Mini (R50)
Preparations to build it at Longbridge

http://www.austinmem...64/page164.html

 

PS. (One of the Rover R50 /R53 MINI prototypes from 1998 has just been discovered.......more news and photos coming soon!)

Edited by mab01uk, 21 November 2013 - 07:48 AM.

[Chance]

 
PS. (One of the Rover R50 /R53 MINI prototypes from 1998 has just been discovered.......more news and photos coming soon!)

I expect you will start a thread with more photos and stuff?
Would love to see more pictures

Or is there a better thread on the BMW mini forums?

[minimaxie]

For me, I've always liked the R53 Cooper S. That for me, was the best shape one. Not a fan of the new F56 but I expect my opinion will change if I see a Coopers driving around

 

 

Most MINI's have a lot of potential to look really nice when modified though. For those who have not seen this thread yet http://www.theminifo...-cool/page-2?hl

[mab01uk]

 

 
PS. (One of the Rover R50 /R53 MINI prototypes from 1998 has just been discovered.......more news and photos coming soon!)

I expect you will start a thread with more photos and stuff?
Would love to see more pictures

Or is there a better thread on the BMW mini forums?

 

 

I will start a thread on here soon as more details are discovered.....but if you want to see some info in advance just go to this thread on the TotalMINI forum......I don't think you need to register to see the latest photos of the Rover R53 prototype that I have posted on page 2 of the TM link anyway:-

http://www.totalmini...longbridge.html

[Chris1992]

Im not a fan ( and currently own 2 R56's ) but im curious to know , that if Rover designed and built the current new MINIS , would the haters still be hating.........?

 

Or is it just sour grapes because Rover has closed and BMW now own and build the brand.?

 

yeah id still be hating to be honest... its still a poor attempt at modernizing a piece of design that should have been left alone, regardless of who was responsible for it. 

 

its like when i hear god awful remixes of classic songs... i would still hate it even if the original band themselves had done it 

[mab01uk]

 

Im not a fan ( and currently own 2 R56's ) but im curious to know , that if Rover designed and built the current new MINIS , would the haters still be hating.........?

 

Or is it just sour grapes because Rover has closed and BMW now own and build the brand.?

 

yeah id still be hating to be honest... its still a poor attempt at modernizing a piece of design that should have been left alone, regardless of who was responsible for it. 

 

its like when i hear god awful remixes of classic songs... i would still hate it even if the original band themselves had done it 

 

 

If the Mini had been left to die......there would be no jobs for all those at Cowley where millions have been invested in recent years and the Mini would slowly fade from memory for most younger non-car enthusiasts around the world.......how many people below a certain age now know or care about the Issigonis Morris Minor or the BMC 1100/1300 which outsold the Mini for most of the 1960's......whereas most people know if a current modern car has a continuous history of previous models right up to the present day keeping the heritage alive, like say a Porsche 911 or a Range Rover and despite the current models having no common parts apart from an 'evolving' characteristic shape or features.

Edited by mab01uk, 21 November 2013 - 09:00 PM.

[Chris1992]

 

 

Im not a fan ( and currently own 2 R56's ) but im curious to know , that if Rover designed and built the current new MINIS , would the haters still be hating.........?

 

Or is it just sour grapes because Rover has closed and BMW now own and build the brand.?

 

yeah id still be hating to be honest... its still a poor attempt at modernizing a piece of design that should have been left alone, regardless of who was responsible for it. 

 

its like when i hear god awful remixes of classic songs... i would still hate it even if the original band themselves had done it 

 

 

If the Mini had been left to die......there would be no jobs for all those at Cowley where millions have been invested in recent years and the Mini would slowly fade from memory for most younger non-car enthusiasts around the world.......how many people below a certain age now know or care about the Issigonis Morris Minor or the BMC 1100/1300 which outsold the Mini for most of the 1960's......whereas most people know if a current modern car has a continuous history of previous models right up to the present day keeping the heritage alive, like say a Porsche 911 or a Range Rover and despite the current models having no common parts apart from an 'evolving' characteristic shape or features.

 

 

fair point. i get where youre coming from. 

[Tanya]

 

 

If the Mini had been left to die......there would be no jobs for all those at Cowley where millions have been invested in recent years and the Mini would slowly fade from memory for most younger non-car enthusiasts around the world.......how many people below a certain age now know or care about the Issigonis Morris Minor or the BMC 1100/1300 which outsold the Mini for most of the 1960's......whereas most people know if a current modern car has a continuous history of previous models right up to the present day keeping the heritage alive, like say a Porsche 911 or a Range Rover and despite the current models having no common parts apart from an 'evolving' characteristic shape or features.

 

 

Absolutely!  Thankfully, Mini and MINI are intrinsically linked which is brilliant for both.  I feel that Mini helps to sell MINI and MINI helps to keep Mini very alive a present with the public (not just enthusiasts).  The public awareness of Mini through MINI, certainly makes our Mini ownership more enjoyable and gives us more opportunists to do things with the Minis.  

 

BMW have seen the potential of the Mini/MINI brand and invested heavily in it, from which many have benefited, not just BMW.  

[HarrysMini]

I have to say, I would have never known about the Mini if it wasn't for the MINI. 

 

So, I think we've got to give it credit for that, as has been said above, keeping the Mini alive.

[Tanya]

I can see the funny side of this and it did give me a good laugh! - http://sniffpetrol.c...-launch-policy/

 

Scoff as we might, it is exactly this type of advertising that sells MINI, particularly round the world.  I know they used a Mr Bean-esk Mini at the main launch at Cowley, again tying old in with new.  So BMW, as cheesy as it might be, keep doing it!  

 

Incidentally, I thought it was great for Cowley that BMW chose to launch the new MINI from the factory

 

 

[mab01uk]

This album of photos 'Mini & British Lifestyle' in the link below (posted by an Italian I think) made me quite proud to be British as well as nostalgic .......perhaps some of it never really existed in reality but sometimes it takes others from outside our borders to point these things out and make us all realise what we should be promoting as special about being British before it is all lost to being part of the euro-bland one size fits all project......

 

'Mini & British Lifestyle'

https://www.facebook...e/photos_stream

 

https://www.facebook...ritishlifestyle

Edited by mab01uk, 23 November 2013 - 10:45 AM.

[gkmini]

New MINI a growing legend
MINI has produced a series of interesting images, which by way of introduction, puts the new F56 alongside the previous three generations of cars to wear the Mini nameplate.
http://www.aronline....growing-legend/
 

 

It's kind of like the MINI got progressively more excited that it was a MINI until it finally couldn't contain itself and went full on mental.

But with that said, my signature says it all.

MINIs are for teenage girls and soccer moms.

[Tanya]

While I haven't seen the stats, personally I'm under the impression that MINI has a wide appeal, in the way that Mini did in the 1970s. Certainly in the UK, I don't think there's a typical MINI driver. I guess that BMW's slick marketing has been effective in giving MINI that universal appeal that contributes to its successful sales figures.

Yes MINI has grown, as have all cars for a number of reasons. However, the F56 it is unmistakably a MINI with styling cues clearly taken from Mini.

While I don't own a MINI, I do own a BMW Mini. If it wasn't for BMW's ability to see the potential of the Mini/MINI brand, I wouldn't have my 2000 Cooper Sport, which in every way is a BMW Mini. Rover were planning to stop Mini production in 1996, and it was BMW's investment that enabled Mini to be able to meet the required safety regulations and continue in production until MINI was ready to take over and fly the flag.

[gkmini]

Gross.