118 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

 

MINIs are for teenage girls and soccer moms.

 

 

Alec Issigonis actually designed the Mini for the 'District Nurse' originally.........as with the classic Mini the new MINI has a very wide appeal to all different types of person around the world which probably explains its similar sales success.....and whats wrong with being a teenage girl or a soccer mom (whatever that is) anyway?

 

Perhaps you should register on the MINITorque.com forum and tell the guys on there that too!

http://www.minitorque.com/site/

 

http://www.minitorqu...forum/forum.php

Edited by mab01uk, 24 November 2013 - 01:48 PM.

[mab01uk]

Gross.

 

Perhaps a New MINI was required because Canadians amongst some others sadly stopped buying our original Mini's in sufficient numbers....and in the case of Canada stopped importing them many years ago?

Edited by mab01uk, 24 November 2013 - 01:36 PM.

[HarrysMini]

Gross.

Bit childish. 

 

And yes, I too would like to know what a 'soccer mom' is. Maybe you could elaborate.

[scotty_1987]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone have pictures of these "mules" ie. the Rover 200's with the MINI chassis', they intrigue me, I need to know more haha!!

 

Cheers, in advance 

 

Nath

[gkmini]

 

MINIs are for teenage girls and soccer moms.

 

 
Alec Issigonis actually designed the Mini for the 'District Nurse' originally.........as with the classic Mini the new MINI has a very wide appeal to all different types of person around the world which probably explains its similar sales success.....and whats wrong with being a teenage girl or a soccer mom (whatever that is) anyway?
 
Perhaps you should register on the MINITorque.com forum and tell the guys on there that too!
http://www.minitorque.com/site/
 
http://www.minitorqu...forum/forum.php

Hah you've been following Mab!

I guess I'm just frustrated at the amount of people who have no idea about the heritage of the MINI brand.

For instance, when my classic was on the road and I would drive around town, I always made it a point to pip my horn and wave at new MINI drivers. Some were delighted to see their cars ancestor and would respond with an enthusiastic thumbs up or a wave. Some even rolled down the window for a quick chat at the stoplight.

But then there was always the group that had no clue what I was on about. Typically, these were younger people (and not to be sexist) most often moms or teenage girls who bought a mini because it looked cute.

I guess everyone isn't a car person but it just irks me. That's all.

In regards to what exactly a "soccer mom" is, it's probably an entirely foreign concept in the UK where football is like a religion. Here in North America, it refers to overbearing mothers who put their kids in sports programs (primarily soccer aka football) and are known for driving minivans or popular new cars primarily because of the fact they are trendy. So most likely similar to the "district nurse".

AND finally, as far as my "Gross" comment being childish. I was just, as you say, "Having a laugh." and didn't mean it in anything more than fun.

Cheers!

[Mini 360]

cooper S has a 189bhp.. not to be sniffed at

Is that all it gets!?  In a heavy car that isn't that impressive to be honest considering that is the hottest of the range.  How the hell is that going to compete with the competition?  Golfs GTIs, Megane Rs etc etc.  Quick but not fast 

 

They have lost their way styling wise sadly.  The R53 looked great, R56 less so and this F56 is fugly!  No doubt sell by the bucketload but not a pretty thing!

Edited by Mini 360, 25 November 2013 - 12:26 AM.

[mab01uk]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone have pictures of these "mules" ie. the Rover 200's with the MINI chassis', they intrigue me, I need to know more haha!!

 

Cheers, in advance 

 

Nath

 

There are some ex-Rover engineers who have described the 'mules' in some detail but many still work in the motor industry or for BMW so are limited in what they can say. I seem to remember I have seen photos posted on the old version of the Austin-Rover-Online forum once and from the outside they looked like pretty standard Rover 200's (perhaps with the odd bonnet bulge for the supercharged 'S' simulator versions) which was of course an advantage during road testing with press spy cameras around.

Rover engineers who turned BMW’s E50 Mini vision into reality and worked on the R50 MINI project at Gaydon and Longbridge have said there were two types of Rover 200 simulator: Rover 200s with a mock MINI chassis and 200s with the MINI’s Pentagon engine. The supercharged K-series simulator was said to be a cracking car. In the end, over 200 simulators were built at Longbridge.

The first Chrysler Tritec engined prototypes for the R50 MINI development were up and running in UK Rover built test car mules by early 1998. The first MINI test mules used Rover 200 bodys reduced in weight to the target weight of the MINI and with much extra stiffness added by full roll cages to match the MINI's proposed ultra stiff bodyshell, needed for ultimate handling in its class. Rover knew what the MINI had to be – the best handling front drive car in the world and were therefore very happy with BMW's multi-link Z-axle rear suspension concept which the Longbridge engineers cleverly reduced in size and height, although it was still not great for space in the rear.

The first R50 MINI interiors were also mocked up on a Rover 200 platform and a supercharged Rover 200 mule was used to demonstrate Rovers proposal for the MINI Cooper S version to BMW's chiefs who once they had driven it at the Gaydon test track were keen to sign off its immediate development as the R53 launched in 2002.

Edited by mab01uk, 25 November 2013 - 12:28 AM.

[HarrysMini]

 

 

 

MINIs are for teenage girls and soccer moms.

 
Alec Issigonis actually designed the Mini for the 'District Nurse' originally.........as with the classic Mini the new MINI has a very wide appeal to all different types of person around the world which probably explains its similar sales success.....and whats wrong with being a teenage girl or a soccer mom (whatever that is) anyway?
 
Perhaps you should register on the MINITorque.com forum and tell the guys on there that too!
http://www.minitorque.com/site/
 
http://www.minitorqu...forum/forum.php

Hah you've been following Mab!

I guess I'm just frustrated at the amount of people who have no idea about the heritage of the MINI brand.

For instance, when my classic was on the road and I would drive around town, I always made it a point to pip my horn and wave at new MINI drivers. Some were delighted to see their cars ancestor and would respond with an enthusiastic thumbs up or a wave. Some even rolled down the window for a quick chat at the stoplight.

But then there was always the group that had no clue what I was on about. Typically, these were younger people (and not to be sexist) most often moms or teenage girls who bought a mini because it looked cute.

I guess everyone isn't a car person but it just irks me. That's all.

In regards to what exactly a "soccer mom" is, it's probably an entirely foreign concept in the UK where football is like a religion. Here in North America, it refers to overbearing mothers who put their kids in sports programs (primarily soccer aka football) and are known for driving minivans or popular new cars primarily because of the fact they are trendy. So most likely similar to the "district nurse".

AND finally, as far as my "Gross" comment being childish. I was just, as you say, "Having a laugh." and didn't mean it in anything more than fun.

Cheers!

 

I agree with this, while there will be lots of people who buy a MINI because of the iconic brand and know what it used to be, there will also be some who don't, and like you say, buy them 'because they're cute'. 

 

It's a shame, but we have to accept that the MINI brand is just a car, unlike our Minis that are obviously a lot more than that.

[ShaunaFTW]

They just get worse every time they release a new one. Looks like a gawping fish.

[scotty_1987]

 

Just out of curiosity, does anyone have pictures of these "mules" ie. the Rover 200's with the MINI chassis', they intrigue me, I need to know more haha!!

 

Cheers, in advance 

 

Nath

 

There are some ex-Rover engineers who have described the 'mules' in some detail but many still work in the motor industry or for BMW so are limited in what they can say. I seem to remember I have seen photos posted on the old version of the Austin-Rover-Online forum once and from the outside they looked like pretty standard Rover 200's (perhaps with the odd bonnet bulge for the supercharged 'S' simulator versions) which was of course an advantage during road testing with press spy cameras around.

Rover engineers who turned BMW’s E50 Mini vision into reality and worked on the R50 MINI project at Gaydon and Longbridge have said there were two types of Rover 200 simulator: Rover 200s with a mock MINI chassis and 200s with the MINI’s Pentagon engine. The supercharged K-series simulator was said to be a cracking car. In the end, over 200 simulators were built at Longbridge.

The first Chrysler Tritec engined prototypes for the R50 MINI development were up and running in UK Rover built test car mules by early 1998. The first MINI test mules used Rover 200 bodys reduced in weight to the target weight of the MINI and with much extra stiffness added by full roll cages to match the MINI's proposed ultra stiff bodyshell, needed for ultimate handling in its class. Rover knew what the MINI had to be – the best handling front drive car in the world and were therefore very happy with BMW's multi-link Z-axle rear suspension concept which the Longbridge engineers cleverly reduced in size and height, although it was still not great for space in the rear.

The first R50 MINI interiors were also mocked up on a Rover 200 platform and a supercharged Rover 200 mule was used to demonstrate Rovers proposal for the MINI Cooper S version to BMW's chiefs who once they had driven it at the Gaydon test track were keen to sign off its immediate development as the R53 launched in 2002.

 

 

Fantastic info there MAB, it'd be very fascinating to read up more on these mules and how they went about engineering them. I would suspect that all that information wouldn't be freely available as BMW won't allow it but it'd be very fascinating to sit down and have a chat about it all!! At what point did they start building the prototype R50 as we knew it then!? I think one of the pictures you put up was from 1998, would that BINI have been fully working or just a shell!?

 

Is there any good websites/books you could recommend which has all the details!?

 

Cheers,

Nath

[Tanya]

They just get worse every time they release a new one. Looks like a gawping fish.

 

I guess it's a challenge to design a MINI that meets the latest pedestrian friendly requirements and at the same time still retains the MINI look.  Still, it could be worse!

 

[mab01uk]

 

 

Just out of curiosity, does anyone have pictures of these "mules" ie. the Rover 200's with the MINI chassis', they intrigue me, I need to know more haha!!

 

Cheers, in advance 

 

Nath

 

There are some ex-Rover engineers who have described the 'mules' in some detail but many still work in the motor industry or for BMW so are limited in what they can say. I seem to remember I have seen photos posted on the old version of the Austin-Rover-Online forum once and from the outside they looked like pretty standard Rover 200's (perhaps with the odd bonnet bulge for the supercharged 'S' simulator versions) which was of course an advantage during road testing with press spy cameras around.

Rover engineers who turned BMW’s E50 Mini vision into reality and worked on the R50 MINI project at Gaydon and Longbridge have said there were two types of Rover 200 simulator: Rover 200s with a mock MINI chassis and 200s with the MINI’s Pentagon engine. The supercharged K-series simulator was said to be a cracking car. In the end, over 200 simulators were built at Longbridge.

The first Chrysler Tritec engined prototypes for the R50 MINI development were up and running in UK Rover built test car mules by early 1998. The first MINI test mules used Rover 200 bodys reduced in weight to the target weight of the MINI and with much extra stiffness added by full roll cages to match the MINI's proposed ultra stiff bodyshell, needed for ultimate handling in its class. Rover knew what the MINI had to be – the best handling front drive car in the world and were therefore very happy with BMW's multi-link Z-axle rear suspension concept which the Longbridge engineers cleverly reduced in size and height, although it was still not great for space in the rear.

The first R50 MINI interiors were also mocked up on a Rover 200 platform and a supercharged Rover 200 mule was used to demonstrate Rovers proposal for the MINI Cooper S version to BMW's chiefs who once they had driven it at the Gaydon test track were keen to sign off its immediate development as the R53 launched in 2002.

 

 

Fantastic info there MAB, it'd be very fascinating to read up more on these mules and how they went about engineering them. I would suspect that all that information wouldn't be freely available as BMW won't allow it but it'd be very fascinating to sit down and have a chat about it all!! At what point did they start building the prototype R50 as we knew it then!? I think one of the pictures you put up was from 1998, would that BINI have been fully working or just a shell!?

 

Is there any good websites/books you could recommend which has all the details!?

 

Cheers,

Nath

 

 

The book 'New MINI' by Graham Robson covers the R50 MINI development by Rover and BMW in detail and is a very interesting read if you want to know more.

 

Also AustinRover Online website has some info on the development story of the R50:

http://www.aronline....opment-history/

 

Edited by mab01uk, 25 November 2013 - 01:04 PM.

[scotty_1987]

Sweet, cheers MAB I shall definitely check that out dude !!

Nathan

[campaj1]

 

They just get worse every time they release a new one. Looks like a gawping fish.

 

I guess it's a challenge to design a MINI that meets the latest pedestrian friendly requirements and at the same time still retains the MINI look.  Still, it could be worse!

 

 

rather have this    

[the_r_sole]

to be honest this argument is completely pointless!

I have owned both, the classic mini is a design classic, small, fun to drive (if not the most practical in a Scottish winter)

the new MINI (I had the r53) is small (by current standards) and fun to drive - they have some nod's to the past design wise but effectively they are a small modern hatchback - imo the only reason people have an issue with them is that the makers changed to bmw (although do the same people say that rover mini's aren't real minis too, they changed the engines and interiors...)

I currently have a mk1 vw caddy - this is a million miles away from a current model vw caddy but no one says "that's a real caddy not like these modern ones", probably because the maker has been the same all the way through...

I agree that the newer minis are getting further and further away from the original but ALL cars do that, it's called development - if you don't like it then that's fine but some of the comments on this thread and the forum in general are quite embarrassing

 

owning a mini should put a smile on your face - just enjoy it and the heritage that goes with it, and remember that some people just drive cars because they have to get around, my mum had a classic mini because it was the cheapest car she could get at the time (and it wasn't a classic back then!) she wasn't particularly bothered about the history of it, much the same as people today who are just looking for a decent looking (imo) hatch

Edited by the_r_sole, 25 November 2013 - 02:57 PM.