135 replies to this topic

[CMcB]

It's not ALL speculation. W&P's Mike has told me what they want to do. The first car should be starting to be built around now, after they've refurbed their offices - theyve bought the property next door and are making a nice showroom - and the first car, if they do make 50, will be on show at Bingley Hall.

They're getting Sportpack shells from Heritage and not sure exactly about the engines but by the sounds of it using donor or recon'd MPi engines and all new parts and W&P interior. not sure where they're sourcing engines from though.

That is direct from Mike.

[LOWRIDERHORNET]

Face it ROVER f**ked up if they did sell mini we would be in this S**t right now and they be still cashing in

How do we no that BMW won`t make the classic mini for her 50th birthday anyway one day Bini will stop selling and mr BMW will think hummmmm let make the mini smaller like everyone eles wanted it to be in the first place

[Ethel]

I don't see how BMW could hope to get in on the act without at least paying lip service to the car that carried their brand for the first 40 years. I imagine Beamer dealerships will be falling over themselves to secure good classics to put in their show rooms if they are going to try and sell 8th anniversary Binis. God alone knows what kind of dogs breakfast they'll cook up if they try and emulate some Mk1 Mini styling.

Any scheme to hand build classic Minis would have to be pitched at the luxury market to have any hope of being a commercial success. Even so, the suggested £25k can't leave much of a profit margin and knocking out 50 cars in a year sounds like a huge undertaking. if they succeed in getting the orders I think W&P could be busy for a good while longer.

[998dave]

You don't think the best situation would be both.

W&P make 50 cars in mini classic shape.
BMW make 50 cars in new mini shape.

Everybody has a big party to celebrate the mini's 50th anniversary, with both classic and new mini's at the party and just enjoying the celebration rather then being xenophobic about a modern version of the classic car we love.

Rover couldn't keep the mini in production, the cost would have been astronomical to make it pass the newer safety legislation, I know NCAP isn't actually a legal requirement, but it's the one thing customers see, would you buy a car that struggles to make NCAP 1 when you could for the same money stick your kids in an NCAP 5 car with more space, more reliability, and similar fuel consumption?

[Ethel]

You don't think the best situation would be both.

W&P make 50 cars in mini classic shape.
BMW make 50 cars in new mini shape.

Everybody has a big party to celebrate the mini's 50th anniversary, with both classic and new mini's at the party and just enjoying the celebration rather then being xenophobic about a modern version of the classic car we love.

Rover couldn't keep the mini in production, the cost would have been astronomical to make it pass the newer safety legislation, I know NCAP isn't actually a legal requirement, but it's the one thing customers see, would you buy a car that struggles to make NCAP 1 when you could for the same money stick your kids in an NCAP 5 car with more space, more reliability, and similar fuel consumption?

I'd agree with that as long as BMW acknowledge that Mini is very much still alive and kicking and that Bini isn't its replacement, just a tribute act. Bjorn Again with airbags.

[LOWRIDERHORNET]

Mini did`nt had to meet up with the new safety legislation but it was still from the 60s so they did`nt had to worry about stuff like that

[998dave]

So just because a car was designed a long time ago it doesn't have to pass new legislation?

Actually... it depends on exactly when each car is built, the ones built in the 60's didn't have to, but if they were still building them now they'd have to comply with the new emissions laws, safety & crash laws, vehicle end of life, and an assortment of others.

They struggled in the 90's, switching to SPi, and MPi, (a joke in itself, two injectors is hardly multiple)...

Dave

Edited by 998dave, 08 October 2008 - 11:49 AM.

[Shifty]

You don't think the best situation would be both.

W&P make 50 cars in mini classic shape.
BMW make 50 cars in new mini shape.

Everybody has a big party to celebrate the mini's 50th anniversary, with both classic and new mini's at the party and just enjoying the celebration rather then being xenophobic about a modern version of the classic car we love.

Rover couldn't keep the mini in production, the cost would have been astronomical to make it pass the newer safety legislation, I know NCAP isn't actually a legal requirement, but it's the one thing customers see, would you buy a car that struggles to make NCAP 1 when you could for the same money stick your kids in an NCAP 5 car with more space, more reliability, and similar fuel consumption?

I'd agree with that as long as BMW acknowledge that Mini is very much still alive and kicking and that Bini isn't its replacement, just a tribute act. Bjorn Again with airbags.

Been reading this thread and find myself getting surpisingly angry about BMW celebrating 50yrs of the Mini/Bini!!

Didn't realize I actually felt that strongly!!

[taffy1967]

Yes their going to celebrate a car that they provide no service for or parts back-up.

But they do protect it's image by threatening legal action against anyone making a penny from selling Mini shaped items.

[Juju]

Went to see Mike at W&P last night (needed to book Matilda's MOT) & told him of all the twitterings & gossip abound on the internet. He was amazed at all the different rumours & wanted the record set straight. The W&P Margrave 50 shell should be all sprayed up & spangley by the end of this week.

When they open their new showroom (hopefully November 15th, but that ain't far away) it'll take pride of place for a while, before it is finished ready for the launch at Bingley. Yes, you will be able to order one after the launch (for £25,000). Apparently somebody has already tried to phone in an order, despite the prototype still being very much in its infancy (actually, more like embryonic).

W&P still want to maintain the brand's "sleepy" reputation (they are a tiny company), so don't go imagining a huge production line with myriad special cars being churned out.

Edited by Juju, 16 October 2008 - 07:47 AM.

[roberts]

hey

havnt read through the post, so might have been covered...

you don't have to pass any NCAP tests, larger (larger as in mass producing) manufacturers only do the tests as certain people tend to buy cars because of there safety ratings. 5 star NCAP points sell cars! so its worth them doing it!

Manufacturers such as Ferrari, Lambo, Lotus, Pagoni etc. don't even consider the NCAP testing, as you have to supply something silly like 26 cars (i think thats right). Imagine if Pigoni had supplied 26 of the worlds 25 Zondas for the testing! Hang on, that means the world would have -1 Zondas....


I like the idea of new Minis but in my opinion whats the pint unless they modernise them? only fools are goin to spend 25K on a Mini, i mean, think of the other cars you can buy for that. BMW Mini Cooper S works, Honda Type R, Golf GTi (with around 5 grand change). Or if you want to spend the entire 25K you could get a 350Z, an RX8, 6month old S2000 etc. You can even get a high millage F355...

I think they have to update the engine (some sort of flat 4, 16v), introduce power steering, bigger brakes with ABS, a decent diff, modern suspension, and also they should update the looks...i dont mean dramatically, just non of the shiny retro trim...otherwise there just going to look like classic Mini's. And if i was to spend 25k on one i'd want something different and special!

If you work it out (I did a few years ago) you can make your own new Mini for around 21k, buying 100% new parts!

[Jordie]

i dont mean dramatically, just non of the shiny retro trim...otherwise there just going to look like classic Mini's

So just buy a BINI then?

The whole point of making the 50th anniversary model is surely to celebrate the success of the mini since it began production. The shape, style, design of the mini has been just about the same throughout production and it works, so why change it.

Would be a nice idea, but at £25k each, only the people with enough money to say 'I have a 09 Classic Mini' will be the ones buying them.

Jordie

[roberts]

So just buy a BINI then?

Thats what i said

[Juju]

Would be a nice idea, but at £25k each, only the people with enough money to say 'I have a 09 Classic Mini' will be the ones buying them.

Well if I had the moolah, I'd be first in line.

[Ethel]

Would be a nice idea, but at £25k each, only the people with enough money to say 'I have a 09 Classic Mini' will be the ones buying them.

Well if I had the moolah, I'd be first in line.

So, are they really aiming to make 50? They'd have to wipe the sleep from their eyes to knock out that number next year.