Will the Mini age well?

[N16SHP]

Was having a discussion with someone at work about whether new cars will age as well as some of the old ones. We were talking about how some of the new cars like the RS and Leon in bright green, will that still be as cool as it is now in 5 or 6 years time? Will the new Mini age as well as the old one?

So it got me thinking, what cars have aged well?

I'm going for this, a Capri 2.8 injection. My dad's best mate had one, and I used to think it was the nuts when I was like 5!!!
http://www.classicandperformancecar.com/front_website/octane_interact/modelpicture.php?id=3541

[Stewart]

I was brought up around some very fast and serious cars; I was the baby in my large group of friends with ten years between me and the oldest with the rest in-between. So I have fond Memories of 3.0L Capri’s, RS Mexico’s, Lotus Sunbeams, XR2’s and XR3i’s, Golfs on an endless list. When I was at the Classic car show with all the Mini’s I was reminded just how good looking the older cars were.

I think the Mk I Golf GTi would win my Vote. Although I love seeing the original Mini's on the road.

http://i435.photobucket.com/albums/qq72/sav112g/vw-golf-gti-mk-i-lg.jpg



I think because the modern Mini is spin on a Classic it will age well although I do think there will be a point when there is too much of them on the road. My mates think the Modern Mini is too soft, you can drive them fast too easy, but I think its as close to a drivers car you can get these days.

[The Dogfather]

Obvious one would have been: -

http://www.classiccar.com/photopost/data/514/Porsche_912.jpg

But I still think this looks good

http://www.europeanclassiccars.co.uk/944/928%20015.jpg

[Stewart]

My mate had a 944 Guards Red and its one of the car he wishes he'd never sold.

[Crombers]

Canny be arsed looking for a photo but my dream (i.e. affordable) car has to be a late MKII VW Golf Gti (big bumper model) in Oak Green, simply drop dead gorgeous :yes nod:

[GCA3N]

Is this it?

http://i383.photobucket.com/albums/oo280/greigallan/woodgolf1.jpg

[Crombers]

Yup ............................... That is stunning

[Scottie]

^^ nice car ^^

[Craig]

I'd have one of those as a daily runner. :yes nod:

[Crombers]

Piy it's been 'lowered' , not my cuppa tea

Went to GTi International back in 2003 (Bentwaters Park nr Ipswich). Just to see the number of 'minted' MK1 & 2 Golf's was amazing. Lhasa Green & Helios Blue are fantastic colours but the Oak Green is just the 'daddy'. See if MINI brought out that kinda colour ...................................... :drool:

[Forbes]

Is this it?

http://i383.photobucket.com/albums/oo280/greigallan/woodgolf1.jpg

Its really the wheels that make that car

[ELFMAN]

That Golf is NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE!

New cars like the Leon won't have the same place in folks hearts like say the 2.8 Capri - 'The Professionals' didn't drive them for a start! But maybe that's just an age thing on my part. All of these 'iconic' cars come from times when they really stood out from the herd, because there were a lot of rubbish cars back then for the good ones to stand out from - now we're a bit spoiled for choice, so it's harder for cars to make it into that category, which is arguably a good thing... or a bad thing. Also through the years, the car has become just another 'consumer durable' to most people, whereas when I was growing up, and especially in my parents younger days, a car was pretty special no matter what it was. It wasn't a given that everybody owned one and they were actually a bit of a luxury for a lot of people.

I don't think the MINI can possibly 'age' as well as or in the same way as the Original. It's born in a totally different era for a start. The original Mini will forever be tied into the 'Swinging Sixties' and Monte Carlo Rally wins and has been a part of 'culture' for 50+ years. It was a more 'affordable' car - more people had access to them so its demographic was far more wide-ranging. The new MINI, although it does cross lots of 'boundaries' from Boy (and Girl!) Racers to Grannies, ownership is still too pricey as new to be truly 'popular'. The original MIni was a 'family' car - how many MINIS are genuine family cars today? As 'our' car gets older, more folks will be able to afford them, so ownership will continue to widen, but that's not really the same thing.

My fave 'attainable' cars when growing up were original Minis, which I had access to or owned, and I hankered after things like the Sunbeam Lotus, 3 Litre Capri, Escort Mexico/RS 2000, Triumph TR6, Datsun 260Z etc but these were a bit more exotic and I couldn't afford them. After my Minis, I drove Novas (1.0litre - terrible, SR Good and GTE - great engine, semi-decent other bits), Peugeot 106's (XSi x2 and a Diablo Red GTi tuned by L.A.D. - all brilliant cars in their own speed bracket). Of all these non-MINIs , I reckon the Peugeot 106's still have something 'special' and are regarded pretty highly, but as far as 'iconic' status, I don't think they're QUITE up there with the 205GTI. Then I got my MINI COOPER in 2001 (it was a great drive and got more attention than a Ferrari back then, which was a real buzz!), my COOPER S in 2003 which got JCW'd, Playmini'd, GRS'd etc and last year my R56 now with various bits. The JCW 210 with the extra tuning was just brilliant, and my fave car so far - I still miss it, but needed a change.

Back to the question - I reckon the COOPER from 2001 could be regarded as the 'first of the breed', so have a bit more 'Classic Pull', also the Gen 1 Cooper S JCW's and GP's obviously, which I think will be regarded as better 'drivers' cars' than the Gen 2 R56 (not to mention most other things on the road), which to me, despite being a great car, will always be that wee bit more 'Mainstream' and not quite as special as the earlier models which BMW decided were too expensive to build!

[Stewart]

Like the Mk II above but I'll stick to my MkI as I think it was and remember at the time just a raw hatchback with power. I liked the MKII but think it had just put on a bit a weight and comfort compared to the MkI. Its the red-pinstripe that said, "Yeah I'm the GTi"

I loved the MkI Xr2 in the same way, the very car below.

http://www.xrtwo.com/cars/leerobertson/car1.jpg

[N16SHP]

Very well said Elfman! I'd tend to agree with you about the R50 Mini's probably being the ones that will have the classic car status!

[Sheilz]

What about the clubman? Would it have the same status as the R50?

[GCA3N]

Very well said Elfman! I'd tend to agree with you about the R50 Mini's probably being the ones that will have the classic car status!


What about the clubman? Would it have the same status as the R50?

I agree the R50 I think may well do, when you say clubman I presume we are talking about the R55 clubman. If so then I gonna suggest no, and I include the R56 in that too. The R50/53 are defo more of a classic shape than the new ones. IMO.

[Big Gordy]

Has to be a Triumph TR6 for me:thumbs up: OR my first Mk1 Ford Escort 1300GT........loved that car:yes nod: Was just about to buy either a TR6 or an RS2000 when I met the current Mrs.Stewart:frown:

[Sheilz]

I agree the R50 I think may well do, when you say clubman I presume we are talking about the R55 clubman. If so then I gonna suggest no, and I include the R56 in that too. The R50/53 are defo more of a classic shape than the new ones. IMO.

Yes, it was the R55 I was talking about. I thought that it might just fall into that category because its the first of its kind like the R50.

[ELFMAN]

Possibly Sheilz, but I doubt it. The first NEW MINIs were at the forefront of the 'Retro' revival (the new Beetle TOTALLY failed to revive anything except a worry about any bloke who drove one...), so they were trend-setters - strangely echoing the original Mini in deed as well as shape - whereas the 'Gen 2' MINI just doesn't have that impact and arguably has become much more of a 'mainstream' car.

The early Gen 1 COOPERs were more of an 'enthusiasts' car in my opinion - car fans had read up about them and discovered just what great drivers' cars they were. There was even something about the way they marketed/Advertised them that wasn't 'mainstream'. I reckon BMW built them as a lower volume exercise for a 'niche market' which, luckily for them, grabbed both the Petrolheads and shortly afterwards the 'Fashionistas' and took off in a big way. This must have caught them off guard as it necessitated a total revamp of production methods for the Gen 2 - the first version was WAY too expensive to build in the volumes they now needed to satisfy demand. I think, that although the R56 MINI is still a fantastic car, time and trends have lessened its impact - this always happens - and it simply no longer has that 'Wow Factor' and comparitive rarity of the earlier cars. There are too many of them on the road, many now driven by folks who, let's be honest, like the car but aren't necessarily car enthusiasts.

So while I think the odd well-preserved Clubbie will always be a great car and of interest, it'll take a LONG, LONG time before it attains 'Classic' status, if ever. As I said before, the first COOPER ticks more 'status' boxes and the Gen 1 JCW S and GP will always have the upper hand as THE 'Driver's' MINI.

[emicen]

I think it will age well but not immediately.

The problem the mini faces is one thats already starting. The prices have come down to the point where those who eat, sleep and breathe P45 filler and fibreglass have them in their sights. So whilst ultimately, unmolested Minis will become an icon of the noughties, there's a good decade of Nova-esque pain to come before that whilst probably half of all on the roads get blended in airbrakes, sorry "diffusers", metal flake paint jobs, 19in chrome slab wheels etc

The real iconic cars of the past ie mk1 Golf GTi, Pug 205 GTi, 106 GTi/Rallye all had a great drive in common and thats what the Mini excels at, its simply a hoot to drive and sticks to the road very well. XR2/XR3i/RS Turbos etc arent really iconic in the same way. Their pricing is typical of blue oval daftness, all they really achieved was a lot of power in a small package for dual carriageway action. Thats why you'll notice a distinct abscence from things like the Evo top 100 for them.