BMW gets the new MINI all wrong?

[The Dogfather]

Listening to some of the comments on here and having seen the films of the new cars, I can't help but feel that BMW seem to have made a bit of a cock up.

1. The looks, is it me or has the new MINI lost its looks, the grille is too wide and the lights seem to be pointing outwards. OK it's not as bad as the Morgan Aero 8 but it looks wrong. BM had the chance to really make the car stand out and failed in my opinion......

2. The ride is too high, the old New MINI looked squat and purposeful, the new new MINI doesn't.

3. Prices, ouch - the MINI is now up against some really good cars a Focus ST3/Astra VXR/Seat Leon FR/ are bigger quicker and available with a discount which matches that of an S with Chilli. The new Type R will be out soon and I'd imagine Honda will price it pretty close to the Astra, that'll be some serious competition.

4. Nothing is standard everything that you might want has to be added at extra cost, aircon, ipod adapter, MP3 CD its a rip off.

If I do end up with another MINI it'll be a old new MINI with a good spec, Bonnie are you selling up? ;)

[OBN]

yep totally agree with ur 1st point. Yep and the 2nd, New Honda is supposed to be £18k probs plus £1k for air con. As for your final point think it is the same with the current model and BMW / MERCEDES and AUDI.

[Crombers]

VB I think ditto :approve:

New looks have not sold on me one jot

[Kosta]

At the moment i think the new model looks awful. It looks more bland, and the stylinh at the front certainly isn't as defined as the out going model. It's lost a lot of its curves... curves are good ;)

[PACMAN]

it not just the new mini is going wrong.... it the whole BMW range in my opinion :disapprove:

[Scottie]

I think they have done not a bad job with the new mini.

Loving loads about it infact have seen nothing to put me of one.

for folks not to sure about it I reckon it will grow on you and you will own one.;)

[Kosta]

It took the current one 3 years to grown on me lol.

As for the comment about the whole BMW range, i think they are going downhill aswell... unless you spec a Sport one, which look ubercool in the 3 and 5 series. The standard ones are gash though.

[PACMAN]

Audi is passing them now in all area

VB - I guess that is a New mini off your list of the car to replace the MX5

[Scottie]

quote:Originally posted by PACMAN

Audi is passing them now in all area


your joking right ;) you are arn't you

check this out:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

http://accident-audi-q7.skynetblogs.be/]http://accident-audi-q7.skynetblogs.be/

[PACMAN]

there is always one bad egg in the basket

:sleepy:

[euan]

I think Audi make the best interior, and a standard small engine Audi with big wheels looks like any other car in the range - no longer the case with the BMW - they look under specced (particulary the 3) without Sport versions.

HOWEVER, from a pure driving position, the balance in the BMW is much better as they are rear wheel drive against Quattro or FF.

I suspect SC is right, give it a year (the same with most BMW's actually) and everyone will like it - they need to grow on you. For me though, it ain't a MINI.

[euan]

Oh, and I'm not even commenting on the price of the MINI. OK, maybe I will - 15K for a basic supermini? Your having a laugh. I know it's a Mini and that counts for something, and it's a "premium" product (didn't feel like it when they launched it though), but it's up against some serious kit now and it just looks underpowered against the others (although it may well drive the best out of them - time will tell).

When MINI first launched, it had just about enough power to beat the opposition, but with everyone now at 200bhp for (approx) 17K with decent specs, makes you think.

[ianking]

I would seriously consider a nice A4 or A3 as my next car. My old boy has a TT and its 4 years old now and nothing has gone wrong. Not even been taken back for a rattle.

[Gismo]

quote:Originally posted by Vidal Buffoon
Bonnie are you selling up? ;)Yep, make me an offer :)

[The Dogfather]

quote:Originally posted by Bonnie Scotland


quote:Originally posted by Vidal Buffoon
Bonnie are you selling up? ;)Yep, make me an offer :)


See my for sale thread ;)

[Gismo]

quote:Originally posted by Vidal Buffoon
See my for sale thread ;)Stay on topic please ;)
E-mail sent :p
As for the new style mini, i quite like the retro looks, not too keen on the headlights :evil: i'm not convinced BMW should retain the looks of the older version either, but, they are in the business to make money, i think they will continue to sell vast amounts of this version too

[The Dogfather]

Alan, I won't get the email till I get home :D

[Gismo]

quote:Originally posted by Vidal Buffoon
Alan, I won't get the email till I get home :DDon't get too excited, i was only asking if you were interested in my mini, i don't need an Omega :p click on my user name with your works e-mail address if you want to discuss ;)
This post will self destruct in 15 mins :p

[illegalhunter]

£13000 for the basic cooper no air con ive got £15k to spend on a company car it wont be a new mini the basic mini is very sparce inside the yanks get aircon as standard for less money

[ianking]

quote:Originally posted by deerslayer

£13000 for the basic cooper no air con ive got £15k to spend on a company car it wont be a new mini the basic mini is very sparce inside the yanks get aircon as standard for less money


Exactly. Think I will be going for a nice, nealry new A4 or 120D next time. Prob another 8 or 9 months down the line for me though.

[N12 JLK]

Im waiting for a year at least before even considering buying the new one, will need to drive the new turbo against the supercharger model, so could get a new S or an older Supercharged version we will wait and see.

[Duncan Stewart]

No! but of course it looks a bit different so it will take us time to get used to it.
With TLC and low depreciation I think the Mini will still be a pretty good buy.

[lightbody]

I agree with you about the looks - the front is simply dreadful.

Don't agree about the price though... its only a bit different to it is now.

[monkimagic]

quote:Originally posted by ScottieCoop

I think they have done not a bad job with the new mini.

Loving loads about it infact have seen nothing to put me of one.

for folks not to sure about it I reckon it will grow on you and you will own one.;)




I with you, I love it.

[markyc]

I like what they've done with the new one, it still has it's appeal and I think it will be just as popular that the current model :) Yes it's expensive for a small car but folk will argue that it's a BMW product so you will have to part with more readies

The cars mentioned in the new Mini price bracket are all good cars but they just don't have the appeal so it's Mini for me next time :D:D;)

[The Dogfather]

Just in case anyone hasn't seen the new look Type R

http://autoblog.it/uploads/honda_civic_type_r_concept_01.jpg

[Scottie]

quote:Originally posted by Vidal Buffoon

Just in case anyone hasn't seen the new look Type R

http://autoblog.it/uploads/honda_civic_type_r_concept_01.jpg


I saw that at the London Motorshow but it was in white.

The interior is a BIG BIG let down.

[ianking]

How good does the outside of the new type R look though. Even manages to look good in yellow

[Burple]

quote:
I saw that at the London Motorshow but it was in white.

The interior is a BIG BIG let down.


That's a real shame, cos that exterior is stunning :cool::D

[Mon the fish]

Don't know why, but I'm in the mood to put my tuppence worth in, so here goes :p

VB hit the nail on the head with point 2, thats the crucial thing for me - it looks too high, doesn't seem to hug the road.

BMW styling - I'm sure their tactics are deliberate to get more money out of people, i.e. the standard car looks a bit naff, so you pay the £££ premium for a Sport version (remember when the Sport packs were only available on the top-of-the-range models?)

Both the 3 and 5 are transformed by what are basically just bumpers and wheels.

On an E39 5 series, 16" wheels looked fine. Now even a 3 series looks awful on 16s, making you spend £££ on bigger wheels.

And I'm not a fan of Audi's - lack of steering feel, and I always just think that its a badge you're buying - buy a Skoda, its the same engine and chassis.

All IMHO of course :p:D

I fancy the new 135ti, the twin-turbo 3 litre from the 335i, put in the 1-series, that'll shift :D

[james f]

^^ what he said, but i will never be changing my cooper for a new version and i can say that with some conviction also agreed with what has been said about them tactic although im a mad mini owner i dont think id ever buy a BMW well a hartge H1 if i could afford it as thats just mental but but i think the look of the new version is far too trendy euro box it has lost all of the bits that make me smile every time i look out the window at mine and i think after having a standard cooper for three years to still feel that show how special a car this is i could never trade it in for an S or keep changing cars every year a mini is for life not just a warranty

[Mini Me]

well i think the new, new MINI is spot on, i really do.
but the proof off the pudding will be in the eating , those who dont like it, i guarantee when it hit's the road , you will.:p

[KenL]

quote:Originally posted by ianking

Exactly. Think I will be going for a nice, nealry new A4 or 120D next time. Prob another 8 or 9 months down the line for me though.


A4, nice car but the 1-series is just so ugly!!!

[monkimagic]

quote:Originally posted by Vidal Buffoon

Just in case anyone hasn't seen the new look Type R

http://autoblog.it/uploads/honda_civic_type_r_concept_01.jpg


THAT IS BOGGIN !!!! Really people :dead:

[The Bull]

quote:Originally posted by ScottieCoop


quote:Originally posted by Vidal Buffoon

Just in case anyone hasn't seen the new look Type R

http://autoblog.it/uploads/honda_civic_type_r_concept_01.jpg


I saw that at the London Motorshow but it was in white.

The interior is a BIG BIG let down.




Will the interior not be sililar to the 5-door versions? I think that interior is amongst the best around, that's why I'm getting one next week!

Back to topic, I think someone mentioned last week that they are losing the link to the original mini. The new MINI is an evolution from the classic and the new new MINI is an evolution of the new MINI. They just seem to be losing the character a little bit.

That said, I bet it is a cracking car and I would still have one.

[Big Col]

I love the look of the new type R! :D

[Burple]

quote:..but i think the look of the new version is far too trendy euro box it has lost all of the bits that make me smile every time i look out the window at mine


That's totally it in a nutshell. They're makeing it into just another Peugot 207 on the road, bland and uninteresting. It's losing the character of Mini now, and turning into 'Just a car'.

Looks like my next car might have to be a boring box.. :(
With another Classic for the weekends to play in! :D:D:D

Tho if I could afford the insurance and fuel, that WRX Estate VB mentioned would get a second look!
:cool:

[lightbody]

Ignoring the looks (which I don't like, inside or out), every single article i've read on the car says that its less fun, less mini-ish, lighter & less-sharp steering, less-sharp throttle response, softer ride. Its a damn shame. I think they should have kept more Rover engineers on.

I definitely wouldn't order one until I could drive one thats for sure, after what I've read.

[euan]

I read a quite damning report on the cars from the pre-production run in Holland (in Octane magazine - free from your friendly BMI airport lounge!) Throttle response was not instant like now, and the handling was affected by the turbo as you couldn't play with the throttle mid corner to alter the balance. That's the whole point of the mini - great handling.