37 replies to this topic

[dave585]

The New mini van will be a Clubman minus the little door on the drivers side and a bulk head between the front and rear. The second MINI picture is just a photoshop pic from a German car mag that has been doing the rounds now for at least 3 years and there are not plans to put it in to production. So there is no reason to get worked up! The cars that are coming over the next few years will be The Gen 3 hatch/drop top, Gen 2 Clubman, Gen 2 Countryman, Rocketman (mini MINI), Paceman, Roadster and the new Traveller a slightly bigger version of the Clubman.

[muddd001]

To be honest I'm excited.

I'm excited to see what new MINI's, MINI are going to bring out next. I think a van would be awesome.
MINI are doing exactly what Mini did all those years ago, expanding there range and reaching a wider target market.
And also to be honest i like the NEW MINI's and think there quite nice, but the only thing I disagree on is the badge on the front which should say BMW.

[mab01uk]

And also to be honest i like the NEW MINI's and think there quite nice, but the only thing I disagree on is the badge on the front which should say BMW.

MINI like Rolls Royce is a standalone marque/range of cars within BMW Group with seperate showrooms and sales staff, in the same way that the classic Mini was within Rover Group and previously British Leyland from 1969 when it deleted both Austin & Morris marque badges from the Mini range (except for a few export markets). The classic Mini never carried an external Rover badge except in a few export markets and the Rover brand of large luxury cars was nothing to do with the Mini until British Leyland bought Rover in 1968, and then took over BMC in 1969 when the Mini was already 10 years old.

In the same way you would not expect to see a VW badge displayed on a Seat, Skoda, Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini or Bugatti (or a Tata badge on a Jaguar or Land Rover) or Ford when they previously owned them).

Edited by mab01uk, 08 January 2012 - 12:10 PM.

[muddd001]

And also to be honest i like the NEW MINI's and think there quite nice, but the only thing I disagree on is the badge on the front which should say BMW.

MINI like Rolls Royce is a standalone marque/range of cars within BMW Group, in the same way that the classic Mini was within Rover Group and previously British Leyland from 1969 when it deleted both Austin & Morris badges from the Mini range (except for a few export markets). The classic Mini never carried an external Rover badge except in a few export markets and the Rover brand of large luxury cars was nothing to do with the Mini until British Leyland bought Rover in 1968, and then took over BMC in 1969 when the Mini was already 10 years old.

In the same way you would not expect to see a VW badge displayed on a Seat, Skoda, Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini or Bugatti (or a Tata badge on a Jaguar or Land Rover) or Ford when they previously owned them).

Yeh I get that, I was more implieing that it shouldn'e be a MINI and should be a BMW

[mab01uk]

Yeh I get that, I was more implieing that it shouldn'e be a MINI and should be a BMW

There is a new small fwd BMW currently under co-development which will share basic platform and engines with the next generation Mk3 MINI (code named F56) due in 2013 but as the MINI brand is now firmly re-established as a worldwide success, it is unlikely any car manufacturer would ever allow it to die quietly and slip into history again, as Rover had once intended in 1996.
Next Generation MINI Timeline & Details Revealed:
http://www.motoringf...tails-revealed/

Edited by mab01uk, 08 January 2012 - 02:58 PM.

[TA2DMAC]

There's been talk of BMW putting a cross line platform BMW engine in the Mini for some time. It's claimed to be more reliable and more powerful and would reduce cost because it would be used in other vehicles.

[Mini_Magic]

Just thought I'd post this to wind everyone up some more!

[craig 1010cc]

from what I hear, there is going to be a limited run of vans (a couple 1000) this year (got a mate that was working on the project)

Because no ones going to buy it?

Nope, 1st run was going to be only 500, but they have already increased it because of the feedback they got. BMW are very good at selling more cars than they originally plan to (the only model not to have exceeded the original build plans was the 3 series compact).

If they are going to delete the silly 'club door' then that should make a corking little van and a good (albeit expensive) be the other small vans out there