30 replies to this topic

[Sam14]

Why lengthen a normal mini when then have the clubman estate

[mab01uk]

Sorry to state the obvious but how about BMW Pick-up?

they like bringing back the old names

..and with no real connection to the classic models..

The Countryman and Traveller names were historically used on all sorts of BMC cars before the Mini versions arrived ...............more recently there was even an Austin/Rover Montego Countryman:
http://en.wikipedia....n_2.0i_1993.jpg

There was a Mini Clubman Estate so that seems relevant on the new MINI Clubman estate...........however no one would buy the new MINI version it if it had a 1970's square front end grafted on, some things from the 1970's are only of their time and would have limited appeal in todays car market.......not to mention the effect on aerodynamics!

Edited by mab01uk, 03 April 2012 - 12:00 PM.

[Mini_Magic]

i noticed today when i was coming back from work there was a corsa next to the new contryman and can they really call it a mini when the corsa D is alot smaller that it?

A Corsa is a hatchback, a Countryman is a SUV. Of course the Countryman is going to be bigger.

[callum2464]

i noticed today when i was coming back from work there was a corsa next to the new contryman and can they really call it a mini when the corsa D is alot smaller that it?

A Corsa is a hatchback, a Countryman is a SUV. Of course the Countryman is going to be bigger.

all i meant by that was why is it still wearing a mini badge

[mab01uk]

i noticed today when i was coming back from work there was a corsa next to the new contryman and can they really call it a mini when the corsa D is alot smaller that it?

A Corsa is a hatchback, a Countryman is a SUV. Of course the Countryman is going to be bigger.

all i meant by that was why is it still wearing a mini badge

Because BMW now own the brand/ marque name and are using it to produce a range of modern cars which are among the smallest in each of their class market sectors.
ie. supermini /hatch, convertible, estate, coupe, roadster, SUV and eventually a Mini-sized city/ hybrid/ electric car.

It is also known as developing a successful product that people want to buy, creating secure jobs for your workforce and makiing profits to further invest in new models and increase sales around the world............sadly something that previous British owners like BL and BAe seemed unable or unwilling to do.....

Edited by mab01uk, 03 April 2012 - 03:22 PM.

[mk1leg]

What a waste of a GP works Bini.................obviosly too much money...................

[mab01uk]

What a waste of a GP works Bini.................obviosly too much money...................

Hopefully the MINI pick up was built from a Works GP insurance write-off or similar??

With a new Mk3 MINI coming out next year a Mk2 Works GP MINI is currently undergoing final testing before launch......like before as a limited edition 'run out' model.
More Details on MINI GP2 here:
http://www.motoringf...-spotted-again/
and here:
http://www.motoringf...ion/jcw/jcw-gp/

Edited by mab01uk, 03 April 2012 - 07:24 PM.

[Badboytunes]

What a waste of a GP works Bini.................obviosly too much money...................

Hopefully the MINI pick up was built from a Works GP insurance write-off or similar??

it was built from 2 Works GP's. The guy got a bit of stick from the GP club for hacking 2 cars to bits to make 1

Edited by Badboytunes, 03 April 2012 - 08:12 PM.

[mab01uk]

SAD, VERY SAD

Im not a great fan of the BMW but why cant they think of something new rather that creaming off the classic TRUE MINI

But all car Marques use previous brand heritage to market their new models whether they are Jaguar, Land Rover, Ferrari, Ford or MINI.......and isn't a MINI SUV something new that was not 'creamed off' the classic TRUE MINI ?

[its a bit ripe]

i like it think it is done well apart from the daft lambo doors. must have some cash though to cut up 2 works gp minis

[mab01uk]

I get what you mean but the reason is brand heritage and customer loyalty which applies to any consumer product and takes years to build up. To start from scratch and establish a new brand name / car marques reputation around the world is a costly long term exercise, which is why all the famous British car marques like Mini, Land Rover, Jaguar, Rolls Royce and Bentley were snapped up by other car companies like BMW, VW and Tata.

It has taken far longer and cost Mercedes millions more to establish the Smart Car brand than for BMW to build the existing Mini brand back up over the same time period. After 10+ years the MINI is now a range of small cars outselling the Smart car in every world market, while all the other Smart car variants introduced have been canned after never achieving projected sales.

I am sure a Japanese car company like Honda could build a sports car technically every bit as good as a Ferrari or a Porsche but without those badges on the bonnet and the years of Italian or German heritage behind them they would never be as valuable or respected as such without them buying up the respective companies. Maybe one day.........after all VW now own Lamborghini!

Edited by mab01uk, 04 April 2012 - 09:12 AM.

[Mini_Magic]

Im not a great fan of the BMW but why cant they think of something new rather that creaming off the classic TRUE MINI

Isn't that what BMC/BL/Rover did with the classic Mini? Pretty much unchanged since 1959.

[Brams96]

what I mean is the names and the products that they are building, break the mould and build something with a name that has not already been done in the past

Problem with that is there are only so many variations of car, saloon, estate, suv etc so you can call an estate a Clubman to try & tie it in with the history & heritage of the well known Classic Mini estate or you can call it a BMW MINI 'Beatroot' but it's still an estate. They could produce a pickup and call it the BMW Minitruck but it's still a pickup.

[Brams96]

New model?

[jb93]

Bunion????