74 replies to this topic

[Bazooka Joe]

"And at over four metres long (even the Clubman is only 3.9 metres long) the Crossover stands a decent chance of being the first Mini big enough to accommodate more than two trendy urbanites in one sitting. The first true family Mini? It would appear so."
Typical ill-informed rubbish journalism. My 1984 mini seats four adults no problem. My friends 2004 mini on the other hand struggles to fit 2 kids in the back. And yes, she is a trendy urbanite!
As for the car, it looks like one of them street car rover things, where they jacked the car up a bit and put big wheels on it. In other words, junk! And whilst the roof consol thing sounds good, it's hardly a selling point. Next thing they'll be saying it comes with a full sets of seats and an engine. And paint. Mind you, if you could drop the 4 wheel drive gear onto a Cooper S saloon, and up the engine power a little........

[CHUNKY365]

=

[vtec_miniestate]

what an ugly bmw thingy!

[taffy1967]

This is truly a new low for BMW, how can a car called Mini be so hideously barge sized?

More metal, more money I guess?

[captainjack15]

I think this is a completely horrid car. I have a question for BMW, WHY??

As said above, a new low for BMW :|

[Jimmy Hat]

Hideous. And I was literally just about to create a thread on it!! Looks slightly more MK1 ish from the front but its a horrible looking car :/

[liirge]

Its aweful, and im hoping that this isnt going to be a called a MINI MOKE...they've been threatening a re-invention!

[spaceoctagon]

No there going to call it the Austin Ant, like the original Mini based 4x4

[Miniholic]

Saw this the other day and hed to check my calendar, thought April 1st had come around already. Don't know about crossover, more like crossdresser.

[zomerzet]

Two words.. MILKING IT

BMW have come on to a winner with the new mini and simply want to cash in in as many ways possible. They have already made the money they paid for the name back by now so why not introduce an SUV as it's what the public want (?) apparently. If they designed their mini better in the first place they would ALREADY have ample room inside! How can we make the MINI better...? Make it EVEN BIGGER of course!

Rant over.

Now thinks about a supercharged 4WD BINI, maybe it's not so bad after all....

[woody17]

interesting to say the least...

[Junior Mini]

Please save the world from this god awfull creation

[mab01uk]

Quotes from AutoExpress review:-

"Tipped to bear the name MINI Crossman, the SUV is targeted at buyers downsizing from bigger, full-blown off-roaders. And just like the current Clubman before it, the new Crossman is packed with challenging concepts.
The SAV is officially a design study at the moment, but in an exclusive interview with Auto Express, MINI chief designer Gert Hildebrand – the man responsible for the Crossover’s styling – confirmed “this kind of car will go into production”.

Hildebrand said the design is a “pre-communication that MINI could do these things”, paving the way for the brand to pioneer a shift in direction for future cars. However, he stopped short at confirming whether the headlamps will go further than this machine.

“In a concept car you always use different design languages to try things for the future. It has its own message, its own values,” he explained. And the Crossman isn’t only spearheading a new design direction for MINI; it’s also targeting a completely new customer base. According to Hildebrand, this will be the first MINI bought as a household’s main family car. “It’s a bigger MINI for people who have only one vehicle,” he said. “It’s for customers who need four-wheel drive – people with Range Rovers and BMW X5s.”

So, even though the Crossman is the first MINI to measure more than four metres in length, it could become the acceptable face of the SUV. “Small will be the name of the game in the future,” he told us. “This is a very politically correct 4x4.”

"And when the wraps come off the MINI on the stands in the French capital next month, with its blend of retro cool, rugged ability and desirability, it might just strike another nail into the coffin of the 4x4 as we know it!"

"To distinguish the model from larger SUVs, MINI is calling the car in these official images an SAV, or sports activity vehicle.
But it’s not without controversy, as the machine’s new face will no doubt spark debate among MINI enthusiasts."
Link to the full report:
http://www.autoexpre...muscles_in.html

[mab01uk]

Now thinks about a supercharged 4WD BINI, maybe it's not so bad after all....

Maybe soon.................

Getrag All Wheel Drive MINI Cooper S
Mega World: Sweden TV Show 40 minutes into the show the host, Kevin Brauch gets into a MINI Cooper S and goes to the Artic Falls Test Track proving Grounds in Northern Sweden, where Getrag took two MCS and made one AWD. Then tested them on the track and compared the two, one with AWD and one without, in the hope BMW will soon make an AWD version.

Video of the entire show Link below...........Fast Forward to 30:45 for the AWD MINI part of the show
http://video.google....309701279751306