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new mini countryman
blakep82 - 15/9/10 at 10:21 PM

just saw mention of them on another thread, meh, its pretty cool. i wouldn't have one though.
got me thinking though, are they going to come out with a new mini van, and mini pickup?

and why are they getting the names wrong?
the new mini clubman should be the same as a mini, but with a different front on it! thats what the clubman was

mcerd1 - 15/9/10 at 10:31 PM

quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
and why are they getting the names wrong?
the new mini clubman should be the same as a mini, but with a different front on it! thats what the clubman was

because BMW didn't buy the rights to all the names

blakep82 - 15/9/10 at 10:40 PM

ah, so they can use the same names, as long as there isn't a real similarity between the original mini models and the new ones?
eg they could make a square fronted one, and call it the traveller?

makes sense i guess

mcerd1 - 15/9/10 at 10:49 PM

they own the clubman name, they just didn't want to build a mini with square front....

its all just a brand to them anyway so what do you expect ?

[Edited on 15/9/2010 by mcerd1]

NigeEss - 15/9/10 at 10:52 PM

The New Mini looks wrong, the Clubman is worse and as for the Countryman.............designed by a blind monkey ?????

Ninehigh - 15/9/10 at 11:30 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mcerd1
they own the clubman name, they just didn't want to build a mini with square front....

its all just a brand to them anyway so what do you expect ?

[Edited on 15/9/2010 by mcerd1]


Well I did expect it to be small like the name implies... If I was in trading standards I'd make them call it a "Medium"

morcus - 16/9/10 at 12:27 AM

They won't make a van and any pickup would have to be somesort of lifestyle convertible.

I think it looks alright for what it is. I don't want one and wouldn't buy one but it will sell to its intended market (Apparantly your hip people with kids) and it looks alot better than the downright dangerous clubman.

britishtrident - 16/9/10 at 06:51 AM

quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
just saw mention of them on another thread, meh, its pretty cool. i wouldn't have one though.
got me thinking though, are they going to come out with a new mini van, and mini pickup?

and why are they getting the names wrong?
the new mini clubman should be the same as a mini, but with a different front on it! thats what the clubman was



The name they got wrong was MINI ---- it is huge and ugly BMW's styling department has totally lost the plot on the smaller models. The Countryman is just ugly it is a milestone in ugliness.

The whole concept is an insult to the name, the real Mini which may have been cobbled together on a minimum budget out of old Austin A30 bits and may have been unreliable and pig to work on but was a truly brilliant bit of packaging.

britishtrident - 16/9/10 at 06:54 AM

quote:
Originally posted by mcerd1
they own the clubman name, they just didn't want to build a mini with square front....

its all just a brand to them anyway so what do you expect ?

[Edited on 15/9/2010 by mcerd1]


Apart from fuel & emmisions considerations square fronts would result in a poorer NCAP ratings.

Ninehigh - 16/9/10 at 07:21 AM

quote:
Originally posted by morcus
(Apparantly your hip people with kids)


How many hip people does it take to change a lightbulb?

It's an obscure number, you've probably never heard of it.

balidey - 16/9/10 at 07:21 AM

The guys I saw it with at MIRA jokingly called it the Mini Maxi.

Its actually nearer a mini SUV

Peteff - 16/9/10 at 08:24 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
How many hip people does it take to change a lightbulb?

It's an obscure number, you've probably never heard of it.


I bet it's like, a gazillion or something ya.

Daddylonglegs - 16/9/10 at 09:54 AM

It's NOT a Mini!! It's a BMW!

Humbug - 16/9/10 at 10:42 AM

Don't like it... anyway, this is a Mini Countryman:


smart51 - 16/9/10 at 01:04 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Daddylonglegs
It's NOT a Mini!! It's a BMW!



Really? So Audis, Skodas, Seats and Bugattis are all really VWs? Vauxhalls are Opels, sorry General Motors? Citroens are actually Peugeots? The Ford Fiesta is really a Mazda and the KA a Fiat?

Get over it.

That said, it is not mini, just a mini.

[Edited on 16-9-2010 by smart51]

morcus - 16/9/10 at 01:39 PM

TBH, how many of you would be saying exactly the same if Rover had kept the rights and built the Mini Spiritual concept as the new mini (I would have prefered that for the record)?

Its all marketing and it works, they'll be literally everywhere in a couple years time because that segment is really taking off (Supermini/quasi suv) and Ford and Vauxhall have got plans to release simillar cars.

balidey - 16/9/10 at 01:47 PM

quote:
Originally posted by morcus
they'll be literally everywhere in a couple years time because that segment is really taking off (Supermini/quasi suv) and Ford and Vauxhall have got plans to release simillar cars.


I never quite figured out how car manufacturers and or motor journalists can justify their claims on whats taking off.
By the time these cars have got to a certain number sold its been in production for a few years.
On top gear a few weeks back Clarkson told people not to buy the new Range Rover because of the horrid front lights. BUT YOU HAVE TO if you want one. Its too late by then. Parts have been made, delivered, fitted, cars shipped out. If you want a new RR then its got those lights on.

Similar story to whole cars. Mini have made one of these massive little cars. Several others are making them now. Its too late to say we don't want them. They will be made and they will be sold and bought and then we have a new 'sector' whether its needed / wanted or not. Its been fed to us.

If you want a really small mini, you can't buy one. You can buy several big ones. Why, because thats what was designed two years ago. We have no choice really.

[Edited on 16/9/10 by balidey]

Ninehigh - 16/9/10 at 03:45 PM

Here here! Like Silver being the most popular colour for cars these days, mainly because that's all they do!

My next car is NOT being silver, under any circumstances

mcerd1 - 16/9/10 at 05:14 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Humbug
Don't like it... anyway, this is a Mini Countryman:




have you got a "100% BMW Free" sticker on the back of that

britishtrident - 16/9/10 at 05:25 PM

quote:
Originally posted by balidey
quote:
Originally posted by morcus
they'll be literally everywhere in a couple years time because that segment is really taking off (Supermini/quasi suv) and Ford and Vauxhall have got plans to release simillar cars.


I never quite figured out how car manufacturers and or motor journalists can justify their claims on whats taking off.
By the time these cars have got to a certain number sold its been in production for a few years.
On top gear a few weeks back Clarkson told people not to buy the new Range Rover because of the horrid front lights. BUT YOU HAVE TO if you want one. Its too late by then. Parts have been made, delivered, fitted, cars shipped out. If you want a new RR then its got those lights on.

Similar story to whole cars. Mini have made one of these massive little cars. Several others are making them now. Its too late to say we don't want them. They will be made and they will be sold and bought and then we have a new 'sector' whether its needed / wanted or not. Its been fed to us.

If you want a really small mini, you can't buy one. You can buy several big ones. Why, because thats what was designed two years ago. We have no choice really.

[Edited on 16/9/10 by balidey]


Fiat made a terrific job of the 500 --- not ultra mini but a nice small car OK it is just a rebody but so well done.

morcus - 17/9/10 at 02:06 AM

I'd like to qualify that I understand that the market is pretty much thrust upon us and its sort of what I meant. Nissan and Kia got in First I believe (Well actually Ford did with the fusion).

The 500 is essentially the 3 door version of the Panda which itself was a modern interpretation on the 500, The mini is 'wrong' because it's in no way an interpretation of the original bar styling.

I did hear something a few months ago about BMW planning an a segment car for the Mini Brand (I know for a fact they were working in partnership with FIAT on an Issetta/Topolino project) so we may see a propper modern mini after all.

The fact still stands, people like the BMW Mini's and they buy them, the used prices are testement to it's desirability.

I'm still waiting for Citroen to get with the program and make a new 2CV, and maybe Ford with a new Model T

Daddylonglegs - 17/9/10 at 10:27 AM

Still a Mini