I disagree entirely. Yeah, when the R56 came out everyone said it was too big and truck like, but it still looked like a MINI. This new one...it just looks NOT MINI. It's a totally different car. It's like what VW did the Beetle. All stretched out and goofy looking. And I maintain that those new Beetles look TERRIBLE. I would never buy that and I would never buy an R56.

Fiesta ST is looking better and better by the minute...

Interesting. To my eye, the proportions of the updated beetle are actually closer to that of the original Bug than before.

http://image.motortrend.com/f/classi...eetle-side.jpg

http://autopartcar.com/wp-content/up...-side-view.jpg

http://images.thecarconnection.com/m...00098750_m.jpg

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Somehow from a side view, you seem to be right. That is weird, because I always think of the old beetles as taller and more smashed.

I saw the same red R56 Cooper at the Houston Car Show last night. Really, all the hand-wringing here seems even more ridiculous to me now. The "huge" increase in size isn't. Other than the nose being slightly longer due to the aforementioned EU pedestrian standards, its overall dimensions are barely changed. The tail lights are bigger....might save you from some Brodozer rear-ending you. I really like the new interior, it's still "quirky" but more ergonomic and nicer materials.
I viewed it with two of my non-MINI car guy friends, and as I suspected, they both asked "so what's different about this one?" The public at large won't even know you're driving a new generation.

Hope you rock it.

Ford Fiesta, what a partymobile that is lol. That's a hybrid right, like 40-45 MPG?

The Fiesta ST is a Turbo 1.6 with a 6 speed manual and is getting awesome reviews almost everywhere. NOT a hybrid grocery getter.

Yeah...but after I saw the JCW F56 last night...I like it. But not as much as the M235i...that thing was a beauty. BMW showed up this year big.

The Fiesta ST is getting good reviews, but nobody is raving about how it looks! I have seen several, and no thanks, I dont care how it drives it is not a car I would ever be attracted to. MINI has to up their game with the F56, because there are a lot of other small cars that are getting good reviews.

I agree that 90% of the population wont even see much of a change in the exterior of the new MINI, but the interior looks to be vastly improved. The average person doesnt care about a central speedo, but will love the light show around the central info screen.

Also, the lack of a dipstick is a non event. My wifes BMW doesnt have one and its easy to check while you are driving the car (try that with a dipstick

The looks will grow on MINI fanatics. I thought the new 3 series was UGLY when it first came out, but now over time I can appreciate the changes.

I want to like the Focus ST, Fiesta ST, and '15 Mustang but the front looks hideous IMO and they all look the same. Include all their models besides the trucks by Ford. I would own a Ford, but I wish the Focus and Fiesta ST had a functional hood scoop to make it look a bit more aggressive.

As I finally saw the interior and exterior of the F56, I liked it but I will miss the middle speedo and interior lights they had up on the corner above the driver and passenger seats. Other than that, I think I could live with it. These motors will be fun to tune that's for damn sure. If I get the MCS F56, I'm gonna get the JCW aero kit on it since it'll make it look drastically better and aggressive. Or I could go with the JCW F56 depending on how much hp/TQ it's putting out.

If I had to rate it after just sitting in it and everything else besides driving it, I'd give it a 8.5/10. Now if it drives as good as I liked it I might give it a 9.5/10. We'll see in March,

Yes, thats what will make a successful car company, not ever changing and not selling to a mass of people.

I looked at the Configurator today for the F56. I didn't see the JCW Aero kit as an option. Maybe later this year? The Jalopnik reviewer said the new seats were almost the same as the Recaros ($2700) and the engine performance about the same as the current JCW. I outfitted one with a LOT of stuff (incl NAV) for $36k. The JCW I drove Sunday with Recaros and AT (no NAV) was $41k.

The JCW aero kit won't be available till late 2014 one of the sales advisors told me.

If I go with the f56 MCS, it'll need that aero kit since it'll make it look 100x better.

something prehistoric about this...

I just don't understand why MINI and BMW don't just keep the amber signal lights in the rear as required in Europe.

Headed out to the DFW auto show this week to see it in person again before I order. Anyone looking for any specific info/photos I can help with while I'm there?

rear tail lights in operation - left and right turn signal operating, as them why the design US Spec MINIs with red tail lights.

Thanks for the pics and comments about the new MINI. I've never owned a MINI but have driven a '13 Cooper S a couple of times. I absolutely love the F56! I like the new front end. I like the new rear end, including the rear lights. As much as I liked the design of the '13, I'm liking the '14 even more. I like the changes that BMW has made and am so looking forward to taking delivery of my very own '14 Cooper S in British Racing Green. With black top/mirrors and black 17" Cosmos wheels. I love this car and I don't have it in my garage yet. I really believe this one is going to be a solid triple for MINI! Maybe not a home run. But a good, solid stand up triple.

thank god someone likes it. i saw it in person and it just looked enormous to me

Hello Bob ...

Well said



T.

We got a test drive in a Cooper-S today, I'd have preferred the Cooper, but they were busy. Despite having as much torque as our JCW, it didn't feel that zippy. Maybe the auto, or having three people in the car slowed things down.

First, it had proper flappy paddles. The large ones, which is right side-change up, left side change down. The auto start/stop was flaky, our MA didn't quite understand how it work, we couldn't get it to activate when in the red mode. Probably the sport mode cancelled it. In green mode it also seeemed reluctant and the dash display didn't seem right. On seemed to have the start/stop icon crossed out. The red mode showed you your speed on the dash, the green mode showed you some display about economy. I'm not sure what it was telling me.

The auto wasn't bad as autos go. It felt like the engine was connected to the wheels. It changed up and down pretty quickly. I thought I put it in manual mode (the M/S setting), but it changed up and down for me. I'll have to work how that works.

The seats were the sports seats, and were a bit narrow in the bolsters for me.

The MINI had a head up display, it was only showing speed. Its probably possible make it show other things, but that would be more fiddling. At first the head up display was difficult to see, I had to lower the seat to bring the display on screen. Supposedly you can alter the angle of the display so you can see it, but that would be more fiddling. You deploy the head up display with the toggle closest to the passenger.

As a MINI it was quite reasonable, I'm eager to try a manual Cooper. If we were to go for a new one (for which we have no plans), it'd probably be a Cooper or wait for a JCW.

Saw the F56 for the first time today. My initial thoughts:

* Love the new interior
(Seat designs especially looked fantastic with cloth/tweed like inlay and leatherette side panels. Really looked impressive.)
* Not a fan at all of the exterior design
(rear tail lights especially look hideous to me)
* side scuttle design looks bad and very unsporty
* New "red" color looks terrible in person (bring back chili red!)
* grey color is flat and dull
* actually shocked that I liked the new orange. Far more yellowish, with almost a mango color to it. Worked great with black accent colors.

Just a few random thoughts in no particular order.
Never got to test drive it (no manuals available) so that will wait for another day

Chili red is also available according to the back of the brochure.

Only on the JCW

According to MotoringFile ... only with the (yet to be available) JCW Exterior Cosmetic Package.