Living in an old house in an old city, San Francisco, I realize that people here are stuck with certain limitations. The old streets are not getting wider. It is dangerous and stressful to drive down some of the old 2 way narrow streets - even with a narrow car. Many old house driveways and garages will remain narrow. Also the parking spaces on the street between houses and their driveways - if they have one- will also stay short.
Perfect place for a MINI. My first one was a '06 Hardtop S, second '08 Clubman S, now have a '15 F55 5 door Hatch S.
But what about my next car? All car companies seem to be ignoring the realities of urban areas like SF.
Here are sizes of some cars I have owned in the past:
Car-------------------------------------Width---Length
1988 Mercedes 190 e 2.3 16 --------67.2 ----174.4
1998 BMW M3 Sedan-----------------66.9-----174.5
2006 MINI Hatchback S--------------66.5------143.9
2008 MINI Clubman S---------------66.3-------155.8
2015 MINI F55 5 Door Hatch---------68.0------158.0
I love my F55 and can live very well with the width and length. But I am very concerned with the direction BMW is going with the new F54 Clubman.
Width is 70.9 and length is 168.8. It is 4 inches wider than my 98 M3 and only 6 inches shorter.
BMW, please don't give up the smaller MINIs!
Attached are some shots showing the popularity of small cars including Smart cars, Minis, and Fiats(not shown). See also the narrow driveway almost totally blocked by the Clubman. Note that I did not organize the gathering of the cars. It just happens.

 

Don't think they'll abandon the smaller Mini's. At least I hope not. F55 seems to adequately take the old Clubman's place size wise, so BMW wants to make the brand appeal to those with a need for more room with a small family. That way they can keep them in the Mini brand by issuing the new Clubman. I hear ya though--hate to see these cars become gigantic. I look at how the Honda Civic has become much larger than the original Accord.

 

So how did people manage SF in the '70's with all the land yachts?

 

^^^The Mini, and Civic, and BMW 2002 were even smaller back then.


Cars will continue to get bigger as long as the regulations allow/mandate, along with people continuing to get bigger.

 

This is one of the reasons people don't wave at MINI's in the Bay Area... your arm would fall off

 

The manufacturers have not discontinued smaller cars. We in the US have stopped buying them.

http://www.bmw.com/com/en/newvehicle...oom/index.html
http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/cont...l-navi:a-class
https://www.carwow.co.uk/Citroen?&mk...CLocation%3AUK

and many, many more.

 

As long as they make the Smart car you don't have to worry.

 

I drove the streets of San francisco for 15 years in all sized cars, one being an old Studebaker Hawk and never had an issue. Have the streets shrunk recently? Don't worry I'm sure a quake will come along and rearrange them anyway.

 

Minnie, I guess as the parked cars have become wider, the streets in effect shrink. Might be age of driver has something to do with it!

 

Your photos make me sad to not being in SF, really loved the city. Way too pricey for a move back. Enjoy the driving!

 

Did you read his post? I wonder what the width of a studabaker hawk was?

Doesnt exactly look small, does it?

 

SF has tons of MINIs, its like a MINI meet each day you go on the hill. Arm would fall off.