Just got back from the first real auto show in Socal. This is in Anaheim across from Disneyland at the convention center. No surprises at the mini booth. No clubman, etc. They had a JCW, sidewalk, S and base MC. I was surprised how crowded the show was and the mini dispaly was a little more a "buzz" than most exhibits IMO. Just standing their and observing the people, it was obvious that this car is unique and not the same old car everyody was selling. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of nice cars but when you look inside the different cars on display, there seems to be a common thread in the design and the real difference is in quality rather than design which is reflected in the prices. Then you look inside the mini and IMO looks very cool and not a boiler plat interior like so many cars are which hooked me on a Mini. I remember one person was looking and said something like how much is it, $30,000 or something? and his friend looked at the display that has the spec information and starting price and she says only $18,000. I didn't have the heart to say this car would actually cost $24,000 before tax and license and if you get the S it would cost closer to $30,000.

 

I think maybe sometimes the size of the MINI makes people think it should cost less.

OTH, you are right on when it comes to design these days. The sad fact is that the vast majority of the cars being produced are cookie-cutter, bland, boring, lame or just plain butt-ugly. I have never understood this. It simply cannot cost that much more to make a good-looking car than it costs to make a stupid-looking car.

I know that manufacturers have to tool-up and invest LOTS of $$$ to get a design to market and therefore they tend to be ultra-conservative, but I don't think most car-makers understand their own market very well. The success of the retro-designs at Chrysler should be teaching them all a lesson: people like cool cars.

MINI got this right on the button. At the very least, the car is altogether unique. Sure there are lots of small hatch-back coups and convertables trolling the roads, but the MINI is like no other. Its got VIBE, man. Its got a soul. MINI took the risk and they won the game, as far as I am concerned. That's how it works. And Detroit (along with the makers of all the bland, dumb, boxy, soulless dribble that comes out of Japan and Korea) could take a lesson from them.

-B

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amazon is it worth going to or should I wait for LA ?

 

Korby, Sunday was the last day so you have to wait for LA. It should be similar but I think they tag the LA shows as "International" and there might be a few more things their. Pretty much the same though. We also have one next year in May or so in the Inland Empire and a very weak show IMO. Last year they had two mins sitting kinda alone or off to one side. The Orange County Show and should be like LA at least had a booth with good looking girls to answer your question and give things away.