May have already been posted here, but I found it today and wanted to share.

click on the picture and see the other spy shots.

I kinda like it, but ya gotta take it for what it is and that is not mini/small.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/au...is_coming.html

 

What are they doing to the MINI name ?

 

Has anyone seen what the mpgs on this bad boy are projected to be like?

 

i hope its for the good...

 

This is a wait-and-see thing for me. So far there's not been much visually except some good (and bad) Photoshop work. I do suspect, however, that the world will come to an end several times during roll out as is customary around here.

 

Much better info on motoringfile:
http://www.motoringfile.com/section/r60/

. . . and it won't be the "crossman"

 

I really wish I wouldn't have eaten right before I read that. Now I may have to get rid of my car because we're building trucks now. On 2nd thought, nah. I'll just end up hating it like I do every other SUV on the road.

 

 

Now we're gonna have a 'MAXI' MINI. Maybe a MINI Escalade coming to a dealership near you...
Whoopee. I can hardly contain myself.

 

Yep - the MINI Suburban. I hope 3rd row seating is next. Maybe even a HEMI!
Just make more, and higher quality, MINIs, you idiots at BMW.

 

And where would they get money to expand the factory, build more dealers, and invest in development and engineering? Through the sales of high volume products.

Just remember: sales of the Porsche Cayenne funded the development of the Carrera GT. Who cares how BMW makes money if it means we continue to have products that we care about?

 

My Epee-Glottis is Full of Bees!!

Great picture. That Crossman (or whatever they'll call it) actually looks pretty good - for what it is. I kind of like it. I don't like the 5-lug wheels; no interchangeability. Bummer.

 

The test mule is riding on BMW wheels -- which makes sense since the R60 will share a lot with the X1. I'd be surprised if the production R60 isn't adapted to ride on MINI wheels rather than BMW (there's already going to be enough overlap with the X1 as it -- that's gonna be a crowded market)

EDIT -- on a side note, I think an R60 discussion subforum needs to be added to the 2d Gen forum

 

Already is... but Mini "style" and culture has a way of breaking through a lot of that. Minis are backordered all over the place, but other cars with some style and high gas mileage can still be had - for lower dollars. Example: VW is running specials on their small cars while Mini is oversold. Should be interesting... where's that popcorn-eating smiley emoticon?

 

^ I was referring specifically to the R60/X1 overlap. . . not the other "MINI killers" that continually crop up.
MINI and BMW don't offer two models with the same drivetrain/chasis at this point -- the closest "match" right now (the R56 and the 1-series) still represent two very different cars with differing markets (although many MINI owners are already talking about switching to a 1-series) -- but with the R60/X1 sharing so much, there is more of a direct competition between the 2.

 

As SAV/SUV's go, it is still going to be miniest of the bunch. But it will have handling, style and fuel economy. Why do people behave like the freakin' sky is falling everytime MINI/BMW roll out a new concept? Save yourselves the trouble of writing and cut and paste your negative comments from the Clubman posts of the last two years. Man, I'm not normally easily peeved and I believe everyone is entitled to an opinion, but there should be some thought put in to them.