hey how could you knock this.. at least the guy has class with the car emblem that he wished he owned the mini it came off of.. maybe its like his..incentive.. to save money.. and get one of the grrrrreatest cars out there.. jealousy does crazy things to people..
i mean.. ok aren't there some mini cooper owners out there.. who have the bmw logo on their car? i know i have seen it.. .. to me.. thats almost as gross as this

 

MINI envy.

 

If he/she/they want a MINI emblem as an incentive to save money, stick the wings on a piggy bank.

And a bmw logo on a MINI is kind of goofy, IMO, but at least there is some connection between MINI and BMW... a very BIG connection. MINI and *that* thing ? NONE.

 

THAT is funny

 

The plate doesn't mean anything (intentionally, at least), since it's a standard-issue plate and not a vanity plate.

The typical configuration for California car license plates is one number, followed by three letters and then three numbers. The "WTF" in the plate was just a happy coincidence.

 

So that's where my MINI emblem went off to. Funny because I bought my car in the SF area, and the original rear emblem got ripped off before I could get to Alaska.

Then shortly after making it to Alaska, someone stole my front emblem.

DixonL2: You know, if you debadge that Camry and stick the Lexus badge on it - the average person would probably think it really was a Lexus. Didn't Lexus have a rebadged Camry years back?

 

Told ya it was the Pelosi edition.....

 

 

Uhhh, dude, since BMW is the parent company of MINI, it at least makes sense that some owners slap a BMW logo on their MINIs. A Honda, however is like no where near being related to a MINI. That's like slapping a TRD decal on a Honda or a Jeep logo on a Suzuki Samurai. If the companies are related, I see no problem with badge swapping. It's all an illusion from the manufacturers anyway, ie Nissan/Infiniti, Honda/Acura, Toyota/Lexus. What's the difference besides a big gap in the price?

 

the difference is.. its a mini.. not a bmw.. if you slap a bmw logo on your mini... and we liken what he did to mini envy.. doesn't that make the mini owner with the bmw logo on their car.. someone with beemer envy...either way imo, kinda just as crazy as this

 

Honda : MINI

MINI : BMW


You don't get it ? really ??

 

The BMW/MINI relationship is significantly different than the relationship between Honda/Acura or Toyota/Lexus.

Lexus and Acura are the luxury car *divisions* of Toyota and Honda, while MINI is a *separate brand* that's a subsidiary company of BMW.

Acura and Lexus are much more closely-related to Honda and Toyota than MINI is to BMW. Honda and Acura cars often share engines, chassis, or even complete models. (I was surprised the first time I saw a "Honda" NSX overseas, for example). Likewise, the Lexus ES250 was originally developed from the Toyota Camry. On the other hand, how much is really shared between BMW and MINI models in terms of design/engineering personnel, parts or technology?

The MINI/BMW relationship could be more accurately compared to the Lamborghini/Audi or Maserati/Fiat relationships - one automotive brand owned by another, with limited sharing between the companies.

UPDATE - As of a month ago, VW is now a subsidiary company of Porsche, so if you're inclined to put BMW logos on your MINI, feel free to put Porsche logos on your VW using the same rationale.

 

Despite who is related to/not related to, is a subsidiary of/not a subsidiary of whomever, badging a car with a brand name that is not its own is just silly at best, imho.

 

I'm not as hard-core as that about it - if someone wants to put Honda Integra badges on his Acura RSX, for example -- well, that's how they're badged everywhere in the world other than North America and Hong Kong, anyway.

As to the "BMW badges on a MINI" thing, I could understand it if MINI and BMW were on more-equal footing - just two different divisions of BMW A.G. -- BMW could be the luxury division, and MINI could be the "fun" division.

The reality is that MINI is a brand name (& pre-existing design) that BMW bought in order to garner sales from a particular market segment that they didn't feel they could capture without diluting their own image. Frankly, their relationship is best summed up by "MINI is BMW's b1tch".

 

Once BMW bought the MINI name, it was THEIRS !!! How much do MINIs and BMW have in common you ask? 1st gen MINIs, hmmmm can you say modified 3 series rear suspension. The brakes, stamped with the BMW name, etc. BMW's technology is very easy to see in the MINI (and feel behind the wheel). It might not share the same platform as a BMW, but how could it, when it is the smallest car BMW makes? That, and the fact that BMW is not cheap when it comes to product design. This was evident in the R53's overengineering IMPO. By the way, Porsche and VW have always shared a relationship, even before Porsche purchased 75% of VW. Mini was under Rover and went through a complete transformation to MINI. A refreshing rebirth into an ACTUAL car company, and no longer just a car model moniker. As this happened, BMW seperated itself from the MINI, but was still very much involved with it's upbringing. While I would not put a BMW logo on my MINI, I will not knock the idea or the people who choose to do so. The companies are very closely related. Now, if someone feels compelled to put a Type R, Honda, Toyota etc. badge on their MINI, then I'll frown.

 

Hey Irmiger...I'm interested in some info. on your Mini Roof Rack as well. Is it OEM? What is the platform the bike mounts are sitting on??

Thanks!!

 

You're correct - once BMW bought the name, it was theirs. So why didn't they fold the car into their model lineup as the "BMW Mini" and badge it as such, *anywhere* in the world? Why the separate production facility? Why did they farm out (and continue to farm out) the powertrain, when BMW has a variety of suitable I-4 engines they could adapt to the MINI? Why a totally-separate (and quite limited) dealer network?

And don't kid yourself that the BMW stamping on the MINI brakes denotes anything beyond BMW's ownership of the marque. There are BMW stampings on literally hundreds of MINI parts, but that doesn't mean those parts were lifted from existing BMW models or even built to the same standards.

Quite simply, BMW wanted the MINI so they could profit from the lower-priced end of the automotive market, while simultaneously being able to "hold it at arm's length" to avoid downscaling the BMW image.

There's BMW DNA in the MINI design, to be sure, but don't think for a second that BMW regards MINI as anything more than a "country cousin".

 

I think it's a counterfeit.

 

Actually, I think you are the one kidding yourself, and that's fine. There are two types that like MINIs. There are the ones that like to feel that they have a car designed and built by BMW. Then there are the ones who can't stand the fact the car is associated with BMW or don't like to admit it(which I believe you fall in line with).

It's true, BMW wants to differentiate itself from it's smaller brand. Good strategy as it allows more cars to be sold under their BMW moniker. This is why we don't have a M series MINI, or as I have stated in another thread, an Alpine White color in the MINI lineup. Those are traits synonomous with BMW. BMW loves to keep certain qualities to themselves. It still doesn't change the fact that BMW bred this car from its DNA. They know the casual motorist isn't a fool and know MINI isn't exactly a company all on its own. So, yes, the MINI and BMW are directly related. If someone wants to call their Rolls Royce a BMW, I can see YOUR argument, as BMW aquired this company. BMW, however started MINI, which means they have a fresh view and take on the car.

 

very stupid!!!!!!
i saw a blue honda civic the other day with M3 emblems ........WTF ....

 

Well, I think the car is pretty funny. I HOPE that the owner also thinks it's funny. The world could use more whimsy. I approve.

--Dan
Mach V

 

Seems to me that Rover did a whole heck of a lot of design on the MINI before BMW bought the brand. BMW did change some things & make improvements where possible. Putting a BMW logo & part number on everything is a way of them marking their territory so to speak. The Tritech engine is one example of a non-BMW design. Do you think BMW would have chosen a Daimler Chrysler engine if it had another choice? No way no how. The MINI was too far along in its development for BMW to change engines at such a late stage in the cars development. BMW did change when they revamped the R53 to make the R56. Now they use a Peugeot & call it a BMW engine. I'm sure there are many more Rover designs that also carried over.

Like you said some folks think of their cars as MINI & some as BMW's. Either way they are sure fun cars.

 

At first BMW put Rover engineers in charge of A new Mini Cooper which was short lived at best as very soon BMW engineers took over and developed the new Mini....It is a BMW design. The new engine in the R56 was a colabrative effort by BMW and Peugeot to wit both own the rights to manufacture. There was an updated Mini that Rover had designed, essentually a larger version of the old Mini which BMW promptly canned. BMW did not manufacture a 1.6 liter 4 cylinder which was the goal, leading to the Chrysler/BMW engine that was used... The whole history is covered rather well in a series that MC2 magazine published.

 

Thanks for the info. I guess I'll be reading some MC2 articles.

Could it be possible that BMW perpetrated a story of it being their invention & not Rover to help them with sales? No, auto companies are always truthful & on the customers side no matter what.

 

that Pruis decal on the front bumper is supposed to go on top of the rear bumper to protect it from scratches as things are put in and taken out of the trunk..

..not that it matters