So i was dragged into a group report by my Advertising class because they all know i dive a mini and wanted me in on their team i mean, what could i say?

anyway after doing a ton of research and finally putting this project together it made me realize where the brand is heading. By seeing all the articles of what the brand is doing and how catching an article by motor trend back in 2009 about mini opening more dealerships to double sales by 2011 (and they did) its not the brand that used to be IMHO.

If you look at the Mini dealer metro east map (philly,NY,NJ) you will see a solid BLOB of dealers. I didnt realize how many we had in our area and explains why they are as common around here as honda's I have also noticed a huge attitude difference between when I had My 06 the dealers just seem like regular plain GM dealerships. I mean reading these reports from then and living in the present it puts you into perspective what their long term goals are.

I also, HATE how they caved into the SUV market. Granted they did do a nice job with the countryman they keep doing this off the wall concepts like the paceman, scooter and soon to be released roadster. Its no longer the intimate brand it once was. Sadly I feel they are heading down the path of oversaturating the market (in mine they already have ) I dont know, i just dont care for the "New mini" i want the old mini back I could sit here and write for hours typing.

I certainly understand the business aspect of the brand but there is really no need in over saturating the market with different variations of the same model.

 

A lot of dealers is a good thing, in my opinion. From my reading here, there are quite a few bad dealerships out there, competition from good dealers will eventually drive the bad ones out of business. My local dealer washed my car, gave me coffee and donuts and answered a lot of technical questions about the MINI's engine and all I went in there for was to buy a quart of oil!

Here in Western Washington, there are two MINI clubs and there is another one in Portland OR, there is something MINI related going on all the time! Most MINI drivers around here return the wave, it's like riding a motorcycle, in that respect.

Broadening the customer base is a good thing, it insures that the marque will survive into the future and the introduction of new models keeps the brand fresh.

Dave

 

I'm old school.
Would like to drive something different.
That's why I bought Mini in the first place.
I don't want a car that everybody else has.
Mini & BMW are taking the marque to be a european Toyota or Nissan.
Should had stuck with the original concept of what Mini was suppose to be.

 

For as much as I agree with being old school, this is how it is, I went through this with Porsche also, times change and the brands have to change the line up to adjust, In any business in my opinion if you dont change you are doomed to be left behind, fade away and then go under, I have seen it time and time again.Some one needs to come up with a good company plan to re furb certain cars to like new condition, years ago there was a guy doing nothing but BMW 2002s, he rebuilt them from the ground up.

 

I foresee MINIs to grow bigger and bigger, one day a MINI Cooper S will be the size of a Toyota Matrix, the suspension "pillowy" soft and the power will stay the same. They are cluttering their own brand.

 

Not to disagree too much, but being a new Mini owner, I liked the increased MPG and the increased HP. I mean what other cars compare with that?

And here in the states, if you are driving cross country, it's nice to know you don't have to tow your car 2000 miles to have it fixed if it breaks down!

There are still entire states without Mini dealers.

And there is nothing wrong with the 2011 Mini S compared with what is was what 6 years ago. More Horsepower, better gas mileage, still 1.6 liter. Gotta love that

Sure they are expanding their lineup, but they still make the modern Mini, which hasn't changed much except for the better.

 

But they're in it to make money...that's the driving force.....and you can't fault them for that...
Philip

 

The MINI has always been a "Car of the people" with a bit of racing heritage.

I hate to say it, but MINIs are only "rare" in the US. In the Euro market MINIs are a dime a dozen. Only hot hatch you see consistently more of is the Fiat 500.

And thats just the BMW/MINI. The original Minis were also very very common, and there was also one for each purpose. Mini truck, Mini van, Mini woody, Mini 4x4.

 

MINI is expanding (we'll see what actually makes it to production...) but I believe it's the only way to for a car company to survive. You only have to look at Saturn for that lesson. The Countryman will fulfill that niche of people that just couldn't (for lots of reasons) see their way into a small car. And I do believe having the small SUV keeps the MINI Cooper a viable, long term production car.

As long as the MINI Cooper does not get any bigger, I think they should go in any direction they feel will keep the MINI brand around for a long, long time. We all need that!

 

It almost seems like what they are lamenting has nothing to do with the car but more to do with the "club", it used to be fairly focused and somewhat exclusive, now it seems less so and somewhat less personal at the same time.

What many don't remember is that MINI has always been about variations on the base theme - back in the day you had dozens of MINI "specials", that were mostly paint and stripe jobs - they still do that - they also had wagon versions, pick up trucks, Mokes, and even the Clubman versions with the square nose. They also had the Maxi and the Metro and tons of other clones.....

My point is there's nothing new going on here, but exactly what another poster wrote - they're growing the brand in order to survive and doing a pretty good job of it too.

I don't find the Contryman to be attractive, but I sure see the business case for it, but I don't see it as a SUV, rather as a 4 dr version of the MINI, which like it or not they sorely needed, the 4 wheel drive was just a bonus.

As to the "club" atmosphere, it's still there - look how many folks are going to the Dragon next month! If anything it's even stronger, but it is different. The hardcore modders are fewer and the mainstream family types more abundant. Such is life.....

If you want that kind of exclusivity you need to buy a Pagani or something.

Tho I have to admit there were things about my '03 JCW that I miss in the new car, overall I'm perfectly happy with my 34 mpg automatic Clubman S.

 

I think it's funny you want the "old" mini back yet you drive a 2011 clubman, a car that was released in 2008 at 9" larger than the regular Cooper line.

Our CMS is amazing. Hadn't they headed in this direction we wouldn't have ever considered buying a mini, an amazing vehicle we've had 24hrs now and already love everything our 2011 grand cherokee limited doesn't offer us.

 

I don't like where the hatch is going (recently revealed to be called the F56). Smaller? 3-cylinder? Meh. It looks like it will share much of the same stuff as BMW's upcoming FWD vehicles. One thing that would be nice is if there's going to be so much in common, then I would like to take my MINI to a BMW dealer for service.

What they need to do in the States is get the Cooper SD on the market...I think that thing would sell like crazy.

 

I agree about the Countryman. Great car and fun to drive. This is my third MINI and not last.

Has anyone seen the MINI-Goodwood? Google it! Rolls-Royce collaborated on it. $68,000 for a MINI, there's a thought for the ages.

Bill

 

No, I love the direction they're heading in. As I sit here I'm sitting at my dealer having my first service done. Oil and filter. First time it's been back to the dealer since new. It's been totally trouble free, totally. Could you have said that about a mini a few years ago? Faster, better quality, better looking IMHO.. Yep, pretty good way to be heading..

 

For those who lament the arrival of larger MINIs like the Mini Countryman, you are 50 years too late with your complaint:

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09...iversary/7.htm

For those who lament the expansion of the MINI brand, you are 51 years too late with your complaint (see 3rd paragraph):

http://www.worldcarfans.com/10604067...i-in-the-1960s

For those who lament the expansion of the MINI franchise in general, you are at least 11 years too late with your complaint:

http://www.minimania.com/web/SCatago...4/ArticleV.cfm

http://autos.omniseek.com/news/20000...i_to_U.S..html

What was old is new again...

 

Great point. Around town when I'm walking or driving with my girlfriend I will point out other MINIs, shouting "Mini Coop!" and pointing. We spent a month in Europe and she got pretty sick of it after a few days, as there were a dozen parked on every block in Paris and they were all over Germany, Austria, etc as well.

There is only one dealership on Vancouver Island, which is pretty sizable, and it serves many communities. Anyone living on the northern tip would have to drive 10+ hours to have their oil changed. It's a very friendly dealership with lots of "perks" for customers: comfortable lounge, big LCD TV, coffee, tea, cookies, newspapers, free loaners, etc. Walking into a GM dealership I feel like a fish in a shark tank, the way the salesman look at you. I like going to the MINI dealership and I do feel like an important customer.

I am seeing more and more Coopers on the road, and most of them are middle aged ladies not interested in waving. However, BMW/MINI doesn't give a ****, they just need to keep shareholders happy. It's a shame, but it's just business and is not surprising.

 

I'm glad about it. I just wish they would stop declaring all Americans
fat and lazy and give us the same 3 passenger backseat options
they have in Europe.

It also gives more options for service. Right now it is
really hard to get it worked on any place but the dealer.
With more and more out there the shops have no
choice but to include them.

It also increases the chance of those bently repair manual
people issuing a book for it.

I say its all good!

(I really like the countryman but we must have 3 seatbelts)

 

Sounds like a silly argument to me. Like those people you meet who like a band only until they become popular, then all of a sudden the band sucks. Makes me think of this joke:

Q. How many hipsters does it take to change a lightbulb?


A. Some obscure number you've probably never heard of.

 

I don't like that MINI are growing in size. Each new model is larger than the last. If this keeps up, the Cadillac Escalade XXL crowd will move onto some 2018 MINI Emperor XXL. I guess there will be some irony in that a Cooper will be able to be tucked fully into the Emperor's cargo hold.

I also don't like how the local MINI dealers are taking a page out of the defunct Saturn playbook, by holding pep rallies for owners. While nice to attend, it does carry over the bad stigma that eventually tarnished Saturn ownership.

 

The Mini Goodwood or Goodwood Mini is a car that serves no logical purpose except to see how many morons will buy it.
It's your money.

 

Mini has always had variants, they just weren't as obnoxious. I hated the Countryman until I saw the WRC Launch video a few days ago. IMO, they are kind of ruining the brand with an SUV. MINIs aren't THAT popular around here yet, so I still get tons of people asking me about it and lots of people waving.

 

Personally, I bought a MINI because I liked the car for itself, not for its exclusivity. Great gas mileage, compact size, very safe, incredibly fun to drive, etc.
That said, there are only 2 dealers close to me, so it is more of a rarity to see on the roads here.

 

At least you should be happy you're not as much of a petrol head and BMW enthusiast as I am.

BMW has always been a performance car in the entire German fleet [Audi, Merc, BMW, Porsche] The E46 M3 was fantastic! Light and nimble but comfortable enough to be used daily. E92 was a little heavier but still amazing. E60 M5 is my favorite engine of all times.

But now, they started dumping all this technology into their cars, making them heavier, more comfort oriented, and using pathetic 3 and 4 cylinder engines that are turbocharged. I'm sorry, but to me owning a BMW was about the feeling. A feeling no other car but a 911 could ever replicate. The steering was heavy and precise, good feel thru it; the gears rather clunky (in a good way) and a heavy clutch... And of course the engine: a naturally aspirated, high revving S54 that was extremely powerful and very fuel efficient for a performance car.

Now the only company that still seems to do the performance thing right is Porsche and even they are starting to fiddle around with their roots. Once BMW finally changes their iconic RWD set up to a FWD one, to me that will be the end of them.

At least MINI is still about performance. Yes, it's gotten a bit chubbier and we've got the Countryman, but the roots are still the same. A small, efficient, FWD performance car with a go kart feel!

 

I guess it's the focus on performance aspects that ultimately put me off MINIs, that and the infusion of gadgets. According to MINI, there was more of that to come and this was never an interest of mine (I am not in the go-fast crowd and I do not need to corner on two wheels). I can understand BMW's approach...I just didn't like it for me. I am still interested in the whole city-car-thing and so I have a wary eye on the MINI Rocketman.

 

It looks like the GEN1 will be the way to go for classic in a few years.