Maybe this has been discussed already.....

But honestly what's the point of the Hampton edition/reef blue other than to make more money for BMW without having to add much extra to the vehicle?

I know Mini is all about getting it's rabid followers to jump at the chance at something rare. However, the Hampton Edition is clearly what would be considered "all show and no go". These days, special edition seems to mean we put some extra badges on the car.


There are no mechanical upgrades. All you get are a bunch of unexciting Hampton logos, and some extra red piping and small trim pieces(are the wheels even unique?).


It's a $5000 option. Holy COW!
Notice how the horizon blue was discontinued?.... to make way for people to pay lots of money for a slightly different blue!

The entire Mini Yours seems to be about making a whole lot of money by adding very small excessively expensive decorative touches(sort of factory customized Mini's for people who don't really want to customize their own Mini.)

The Hampton Blue Clubmans seem to be coming in around $34000 at the dealers...Mini Mainline has one for $35700! That could have been a JCW in your garage.

I like the Clubman. I like reef blue. I like the stripes. But $5000 for decorations?
Plus, I live right next to a town called Hampton and it's really nothing to be excited about!

 

Does there have to be some other point? It's limited, it looks a little different, MINI thinks they can sell enough of them at a higher price and make more money.

Yup, that'll do as a reason for a car maker to build something.

 

If they keep doing this type of (annoying) thing, I wish they would at least give it an exciting color. MINI's color palette is filled with depressing blues and greys, it's getting so old.

 

good thing you did not see or even know about the 'Goodwood' edition at 50k!!!!!!

 

Sure, $50k for a stock mini cooper S in a different color, a couple of badges, and some custom interior components that you could have done for way less!

Sign me up. Someone please do an intervention for anyone that wants to buy it!

I guess if you have so much money you don't know what to do with it, then the Goodwood might be an option. Then again, people have been disgruntled because their JCW was often indistinguishable from the Cooper S. Now pay thirty five thousand more for a car that you can't tell apart from the Cooper S.

Imagine the cars you could purchase for the same price as a $50k cooper S.

 

I like gray; wife likes blue – see sig
We are neither old nor depressing

The higher prices some are willing to pay put $$$ in MINI’s coffers, money it takes for R&D and to just plain survive – How can that be bad?

 

I'm guessing at least a few new colors will appear with the new generation of Mini's in 2013. I think there's always people that like the current colors and some that think they're boring and dull.



And as far as being unique(Hampton edition), it seems all the Clubmans are about to become unique as the Clubman is expected to become a modified Countryman rather than the modified cooper. Mini is throwing in a special edition to draw up the interest in the remaining Clubmans to get them out the door.


Money for R+D. True. If there's a market then there's money to be made.


Yes, smart business.
Mini is the Apple computer of vehicles.

 

When entire car brands (which will remain nameless) are "all show and no go," I'm not bothered by a pricey special edition or two!