Hey all, has anyone been to the D.C. Auto show and seen the Mini booth? I have to say I was totally disappointed today. I specifically went to see some new colors and fun stuff you can't see at the dealer. But it was total blah. They did have a Paceman but other than that nothing. No JCW, no specialty releases like a bayswater, the reps were just standing in a corner. And the whole booth was DEAD! Hardly anyone visiting it. None of the cars really had any pop, except maybe for the roadster but even that was kinda meh. Just curious if I'm the one being a Debbie downer or if anyone else felt the same way.

 

If I see Minis/MINIs I'm happy however they probably could have put more effort into it. Maybe someone else went and will have an opinion.

 

I agree. It was pretty underwhelming compared to last year, but maybe that's because I didn't have a Mini and everything at the show was completely new to me then.

 

The question is - who put the booth there? MINI USA has been scaling back their presence at autoshows for several years, and the displays at shows other than Detroit, New York, Chicago, and LA are oftentimes not put on by MINI USA but by local dealers.

Here in Cleveland MINI USA doesn't have a display, instead the local dealer has one - and it is rather underwhelming...

 

It was kind of the same story at the Philly auto show.. they didn't even have the Paceman, can't wait for the NY show!

 

MINI hasn't been at the St. Louis show the past few years, not sure about 2013.

I thought the MINI display at the Detroit NAIAS was a little underwhelming, too. Yes, they unveiled the JCW Paceman there, but were short on the other models. A Pepper White Justa, a brown Highgate, the Clubvan, a Paceman S, a JCW CM. And...that was all. No Roadster, no coupe. The Clubvan was locked, with near-opaque windows, so no one could see what you might carry in it. It was being ignored the times that we stopped by. Kind of a poor showing overall, and a shame, considering the large crowds.