The All New MINI World Premiere - 18 Nov 2013
OVERDRIVE
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,037
Likes: 283
From: Melbourne, FL
fortunately I already own a 'classic'
But I sold my 7S after owning an 02S as well because I just think MINI has lost the direction I saw in 2002 and my 79
so now I'm in a '14 Focus ST
this car has what I remember from my 2002 Cooper S . . . and what I experience in the 79 ... think about a turn, and you are there already!
A lil' bit raw .... but I like it!
But I sold my 7S after owning an 02S as well because I just think MINI has lost the direction I saw in 2002 and my 79
so now I'm in a '14 Focus ST
this car has what I remember from my 2002 Cooper S . . . and what I experience in the 79 ... think about a turn, and you are there already!
A lil' bit raw .... but I like it!
Last edited by Capt_bj; Nov 18, 2013 at 02:48 PM.
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5th Gear
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 640
Likes: 1
From: London, England
Where did they get that idiot presenter from?.....he clearly did not have a clue about the Mini, Issigonis or the Mini's heritage and why do we need a band to pad things out further......why don't they just tell us something informative about the new car and cut all the dumbed down marketing crap!
4th Gear
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 457
Likes: 10
From: Northern California
http://www.miniusa.com/content/miniu...w-hardtop.html
I like the interior more than I thought I would. I may consider one in a few years when they do a facelift and hopefully fix that awful front end.
Also, the dual climate control is absurd in a car this small.
Also, the dual climate control is absurd in a car this small.
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5th Gear
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 640
Likes: 1
From: London, England
2nd Gear
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
I hate that yet again the Mini is bigger and heavier. I hate hate hate this. It's also pretty hideous. Especially the S version's lower ducts. Its just an awful face. I hate that it has longer front and rear over hangs. Also I hate they finally chickened out and made the rear tail lights flush with the trunk lid despite at one point saying on their website "The Classic Mini always had its tail lamps set away from the shut lines and we were keen to carry this over to new MINIs" (I actually had this quote saved from a rant I did when I first saw the spy pics). They now have the tail lights flush with the shut lines to save money booooo.
There are positives however. I'm a fan of the new engines. 2.0L twin turbo on the S yes please. However according to MINI's figures the 0-60 doesn't change much, not to mention the auto has a lower time surprisingly. I'm also a fan of the interior quality. It looks good too. I'm NOT a fan however, of moving what is essentially the MINI trademark, center speedo. Also not a fan of moving the window switches to the doors. That was a unique thing that only very European cars do (European as in Opels and such, like very European).
If it wasn't ugly and bigger and clearly contradicted certain values MINI literally had posted on their website just weeks ago(there are a bunch more contradictions I haven't mentioned), I'd be a fan. At this point it still needs to win me over
There are positives however. I'm a fan of the new engines. 2.0L twin turbo on the S yes please. However according to MINI's figures the 0-60 doesn't change much, not to mention the auto has a lower time surprisingly. I'm also a fan of the interior quality. It looks good too. I'm NOT a fan however, of moving what is essentially the MINI trademark, center speedo. Also not a fan of moving the window switches to the doors. That was a unique thing that only very European cars do (European as in Opels and such, like very European).
If it wasn't ugly and bigger and clearly contradicted certain values MINI literally had posted on their website just weeks ago(there are a bunch more contradictions I haven't mentioned), I'd be a fan. At this point it still needs to win me over
2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 92
Likes: 1
From: Orlando, FL
I knew from leaked pictures a while back I wouldn't like it.
Still don't.
Few bits and pieces that I like but I definitely wouldn't purchase.
The hood looks so off to me. Like it's too long. Did that 4.5 inches all go to the front of the car?
Still don't.
Few bits and pieces that I like but I definitely wouldn't purchase.
The hood looks so off to me. Like it's too long. Did that 4.5 inches all go to the front of the car?
1st Gear
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Need to see in person but from photos and video:
Likes: Higher quality materials used in the interior
got rid of the overly large center speedometer and made that area functional.
bigger engine
Dislikes: That front end is terrible, way too busy, would have preferred something simple.
More electronics=more shop time.
Likes: Higher quality materials used in the interior
got rid of the overly large center speedometer and made that area functional.
bigger engine
Dislikes: That front end is terrible, way too busy, would have preferred something simple.
More electronics=more shop time.
Neutral
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Back near the beginning of the year I bought a Focus ST, and held off on the Mini when I heard that a new hardtop was coming in 2014. After seeing the photos of the new model, I have to admit that I'm a bit disappointed. I don't care for what they did with the styling. The front end and grille has lost the character that even the previous generation had, and the tail lights are far too big. I think I'm going to have to go down to the dealership, and snap up a 2013 hardtop before they're all gone.
Last edited by iCrispy; Nov 19, 2013 at 12:37 AM.
5th Gear
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 754
Likes: 1
From: Bucks County PA
Before I make any comments, I would have to see it in person. Pictures can be deceiving. Remember this Change is good. and MINI had to meet some EU safety requirements thus the increase in size.
4th Gear
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 413
Likes: 0
From: Chicago Burb
To me, the Non-S facia is bearable, but not something that gets me wanting to take a second look. I also do not like the LED halo.....makes the car look like it has strange eyebrows or something....just doesnt go well with the car.
So far, I still dont like the exterior, but will researve my final vote until I see the thing in person. Interior is OK, moving the speedo is fine, but I dont like the new position for the start button. Right now the start sequence is very smooth....insert fob and hit the start button with the finger without moving the hand......now its insert fob, then move the whole hand to the center start button.....
4th Gear
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 362
Likes: 0
From: Iowa
Interior is OK, moving the speedo is fine, but I dont like the new position for the start button. Right now the start sequence is very smooth....insert fob and hit the start button with the finger without moving the hand......now its insert fob, then move the whole hand to the center start button.....
4th Gear
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 413
Likes: 0
From: Chicago Burb
Cooper 2605 (2675 w/auto), Cooper S 2760 (2795 w/auto). Data was buried in Mini website under engine specs.
http://www.miniusa.com/content/miniu...w-hardtop.html
http://www.miniusa.com/content/miniu...w-hardtop.html
4th Gear
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 330
Likes: 2
From: Redmond, Wa
I am pretty certain that if MINI/BMW gets enough negative feedback on the S front end, it will be tweaked during a refresh.
The interior is much nicer than I thought it would be, and as much as some of us are sad to see the center speedo gone, in reality very few people actually use it as the speedo, its more a central dash element that thankfully they have retained with the new car.
I will wait to see it in person as well before making my final judgement.
The interior is much nicer than I thought it would be, and as much as some of us are sad to see the center speedo gone, in reality very few people actually use it as the speedo, its more a central dash element that thankfully they have retained with the new car.
I will wait to see it in person as well before making my final judgement.
2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
From: WA State
http://editorial.autos.msn.com/2014-...cid=autos_5000
The new 2014 MINI Cooper hardtop provides more of almost everything. There's more power, more technology, and even a more colorful way for the interior to respond to specific commands, but MINI purists may be taken aback by just how much more Cooper hardtop there is to drive.
The third-generation premium small car is about 4.5 inches longer than its predecessor, with the 2014 Mini Cooper S another 0.8 inches longer still. The 2014 Cooper hardtop is 1.7 inches wider and 0.3 inches taller than the outgoing car. The wheelbase has been stretcheed just over one inch, with the front and rear track widened by 1.7 and 1.3 inches, respectively. Put that all together and you have a more user-friendly MINI. The 2014 Cooper hardtop now has 8.7 cubic feet of cargo space (up 3 cubic feet) and is said to be more comfortable and agile than before.
No matter which model you choose, the U.S.-spec 2014 MINI Cooper hardtop will be more powerful than the car it replaces. The base model gets a 134-hp 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder powerplant that enables a 7.3-second manufacturer-estimated 0-60 mph time with the new six-speed automatic and 7.4 seconds with the new six-speed manual transmission. Go for the 2014 MINI Cooper S and you'll get 189 hp from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, with a 0-60 mph time of 6.4 and 6.5 seconds with the automatic and manual, respectively.
You won't need to travel that fast to notice what's new inside. The speedometer is right in front of the driver, along with a tachometer and fuel level. Starting the car involves pressing a toggle-type button that lights up red. Three large rotary ***** control the HVAC system, with digital temperature displays in the center of the rotating dual-zone climate controls. An 8.8-inch center stack screen is available.
Whether you call it flair or over-the-top gimmicks, the 2014 MINI Cooper definitely has it with the circular LED lighting display that shows six colors and responds to different commands. When your MINI is equipped with parking sensors, the lights display in yellow or red, depending on how close you are to an obstacle. As you approach a navigation destination, a ring of lights gets smaller, and as you'd expect, changing the temperature results in a flash of blue or red lights. Completing the LED package, loaded models can be equipped with LED taillights, LED fog lights, and full LED headlights.
Engine stop-start is standard on the automatic, whose shift points can actually be altered based on navigation data if a route is selected. Sport and Green driving modes are also part of the package for every 2014 MINI Cooper. In an automatic-transmission Green mode, the 2014 Mini Cooper can decouple its drivetrain between 31-99 mph once the driver stops pressing the accelerator pedal, letting the car save fuel while coasting.
The MINI may be bigger, but the automaker has still focused on driving fun. Additional attention has been paid to making sure the steering system compensates for torque steer, and Mini's Dynamic Damper Control has been designed to offer comfort or more performance-focused responses from the now lighter-weight suspension and damping systems.
As you'd expect from a BMW-owned premium brand, the 2014 Mini Cooper hardtop allows even more ways to check options boxes than ever before. A head-up display like that in the Mazda3 is available, as is adaptive cruise control and a pedestrian warning system with an initial braking function. An automatic parking system can steer the car into a parking space as long as the driver controls the gas, brakes, and gear selection.
The new MINI Cooper may be bigger, but there are probably more consumers waiting to experience the MINI mystique than purists complaining about the car's size. We're not sure how much bigger MINI can grow the Cooper hardtop after this generation, but we're looking forward to seeing how well the new engines and interior updates work in the rest of the ever-expanding MINI lineup.
The new 2014 MINI Cooper hardtop provides more of almost everything. There's more power, more technology, and even a more colorful way for the interior to respond to specific commands, but MINI purists may be taken aback by just how much more Cooper hardtop there is to drive.
The third-generation premium small car is about 4.5 inches longer than its predecessor, with the 2014 Mini Cooper S another 0.8 inches longer still. The 2014 Cooper hardtop is 1.7 inches wider and 0.3 inches taller than the outgoing car. The wheelbase has been stretcheed just over one inch, with the front and rear track widened by 1.7 and 1.3 inches, respectively. Put that all together and you have a more user-friendly MINI. The 2014 Cooper hardtop now has 8.7 cubic feet of cargo space (up 3 cubic feet) and is said to be more comfortable and agile than before.
No matter which model you choose, the U.S.-spec 2014 MINI Cooper hardtop will be more powerful than the car it replaces. The base model gets a 134-hp 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder powerplant that enables a 7.3-second manufacturer-estimated 0-60 mph time with the new six-speed automatic and 7.4 seconds with the new six-speed manual transmission. Go for the 2014 MINI Cooper S and you'll get 189 hp from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, with a 0-60 mph time of 6.4 and 6.5 seconds with the automatic and manual, respectively.
You won't need to travel that fast to notice what's new inside. The speedometer is right in front of the driver, along with a tachometer and fuel level. Starting the car involves pressing a toggle-type button that lights up red. Three large rotary ***** control the HVAC system, with digital temperature displays in the center of the rotating dual-zone climate controls. An 8.8-inch center stack screen is available.
Whether you call it flair or over-the-top gimmicks, the 2014 MINI Cooper definitely has it with the circular LED lighting display that shows six colors and responds to different commands. When your MINI is equipped with parking sensors, the lights display in yellow or red, depending on how close you are to an obstacle. As you approach a navigation destination, a ring of lights gets smaller, and as you'd expect, changing the temperature results in a flash of blue or red lights. Completing the LED package, loaded models can be equipped with LED taillights, LED fog lights, and full LED headlights.
Engine stop-start is standard on the automatic, whose shift points can actually be altered based on navigation data if a route is selected. Sport and Green driving modes are also part of the package for every 2014 MINI Cooper. In an automatic-transmission Green mode, the 2014 Mini Cooper can decouple its drivetrain between 31-99 mph once the driver stops pressing the accelerator pedal, letting the car save fuel while coasting.
The MINI may be bigger, but the automaker has still focused on driving fun. Additional attention has been paid to making sure the steering system compensates for torque steer, and Mini's Dynamic Damper Control has been designed to offer comfort or more performance-focused responses from the now lighter-weight suspension and damping systems.
As you'd expect from a BMW-owned premium brand, the 2014 Mini Cooper hardtop allows even more ways to check options boxes than ever before. A head-up display like that in the Mazda3 is available, as is adaptive cruise control and a pedestrian warning system with an initial braking function. An automatic parking system can steer the car into a parking space as long as the driver controls the gas, brakes, and gear selection.
The new MINI Cooper may be bigger, but there are probably more consumers waiting to experience the MINI mystique than purists complaining about the car's size. We're not sure how much bigger MINI can grow the Cooper hardtop after this generation, but we're looking forward to seeing how well the new engines and interior updates work in the rest of the ever-expanding MINI lineup.
I will have to see it in person, but I'm still not entirely won over. The non-S has a slightly better front end. The tail lights just seem wrong. And yes, I will miss the giant center speedo.
Also, park assist? If you need park assist to parallel a MINI, you may need to look for other means of transport.
Also, park assist? If you need park assist to parallel a MINI, you may need to look for other means of transport.
2nd Gear
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Has anyone noticed the tag line "twin powered turbo"? Have to give props to the marketing department. I'm sure there are quite a few uniformed people thinking the are buying a twin turbo mini instead of what it really is, a variable single turbo. I for one will be heading to the dealer for a test drive
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,258
Likes: 3
From: H-town
As a previous owner of an R53S, an R56S, and two R56 JCW's, I approve. The car is 3.8" longer, not 4.5" as noted in the linked story. It weighs roughly 60lbs more than the R56 which was 60lbs lighter than the R53 so it's back to its original girth. Pricing is rumored to be pretty much the same as before.
Looks are subjective but I don't believe for a second that the F56 won't continue to sell at or above the same pace as the R56.
You guys here sound a lot like the 911 owners over at the Porsche forums. Every time a new generation of the 911 comes out (we're on #7 now) it's been for the most part lighter, faster, more efficient than the previous one...yet many will say that it's been ruined.....
Time stands still for no one. Many of the size and visual changes have to do with safety standards that are beyond the designer's control. The new engines are awesome, can't wait to see what they do for the JCW.
Looks are subjective but I don't believe for a second that the F56 won't continue to sell at or above the same pace as the R56.
You guys here sound a lot like the 911 owners over at the Porsche forums. Every time a new generation of the 911 comes out (we're on #7 now) it's been for the most part lighter, faster, more efficient than the previous one...yet many will say that it's been ruined.....
Time stands still for no one. Many of the size and visual changes have to do with safety standards that are beyond the designer's control. The new engines are awesome, can't wait to see what they do for the JCW.