The original idea of the Mini has been destroyed by BMW, IMHO. They are longer, the design aesthetics are now pretty droll, they're heavier, and some of the models look like the suvs that the original design was intended to thumb its nose at. I'm not really surprised. I just went to miniusa and tried to design a car that I would buy. I couldn't...

 

Again, I have to mention that I sold my MINI. I look at the picks of the new GP and think with lower power and a manual trans, that car would sell, but what do I know. I have owned 4 MINIs, but other than this forum, I really have no interest anymore. While the quality of the latest Gen is substantially better than either of the previous Gens, the car is no longer that much different from other hatchbacks.I am not sure this is BMW's fault. Today there are so many safety and environmental requirements that, unless a car is expensive, it will look like every othe peanut and jelly car.

 

 

"All specs for an S Hardtop (based on Wikipedia):
G1 G2 G3 Max Difference
Wheelbase: 97.1" 97.1" 98.2" 1.1"
Length: 143.9" 146.8" 150.4" 6.5"
Width: 66.5" 66.3" 68.0" 1.7"
Height: 55.8" 55.4" 55.7" 0.3"
Weight: 2,678 lb 2,668 lb 2,657 lb 19 lbs

So if Wikipedia is to be believed, we're talking about differences of about 1-2" in wheelbase/width and 7" in length. Also, the G3 is the lightest?"

Sorry about the formatting, but I don't know how to insert a table. But if you look at those number from Wikipedia, a G3 S is lighter than G1 or G2. It's about 1-2" wider and less than 7" longer. Design aesthetics are less easy to quantitate, but the size increase is much less than most people think and it's actually gotten lighter.

I agree that certain of the larger models are similar in size to small SUVs. I was parked next to one at a dealership once and thought it was a normal crossover. But if Wikipedia is to be believed, a MCS (and I'd think that'd follow for a "justa") hasn't grown that much in size. And with the increase in HP and torque while reducing the weight, it'd feel like a faster car.

But with all that said, I do think there are problems with MINIs business model (as I previously stated) and I am very happy that I bought a 2019 before they stopped importing manual transmissions.

 

I got my first Mini in 2007 at the start of the Gen 2 models. My JCW Coupe in 2014 at the end of the Gen 2s. My take on this is that BMW had added their 1 and 2 series smaller and less expensive models since 2007, thus overlapping their Mini offerings. While I personally prefer the Mini styling both inside and out it might not attract enough new buyers to the BMW line of cars to justify maintaining an entirely different dealership network, different manufacturing factories, etc. I will probably end up getting a Gen3 JCW Clubman as my last Mini (unless the Scottsdale and/or Tempe AZ dealerships close too). If not I'll look at a smallish Beemer.

 

UK & France bans all gasoline cars by 2040. Israel bans all gasoline cars by 2030. Facebook videos yesterday. In 2016, only 3.5% auto sales hybrid and electric.

USA now oil independent.

Wonder how many new electric power generating plants in the world are being planned. Did a search as to how many new power plants being constructed in Europe and Germany leads the way. No mention of power output for auto industry, only trains. Newest plant delayed since 2007. When finished will not meet new standards for pollution, as all plants will be coal fired. New lawsuits to stop it.

Looks like their will be a lot of dead cars, in the future, in Europe.

Guess it may be back to my GMC PU.

 

I don't buy it. Miniusa says that the 2019 non-sunroofed s weighs in at 2785, 200lbs more than the r53. Wheelbase isn't length, and half a foot of length on a car originally 144 inches long is 4.5% longer. Wish I had Illustrator on my home machine. Here's a quick photoshop overlay to illustrate the differences. The 2019 is behind and is 4.5% larger than the 2003 in front to illustrate the differences. Look at that front end out there in the wind..

 

Everything is relative.

I had a Range Rover Evoque -- about the same wheelbase as the 3rd Gen Clubman. Enjoyed the Evoque, even with its many shortcomings, starting with a 9 speed auto that was truly hideous.
Turned in the Range Rover at lease end and leased my 2017 Clubman S All4.
I have never turned in a car at lease end and acquired the same model car again for my next ride.
My next Clubman just arrived on the West Coast this morning. Can't wait.

 

I guess my local MINI dealer is an oddity. While they have Service Advisors, and a covered place to park your MINI before and after service, they don't have any service bays. They drive your MINI over to their BMW dealer, and all the service is actually done by BMW.

In places where the MINI dealer has their own, separate, service facility, do they actually charge less than BMW (shop labor rate, parts, etc)?

 

jcollettiii,
The reason for the +7" was the new bumper regs in the EU. Look at Lexus, for example. The MINI rep told me that they had to be "pedestrian proof", that is, hit a pedestrian at low speed and they do not get hurt but the MINI hood gets replaced for big bucks. The F56 has a hood that is about half the gauge of steel of the R56 and is designed to "fold" upon impact.

 

Which sucks when some fat *** decides to use your car as a chair in a parking lot. My initial qoute to fix is $900, I'm looking for a good scratch and dent guy to see if they can just be pulled out. The body shop I took it too said they couldn't do it cheaply due to the location. It doesn't have access from the underside because it has like a frame, its right below the fake hood intake.

 

I had a couple of dents on my bonnet after a coworker pressed down on it after we were looking under the bonnet. Since my car was still brand new (under 24 hrs), the dealership agreed to fix the small dents for free. I was talking to them and they said that they used to tool to push the dents out from the underside. My dents were around the fake air scoop, but they were small (about the size of hands versus some fatso's ***). When we looked from underneath, it looked like you could access lots of the hood, but my dents may have been in a different location and smaller. And I have no idea how much they would have charged.