Here is some information that CAR magazine has published regarding the new Mini. Some of this stuff has been posted, while other stuff has been new to me.

• The New Mini will be built on a new platform, with most likely a longer wheelbase to accommodate a Traveller/estate version.
• The new convertible is an indication of the need for a new platform. Extensive frame changes had to be made to accommodate the convertible. The new platform will be more flexible.
• No more variants of the Mini will be based on the current platform. The 3-door hatchback and the cabrio is all that will be seen.
• The new platform is expected for 2007. (Not sure if this means a 2007 model year, which means we will probably see it in the August 2006 timeframe, or will be seen in the 2007 calendar year.)
• The new platform will be shorter than the 1-series, but the MPV version could be longer, with a higher roofline.
• The new Mini will retain the current car's trademark pin-sharp handling and kart-like agility.
• The new engine will be built at PSA's Douvrin engine plant in France. The engine will first appear in the Peugot lineup in 2006, a year ahead of it's inclusion in the Mini lineup. (This should give us a good review of the engine prior to it's release in the Mini).
• The new hatch, will be an evolutionary design, retaining four essential style elements: the Mini's short, stocky proportions, an uninterrupted glass area between body and roof, and the bonnet's diagonal cutline which echoes the 1959 car's protruding panel seam.
• It will also most likely retain the hexagonal grill, bold round headlights and retro-inspired interior.

As a side note it is quite interesting at how close the new Porsche 997 headlights look like the Mini's. They are a very close match.

 

ok BMW, it's probably too late if the above is true, but just in case

DO NOT MAKE THE BASIC MINI LARGER/ WITH LONGER WHEELBASE.

DON'T SCREW UP A GREAT, GREAT LOOKING CAR.

IF YOU WANT DIFFERENT VARIANTS, BUILD THEM ON A NEW PLATFORM.

LEAVE THE BASIC CAR ALONE

FOR YEARS I'VE SEEN THIS SAME MENTALITY WHERE I WORK: SOMEBODY NEW COMES IN AND THEY HAVE TO JUSTIFYTHEIR EXISTENCE BY CHANGING WHAT'S THERE.

LEAVE IT ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I agree. I am not sure why every carmaker feels they need to have a car for every segment. This most often always fails, and leads to an overall diluted and weaker brand. I really like companies that excel within a single segment and try to dominate there. This is really becoming prevelant in the car industry. There is a real trend to build a single platform that the manufacturer can build from whether it is an SUV, a two door convertible or a four door family car. I can see the mentality on saving money by making use of shared resources, but on the other hand you are left with the fact that the chasis has to be built to accommodate so many things that it is a compromised platform and doesn't exceed at one area.

 

Considering that we can't even figure out what options are available on cars ALREADY IN PRODUCTION, I take all of this advance information with a very large grain of salt.

 

Why is it that companies have to screw up a good thing? Why can't they just leave the MINI alone. It's a great car just as it is.

I'm a new MINI owner as of 1 week. I just love it. I rode in one of the classics many years ago in London. At that time I'd never heard of it but really fell in love with it.

The new MINI is fantastic. It scares me though, that they want to put a French motor in it instead of the BMW motor. I bought the car because of the engineering and because it's the cutest car on the market and I've always wanted one. Are the changes for the US only? I sure hope not. I don't want the Americans to be the only ones screwed.

 

In this month's Evo magazine in the UK, it carries a brief description of why BMW are looking at a new MINI, it's because the current model is so expensive to build, and they also cut the price at the last minute prior to launch.
It lists the front bonnet assembly,(hood in US terminology), rear axle assembly, and virtually no carry over parts from the rest of the range as reasons for this extravagance. Well worth it my opinoin!!
Also, a bottle neck in the factory as they grossly underestimated the number of customers taking the two tone option, is causing the long delays on delivery.
The Evo article questioned whether by diluting the 'quality' elements, would the reason why a number of people bought one disappear?

 

Right now your motor is a BMW/Chrysler joint-venture built in Brazil. I'm sure the Peugot engine will get similar treatment.

 

For those of you short of memory, Mini back in the 1960's released a very successful station wagon version (2 door) called the "Countryman" or also known as the "Clubman Traveller".


Too bad if you cringe at the idea of a MINI station wagon. As far as I am concerned, a MINI Traveller is historically pretty accurate and a model that would not only be super cool, but be a bit more practical than the current hatchback, more family oriented for those of us that want to start a family and refuse to ever put a Minivan or SUV in our driveways, all of this while retaining the BENCHMARK, handling and looks of the current MINI.

Also not to mention that a MINI station wagon Traveller would be the ultmate Anti-SUV statement of the century.


So before some of you jump the gun before even seeing the final product, chill and relax, ok?

 

Also keep in mind that MINI, as a brand, can't survive long term just offering 1 or 2 body styles. Even the old BMC (British Motor Corporation) understood this hence many body variants of the original 1959 classic Mini where built and offered over the years.


A Station wagon (Traveller) a panel delivery van (A traveller without back windows), a pick-up truck even an all terrain vehicle (The famous and ugly Mini Moke) were all part of Mini's history.

Here is a bit of essential Mini history and information:

http://minipassionmini.50megs.com/gb/


Enjoy.

 

Great MINI history link!

I'd like to see a modern version of this beast...

 

I'll buck the trend here. Hey BMW! go ahead and change the MINI to your heart's content. Maybe you'll get lucky like Ford did when they changed the Thunderbird from a two-seater to a six-seater in 1958, or again in 1974 when the Mustang II replaced the REAL Mustang ( -where is a good barf smiley when you really need it?).

Of course being British, you might follow BL's lead of dropping a tried and true car like the 18 year old MGB for Triumph's wedge (TR 7 & 8). I believe that in part due to BL's decision in that matter, BMW got the opportunity to acquire MINI (and all the rest of the Rover/BL autodom).

But by all means go ahead and mess with success,

So I ask you punk, do you feel lucky?

 

here you go:

 

So I take that as if you ever see a MINI wagon you will puke..... Right?

 

Nothing new here - but nice to see it's being reported on by the mainstream press now.

 

I think a MINI wagon would be great! And a van would be too! But Please leave the hatch with it's original wheel base intact!!

 

Coop,

I was refering to the replacement of the Mustang with the Mustang II. Read the post.

p.s. I saw a Mini Clubman at the carshow yesterday, and it didn't make me hurl,
'course seeing that Mini Moke yesterday did make me a bit queezy.

 

I would love a new MINI Traveller

 

Dear BMW,

Please read the book, "Differentiate or Die" (Trout and Rivkin) and "Focus: The Future of Your Company Depends On It" (Ries).

Let us know what you learn.

Thank you.

string

 

Kinda makes me feel good that I'm keeping mine for life

Let them (BMW) pollute the pond. It'll only make ours that much more precious

 

IF they go with "one platform," there will be tremendous pressure to add weight to ALL the variants (based on my GM internship):

-in the design cycle, trying to allow for easily adding in or leaving out the extra stiffening (for the ragtop and bigger models) on the assembly line will take more time and more clever engineering than just saying "it's just 60-70-80-90-100 pounds. add it into all of 'em and lets get done.....the john q public slobs won't know the difference."

-on the assembly line, the pressure will be to standardize the assembly process and tooling as much as possible rather than switch every few cars, also to save money and development time.

they can mouth all that "keep the go kart feel" stuff they want, but they'll succumb to the time and cost pressures (they did this already with the mcs shock oil/valving) to sell greater numbers rather than keep the base car for sporty drivers UNLESS drivers whine about it.

i'd like to look back at the datsun advertising in the 240-260-280 progresssion to see if they made the same type claims.

"even paranoid people have some real enemies...."

 

I hate to be the pessimist but I am sure they will end up ruining the MINI. I just found out that toyota is killing the celica and MR2 because the market just isn't big enough to make a profit. BMW has ruined the look in my opinion of several of the new BMWs. I hope MINI stays the way it is with little mods.

 

Yes it is but Chrysler isn't the old American Chrysler anymore. I understand Mercedes Benz bought it out. Therefore, wouldn't it be correct to say German engineering all around?

I'm with those here that think the MINI won't be the MINI we all know and love. The new MINI isn't the old MINI but it still seems to have that "something" that made MINI loved by millions. Oh, about the profit thing, how about showing a few MINI commercials on TV here in the US. I have yet to see one here in Northern California.

 

sorry if this is a silly question...but does this mean that they will ADD tis new longer wheel-base one to the mix...or REPLACE the current mini...?

 

Up here north of the 49th I have never seen a T.V. ad,but the billboards were full of MINI ads saying what a great winter car they are.And ya know what?
They were spot on

 

No one has seen (Unless you work for BMW) how the R56 MINI will look like in production form. I guess everyone likes to "assume" that the car will somehow be ruined in the name of cost pressures and profits. I guess people like to make that kind of prediction to feel better about the car they already have?

Step back and relax. The R56 is still 2-3 years away and that is an aweful long amount of time IMO. BMW still has many decisions ahead of them to see in which direction they will take the car next and that process is taking shape as we speak. I remember everyone throwing fits about the Cabrio when the original prototype photos were shown about a year or so ago. Now there are long waiting lists for one. Everybody bitched and complained about the revised oil in the shock absorbers...once they came, no one complained.

We are all very passionate about our most favorite car, but let's not lose our perspective on what's to come in MINI's future...Keep those emotions in check.