I disassembled and touched every damn part on our '66 MGBGT that I restored for my wife. That one is a real Brit. My MINI may have been born in England but she wan't conceived there and is no relation what-so-ever to my MG (or the Austin mini). In a lot of ways (to quote Martha) "that's a good thing."

 

Let me try it this way...

Ask a German if he would claim the Mini as being German.

Then ask a Brit.

Answers itself really doesn't it?

Next thread please.

Ken

 

do you mean a german would call it british and a brit would call it british?
i'm a little slow sometimes.

 

IMO, Brits all the way!

Otherwise, BMW would've build the MINIs in Germany!

 

Das auto ist Anglo!

We mere humans are given nationality by where we are born. Possibly Minis would be allowed dual citizenship, but the parts were "mated" together on the island.

Their bloody Brits Mates!

 

Drives like a new German car, rattles like an old British car.

 

This issue can be looked at in another way: given the multinational character of the Mini do you believe your configuration, interior exterior colors, decals, etc., lends itself to one particular aspect of the character? This issue, specifically German vs. British, resulted in two configurations for me prior to ordering my MCS. One I thought was more German, dark silver, black roof and stripes with red seat covered leatherette, the other British, BRG with white roof and stripes. I had to narrow it down this way because I was obsessing about color combos in an unheathly way. Anyway, since the car itself is a mid-life reflection on the car of my youth, an Austin Healey 3000, I chose Britain and went BRG. Sorting through the issue this way and reflecting on this part of the nature of the machine helped me, I think, come up with my final configuration.

 

>>>>
>>do you mean a german would call it british and a brit would call it british?
>>i'm a little slow sometimes.


Okay, my fault...

Ask a German (a native still living there) if he claims the Mini as being German. He will say NO, NEIN, whatever.

Ask a Brit (a native still living there) if he claims the Mini as being British and he will say YES, DEAD RIGHT, whatever.

So if they won't claim it but we ('we' being Brits) will, it makes it British (by default if nothing else).

As an aside and as a matter of interest to all this I'd love to see just how many Germans living in the States own a Mini.

My guess would be very, very few.

Ken

 

>>Drives like a new German car, rattles like an old British car.

That's so perfect.My thoughts exactly.I love driving my car, just hate listening to the interior buzz and rattle like an old piece of crap.

 

I have only read some of the posts so far,BUT

The bottom line is (a)Do you like the Car??

(b) Who give a monkeys what nationality it is??

 

>>As an aside and as a matter of interest to all this I'd love to see just how many Germans living in the States own a Mini.
>>
>>My guess would be very, very few.
>>
>>Ken

This is an interesting point. However, last Saturday afternoon in San Diego, I met a young German man who was driving a DS MCS. He and I both agreed that the MCS is a hell of a car and a blast to drive. (oh, and pretty darn cute too...)

 

The reason i asked is because every other car I've owned or even heard of is easy to classify. My Audi was obviously german, my VW's were obviously german, my hondas were obviously japenese.....even if they were not fully assembled in their respective countries. But the mini seems different than most other cars when it comes to defining it's origins. Plus I thought it would be a good platform for discussion. If you don't think so, then don't post.

 

A German car assembled in England. Therefore in a few years we may see this bumper snicker.

"The parts falling off this car are of the finest German craftsmanship."

 

>>
>>>>Technically MINI stylist and designer Frank Stephenson is an American because he carries a US passport. However, I do believe that his Father is Norweigan, his Mother Spanish, and his upbringing Cosmopolitan. I hear that he is happily employed at Maserati / Ferrari now. So maybe that makes him Italian too!
>>
>>I must say that I am impressed by this bit of trivia. The question begs asking however...HOW IN THE HELL DO YOU KNOW THIS...AND WHY?? .

 

It would be interesting to watch a MINI engine come to life, first hearing Portugese profanity (foundry in Brazil), followed by British profanity (arrival in England), then German profanity (Teutonic production managers working cross-channel), finally, good ol' American swearing: "Holy S**T, It's finally here!"

 

Die odder day mine auto speak to me in Deutch...

A good point was raised earlier...where does the money go? what country is it in? Unless we are talking Zurich, or Honk Kong or some other tax haven, then that's where the car is from...I guess the REAL conclict might come from what sounds better, German or English? I say German sounds better because you'll never see the pope in a Jag :smile:

Louay