Anyone else the the MINI isn't mini?

As it is the MINI is as wide as my Jetta was and has a wheelbase to match. It's only in the amount of overhang that the MINI is dimensionally smaller.

I think I would be happier with a MINI that was 10" to 12" shorter in lengh and was 8" to 10" narrower.


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North American Motoring
dave@northamericanmotoring.com :: Send me a PM

 

Big width/length ratio = stable car. Make it narrower & it would tip over more easily. Besides, it's already narrow enough to fit in any parking spot any other car sold in the USA could; what would making it narrower buy you?

 

That would make it too narrow for me. One of the things that sold me on the MINI was the interior width. I am far from being narrow myself, and need the shoulder room. Any smaller and I would have my shoulder against the side glass.

 

I want to preserve the same ratios (L,W,H). The old MINI is even more narrow than what I'm proposing, and it doesn't have a tendancy to flip over.

Look at it this way, in tight traffic, having the car be 8" narrower may allow you to sneak into the turn lane (you know the situation where you just can't quite get by the car in front of you because your car is slightly too wide to fit through the gap).

Also, on a mini MINI 16" wheels would look even bigger.

 

Dave, this is the same exact argument I hear from "Anti-new MINI" classic owners that keep hammering on the fact that the new rendition of the car is too big to be called a "Mini".

Well, first of all, I just think this argument is a bit narrow minded. When Issigonis developed the original Mini back in the 1950's, this car was aimed primarely at post-war UK and European car market that was faced with fuel shortages and urban street constraints. The classic Mini was originally marketed, believe it or not, as a 4 passenger family car for the low to average income Joe

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'04 MCS CR/W/Chrome Grille and mirror caps (His)

 

Also, this topic reminds me about the desire of some people for MINI to sell a "barebones" version without power windows, locks, steering, A/C, etc, etc.

A small percentage of hardcore enthusiasts will go for that, but the great and vast majority of MINI buyers are techno-heads and will never settle for a car without the "comforts" that most of us are used to.

Sorry DiD, this is a different era. Something tells me you will be very happy behind the wheel of a new Lotus Elise, that car seems to be more in tune with your size and weight requirements.

 

hmmmm, Dave you bring up an interesting point. I "micro cooper" would be cool, but I think it would have one major problem in the U.S- safety standards :smile:

 

>>hmmmm, Dave you bring up an interesting point. I "micro cooper" would be cool, but I think it would have one major problem in the U.S- safety standards :smile:
>>


Oh my gawd!!!

That is the UGLIEST street legal golf kart I have ever seen.


In my travels to Europe I have seen the Smart 2 seater and while interesting it is mighty ugly and made for the tightly packed European and Asian major cities.

This kind of micro-junk will never fly in big parking lot America.

 

Dave, ever wondered why we don't see more European "Super Mini" or "Micro" city cars in the US?

We are the VW Polos?

The Ford Fiestas?

The Lancias?

The Opel Corsas?


Unless you make these cars ultra-safe (I know the current Euro VW Polo pulls very good crash ratings) you have to make these cars appealing to the US market, otherwise they are dead in the water.


The MINI has been successful because it is one heck of a well engineered, made and marketed package. But tell me this, how the heck DCX is going to convience Americans to get into a Smart, or Ford into a Fiesta or GM into a Corsa?

 

I like the length and width of the MINI....
I'd be happy if they would shave a few inches off the top :smile:.... that driving w/ your butt on the ground ...feel. :smile: I therefore have ..plenty of headroom.
Let em shave a few off the top..It'll suit me just fine

Peace,
D

 

>>I like the length and width of the MINI....
>>I'd be happy if they would shave a few inches off the top :smile:.... that driving w/ your butt on the ground ...feel. :smile: I therefore have ..plenty of headroom.
>>Let em shave a few off the top..It'll suit me just fine
>>
>>Peace,
>>D

Dennis, do you really find this driving position (With the seat all the way down) more comfortable? I am also the same height as you 5-10, but tend to ride with the seat much higher. Is your seat back also reclined (1 or 2 notches back)....would like to try your seat adjustment suggestion.

 

Yeah but the old MINI is what - 3 or 4 feet shorter???

BTW, didn't MINI make the new MINI as small as they could and still have it conform to today's US crash tests?????

 

I don't view the MINI as being all that small. It is small but I surely don't feel unsafe in it at all. Felt much more at risk in my former Ranger & former Tacoma (per their weak handling and braking).

 

<-- single no kids.

It's mostly just me and my girlfriend in the car.

 

>>Dennis, do you really find this driving position (With the seat all the way down) more comfortable? I am also the same height as you 5-10, but tend to ride with the seat much higher. Is your seat back also reclined (1 or 2 notches back)....would like to try your seat adjustment suggestion.

The seat is not notched at all...to the best of my knowledge (I'll confirm it tomorrow when I actually brave the cold weather again... and go out :smile: )
It's almost at a perfect right angle. I find it extremely comfortable.
I can barely see over the bonnet.... just to give you a visual perspective.
It has that "formula 1" feel ...if you know where I'm heading w/ this :smile:
I've tried many different positions in this MCS... and this one works best for me personally... and is great fun :smile:
Give it a shot... hopefully it will work well for u :smile:

Peace,
D

 

The BMW MINI is as wide as any Compact-Midsize sedan (I think it is pretty close to the 3 series in width) but it is the shortest new car sold in the US today.

Only the now defunct GEO/Chevy Metro is narrower/shorter than the MINI. The next longer car after the MINI is the Toyota MR2 Spider convertible.

DiD, yeah it is only my wife and I for now also(No kids) but we both do appreciate having an usable rear seat in our MINIs when the kids do arrive.


Most people have a false perception of the size of the MINI. The MINI is only shorter than anything else in the road but in ride height and width is as normal as any other car.


I often find myself looking down at Mazda Miatas and BMW Z3's when driving in traffic. Those cars really ride low to the ground.

 

>>
>>>>Dennis, do you really find this driving position (With the seat all the way down) more comfortable? I am also the same height as you 5-10, but tend to ride with the seat much higher. Is your seat back also reclined (1 or 2 notches back)....would like to try your seat adjustment suggestion.
>>
>>The seat is not notched at all...to the best of my knowledge (I'll confirm it tomorrow when I actually brave the cold weather again... and go out :smile: )
>>It's almost at a perfect right angle. I find it extremely comfortable.
>>I can barely see over the bonnet.... just to give you a visual perspective.
>>It has that "formula 1" feel ...if you know where I'm heading w/ this :smile:
>>I've tried many different positions in this MCS... and this one works best for me personally... and is great fun :smile:
>>Give it a shot... hopefully it will work well for u :smile:
>>
>>Peace,
>>D

Dennis, OK so you have your seatback almost totally upright...hmmm interesting. I totally get your drift...in fact.. I am going now for a drive and give it a try sounds cool!

 

Before I actually saw a MINI, I ran across a picture of a new one next to the original. I immediately said to myself "Gawd, that new one's HUGE!!". I wrote it off, that is, until I saw one in person. Yes, it is much bigger, but the cool-factor is so great, I overlooked my previous thoughts and immediately bought one.

I love the new MINI, but like DiD, I could go for it even more if it were shrunk about 20%. I have no earthly idea how they would cram everything into it if the size were reduced, though. There'd have to be major compromises in safety features, seating, and storage space.

As pointed out, this reduction would come at the price of moving the car into a smaller specialty market. It definitely wouldn't have the mass appeal it has now. Maybe that's not a bad thing. :smile:, but fewer sales probably would drive the price into the unaffordable category.

 

And that's key here. If the MINI was any smaller, I wouldn't be able to fit the monstosity of a car seat we have to have for our infant. The Mini didn't have to worry about the current child safety regulations either, that's one other reason why it worked for a family of four. Heck we had to get a new stroller to fit in the MINI. We need to bring 2 cars to Deals Gap otherwise the baby has no where to sleep!

 

It's the the shortest production car currently sold in the the US, but also the the widest & I wouldn't want it any other way.

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Wider is Better!

I think the size of the MINI is small enough, I would like the roof a little shorter. The mini seems tall compared to some other cars.

 

Actually, I like the size of the new MINI. My 1275s is a much more personal car - you kinda wear it, rather than sit in it, but it is really just a wee bit bit small for reasonable transportation nowadays. You have to plan carefully what to carry in it. The Countryman is the right length, but the elbow room is still tight. I always thought the Austin/Morris 1000 series (Austin America) was a much more practical car to own, and it was much closer in dimensions to the New MINI. Hmm. At least BMW got the look and cool factor right.

BCNU,
Rob in Dago

 

I also would like the overall height trimmed down a few inches. Not just a roof chop - but a proportional chop and sectioning. Even with the seats lowered all the way - they still can stand to sit a few inches lower.

$0.02

 

I think what people would find more benefical (and cheaper) is a "Stripped down"
S. Perhaps something like the Evo RS...

I would think that a market exists for a MCS sans DSC, ASC, (ABS?), Air-Con,
Power windows/locks, radio, keyless entry, reduced sound-deadening, better tires (maybe V-spokes with agressive rubber?), perhaps better brakes (With fog-light slot used for cooling vents?). Imagine seeing your switch bank
all blank, er you could put little gauges where it is :smile:

However, even a "stripped" version costs money to sequence/design. With such solid
demand, I cannot imagine BMW is going to bother with such an undertaking.

 

An MCS weighs only about 200lbs less than an all around larger Golf VR6.

BMW cites "big boned" superior chassis ridgity. I just think its fat.