R50/53 Do you consider your MINI as a "MINI" or a BMW?
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>>I noticed when I shop for my MINI, some retailers list the MINI under BMW and others under MINI. I believe BMW is responsible for reviving the new MINI. In fact, the new MINIs share many parts with BMW. Do you consider your MINI as a "MINI" or a BMW? :smile:
I consider my MIni a MINI AND a BMW. Frankly I would not have bought a Mini made by British Leyland (if it still existed)
I consider my MIni a MINI AND a BMW. Frankly I would not have bought a Mini made by British Leyland (if it still existed)
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From: Nashville, TN
The latest issue of the Roundel, the magazine from the BMW Car Club of America, has a letter to the editor complaining that there were pictures of MINI's in a few of the advertisements in the classifieds a couple months ago.... the writer was very stern in complaining about this, because as he said the MINI is most definitely NOT a BMW and has no place being thrown into a BMW magazine.
On the other hand, Mini Magazine (UK) has very VERY little coverage of the new MINI, and when they do they get all kinds of angry letters because the MINI is a BMW and not a Mini.
I believe the MINI is the word's first transformer car as far as brand is concerned. When I take it in for service it becomes a MINI, as BMW dealers cannot work on it - only MINI dealers. When it needs insurance it becomes a BMW, as that is how it was listed with State Farm. When I go to BMW car club meets it once again becomes a Mini, and when I go to British car club meets it transforms back into a BMW. My BMWCCA membership, gotten via ownership of a MINI, get's me a discount at BMW dealers.... so it's a BMW, but when I shop for tires at the TireRack it's again turned back instantly into a MINI.
And once at a gas station shortly after first getting it in 2002, I was told in no uncertain terms that it was a Honda.... I told the guy he was confused, that it was a MINI, a car company from England purchased recently by BMW, and he went ballistic - thought he was gonna punch me, and he berated me loudly in front of his girlfriend telling me I was a *** that didn't even know what I was driving, that it was a Honda.
So....
The MINI is sometimes a MINI, sometimes it's a BMW, and might possibly be a Honda on occasion. It's such a super car, why not let it have multuple identities.... worked for Superman, why not a Supercar?
On the other hand, Mini Magazine (UK) has very VERY little coverage of the new MINI, and when they do they get all kinds of angry letters because the MINI is a BMW and not a Mini.
I believe the MINI is the word's first transformer car as far as brand is concerned. When I take it in for service it becomes a MINI, as BMW dealers cannot work on it - only MINI dealers. When it needs insurance it becomes a BMW, as that is how it was listed with State Farm. When I go to BMW car club meets it once again becomes a Mini, and when I go to British car club meets it transforms back into a BMW. My BMWCCA membership, gotten via ownership of a MINI, get's me a discount at BMW dealers.... so it's a BMW, but when I shop for tires at the TireRack it's again turned back instantly into a MINI.
And once at a gas station shortly after first getting it in 2002, I was told in no uncertain terms that it was a Honda.... I told the guy he was confused, that it was a MINI, a car company from England purchased recently by BMW, and he went ballistic - thought he was gonna punch me, and he berated me loudly in front of his girlfriend telling me I was a *** that didn't even know what I was driving, that it was a Honda.
So....
The MINI is sometimes a MINI, sometimes it's a BMW, and might possibly be a Honda on occasion. It's such a super car, why not let it have multuple identities.... worked for Superman, why not a Supercar?
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Here's my test...when I'm out motoring, I have no awareness that I'm driving a BMW at all.....its a MINI, pure and simple. That's my gut reaction and what I'll go with. Although, MINI's BMW imprint is all over the car.....its still a MINI. The car's design was motivated and guided by the essential qualities of Minis....there's more Mini in our MINIs than most of us realize, albeit finessed by BMW...for which we, too, are grateful.
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From: North Topsail Beach, NC
I think for a lot of people the simple fact that its made by BMW was a big selling point, myself included. If it WAS made by Honda, don't you think a lot fewer people would have bought it?
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From: Nashville, TN
Not at all, I've owned neither Honda or BMW car's but my limited experience with them would be that Honda's are far more reliable. BMW has more of a high-end appeal, but I doubt you'll find as many top of the range Acura's having as many problems as the 7-series has had.
A MINI created by Honda would probably had better build quality and been cheaper, but that's just my ignorant opinion.... not based on anything other than very limited experience with my bro-in-law's 325i and several friends with Accord's and Preludes.
I'd say BMW's greatest benefit to the MINI, other than capitol of course, was safety designs.... a VW designed MINI would be very interesting but not many car's have the built in safety tech as a BMW.
A MINI created by Honda would probably had better build quality and been cheaper, but that's just my ignorant opinion.... not based on anything other than very limited experience with my bro-in-law's 325i and several friends with Accord's and Preludes.
I'd say BMW's greatest benefit to the MINI, other than capitol of course, was safety designs.... a VW designed MINI would be very interesting but not many car's have the built in safety tech as a BMW.
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From: Metro Washington D. C.
...And once at a gas station shortly after first getting it in 2002, I was told in no uncertain terms that it was a Honda.... I told the guy he was confused, that it was a MINI, a car company from England purchased recently by BMW, and he went ballistic - thought he was gonna punch me, and he berated me loudly in front of his girlfriend telling me I was a *** that didn't even know what I was driving, that it was a Honda. ...
That's a great story. If the old MINI crowd are calling our cars a BINI...
imagin that what we would be called if Honda took over....
a
HIMI (back to the Mopar connection)
...That's a great story. If the old MINI crowd are calling our cars a BINI...
imagin that what we would be called if Honda took over....
a
HIMI (back to the Mopar connection)
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From: Tallahassee FL
MINI!
BMW is to MINI as General Motors is to Pontiac. They're the corporate parent, not the manufacturer.
And on the topic of the MINI's origins, the original design came from BMW as the winner in a contest between a Rover design team and a BMW design team. Then BMW gave the project to Rover for development. Then they took it back to Germany when they sold Rover. It's a little more complicated than that, but those are the basics. So it went back and forth between England/Rover and Germany/BMW a couple of times.
BMW is to MINI as General Motors is to Pontiac. They're the corporate parent, not the manufacturer.
And on the topic of the MINI's origins, the original design came from BMW as the winner in a contest between a Rover design team and a BMW design team. Then BMW gave the project to Rover for development. Then they took it back to Germany when they sold Rover. It's a little more complicated than that, but those are the basics. So it went back and forth between England/Rover and Germany/BMW a couple of times.
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>>That is like asking if a Volvo is a Ford, a Saab is a GM, a Rolls is a VW. BMW is the money, MINI is the builder
Rolls is not VW ...... Rolls is actually a BMW
Bentley is VW.... with BMW engine
Mini is designed by BMW with Tritec(Chrysler & BMW joint venture) engine and built in UK.... so you guess it....
daniel-
Rolls is not VW ...... Rolls is actually a BMW
Bentley is VW.... with BMW engine
Mini is designed by BMW with Tritec(Chrysler & BMW joint venture) engine and built in UK.... so you guess it....
daniel-
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From: Los Angeles, CA
I think someone should do this scientifically. Drive a Mini and a BMW 2002 back to back. Then drive the MINI and a 3-series back to back. If the Mini and the 2002 are totally different and the MINI and the 3 are relatively close, then the BMW bones have overpowered the Mini heart.
Even if it does get called a BMW, I'll never call mine one.
Oh - and on the topic of "A Bentley is a VW, a Saab is a GM, etc" - I drove a Saab 9-3 (the first one reworked by GM) before I bought the MINI, and every Saab person I knew felt GM had corrupted and destroyed the Saab soul by sanitizing it - thereby "un-Saabing it".
Even if it does get called a BMW, I'll never call mine one.
Oh - and on the topic of "A Bentley is a VW, a Saab is a GM, etc" - I drove a Saab 9-3 (the first one reworked by GM) before I bought the MINI, and every Saab person I knew felt GM had corrupted and destroyed the Saab soul by sanitizing it - thereby "un-Saabing it".
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From: PDX
>>...every Saab person I knew felt GM had corrupted and destroyed the Saab soul by sanitizing it - thereby "un-Saabing it".
I felt the same way about Volvo cars after Ford assumed the ownership. With Ford's injection of financial and technical supports for the developement of the new S60, Ford also introduced quality issues into the Volvo, most of which didn't exist in the previous S70 series.
I felt the same way about Volvo cars after Ford assumed the ownership. With Ford's injection of financial and technical supports for the developement of the new S60, Ford also introduced quality issues into the Volvo, most of which didn't exist in the previous S70 series.
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From: north seacoast ,Ma.USA
Here ,according to an article in Autoweek is how it went
-Rover in England was making minis at the end of a 5.4 million car run
-BMW bought out Rover,not really knowing what they were going to do with it.
-someone at BMW pointed out that as part of the purchase, BMW now owned the MINI marque and had the brilliant idea to resurect the mini ,ony BMWized.Three young hot shots at BMWNA were put incharge of getting the project off the ground .
- A three series platform was selected as the basis and a smattering of the original design was used( center speedo,toggle switches,and basic body shape with wheels at the extreme corners) but as a former original mini owner,that is really all there is about the new mini that can be considered mini.
- the idea was to have Mini only dealerships-litterally an autonomous dealer network,HOWEVER, BMW dealers were offered the dealerships(a limited # per state) first.
-I don't know about you,but when I put my $500 deposit on my new mini ,I did it at NORTHSHORE BMW in Peabody( mini peabody hadn't even broken ground yet) and when I make my monthly payment, it's to BMW bank of North America,so you be the judge
:smile:
-Rover in England was making minis at the end of a 5.4 million car run
-BMW bought out Rover,not really knowing what they were going to do with it.
-someone at BMW pointed out that as part of the purchase, BMW now owned the MINI marque and had the brilliant idea to resurect the mini ,ony BMWized.Three young hot shots at BMWNA were put incharge of getting the project off the ground .
- A three series platform was selected as the basis and a smattering of the original design was used( center speedo,toggle switches,and basic body shape with wheels at the extreme corners) but as a former original mini owner,that is really all there is about the new mini that can be considered mini.
- the idea was to have Mini only dealerships-litterally an autonomous dealer network,HOWEVER, BMW dealers were offered the dealerships(a limited # per state) first.
-I don't know about you,but when I put my $500 deposit on my new mini ,I did it at NORTHSHORE BMW in Peabody( mini peabody hadn't even broken ground yet) and when I make my monthly payment, it's to BMW bank of North America,so you be the judge
:smile:
3rd Gear
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From: Ohio
>>Is it British?
>>
>>1. doesn't leak.
>>2. always starts.
>>3. hasn't rusted. (yet)
>>4. electronics work.
>>
>>
It's as British as a Bentley Continental GT.
>>
>>1. doesn't leak.
>>2. always starts.
>>3. hasn't rusted. (yet)
>>4. electronics work.
>>
>>
It's as British as a Bentley Continental GT.
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From: Ohio
>>I think for a lot of people the simple fact that its made by BMW was a big selling point, myself included. If it WAS made by Honda, don't you think a lot fewer people would have bought it?
Hondas are enormously popular, and the most stolen car in this area. They take anything with a VTEC engine so the riceboys can put them into their Civics. Nasty bunch, they often leave your engine-less car in deliberately destroyed condition. Not stripped, just smashed.
Hondas are enormously popular, and the most stolen car in this area. They take anything with a VTEC engine so the riceboys can put them into their Civics. Nasty bunch, they often leave your engine-less car in deliberately destroyed condition. Not stripped, just smashed.
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>>That is like asking if a Volvo is a Ford, a Saab is a GM, a Rolls is a VW. BMW is the money, MINI is the builder
Correction...... Rolls Royce and Bentley are now also owned by the BMW Group.
Well, the MINI is a BMW whether you like it or not... rear suspension comes from the 3 series parts bin same as the entire electrical system and so on and so forth.
Warranty is provided primarily by BMW.
Some "Genuine" MINI parts say in the bottom of their packaging..."Manufactured for the BMW Group, Munich Germany...Not....Manufactured for MINI, Oxford, Cowley, UK.
A quick look at the driver's side door jamb factory sticker, it says the car was manufactured by the "BMW Group". First letter of the VIN serial number "W" denotes is final point of manufacture and origin as "West Germany" not "Britain" as the latter is the correct final point of assembly.
I really don't understand what is people's beef with "BMW"? I am glad, for once, that this car was engineered and manufactured by one of the greatest manufacturers in the world, so really get over it, please.
So yes the final answer the "MINI" is every bit BMW as it possibly can be!
Correction...... Rolls Royce and Bentley are now also owned by the BMW Group.
Well, the MINI is a BMW whether you like it or not... rear suspension comes from the 3 series parts bin same as the entire electrical system and so on and so forth.
Warranty is provided primarily by BMW.
Some "Genuine" MINI parts say in the bottom of their packaging..."Manufactured for the BMW Group, Munich Germany...Not....Manufactured for MINI, Oxford, Cowley, UK.
A quick look at the driver's side door jamb factory sticker, it says the car was manufactured by the "BMW Group". First letter of the VIN serial number "W" denotes is final point of manufacture and origin as "West Germany" not "Britain" as the latter is the correct final point of assembly.
I really don't understand what is people's beef with "BMW"? I am glad, for once, that this car was engineered and manufactured by one of the greatest manufacturers in the world, so really get over it, please.
So yes the final answer the "MINI" is every bit BMW as it possibly can be!
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>>I don't know how hands-on BMW was in the design. I belive that the new Mini was primarily designed in the US and is based on a platform that Rover had been working on for several years. In fact, I saw the first prototype pictures about eight years ago and the design has not changed much.
>>
>>I believe that the new Mini is a true Mini in every way. Although some old Mini owners do not like the new design, I think it is the most inovative car on the road. Here is something I wrote about the subject while debating on another board: "BMW has accomplished a great feat. They have taken the spirit of the original Mini and packaged it within a design that will ensure its future viability as a competitive marquee within the global marketplace. They have designed a car that accomplishes the modern equivalent what Isogonis intended with the original Mini – a compact yet economical car to compete with the horrible alternatives occupying the road – those being the bubble cars of the 1950s and the SUVs of today. While we obviously treasure the past, we live in the present and can only look forward to the future. I agree that our classics can never be replaced in our hearts. But I honestly believe that the current MINI is the nearest we will ever come to capturing the spirit of the original."
The MINI was designed by an American, Frank Stephenson, that used to work for BMW in the mid to late 1990's. But the car was not designed and developed in the US. Stephenson now works for Ferrari Cars Spa.
Rover began working on the classic Mini replacement towards the mid 1990's but this happened at the time when BMW bought the Rover group (Rover cars and Land Rover SUVs) and fortunately they did because either Rover was to create a FUGLY MINI replacement or let the car die altogether. The car is what it is today thanks to BMW's total inputs in design and engineering. Rover alone could not have possibly come up with the final product in the same fashion BMW did. This is the reason why I do not understand about the insane and ridiculous animosity of some when they call their "MINI" a "BMW"...get over it please!
The Land Rover portion of the Rover Group was finally sold to Ford Motor Company's, PAG Division (Premier Auto Group) as the investment on the SUVs turned out to be a total disaster and fiasco. However, BMW kept the MINI portion which proved to be one of the most successful endeavors in Automotive history.
Again, the MINI is what it is today thanks to BMW. I cringe to think of what this car would have turned out to be if it had been a 100% Rover design, Ford design, etc
A little tid bit.....the current Range Rover luxury Suv is a BMW design from the ground up but is no longer owned by the BMW Group but by Ford
Rolls Royce and Bentley are now owned by BMW as well. So BMW currently owns 2 of the 4 or 5 British Icon makes. Ford owns Jaguar and Land Rover. I believe Lotus, Rover cars and Morgan remain independents.
Current Jaguars use many, many patys from the Ford parts bin (Which explain thier poor reliability ratings). The Jaguar X-Type in reality is the European Ford Mondeo and the Jaguar S-Type rides in the same exact platform used for the Lincoln LS RWD sedan (Known as the LS98 platform).
>>
>>I believe that the new Mini is a true Mini in every way. Although some old Mini owners do not like the new design, I think it is the most inovative car on the road. Here is something I wrote about the subject while debating on another board: "BMW has accomplished a great feat. They have taken the spirit of the original Mini and packaged it within a design that will ensure its future viability as a competitive marquee within the global marketplace. They have designed a car that accomplishes the modern equivalent what Isogonis intended with the original Mini – a compact yet economical car to compete with the horrible alternatives occupying the road – those being the bubble cars of the 1950s and the SUVs of today. While we obviously treasure the past, we live in the present and can only look forward to the future. I agree that our classics can never be replaced in our hearts. But I honestly believe that the current MINI is the nearest we will ever come to capturing the spirit of the original."
The MINI was designed by an American, Frank Stephenson, that used to work for BMW in the mid to late 1990's. But the car was not designed and developed in the US. Stephenson now works for Ferrari Cars Spa.
Rover began working on the classic Mini replacement towards the mid 1990's but this happened at the time when BMW bought the Rover group (Rover cars and Land Rover SUVs) and fortunately they did because either Rover was to create a FUGLY MINI replacement or let the car die altogether. The car is what it is today thanks to BMW's total inputs in design and engineering. Rover alone could not have possibly come up with the final product in the same fashion BMW did. This is the reason why I do not understand about the insane and ridiculous animosity of some when they call their "MINI" a "BMW"...get over it please!
The Land Rover portion of the Rover Group was finally sold to Ford Motor Company's, PAG Division (Premier Auto Group) as the investment on the SUVs turned out to be a total disaster and fiasco. However, BMW kept the MINI portion which proved to be one of the most successful endeavors in Automotive history.
Again, the MINI is what it is today thanks to BMW. I cringe to think of what this car would have turned out to be if it had been a 100% Rover design, Ford design, etc
A little tid bit.....the current Range Rover luxury Suv is a BMW design from the ground up but is no longer owned by the BMW Group but by Ford
Rolls Royce and Bentley are now owned by BMW as well. So BMW currently owns 2 of the 4 or 5 British Icon makes. Ford owns Jaguar and Land Rover. I believe Lotus, Rover cars and Morgan remain independents.
Current Jaguars use many, many patys from the Ford parts bin (Which explain thier poor reliability ratings). The Jaguar X-Type in reality is the European Ford Mondeo and the Jaguar S-Type rides in the same exact platform used for the Lincoln LS RWD sedan (Known as the LS98 platform).
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>>Personally I consider it a MINI BMW - All the wonderful options and gadgets clearly make it a BMW. A Mini on the other hand is a real minimalist car, the differences are too noumerous to even start to catorigise.
>>
>>I have wondered over all the people screaming about their expansion tanks leaking and their yo-yo's and all the other really minor faults in a completely new car that BMW is addressing albeit slowly - You should have owned an original Mini (I had three of them). The Cooper 1275 S didn't have an airconditioner and barely had a heater, you couldn't hear the radio and it was AM only, it had to have the valves set about every month and the carbs balanced about weekly. It was a 1300 pound go-cart that was the very best thing on wheels at the time - it was never beat at a gymkana and only rarely on any hill climb or road course unless the straights were long enough as the top speed was just over 100. You young people have NO IDEA of what a lack of quality build was until you got a brand new Austin Cooper 1275 S and found that the whole steering assembly was installed finger tight. The disk brakes were good for about 1/2 to 1 lap on any course and then the brake fluid was boiling (That's why the old ones always are being thrown sideways through corners - to slow them down!). Get a grip folks!
AMEN TO THAT!!!
>>
>>I have wondered over all the people screaming about their expansion tanks leaking and their yo-yo's and all the other really minor faults in a completely new car that BMW is addressing albeit slowly - You should have owned an original Mini (I had three of them). The Cooper 1275 S didn't have an airconditioner and barely had a heater, you couldn't hear the radio and it was AM only, it had to have the valves set about every month and the carbs balanced about weekly. It was a 1300 pound go-cart that was the very best thing on wheels at the time - it was never beat at a gymkana and only rarely on any hill climb or road course unless the straights were long enough as the top speed was just over 100. You young people have NO IDEA of what a lack of quality build was until you got a brand new Austin Cooper 1275 S and found that the whole steering assembly was installed finger tight. The disk brakes were good for about 1/2 to 1 lap on any course and then the brake fluid was boiling (That's why the old ones always are being thrown sideways through corners - to slow them down!). Get a grip folks!
AMEN TO THAT!!!
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I wonder how seperate the MINI Oxford plant is from corporate BMW
Things like who's name is on the workers pay cheques
Does any one know who owns BMW ,is there a main honcho ,like Bill Gates at Microsoft,or is it run by committe
Things like who's name is on the workers pay cheques
Does any one know who owns BMW ,is there a main honcho ,like Bill Gates at Microsoft,or is it run by committe
6th Gear
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From: Bridgewater, NJ
Correction...... Rolls Royce and Bentley are now also owned by the BMW Group.
OVERDRIVE - Racing Champion
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From: Mililani, Hawaii
>>I wonder how seperate the MINI Oxford plant is from corporate BMW
>>Things like who's name is on the workers pay cheques
>>Does any one know who owns BMW ,is there a main honcho ,like Bill Gates at Microsoft,or is it run by committe
While the name of the company on the pay cheques might indeed be BMW, the policies and structure of how things are run and how they are done on the worker level are from MINI.
I consider my MCS a MINI built by MINI under the guidance/financial backing of BMW.
From-
http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news...olumnist_levin
Munich-based Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, is protected by the importance of the Quandt family, which owns about 44 percent of BMW's stock, effectively blocking any hostile takeover. Panke (BMW's chief executive) understands that a competing automaker probably would pay whatever price necessary to own BMW -- and its estimable image -- if the Quandts ever waver in their dedication to long-term ownership.
Avoiding Mass markets- a key strategy for BMW.
There's no secret, Panke said: BMW's core values of high- performing products, processes and people simply match well to its strategy of building only premium, sporty -- rather than mass- market -- models.
About BMW Rolls-Royce GmbH
>>Things like who's name is on the workers pay cheques
>>Does any one know who owns BMW ,is there a main honcho ,like Bill Gates at Microsoft,or is it run by committe
While the name of the company on the pay cheques might indeed be BMW, the policies and structure of how things are run and how they are done on the worker level are from MINI.
I consider my MCS a MINI built by MINI under the guidance/financial backing of BMW.
From-
http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news...olumnist_levin
Munich-based Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, is protected by the importance of the Quandt family, which owns about 44 percent of BMW's stock, effectively blocking any hostile takeover. Panke (BMW's chief executive) understands that a competing automaker probably would pay whatever price necessary to own BMW -- and its estimable image -- if the Quandts ever waver in their dedication to long-term ownership.
Avoiding Mass markets- a key strategy for BMW.
There's no secret, Panke said: BMW's core values of high- performing products, processes and people simply match well to its strategy of building only premium, sporty -- rather than mass- market -- models.
About BMW Rolls-Royce GmbH