I've been wondering about this... do most of you consider your MINI to be an English car, or German? To me, it's English. The mystique, the history, the personality. But to my English husband and his family, it's a German car. After I'd ordered my MCS my bro-in-law said "Oh, so you decided to get the BMW after all?" They clearly don't think of MINI as a "real" Mini. But I asked hubby if he thinks of new Jags as English or American, and he said... English.

I'm thinking it's a WWII holdover thing...they still have issues.

What do you all think?

Cheers,

Leslie

 

Kind of...Ger-lish!! The BEST of both worlds!

 

...or perhaps "Germ-lish"? Either way, the best of both countries and their people!

 

IMO, despite where it was made, it's engine is a product of BMW(Bavarian Motor Works) which is German. I, and others as well, have pretty much classified it as German, even though the history of the name is mainly English. But there has been a transformation to the name by way of captilizing the letters (MINI), to make it their (BMW) own. But then this could go on for quite awhile back and forth. It's like the half full, or half empty scenario. But in this case, as it stands, it's mostly German IMO.
And from what I hear, the 'S' in Cooper'S' stands for SpaB, being German. Pronounced schpawss. Translation would be 'fun'.
Whatdya say we all sit down and have a few drinks and settle the matter, oi?

 

If you read the book "New MINI" sold online via a banner ad on this site, you will quickly learn that the braintrust behind the project really is German. It started out British, but the Germans are running the MINI show - including management, robotic manufacturer, which plant to save (Oxford), and the deals with the unions.

British labor, and some early designs - but definitely German mind and management.

Therefore - German.

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I'd say German father and an English mother. Innovative German machinations, with an English grace and form. Father instilled sense of strength and Mother's sense of style. Sorry I'm not making too much sense, still recovering from last night

 

Neither
Euro-car

 

Retro English - German Soul

Still the neatest bang for the $$$$

We all love it regardless of it's birth rights

 

ENGISH-I know the krauts are the engineers of new MINI (and I appreciate Siemans in lieu of Lucas, and the the DSC, and the BMW way of thinking) BUT the soul is Issogonis, and the idea that a little boxy car can be a joy to drive. I fretted about this a lot.
I'm going to be 49 on Sunday but as an Air Force brat in the 50's, I was the only yank in a British council(public) school for my first three years. I always wanted a Mini, that was my dream car, and in high school when Hemis and Vettes were king, I drove an Austin America.
More complicated than that, as an an unabashed Anglophile and a believer that the pure courage of the English saved the civilized world from the ***** in of the dark days before Pearl Harbor, I just couldn't fully embrace German cars. (though Porsche's and Beemers were very cool ) Seeing a photo of jewish slave laborers at a BMW factory at the Holocoust Museum in D.C. didn't help.

So for me, the fact that my MINI was built in the good old UK was very important--and the design details that mirror the genius of the original, to me, are it's real soul.

In fact though it's a very strong symbol of the globalistic econony. The label for mine said 55% UK, !5% German, Engine-Brazil (go Lula!) CVT-Belgium, U.S.-5% (think plastics)

MINI-the world car

 

I'm gonna go with minidad, I like the breakdown and I'm all for MINI-the world car!
We should start MINI crews through out the United States, like the Vespa and Lambretta clubs that do their rallys and meet with other clubs. We can have patches too and wear Mod suits and flight parkas!

'Per Ardua ad Astra'-"Through Struggles to the Stars"

 

ENGLISH! which is why I bought one. I think the folks at BMW want us to enjoy the 'english' aspects of the car. That is why they did not move it's production elsewhere. It IS the SOUL of the Mini. That is the attraction! The German aspects are the fringe benefits.
Motor On!!

 

Who cares either way? British and German cars are some of the most fun available out there... it's a great marriage... let's just hope the Krauts can steer clear of British engineering problems (::cough:: Lucas Electronics ::cough:: Heehee.) It is what it is, nothing more, nothing less... and it has to be loved. :smile:

 

Great question.....!!!
I've always referred to my MCS as a MINI BMW.
I've owned the following English sports cars......
TR4,4A,250,6, MGB,MGBGT & & Austin Healey 3000.
My MCS does NOT drive like any of these cars...
nor does it have the history of any of these cars....
The new MINI is exactly that...NEW
It's the beginning ...of a long line of cars that began with the 2002 models...IMHO
I personally do not consider it part of the old Austin Mini heritage, as all it takes from that racing heritage is the name and the concept of a compact vehicle.
The design is new, innovative , quirky and a work in progress definately developing with time.
Now to finally answer the question....
MINI is owned by BMW.....
It's GERMAN :smile:

Peace
D

_________________
2002 MCS:pure silver/black top,lapis int.,all pkgs,17"ROH rims,

 

Yes it's made by BMW and yes they are german. But in my eyes the Mini is an English car. It always has been and always will be!

 

>Leslie>I'm thinking it's a WWII holdover thing...they still have issues.

I know!



It seems very German to me. The lights work, it doesn't drip oil and you can fit in it well. I'm a Limey BTW.
Ron. :evil:

 

From the outside--English.

When I'm motoring--German.

It definitely, inescapably, feels like it has that German heft to it when driving. My wife asked if it had power steering

Jeff (600 miles, halfway to break-in)

 

Thanx everybody-- interesting discussion!

Cheers,

Leslie

 

Is Volvo an American car (Ford)? Is a Chrysler a German car (Mercedes)? Is Jaguar an American Car (Ford again)? Is the VW Beetle a Brazilian Car (made in Brazil)? Are some of BMW's cars American (made in South Carolina)? Are some of the Nissan's American (designed in La Jolla, Ca. and some made in Kentucky)?

We can go on and on. The fact is all of the cars are still considered by the country of origin the companies came from. Volvo, Sweden, Chrysler, U.S., Jaguar, Great Britain, VW and BMW German, Nissan, Japanese.

That means that even though BMW designed the MINI, the MINI's country of origin is and always will be from Great Britain.

The car is British. If you ever worked overseas or you are the first generation here in the States you find out fast that there is still bitterness and social ranking by the countries you come from. We don't normally see this in the States as much as you see this overseas. I've talked to a lot of my British friends and co-workers, they do call the MINI the BMW MINI cuz they didn't design or engineer this model and they are still bitter. BTW some of them do consider this car British even though BMW is the parent Company.

My British friends may disagree. Like it or not the car is British with the skill of German engineering. That really is the best of both worlds.

The reason I bought this car is because it was engineered by BMW but with the history of the original British car company. MINI and Jaguar will always be British. Volvo will always will be Swedish; Chrysler will always be U.S. and the VW & BMW, German; Nissan will always be Japanese.

 

I've owned 4 BMW's (325i, 525i, 535i, and 528i) and now MiniCooper S. My first impression was that " the Mini is more like a BMW than a BMW is! " After I said that, I had to explain it to myself! Here's what it means: because of it's small size, the Mini exagerates the best qualities of the BMW: ride is firm but without any harshness, and very controlled. It is suprisingly quiet. And at 120 mph, the ride smooths out even more and with directional stability so controlable that it feels like it's on rails. This is unmistakable BMW stuff. To have all these good properties in a small car is mind blowing to me. Assembled in England does not make it British. Engine was made in Brazil, but I don't think of it as Brazilian, either.
I love this car.
Mine is pure silver, black top, black grills. All three packages, lapis, and nav system.

 

Having previously driven only Fords, Dodges and other American vehicles, I just think of it as a European car.

 

Let's see now… If they make BMW's in the US and MINI's are made by BMW, then that would make the MINI a car from the US. Is this getting a little to twisted?

Having owned two original Mini's and loving them, IMO, I still consider this a British car.

Think about this and hope it never comes true; in a few years, you could be driving a "Microsoft" MINI.

 

The make Hondas in Alliston, Ontario (north of Toronto).

Are those Hondas Canadian cars - or Japanese cars?


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I agree with this! :smile:

 

>>And from what I hear, the 'S' in Cooper'S' stands for SpaB, being German. Pronounced schpawss. Translation would be 'fun'.

I am suprised that a fellow mini-phile doesn't know that the original rally cars were Cooper S's It was supposed to stand for Sport or Super, but John Cooper and someone else (I think it was Sir Alec Issigonis, but I could be wrong) couldn't decide, so it just became "S"

 

>>>Leslie>I'm thinking it's a WWII holdover thing...they still have issues.

I'm sure all the souls that gave their lives and the relatives of them appreciate that comment. Are we already forgetting the sacrifices and the suffering of that war, and what the outcome meant to us? There will always be "issues".

Bottom line...it's British workers that have jobs. THAT's what I like.