I went to this study for the new model MINI. It wasn't a fully working MINI but just a study for the design of it. We weren't allowed to bring in any cameras or cell phones or even pagers. We got paid a hundred dollars. There were 5 cars in this study. Current MINI, new model MINI, Mazda 3 wagon, Scion tC, Crysler PT Cruiser.

Biggest differences: It has the bigger front single grill (which I think looks uglier). The running lights are now incorporated into the headlights (I don't mind this but the headlight piece now looks bigger and not as cool looking as the 2005. The plastic wheel arches are much bigger (makes the car look cheaper). Rear taillight now is red with an amber center (looks uglier as well). Interier looks wack. The radio is now incorporated into the center speedometer. The center toggles and switches all look cheap and fake silver plastic. I don't think this part is done though so I don't know.

Pretty boring questions. Pretty boring survey. I don't think I'm gonna get the new model. I wonder if this is gonna be a 2006 or a 2007.

 

FWIW, MotoringFile is saying a 2007 release.

How close did it look to any of the following?

 

Shape is the same. The only difference is all the chrome is missing from the pictures. In real life, there is more chrome everywhere. The chrome around the headlights are thicker than the current MINI and makes the headlights look bigger than the current. The chrome around the grille area makes the grill look bigger than the current. If you look closely at the taillights of the last picture, you can see the amber I was talking about. Anyways, it looks the same except for all the missing chrome.

 

In the pictures because the car is black, you don't notice how big the plastic wheel arches are. They are like 2" bigger than the current one. Looks wack.

 

On the rear, is the hatch "inset" like the rear shot above, or does the hatch close even with the body and the taillamps?

 

I went to the one in NYC today.

IMHO opinion, the next generation has the following exterior "flaws":

Bigger gas cap door
Bigger/wider wheel arches.
Bigger hood (for pedestrian friendly crash laws. Bigger grill.
Bigger tailights
Bigger headlights that are "pulled" to the sides.
No more "cowl" with the two vents. Hood stops and there is a lot of ugly plastic below the wipers.
Incredibly ugly "vent/turn indicator" on the front fender. Yikes! Sheetmetal also indented in this area. Too BMW like.

All of the cars were silver. The two MINI's were PS/B

Interior was unfortunate, too: Gauges are too stylized. The current is clean and retro at the same time. Switch gear for HVAC is cheap painted silver plastic, looks similar to RSX. The dash is horrible IMHO.

The seat adjusters are great! Very intuitive. I have an 03, so maybe this has already been updated?

The current MINI's are far more elegant than this cartoonish edition. I am going to keep mine past the warranty after experiencing the new one.

regards,
Red

 

Closes even with the body.

regards,
Red

 

Wow, DID - that's a big grill you've got there. Good for breathing I suppose, but DAMN, that's BIG.

 

Everything has been "supersized" on the exterior.

regards,
Red

 

I know what Frank at Ferrari/Maserati is thinking..... "Well... it was good while it lasted."

 

Maybe they're supersizing everything on the exterior to make the overall car look smaller?

 

FYI - This is what Frank Stephenson said to me not long ago when speaking about the next MINI:

"BMW has a great team behind the next MINI and I'm sure they will work hard to improve on it in every way!"

I couldn't get anymore out of him on that subject though

Otherwise everything said here is pretty much what we expected. Larger front features, taller hood, larger wheel arches. I wouldn't put too much stock into interior opinions at this point as that's usually the last part of the design finished. Further the materials used are certainly not anything close to production spec. Everything I've read and heard about this car indicates that one of the areas they are going to be making huge improvements in is interior component quality.

BTW for those that attended the survey... does the image below look similar to what you saw? The front and wheel arches may be close to what was shown.

 

It's hard to tell from that drawing, but no. The hood seems taller on the prototype, and the bumper was a bit different. The fogs were bigger and bolder. And your drawing does not have the hideous "vent/marker lights" (no way they are going to stay that way for production!) that I saw. There are other pics posted that do look close to it though.

regards,
Red

 

that is a hand drawing. the grille doesn't look like that at all. it looks like the photos in the earlier post plus chrome.

 

FYI - the original drawing was done by BMW Designworks. The people that do much of the design work for BMW and MINI.

 

First post, but do you guys think the '07 MINI kinda looks like a cross between a MINI a Cayenne and an Aston Martin?



plus



plus



equals?

 

ROFL.


Classic first post, you're probably right too.

 

This coupled with the dumbing down of the suspension makes me glad Im getting an 05. Looks like 06 will be the last year before they "Americanize" this car. See my "Dumbing down the 07 MINI" post in MINI Talk.

 

People are jumping the gun on pre-production mockups that probably have little resemblance to the final product.

I'll reserve final judgement until I get to see it in person.

Also, I am looking forward to the R56 generation as the Traveller Clubman station wagon will finally be a reality.

Americanization? Please!

 

Ants, I think you are right, but I hope not. It's one thing to evolve styling (although look what happened to the 1963 Riviera and 1966 Toronado, both clean breakthrough designs, turned into bloated, vinyl topped ugly boats because people "want more").

But if they dumb down the performance envelope after making a "name", it would be unfortunate. Let's hope what they actually launch is in the spirit of the current car. Otherwise, I am keeping my 03 MCS.

regards,
Red

PS BLUCARZ is one funny person! Nice going on the pix!

 

Please elaborate on the interior design. Is the basic shape of the the current MINI interior in tact, or is this a complete overhaul? Also, what did you mean by "the radio is incorporated into the center speedometer? I'm having trouble visualizing this.

Also, what do these hideous indicator lights look like? How can tiny lights possibly be hideous? And what did you mean by indented sheetmetal? The only thing I can think of it the side marker lights on the BMW Z4, with the indented sheetmetel. Is the '07 MINI similar? If so, I kinda like that.

From the pics DiD has posted, I can safely say the grille is ugly, but other than that, the shape has not changed at all. I'm kinda wondering why everyone is saying BMW is ruining this car when it seems to me that they kept the new car looking remarkably like the current model, even though it was a full re-design.

Anyway, I'm very interested in the new interior. Can either of you (who've seen it) go into more detail so the rest of us can visualize it?

Thanks in advance.

 

The center speedometer is bigger by about 2 or more inches in diameter. Where the time is displayed in the current mini, is a wider digital screen that displays the radio and the time with the buttons to control the radio under the screen.

the current cooper has black indicator lights on the side. the S has chrome ones. the new model has black ones but they are like twice the size of the old ones and they stick out twice as much as well. they look pretty crappy plastic ugly and out of place. there is just too much plastic on the exterior of the car.

the grille is uglier and bigger. it is different than the current design. in the pictures above, because everything is black, you don't notice how big and ugly it is. it is no longer 2 separate grilles. it is big and flush with the bumper or something.

interior was a total mock up. don't think it is anything close to final design.

 

So-Cal folks,


MINI are doing this clinic at the Pomona Fairgrounds this Fri/Sat/Sun. I was called last Friday night and signed on right away!

It looks as though we've covered most of the details here already, but I'll post anything new I come across next week.

JK

 

Hi keddell, you mean this coming March 18-20? I might be there with the camera

Meenee Boy

 

Yep. I'm going to an 8:00 am session.

I don't think you'll see much. These things are usually all done indoors.

JK