Just read in Motor Trend that the 07 MINI will no longer have multilink rear suspension in order to make room for more passenger space and a softer ride. Also the CVT will be switched to a regular auto tranny. Why must car manufacturers always kill whats so good about a car? We finally get a small rally car in the states and now they are going to dumb it down for the fat, lazy, big gulp crowd. I just dont get it. Getting rid of a MINIs multilink suspension boggles my mind, turbo or not.

 

We have the MINI's everyone will want down the road. These are very cool cars, allot of bang for the buck. Designed to get the brand recognized and moving.
Now comes the cost cutting for profit margin increase. MINI's for the masses, bigger, softer suspensions then they will truly be cute little mid sized compact econo box's with no heart or character.
I will be keeping mine for a long long time.

 

i have a 2005 MC. i might have to consider getting a last run 2006 MCS now.

we'll have to see as more details about the newer cars start to leak.

 

Have you seen what they've done to my beloved 3 Series? Hopefully they won't let Chris Bangle go anywhere near MINI! The new 3 is now just as big as the previous 5 Series and weighs almost as much!

Also, I really dislike the idea of a turbo. One of the top distinguishing traits fo the MCS is that musical super charger whine! And there'd be no more Pulley Parties! There's no such thing as a "turbine" party!

I think that the '06 may be the Golden Age for the MINI2!

 

I think I'll reserve judgement until I get to see the finalized product. Unfortunately people tend to jump the gun on how a car that is still well over 1 and a half years away and no one has really seen up close and personal.

The information from auto rags is interesting and serves the entertainment purpose, but some of it has to be taken with a grain of salt.

I find it hard to believe that BMW will be willing to mess up one of their biggest automotive products of all time.

 

Well the best years will always be the 02-04 before they changed the tail lights, and front face anyway. And for the real purist any thing built after the they softened the suspension in march of 03 isn't the real deal. In my opinion I have the best build Jan 03 build, after the first year quirks and problems, right before they softened the ride....I don't care what they do (besides awd) It will just make me love my perfect build car that much more.

 

If SMG is ever added to the MCS that would be a step in the right direction, IMO.

I think the next MINI will retain much of the traits the current car has and not until any of us get to drive a R56 MINI, everything that has been said so far is pure speculation.

Like I said, I doubt very much BMW will turn the MINI into a Kia or Hyundai.

 

I'm very anxious to see the next generation's specs, too C4U! I'll withold comment until then...well, I'll TRY to!


Clover

 

you could have a BOV party....

 

Never, ever, under-estimate the power of accountants in a car company. Guaranteed: now that the brand has been successfully established, their number 1 job will be to squeeze profits out of the product. The turbo is one example but there will be many more. The challenge is how to maintain the brand's identity while cutting costs; its not impossible ... but BMW has not been doing it too well of late.

 

Where do you want to start the list on previous BMW products. There is a whole history of missteps by BMW. In fact, I would say that BMW may be one of the few car companies that has made a lot of mistakes with new model years. To be fair they have made some good moves also, but the statement that you find it hard to believe doesn't hold up to the facts.

 

WRONG... For the real purist anything built after 2001 isn't the real deal...

 

Honestly, theres not a whole lot they can do to the MINI that will stop me from getting another one. My 2003 Cooper is going to need upgrading in a few years... just in time for the redesign. Like others said, I'm waiting until I actually see a finished product before I make judgements about it.

 

Please be more specific when you say that BMW has made a lot of mistakes with new model years. What do you mean? Reliability? Design? Appeal? Quality?

If you want to talk about "misteps", then look no further to Detroit & Co. Ford, GM and DCX produced nothing but garbage for 20-30 years straight. However, that no longer seems to be the case as they finally seem to be produced products of not only decent quality but actually some real appeal: Chrysler 300C

So, please back up your facts, because as it is, I find your statement a little to vague to swallow.

 

Please forgive me, but I did ask you on another thread: Do you work for BMW/MINI?

BTW, I did sit in a pre-production sample on Saturday, and I know that many details will be changed over the coming months. But many will not be happy with the direction they appear to be going with styling or mechanical changes. All we can do is discuss it until we see the real thing delivered.

regards,
Red

 

I would like to think that my 03 MINI,first new car for me, and I will drive off into the sunset together,but I have so far outlived every car I have owned.I don't plan on riding off into the sunset for awhile.My warrenty comes up a little before the 07 release.I will test drive them,I will get all the info I can on them,then I will decide whether to get a new one,or pay for repairs as they come up with mine.I hope by then my 03 has all the bugs worked out,and I own a well cared for good used car

 

I think they have examples on all 4 of those, but many of them are subjective. Probably one good example that may follow along the lines of the scenario that we are seeing with the Mini would be the design change from the E30 to the E36. The E30 had a very good "drivers feel" to it, that almost everyone universally said was lost in the E36. The E36 had a lot of design issues as well as reliability. As far as design you can argue that the new 7-Series was a poor design and has less appeal than the previous 7-series, although that can be argued as subjective. The new i-Drive would be a good example of a design mistake that even the head of BMW has acknowledge although they fought it for quite some time. I would say that American manufacturers haven't been any better, but that wasn't the focus of my post. My focus was just the fact that BMW is not on some pedestal when it comes to new model screwups.

 

I recently read that despite criticism, the new 7 Series has had sales numbers beating out the previous generation. In other words, every model year of the new generation ('03, '04, '05) has had stronger sales than any model year of the last generation.

Also, 3 years ago, I thought BMW was very unappealing. Their designs did nothing for me. Every car they produced was dated looking and uninspiring. I love every one of the new BMWs. I think they are they are some of the best looking cars on the road. I'm 18, and my generation holds BMW in very high reguard. The new Bangle designs have been huge hits with the younger crowd (yuppies...20 and 30 somethings).....Yeah, the older BMW purists may not be too happy, but the future customers of BMW (me included) are loving what they are doing to their line-up.

Just some food for thought.

 

http://www.motoringfile.com/2005/03/..._for_bmw_group

That article may be of interest to you as well. It seems BMW's profits are continuing to rise.

 

THEN WHY IS BOZO MOTOR ******* MESSING WITH A GREAT CAR!!!!!! LEAVE IT ALONE!!!!

all the pictures and all the comments point to that hideous front end, the larger wheel wells, and to a "simpler" rear suspension. i hope the aftermarket is ready with 01-04 retro hoods, fender flares, and a whole suspension package........or forget it, i'll just get an s2000 or a NC miata........

 

I don't think they really had a choice when it comes to the new front end.

 

This will be my last and only MINI. I plan on keeping mine and adding something in three years... but a turbo MINI it won't be. My new list would be if the current cars are still available

AUDI TT
Boxster S
Z4
RX-8
S2000
Mazda MIATA

The current MINI beat out all of these when I went to purchase. So it was not a price concern as all of these cars are more expensive IT WAS THAT THE MINI HAD SOMETHING DIFFERENT. So I think raise the price of the car don't cheapen it.. Just my two cents

 

I agree,laws will dictate design in the future.In the future you will smack a pedestrian down the road,rather than taking them out at the knees and sending them over the bonnet,to land on your windscreen.Not sure which is worst

 

The sky is falling

In the words of a great man, 'tommorrow will worry about itself'. Enjoy the Mini you have today

 

Thats my plan