Yes, it would have been most cool to have a single MINI logo shape or two and no official MINI logos anywhere. The shape of the whole car says MINI loud and clear now.

 

but it looks like there is orange plastic covers in the turn signals...meaning opening up the headlamps and removing the orange for clear...then using the silver visions....That will discourage a lot of people from attempting.

 

I read somewhere (MINI2 I think) where the white (clear) turn signal indicators will be an option.

 

A few things about the 07' first come to mind when listing the low points. The wrap around glass has been replace with two plastic cowls (C pillars) giving the car a cheap look to it, not to mention a detailers nightmare from keeping it looking new. The wrap around glass was a unique feature now taken away from the MINI character. I will agree that the front looks cleaner but why give the Cooper S a non-functional hood scoop. I'll take the previous post and stick a Nightrider Kit like light in it.

The lights don't raise up with the hood. This feature again was unique to the MINI and now has been removed. The wiper blades, due to pedestrian saftey laws, are now mounted under the hood and look rather out of place. The front has lost some of that "bulldog" looking stance. The front now looks as if its more mature and less agressive. I will say it does look cleaner... but it was the messy and busy look that I liked best.

Not much on the interior. A bit tonka toy looking but with added features such as keyless push button start, and a feature to change ambient lighting, the interior really gives you a refreshing and futuristic style.

With many of the stated low points in this thread, its not enough to keep me from not buying an 07/08 MINI. There are many high points that will bury the lows and will win my heart all over again. Still, my 06 MCS will be kept till the wheels fall off.

 

Like maybe the telescoping steering wheel, more power, better gas mileage, little deflectors on the rear pillars to help keep the rear window clean, a more logical placement for the outside mirror contols, just for starters?

 

And you havn't even begun to scratch the surface. How about that keyless round fob with push button start, or the improved seats, or the option to change suspension setups at a push of a button? Bi Xenon lights, HD radio option, a better SatNav system, and the list just keeps going... No MINI will be able to satisfy all of us. We are more pickey since we truely love our car and we are enthused about it. Change to this beloved icon is certainly going to spark some folks emotions. I am sure when the MINI we have now came out, it had its own list of greviances.

 

Not really. It only had grievances to some classic Mini owners ....

but apart from that, everyone else could see the car was PERFECT.

.... and it still is.

Until 2007

 

Mostly the early grievances were related to how hard it was to even get on an interest list; that you had to book a test-drive in advance; that there weren't enough dealerships for all the folks in the US who wanted one.

 

The MINI we have now had no previous model to be judged or compared too. Comparing it to a classic Mini was like coparing apples and oranges. As a first revision to our beloved MINI, alot of us, and with good reason, had high expectations. Messing with the perfect formula to improve it is hard to do. I think MINI has done that but not without some disappointments.

 

The size of the rearview mirror and cupholders also spring to mind, as does excessive brake dust and lack of pull at low rpms.

 

I have to state the obvious.

No one with any business sense would want to change the design of the best looking car on the road under 60 thousand dollars.

non of this was done to make a retro enthusiast happy. it was designed to make it cheaper to make and rip off customers. Everyone who comes into the store to finally get a mini will be let down. better mechanics always happen. they could have easily happened without changing the outside for the worse. my soon to be arriving 06 MCS is going to be a real investment. It shouldnt be one!

1969 the plymouth roadrunner looked really nice. in 1970 it began to look a lot uglier. 1965 lincoln continental, nice, by the time it hit 1970 fugly and boring. A new design is important and can be done right. the new corvette looks better than the 1990's corvette and has similar rolling curves to its older counterparts. That's why it sold better. it LOOKED better.

this new mini is doldrums I dont think I will comment on it again.

 

This car does not have keyless ignition. That round thing, a key. I love the fact that it has pushbutton start but it is not as cool as it could have been.

I am thinking that in the future the key will be mistaken for an artifact of some sort...like one of the first signs of the demise of MINI.

I mean, look at these pics. Hm...

 

Yes, unless:

1. It would be illegal to make due to new laws.
2. They would need to charge an unrealistic premium over other cars in their segment due to its ever increasing manufacturing costs.

What they did was their best to continue making MINIs forever and yes that means they need to make money. The rip off would have been to continue to make the same car forever with special edition this and that so all the current MINI owner(and no one else) would be jumping at them all the while killing off the the car they loved. You could argue that's what killed the British car industry in the first place or perhaps it was just the result of it dying.

 

I know this is just a matter of opinion and am not trying to be contentious here.

Do you really think its the Best looking car under $60K?

Since its just an opinion, we all have different standards, but the Best? I am curious.

 

I second this notion...

 

not at all. I had a look at all cars under that price range. I really LOOKED hard for one that was distinct. the mustang was a faint abberation of something boring, every other car company was dull as poop. Having no top doesnt make a car look different if you dont want to get a convertible. There is an expception and this is the VW bug. However, er, I wont get into why I dont think I would fit that car well.

one car does stand out but it also is a convertible, the Thunderbird. The new bmw series looks even less descript than previous years.

all look like blobs of poop with some movement of shape to look different. We know cars and their slight differences, but come on, even a 12 year with a pencil and paper can make cooler looking, more sellable cars than what is out.

there is no difference between a pontiac gto 2006 and a mustang 2006. we are used to looking at a pathetic assortment of difference in cars since the 1980's. If it werent for the logo's and model names of the companies, we wouldnt know what 90% of the cars actually were.

I'm trying hard now to go sub 60k and find a car that looks different and isnt a 3 wheeled electric car in japan.

 

I'm still confused. Are you saying the MINI is THE Best looking car under $60K or not. Your talking about Mustangs and Pontiacs. Just food for thought but all the following are below $60K and look pretty good to me

 

I know it's a personal aesthetic thing but, yeah, I'd pick a MINI any day over those. Many wouldn't, but I would.

 

well, the lotus I guess I didnt count on. THat is a good recommendation .

is it under 60k with taxes and all in the united states with 8.625% tax? my mini with a 24k base price had over 2k tax on it.... figure that has about 4k+ tax on it right?

the boxter thing looks like a corolla with a convertible and like a tighter nose. whats the REAL difference? that lotus now, that truly is different withotu being ultra expensive. Same thing for the entire line of jaguar, mercedes, bmw, lexus, infinity and cadilac (except for the sportscar one from caddy) they just look SO similar its appalling AND they are expensive. dont want to offend people here who own them, just stating why the mini 06 is the right way to go and the 07 is business as usual = duller.

the 07 still is better than the majortiy of cars otu there and isnt pricey, but the pre 56 models... sigh.. just better.

i know its opinion and well, that it is. back to mini though, my soon to be aquired 06 makes people smile... its different yet pretty and fun. also, it can be that way for 20k tax included plus a few small options

 

I dunno guys...I'm bowing out of the grievance thing. Between NAM and MotoringFile enough is enough. To me, overall there's more to like than there is to hate and I just can't stay on the negative side of R56 for very long. As enthusiasts we just have to move on....or at least I do.

Not intending to squash debate...we do this...we always have...no problem....carry on. I'm gonna go look at the pretty R56 pictures.

 

As gokart says ... style is all personal preferences. No one is right or wrong, its just an opinion.

The orange car was an Exige. It all depends upon how much you spend on options (just like a MINI) but you can get one for $52K

The yellow one is an Elise (I think an older one). There are many brand new 05 Elises on dealers lots. You could probably get on for $42 brand new. Used ones are now in the low 30s.

The BMWs, Infiniti, Lexus, Benz, etc are all luxary sedans or coupes/Conv. They are not selling to the fast and furious crowd but the well-heeled middle aged people who can afford their entry level models. I would imagine most Benz, Lexus drivers care much less about how the exterior looks vice the luxaries and amenities in the car.

The Boxster design IS old, 10 years old. Even with the 2005 facelift, most ppl would never know the difference. The thing with a Boxster is the total driving experience. There is a reason the Boxster always wins in comparisons against other ragtaps including the Z4M and that the total quality package.

I guess I could say the same thing between the 02 - 04 MINI versus the 05/06. I don't like the star wars space ship Xenon headlights. Looks to Bimmerish and to way out for me.

 

I thought we were talking cars, not aircraft.

regards,
Red

 

Regardless of how we all feel about the new R56, its time to stop the negetivity and start embracing. Change is the only thing constant and its the only thing inevitable. Embrace the change and be thankful the MINI is still with us. Not to be a jerk, but build a bridge, and then Motor over it!

There are too many improvements that win over the grievances. I will not hesitate buying an 07 or 08 MINI. But I will still keep the 06 around.

 

It's listed as part of the Comfort (Access?) option on either the UK or the Ireland site, can't remember which.

 

This was my first thought on reading the best looking car for under $60K comment. Not a s pretty and polished as the MINI, but in terms of its purity of purpose, one of the most beautiful cars on the road today. I'll add to this:

[IMG}http://www.uscaterham.com/images/gal...tos/green1.jpg[IMG]