But even if you entirely ignore the existence of the original these are the bookends the BMW mini..
What's the opposite of progress?
What's the opposite of progress?
What's made you smile today?
- Thread starter angel
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I have no problem with either of them.
I'm not entirely sure why they most recent one appears to be wearing a helmet or at least a hat with ear flaps...
As bland SUVs go it's fine...they've even got rid of the round lights now for a squint but it's certainly not a looker I the traditional sense.
As bland SUVs go it's fine...they've even got rid of the round lights now for a squint but it's certainly not a looker I the traditional sense.
I agree, though personally few modern cars make me think that if I had the money I would buy them on style and instant attraction, like early Fiat and Alfa Sports cars, E Type Jags, AC Aces and the one I always loved the D type Jag.
To me car design has got to come from the heart , not a computer.
Many modern cars, if you only saw the profile in black and white you would struggle to recognise the maker.
BMW should remake this...i.e. leave the design and size exactly the same.
Talking about the D type, I think one of the best looking of those early Jags was the short lived XKSS. Makes me drool just to look at a picture of one.I agree, though personally few modern cars make me think that if I had the money I would buy them on style and instant attraction, like early Fiat and Alfa Sports cars, E Type Jags, AC Aces and the one I always loved the D type Jag.
To me car design has got to come from the heart , not a computer.
Many modern cars, if you only saw the profile in black and white you would struggle to recognise the maker.
Talking of BMW... we were on comparing service pricing the other day (dealer servicing). Went on their website... first question they ask 'is there any trouble codes on your car at present' ... They know their product. They know their customer. Got to give BMW that!
All of these were cars that stood out in their time, I am not sure that these days any cars really stand out from the crowd? I know what you mean about struggling to recognise the brand, especially as so often now lines are blurred by the same car being used by multiple brands albeit with some tweaks and changes to try and make it look a little different.I agree, though personally few modern cars make me think that if I had the money I would buy them on style and instant attraction, like early Fiat and Alfa Sports cars, E Type Jags, AC Aces and the one I always loved the D type Jag.
To me car design has got to come from the heart , not a computer.
Many modern cars, if you only saw the profile in black and white you would struggle to recognise the maker.
I think you can just about tell this is a min from the front (the latest 2024 Mini Hatch model)
From the back though?
No I don't think if you saw this, not knowing what it was and without any badges to tell you, I don't think you could tell this was a mini
Not even the white roof would give it away as so many other companies have started using it.
Actually I'm really not a fan of this design, what the hell where they thinking? square wing mirrors, triangular tail lights, round headlights, there is no consistency in the design, nothing flows nicely from one part to the next, you have curves and sharp edges right next to one another. Its like someone said, "We need to design the new mini, you have to keep it the same rough shape as the old one but change everything so it looks different" and the designer just set about it with all the care and consideration as the Italian job had for van doors.
Makes me wonder if we came back to Mini and Jaguar cars after a break of 100 hundred years would we be able to recognise either of the new cars as Mini or Jaguar?
Sooner or later a car manufacturer is going to strip out all of the technology that they've convinced themselves their buyers want, and that model will be their best seller, and cheapest, and best for repairs.
Sooner or later a car manufacturer is going to strip out all of the technology that they've convinced themselves their buyers want, and that model will be their best seller, and cheapest, and best for repairs.
I've never warmed to either old or new Mini. The original was clever, with space inside, despite being small outside, but working in the engine compartment always resulted in grazed knuckles and bruises due to the restricted space. Whilst the ride was very directable, it was never comfortable, so enjoyable occasionally, but not something I'd want to own. Had the use of some over a few years, did a few longer journeys, always grateful for the use, pleased to give it back.
Much later, with my first Panda, it was an interesting comparison. About a foot longer, but that extra foot seemed to be in the engine bay, and inside, and in the boot, quite magical. 45k miles in two years, then bought another.
As a child, I was obsessed with cars, and crap at drawing. If I'd kept them, I'd have many drawings of the old Mini, all poor depictions. Body too large for the glass area, wheels too big, length stretched, wider than it should be, etc. Then in 1999, they produced something that looked just like my drawings as an 8yr old.
New MINI, much larger, but never a spare wheel, due to lack of space. The opposite of the original, large outside, tiny inside. I get to ride in and drive these frequently, always cramped, and whilst comfortable, always harder work than expected. Steering is heavy, pedals need a firm push, minor controls all heavy. Always glad to walk away. (A Driving Instructor friend in Swindon has had several. "They're not very nice, but the learners are attracted to them, so they're good for business.") Owners love them, so that's fine, just not for me.
The Fabia, bought as a tool for the business, is so much lighter on the controls than a MINI. It is also looking quite small against the latest MINI too.
Much later, with my first Panda, it was an interesting comparison. About a foot longer, but that extra foot seemed to be in the engine bay, and inside, and in the boot, quite magical. 45k miles in two years, then bought another.
As a child, I was obsessed with cars, and crap at drawing. If I'd kept them, I'd have many drawings of the old Mini, all poor depictions. Body too large for the glass area, wheels too big, length stretched, wider than it should be, etc. Then in 1999, they produced something that looked just like my drawings as an 8yr old.
New MINI, much larger, but never a spare wheel, due to lack of space. The opposite of the original, large outside, tiny inside. I get to ride in and drive these frequently, always cramped, and whilst comfortable, always harder work than expected. Steering is heavy, pedals need a firm push, minor controls all heavy. Always glad to walk away. (A Driving Instructor friend in Swindon has had several. "They're not very nice, but the learners are attracted to them, so they're good for business.") Owners love them, so that's fine, just not for me.
The Fabia, bought as a tool for the business, is so much lighter on the controls than a MINI. It is also looking quite small against the latest MINI too.
Sadly, I think we're going towards the opposite direction because of legislating bodies in the form of the EU, and our government always trying to either match or one-up it by copying on things such as cars safety / emissions regs.
Ironically, despite forcing the car companies into silly notions like BEV tech and high-tech sensor based safety kit as a minimum requirement, people still - time and time again - have shown that they love to buy the most basic and simple cars be it our beloved outgoing Panda model or the Dacia Sandero a decade ago when it was a watered down Clio 'in a good way', as opposed to now where it's a watered down Clio 'in a bad way'. People decide. Governments ignore us and because they tell the companies what to do, they've now just removed basic spec models... removed A-segment models altogether.
They say it's consumer demand but where did the long-time demand from the buyers of the A-segment class disappear to? How did these people opting for low OTR price, low used price, low servicing costs, low maintenance, low complexity, easy driving position suddenly decide they want a big SUV styled people carrier that's a nightmare to park, expensive tyre sizes, a tonne of electronic gimmicks etc - miraculous that they all just prefer to spend 2-3x more now.
Germany has a very big car industry, they produced over 4 million cars last year, while the UK made less than a million. So i suspect the Germans who lead the EU are forcing through ever tighter safety and technology regulations to protect their industry, and stuff the consumer...
Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me. Aren't most of the sensors behind the safety tech usually Bosch? Fair play to them, ABS and many of the modern things definitely makes a real positive difference. Some of the radar level stuff though, I'm not so sure. I see more and more people in fancy new Skoda SUVs or the usual flashy brand big SUVs during rush hour blatantly on their phones, cars rolling forward seemingly just dependent on them to steer them. It's enabling horrific behaviour. I can't imagine back in the 90s people started braking later for fun because ABS would make it 'fine' haha
I’m with you, never liked the mini, could never get comfortable driving it, numb thighs if a passenger and there’s no way I was getting in the back!
Yes it was like a go cart but, dependant on model, that means it crashed around the road and you felt like driving over house bricks that, in reality, was pea gravel, or it bounced everywhere.
As for working on them, no space, seized or snapped fastenings and, inevitably, bloodied or bruised hands
This has already proven to not be the case. Dacia was the budget, basic car brand, and they found that no one bought the cheapest models and always added extras.
People stopped buying small cars when the government took away any incentive in 2017 when they started taxing all cars pretty much the same. its much harder and more expensive to get a smaller car to pass safety standards, smaller crumple zones = a need for more metal.
as for cheapest/best for repairs, well these cars are all designed by engineers and not mechanics. Really they don't care too much how easy it is to repair, they don't want people repairing their own cars anyway, as that doesn't earn them any money. On some level the harder it is to repair, the more likely you are to send it to the main dealer.
Not long after i'd written this there were some replies about the old minis being too small, difficult to fix etc., and i'd somewhat decided i was being caught up in nostalgia, and the technology changes are more important than is easy to grasp at first sight.
The conversation sent me to look at the German car industry, and that in world in general. Germany was producing 6 million cars not so long ago, but now just 4 million. China forges ahead, and Japan is still producing 7 million cars or so. I find that kind of thing interesting, while I was growing up in the 1980s the German cars were all the rage, and booming. Fiat isn't doing that well in Italy from the last time I looked. Anyway....my point is that the European car industry isn't in great shape. How much of that is due to regulation for sensible things, and how much the car makers producing expensive uninspiring cars...its hard to tell.
With these things there's always an element of "what did the manufacturer actually want you to buy".
In the modern era it seems if you want certain things that are unprofitable for the manufacturer the quoted lead time is mysteriously "never" this was certainly the case with Focus and Fiesta prior to their being axed. It was also strangely the case on cars like the Golf estate...
Obviously if you need a car before sometime never...they can get you into a Kuga, a Puma or a Tiguan much sooner and for a similar monthly payment.
The existence of things on the price list doesn't necessarily mean they won't funnel you a certain way...indeed I'd bet Dacia built very few Access spec cars and people bought what the dealers had.
One thing that was notable on a recent trip to the Toyota main agent in a showroom that found room for multiple variants of Aygo X, CHR, Yaris X and BZAK. There was not a single Corolla in either Hatch or Estate on display..no Prius either. The Corolla is the best selling car of all time...you'd think being able to compare them side by side to the more expensive and less practical CHR would be useful..and thats likely why it's not there.
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In the old days it was always the Deluxe versions with all the chrome trim etc. that rusted out first and had all the issues with electric windows and other options that gave trouble where as the base model was the most reliable.
Absolutely Mike. My Anglia was a base model in light grey with the small painted radiator grill. I always thought the base model when modified - lowered suspension with 5.5J rims etc just looked "right".In the old days it was always the Deluxe versions with all the chrome trim etc. that rusted out first and had all the issues with electric windows and other options that gave trouble where as the base model was the most reliable.
My dad told me that in his early driving days in the mid 80's he remembers every MK2 Mini he had or came across with the chrome grills always being rotten, his best mate had one which he got from his dad & he couldn't open the driver's door as the external hinges were that rotten the door would fall offIn the old days it was always the Deluxe versions with all the chrome trim etc. that rusted out first and had all the issues with electric windows and other options that gave trouble where as the base model was the most reliable.
