Filed under: Economy, Euro, Hatchbacks, MINI
MINI may be working on even smaller model
What could possibly be smaller than a MINI? We're likely to find out in a few years as Motoring File reports that BMW is in the early stages of developing an even smaller model to join the MINI lineup around 2011 or 2012. The Bavarian automaker needs a new ultra small car to improve its corporate average CO2 emissions, but such a vehicle wouldn't jive with the BMW brand image. Enter MINI, which is now adding the larger Clubman model to its lineup, but will likely find itself with an even smaller car to help out its parent company. Motoring File surmises such a car could cost as little as £8,500, or about £2,000 to £3,000 less than the least expensive MINI on the market now, the MINI One (see gallery below). A smaller MINI may actually move the retro brand closer to the car from which it sprung, the original MINI Cooper. The current car resembles the original in appearance, but is considerably larger, even more so since the second gen. debuted. The original MINI developed by Sir Alec Issigonis (on a napkin, no less) was only as large as it absolutely needed to be. It would be great to see today's MINI pumping out vehicles that adhered to that standard again.
[Source: Motoring File]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
autohobby 3:34PM (9/18/2007)
What could be smaller than a Mini? Well, er, uh, duh, how about an original one?
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bloodnok 4:04PM (9/18/2007)
the bimmermini is a very nice car, but for old fools like me who learned how to drive with the rubbery gearchange of the original mini, the bimmer is still a fraud. not as blatant as the revolting veedub nubeetle, mind. i'd love to see bmw do a genuine small car like the original. even in suvland, i'd have one in a flash!
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Dinger 5:08PM (9/18/2007)
So the BMW Mini is a "fraud" because it's improved over the original... That's interesting logic.
I guess you also don't like Color TV (vs. the original B&W), Cell Phones (vs. the original hand cranked land lines), Laptop Computers (vs. the original immobile room sized ones), Central Heating (vs. the original open fire pits), Modern Medicine (vs. the original blood letting to get out the bad humors) and a whole host of other items.
SPG 7:22PM (9/18/2007)
Dinger, Good comment!
If the Mini was constantly updated over the years such as in a regular cycle like we see in most other cars it would probably be quite similar to the BMW Mini.
Barney 9:39PM (9/18/2007)
I agree. The "New" Mini is by looks only. The original was a fun and inexpensive car. It's the same concept as the "new" Beetle. Granted, the new beetle is totally away from the original, whereas the BMW has some similarity. To those who think the Mini evolved to what it is now because it had to, then why is BMW making it smaller again?
Isettabob 4:10PM (9/18/2007)
I think that its time for BMW to bring back the Isetta! I just finished restoring my '58 Isetta.
http://www.IsettaBob.com
Its certainly smaller than a MINI!
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Matthew Zacherle 6:58PM (9/18/2007)
HAHA I love it!
olddavid 4:11PM (9/18/2007)
Sir Alec would be horrified by today's iteration.
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retsel 4:17PM (9/18/2007)
i know they can call it the nano
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Alex 4:47PM (9/18/2007)
so we are taking about another cool car that'll never see the western side of the pond. great.
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moe 5:15PM (9/18/2007)
introducing.. .the midget.
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jmc3 5:55PM (9/18/2007)
BMW is a company thats making all the right moves.
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DH5 6:41PM (9/18/2007)
You say, "such a vehicle wouldn't jive with the BMW brand image." Do you really mean "jive", or would it be "jibe?"
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gary 8:49PM (9/18/2007)
I wonder if they finally realized that since the last of Sir Alec Issigonis original Minis were getting 52 mpg with the old 1275cc BMC 'A' push rod engine. That a new 1L BMW engine/powertrain might be a worth while investment to the original Mini design concept.
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Jorge 11:52PM (9/18/2007)
i want one now so i can have the whole collection.
I have one of the original mini and a new bimmer mini(first gen). A smaller mini will complete my collection. lol
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blackstripe77 7:17AM (9/19/2007)
Anything could be smaller than a Mini. The "Mini" is huge! and yet has absolutely no interior space... wonder how they did that.
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Colin Smith 10:24AM (9/19/2007)
Agreed. That's why Issigonis is turning in his grave. The whole essence of the real Mini was compactness. Maximum interior space versus minimum size. Hence the transverse engine and tiny ten inch wheels, and clever rubber cone suspension. All done with an eye to maximising space. The handling was a real bonus. The novel proportions of the original mini were certainly dictated by the layout, but the design details were pure BMC of the late '50s.
The BMW Mini is not about packaging, it's all about style. The space utilisation is shockingly poor, but the market is different now and image rules, so I wonder if this matters?
500 8:21PM (9/19/2007)
I suspect that this is largely due to modern safety regulations. Making a vehicle the size of the original Mini with the same interior space, meeting both US and European regulations, would likely be impossible.
blackstripe77 5:29AM (9/20/2007)
If we ignore style for a moment, there are many cars out there that comply with the new safety regulations, are about the same size (or probably smaller), but have loads of interior space, including, leg, head, and luggage.
500 11:35PM (9/20/2007)
True blackstripe, but if you ignore style, it won't be a Mini.