They introduced a new model that was cheaper to build. One of the things they did to cut costs was to make a one piece floor pan, rather than one that came in 8 pieces. This made it so there were 2 people working on the floor assembly, rather than 8. In the process, the body was stiffer and there was less rooom for error in it's build. Not only was the truck cheaper to build, but the customer got a superior product.

BMW will probably take the same approach with the MINI.

I just can't see them Dawoo-ifying the current lineup..

The cut throat automotive market demands decreased production costs and yet while retaining high quality and product appeal for the customer…that's quite a hefty challenge and most of us understand it one-dimensionally but it is so much more than cheapening a car for the heck of it. All manufacturers in operation today are always seeking to cut costs to keep thier products and profits competitve. as for BMW it doesn't seem to me that they will be willing to jeopardize thier must successful franchise ever. My prediction is that when the R56 comes out in a few years the car will be a hit and it will look higher quality too, perhaps in the interior and materials used, yet they would have cut costs in areas that you will never see/touch or hear. probably the R56 will make use of more integrated modules, use less welds, cheaper dashboard modules that will still look and feel MINI all the way.

Us MINI owners are very passionate about our cars and jump to conclusions without even getting all the facts together and seeing the finish product in person. People complained last year when MINi announced the softening of the suspension, yet today no one complaints as the handling was not affected and the ride quality was improved dramatically. So the R56 will be the same thing, so let's all relax enjoy our cars and let BMW do thier job. 3 years is an eternity in the car business and anything can happen from here til then.

Let's hope that when I buy my next MINI it still is a MINI and not a mainland Chinese version…R

The mess he makes of any car he designs is breathtaking… Why BMW is still folowing this pied piper of bad design is beyond me.

I recall reading somewhere that if not for the paint shop bottleneck the plant could build almost 300,000 a year… but like anything you read in a paper or on the net these days I do notknow how true it was/is.

I too expect to see a traveler version in the future but I think that the SUV craze will be a fading one by the time that MINI might be thinking of doing it, hence we may be saved from that travisty except fot the ones that come out of the custom shops…

BMW has positioned the MINI as a premium brand and I do not see them risking this hard won identity with an intentional cheapening of the brand… that said of course they will look, like any builder of any product will, for ways to improve their profit margin… but not in ways that would impact the perceived quality of the product. That would be Just stupid.

~R

This is something that is always happening in the manufacturing world. You have a design, and you want to find a way to make it cheaper to produce, but keep the same level of quality. I think you can be sure of one thing though, that BMW will not want to tarnish its name by producing an inferior product.

I think we will just have to wait and see on this one. The article probably sounds scarier, than what will actually happen.

As it is, the current generation does have its cost-cutting evident in some of the plastics and quality of the interior bits. But, and this is why none of that matters, they spent the money in all of the right places- the chassis and structure are excellent along with safety and overall build.

We just have to trust BMW. Even if they drop some now standard equipment, they will keep the core of the car alive and well.

Or I at least have the best model year so far (2004) and will keep it forever.