Comments on: Next MINI: Evolution over Revolution

By: Yorgo

Yorgo — Sat, 20 Nov 2004 22:13:15 +0000

Is this the next generation Mini or Austin America?

Actually it looks like it is wearing a mask of some sort. I hope this isn't going to be the final design.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 18 Nov 2004 20:22:01 +0000

One word! UGLY!!!

By: Matsu

Matsu — Thu, 18 Nov 2004 02:07:58 +0000

I would attribute any ugly in the pic to the fact that it's a disguised mule, and those tend to wear some ugly cladding. AS other have pointed out.

I wonder if new safety regs might lead to a a proliferation of boxer engines, and/or lay-down designs, once various manufacturer design cycles take them into new engine/transmissison units?

This poster would LOVE to have a 4 door MINI with an AWD boxer powertrain

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 12 Nov 2004 15:57:01 +0000

I just saw in a magazine, i believe Automobile, the one with the Ferrari Enzo, Ford GT and Porcshe GT going at it for 200 Proof, and they had a new BMW 3 series with a new engine inside it and it looked just like the MINI. The recessed lights and panels and everything like that. It's like they take the skin of the orignal and just slap it on to cover up everything. So that helps to reassure me that the new MINI won't be as ugly as the one in the picture. Take a look when you are in a magazine isle. You'll notice the same type of features being recessed and stuff and stuff bolted on.

By: JB

JB — Fri, 12 Nov 2004 12:30:09 +0000

it reminds me of the changes made to the mk1 (bugeye) sprite where the alligator front hood was discarded in favour of a more conventional lift top hood due to consumer pressures in the end, they were less popular and less valuable in the long run, long live the bugeye!@$!@ (if you dont know what one looks like, check my website link for pics of my car)

By: john

john — Fri, 12 Nov 2004 09:03:02 +0000

Steel prices have trippled this year and chrome plating has also become more expensive so I would expect the base mini to have little-to-no chrome on it and all chrome trim will become a cost option.

By: Flo

Flo — Fri, 12 Nov 2004 08:35:24 +0000

iÃ‚Â´ve the information that when you take a quick look at the new model you wonÃ‚Â´t realise that it is a new model.

By: Shawn

Shawn — Fri, 12 Nov 2004 08:27:38 +0000

Actually, looking more closely it does appear this is still a one-piece hood design (with the lights recessed due to their new stationary position). But I would think this compromise would be the worst of both possible scenarios (the two options would be to keep the one-piece bonnet with the lights attached or change the metal work to have conventional, enclosed fenders with a traditional hood). By making the lights stationary, but keeping a one-piece bonnet, I'd worry about the sealing around the light enclosures — how the heck do you have them seal properly against any water getting inside the engine compartment? No, I think this photo has to be a testing mule with the hood pushed out for the new motor and not a final design, however disguised.

By: Wraith

Wraith — Fri, 12 Nov 2004 05:42:18 +0000

it looks like a minimized Bentley Continental GT, only not quite as swept back

By: Gabe

Gabe — Fri, 12 Nov 2004 05:22:07 +0000

Yeah that looks to be the case on this prototype. If this is true then the MINI might be keeping it's large, single piece hood. That would be a change since everything I've heard has alluded to that one piece hood being one of the things that they'd like to redesign to something more conventional.

I would be too surprised if this prototype isn't indicative of what we'll eventually see in terms of the hood.

By: David Bunting

David Bunting — Fri, 12 Nov 2004 05:15:25 +0000

Looking at that picture a little more, it appears the new hood is already on this car. The headlights appear to sit behind the hood, which has big openings in it. Also that single piece grille appears to stay with the bumpercover when the hood lifts.

By: David Bunting

David Bunting — Fri, 12 Nov 2004 05:03:12 +0000

Currently the headlights are suspended from the hood. According to the article, the next generation MINI would have a more conventional hood and the headlights would no longer be part of the hood assembly, but would remain fixed in place.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Fri, 12 Nov 2004 04:09:30 +0000

What's the difference between the current bonnet and the “lift-up” bonnet? How will they differ?

By: Allan

Allan — Fri, 12 Nov 2004 02:02:46 +0000

I like the bonnet as it is now…

By: iDiaz

iDiaz — Fri, 12 Nov 2004 01:00:59 +0000

The rest of the car looks like the same old MINI, so I'd wager that this is just another test mule for the new engine, made to look a little closer to a current MINI than the old test mule with the huge bulge on the bonnet. We'll see…

By: Shawn

Shawn — Thu, 11 Nov 2004 23:46:31 +0000

I'll withhold judgment until I see the real deal. But I hope they do not mess too much with the metalwork design on the one-piece bonnet. That's a work of art and switching to a traditional hood would be shame (revenge of the bean counters due to the production costs of the one-piece I'm sure).

By: JoeDentist

JoeDentist — Thu, 11 Nov 2004 23:10:18 +0000

Don't get too excited. The automotive press is built on hype, not facts. This whole car may just be a development mule for the new engine series, and have nothing much to do with body design. Previous shots of minis said that the engine was taller than the current version, and they expected the hood to rise to the occaission. This may be part of the evolution. Leys wait until we see more concrete examples before making judgements.

By: David Bunting

David Bunting — Thu, 11 Nov 2004 22:59:28 +0000

I'm actually happy to see the “lift up bonnet” go away. The “newer style” traditional hood is actually more in keeping with the original Mini.

By: codemunkee

codemunkee — Thu, 11 Nov 2004 22:43:19 +0000

call me crazy but i think it looks exactly the same except for the grill…i do hope they keep the hood scoop for the S.

By: Rodney

Rodney — Thu, 11 Nov 2004 22:36:39 +0000

I am surprised no one has complained about the conventional lift-up bonnet. This is a real spoiler for me. This is a very unique feature of the MINI. I hate to see it go.