As far as I can tell, the real heavyweight we must understand in all this brouhaha over the MINI styling cues is one Gerhard Volker Hildebrand, according to the October issue of Automobiles Classique, the new head of MINI design, within the BMW group. The mag has a nice series of profiles on the heads of design for just about every manufacturer. Bangle and Hooydonck are pretty much the Beemer guys, and Hildebrand is Stephenson's direct successor, it seems. Looks like a nice guy, and he's not some young buck, trying to run off the reservation and cause choas, so hopefully, he'll keep the basic look intact. Cross your fingers. And toes.

As an aside, the one Maker who refrained from identifying it's Design Chief was Honda – THE most evolutionary stylists of all. I bet if you set one model of every Honda car ever built in a row chronologically, it would raise the hair on the back of your head – this company has a looooooonnnng-distance time-scale plan for its cars. Scary. Bland, but scary none the less. (yeah, I know you could do that with Minis, but that's cause perfection doesn't need change. HeHe.) Let's hope old Gert is class act, and not a slash & burn kinda guy.

     BCNU,
    Rob in Dago

An immediately recognized “Mini” shape (going back to the original '59) appears to be retained, even if LOA grows slightly for interior room.

I personally think two (2) distinctive round front lamps are an integral part of Mini recognition, but we must prepare for the advent of digital lighting (much smaller individual lamps). This will drive design; witness the [some goofy] Audi design exercises. Could the four lamp design be prep for LED? I think we'll see “two” front lamps in '06; one you recognize and perhaps another much smaller to carry a “pencil beam” driving light or some such idea. The existing lamp (with integrated washers) carries the look I'd bet on.

All the talk of big wheels (for looks, not performance) has me a bit worried about on-track acceleration and handling. Will the 18's be “standard” or options in those wheel wells?

But… I'm looking forward to the driving dynamics, the motors, the gearboxes, and the sheer joy of three machines in our garage: '67 MCS, '02 MC CVT, and '06 MC? Yeah!

I find absolutely nothing wrong with the new design. People who buy it will think of our cars like 1968 Beetle owners thought of 1965 Beetle owners, i.e. not at all.

This is not like when the MG's got rubber bumpers. No one is going to die. When car makers all over the world create “all new” versions of successful cars, we can rejoice that Mini has merely facelifted again.

Things will be fine. The car will be faster. The car will handle well. The car will look much better than the photo above.

Don't take the above image too seriously. AutoExpress has a habit of poor PhotoShop jobs… this is certainly another.

I almost didn't even post the image since I know many people just comment on that without really reading the article.

-making the base car larger is a large mistake by non-car bean heads. they may sell a few more, but the weight must go up. WE DON”T WANT A GOLF, YOU BMW FOOLS.

-why should everybody now have to suffer a large tire to well gap because a few blingheads want larger wheels? let the blingheads shell out for custom wells, not us.

-the bumper strip ruins the line of the side of the car.

-the ugle twin headlights are a stupid excercise in change for change's sake.

-the autoexpress article is incorrect about the pedestrian nannymobile standards. you don't have to change the car UNLESS you are making a substantial change to the model. so they could have and should have left well enough alone

-at this rate, the miata nc is looking more and more attractive. reportedly, they have returned to their roots with a simple, small, lightweight, moderately powered car. at least there are still some car guys left….

Although, I would like to see the MINI Moke revived, but with a more rigid roof frame and better looking softtop – something a bit more stylin' that would still be a head-turner (and elicit grins, not gasps).

The new Audi's all look they've been punched in the mug and given a swollen lower lip…

As posted in January 2004: http://www.motoringfile.com/2004/01/04/TheMINIGetsAPrince a 140hp R50 (current-model) Cooper is planned for 2006, if this would be the case I see no reason to wait for the R56…but can anyone confirm this information???