Next Generation MCS Undisguised!

Now you can see the M influence…:)

I don’t like the grille although it looks very similar to the style fitted to Mk1 and Mk2 Morris Mini models. Leave the venetian blind Cooper grille on the car – otherwise a lot of people will be retrofitting old style. And I don’t like the wheels – they are BMWish.

We tried to do a little bit more photoshop on the existing picture above mentioned. thx kolus for your photoshop

http://www.mini2.info/forum/showpost.php?p=854368&postcount=408

Now I did this :D http://img157.imageshack.us/my.php?image=modified2wb0di.jpg

With white roof, white mirror, and actual grille. With colored bumper

In a perfect world, I’d be interested in see the redesign without the need to adhere to the new euro pedestrian standards. That said, I tend to agree with those who prefer the lines of the existing car to the direction the new one is heading.

It would also be nice to see a little more rim and less tire as already noted. Overall, I’ll reserve judgement until the final version shows itself.

And what say ye Mr. Bridger of Billie’s remarks?

Starting to wonder if some of what is shown in this “Teaser” file I got from MINI.COM is what may be coming. Especially the rump.

http://www.gbmini.net/mtblog/archive/2006/05/next_mini_tease.shtml

Am I the only one that thinks this is a picture of the new Mini Cooper and NOT the new Mini Cooper S?

Remember that the new Mini Cooper is supposed to come with a turbo charged version of the new engine, that is how we can explain the smaller cooper wheels, the cooper stile side vents and the lower cooper stile bonnet stance.

Yep I think we are looking at the new Mini Cooper and not the new Mini Cooper S.

Would it be possible to display a picure of the current car along side of this new one?

Dave, you might be right and the mule might be a mini cooper. But if the rumors of the cooper coming with a turbo are true, then i don’t see how they could setup a turbo system without a scoop or without placing the intercooler right behind the bottom front grill.

In the picture i don’t see an intercooler, so maybe the cooper will not come with a turbo, or maybe that is a picture of a lower model.

That thing is butt ugly,and that front black bumper aggg! its awful,the grill is ok but dont like the chrome border, it should have been all black similar to the aero grill convertion. I am glad I ordered a ’06 Mini S, first mod on my new mini will be the aero grill and driving lights.

Dave is right. I own a 1989 Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo and it didn’t come with an intercooler at all let alone a scoop. It isn’t the most efficient way to setup a turbo engine but it has been done it the past by other MFGs. I don’t anticipate Mini will follow this course since the cars considered a high end sport compact not an econo box car.

I can’t get over the look of the headlights with integrated turn signals – it was bothering me, until I realized where I had seen something like it before – looks just like the headlights on a Dodge Neon (the SX 2.0 in Canada).

When features on a MINI begin to look like everything else on the road – that’s when you know the end is near!! (just kidding)

I have a feeling that silver turn signal bulbs are going to be on the must-buy lists of R56 buyers when this car comes out……….

The black bumpers are just “slaves”. Put on if the correct colour bumper is not available for whatever reason. I assure you that the R56 WILL have color coded bumpers. Only the CooperS is turbo-charged. It’s known as a PSA N14 and is a 1.6litre unit. The non turbo version is called the N12. All this speculation turns my stomach because I see the damn things 4 days out of 7!!

One thing I really don’t like is the new side glass on the rear. It no longer meets the tailgate glass and doesn’t curve. Not going to look quite so nice as the current treatment.

The most important thing to take from all of this is…

“undisguised” is not a word.

One thing I really don’t like is the new side glass on the rear. It no longer meets the tailgate glass and doesn’t curve. Not going to look quite so nice as the current treatment.

No I agree! There’s a mildly awful looking black piece of plastic instead. As far as I know all of the plasics (including arch extensions or “spats” as they’re known locally)are still under development, which is why they have a smooth appearance at the moment. Grained pieces are starting to trickle through now, as all of the press and “photo” cars are currently being built – about 5 a day now! September seems so far away Lol!

So Billy….not a chance you could snap a few shots of the press cars for us, is there?

While on vacation in the UK last week, I took the MINI factory tour, and in the bodyshell assembly portion I came upon a R56 bodyshell just sitting in front of me!

It was sitting on the production floor next to a current bodyshell and I was the only one on the tour who noticed it as being different. It was easy to spot because of the wraparound shaped headlight openings in the hood. The openings for the rear taillights were much wider than the current car, and the wider rear hips (or shoulders) were also noticeable. No big news there if you’ve been following the R56, but it was exciting to see one. I had a minute or so by myself to look over the body and my overall impression was favorable.

They aren’t doing daytime tours now. Our tour was at 7pm in the evening because they didn’t want us to see production of the new R56 which is already being built in small numbers alongside the current MINI during the day. Off the record, one of the tour guides told me the occasional R56 model ran down the bodyshell production line during the day interspersed with the current MINI models (just like a convertible or hardtop version of the current car comes down the line intermittently). I was surprised the production line could handle a new model mixed in with the old ones, but he said the robots were programmed to handle it with no problem. The guides pointed to a new building there that was dedicated to the final R56 assembly which is to run faster than the current production line, helping increase annual production and reduce the customer waiting times for a new MINI. They said these R56 bodyshells being produced now were for evaluation purposes. I guess that means sorting out the new assembly process before the line goes “live“. They also said they would ramp up R56 production in July so as to supply dealerships with demo cars when the new model is launched in September.