2007 MC & MCS Spotted in Death Valley

Oh btw, slat grill present.

What interests me is as I look at the car I see that it has a set of JCW 18″ star spokes on, kinda makes me wonder if it had something else under the bonnet. I see the wheel reflectors are centered which I have to say I like, also much smaller that the current reflectors.

Great job David for capturing the shots and thanks to you Gabe for getting them out to the rest of us.

I really dig the slat grille. Also, to me the front overhang doesn’t look that severe.

You got your black test mules and you got your silver test mules … ack! I wish somebody would make duct tape in Hyper Blue or Chili Red. Good pics nonetheless.

I’ll take mine in Chilli Red with Black Roof and bonnet stripes.

I’ve seen some people concerned about buying a first year model. I think that BMW knows what is at stake if they stumble on initial quality with this car so I beleive that they have taken a initial quality very seriously. If I am not mistaken I beleive the engine is already in production cars in Eurpoe and I would assume many of the production and quality issues worked out.

Based on other posts regarding weight savings and HP boost I am expecting a healthy gain in performance. I don’t think the new exterior departs that much from the original. It still retains the instantly recognized identity of a MINI and the changes will not be noticed by your average Schmo on the street. I’ve seen other makes so radically change a design that is kills the car. I owned a 1988 Isuzu Impulse Turbo. Great car. Then Isuzu came out with the 1990 Impulse/Geo Storm and which completely killed the car.

The interior was great concern to me but I think it is an evolution that was needed. The interior is becoming dated [it was designed in the late 90's after all]

So I’ll be in line to buy one next May. It will be my 20th wedding anniversary present. I’ve had the MINI bug since 2003 and I don’t think I could wait for a 2008.

How many out there are planning on trading into a 2007?

Not seeing menacing but relieved that this is better looking that I 1st thought. It will be interesting to see what the Aero Kit will looks like.

The headlite placement is odd, seems it is more involved in the outer fender?

Still keeping the ’04 for a long time unless I can upgrade to a later car and change out the cheap looking tail lites.

Love that photo thing you’re using… I only came across the “next” part this morning.

It must be blazing hot out in DV this time of year I wonder if the AC is any better? I as am getting some tint put on my sunroof here in LA LA Land like my ’02 MCS had.

Gabe,

In these pix, the gas filler cap on the S is the same as the Cooper cap.

Is this because it’s a prototype? Or is the “chrome” filler cap going away?

could their testings of JCW wheels hint at extensive use of 18″ rims?

To WingNut’s comment…

At least if the new 07 comes all duct taped, primered, scratched and dinged you won’t worry about it afterwards. How many of us complained, cried, bitched and moaned when we got out first ding, road/curb rash or bug on the bonnet?

Well, now you don’t have to worry about it with the ’07. It’s predinged!

“PRE-DINGED LET’S MOTOR, NOT WASH!”

lol

Thanks Dave, I’d forgotten about all the previous with-slatts photos we’d seen. Lately, it’s been a lot of MCS photos with the aero-style grill and I just don’t like it. The car looks so much more MINI with the slats. That’s all I meant. I really dislike the look of the new car without them.

Are they going to use those tail-lights, or the ’06 taillights? While I don’t like the all-red look, and I swapped my taillights out with the euro-spec ones with a yellow turn signal, I do like the actual design.

I would guess that the slatted grille will be an option on the S. The all-chrome grille is available as a dealer-installed option on the current S, so I imagine that could be continued in the newest form.

How does one get a job slapping odd pieces of tape on test mules? One thing that I can do is cut and tape!

I prefer the term “man-i-mize”

LOL! That’s man-tastic!

In the case study for the creative firm that does mini.ca, they talk about launching the MINI brand in Canada and overcoming any “chick car” perceptions the car might adopt at first glance. It’s a very interesting read. I can understand the image logic of aggressive = manly, but I don’t see where the black grill intrinsically accomplishes that. I’d love to see an aero kit that had slats top and bottom – just to see what that would look like.

And btw, I love the look of the black grill and aero kit on the current car. I’ve thought many a time of doing the grill conversion (though ultimately I like the slats better). But I don’t like the look on the new nose. Ick. I do, however, think the car looks great with the slatted grille in it.

And on I go, beating the dead horse. Anybody wanna hear my thoughts on the on/off water pump? ;-)

I think they were just tanning the MINIs their, thats why they are so dark:)

I like it, but have the following reservations:

The Cooper bumpers look really plain without the current distinctive chrome inserts, these may still turn up but I can’t see where.

Also, as others have mentioned, the enlarged wheelarches to allow 18 inch wheels mean that 16 inch wheels now look too small. I hope they have made some progress with 17 inch runflats and ride quality.

I would like a Cooper with 17 inch or 18 inch wheels and it will have to have an Aero kit – can’t wait to see that.

I saw one of these “mules” here in Santa Barbara yesterday. Might not have been the same car but it was black and looked just like these.

Generally looks fine, but I wish they’d leave the “butch” details to the aftermarket and not compromise good design. Big wheels with rock-hard runflats ride like buckboards, are skittish except on glass-smooth surfaces, and unless very expensive lightweight alloys, add weight where you least want it. Pass. Aero kits do nothing but scrape curbs, collect snow and condensation, and add more useless weight. Pass. All-red taillights are purely about the “look,” the international tricolors are safer. Pass. I know this junk sells, but it’s no different/better than GM slapping a goofy rear spoiler on an Impala or the neighbor’s kid adding 200 pounds of plastic and two-watt taillights to his ground-scraping Civic. We laugh at them, wish BMW would stick to the higher (functional) ground.