Comments on: BMW Working on MINI-based Car?

By: Naruto16

Naruto16 — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 20:33:28 +0000

BMW 0.5 Series

Lowest end of the line with the smallest engine: BMW 0.520

Higher end of the line with the engine from the 3 series: BMW 0.528

M version BMW M1/2

By: Markus

Markus — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 08:50:11 +0000

Why not? BMW has to enlarge the production numbers of MINI to be profitable for the future. So they make problably a “0″ (Ohhhh, not zero…) BMW line, based on a new MINI platform… it would be an incredible production number…

By: Greg W

Greg W — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 20:50:41 +0000

Yes Beken – didn’t BMW buy Rover (including Mini) and LandRover to get the 4-w-d technology then sell off Land Rover to Ford when the X5 was released? So the fear is that BMW will sell MINI off after developing their own model. Previous posts have already indicated that BMW needs to sell MINI platforms etc to try and make a bigger buck. Worldwide there does seem to be pockets of anti-BMW MINI by Classic Mini owners and clubs. This was probably fuelled at the beginning by BMW not wanting to “know” anything to do with old Mini. We have now seen an about face by BMW. It would have been better if BMW had integrated old Mini parts and service into the new MINI structure.

By: beken

beken — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 17:15:57 +0000

Just to add fuel to the fire, I could see this happen if BMW were to build up the MINI brand and then sell it off at a huge profit. Then build a small car under it's own brand.

BMW, I'm sure, is cognizant of the anti-BMW sentiments in the (classic) mini crowd. I kind of forgot there was anti-BMW sentiments until I heard comments from some folks who attended MMWest and MMEast this year.

By: Gaston

Gaston — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 17:14:31 +0000

Sounds like a reasonable product for some markets, maybe not the US, though. I saw many, many small Mercedes in Northern Europe earlier this month, and quite a few BMW 1's, too. While the MINI is a premium car, the comments I heard were that the MINI is too expensive for its size. A small BMW that easily holds four would compete well.

Also, Euro automakers are coming under increasing pressure to improve fuel efficiency, which supports the idea of more product in the small size space.

By: Mark (Ohio)

Mark (Ohio) — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 16:04:24 +0000

Hmmm, front wheel drive BMW? Well that portion of the rumor cannot be true…perhaps it will borrow the AWD system from the new MINI instead? :)

By: Aurel

Aurel — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 13:58:29 +0000

The 0 Series?

By: lavardera

lavardera — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 13:27:37 +0000

How about if they offered a BMW 0 series coupe with performance oriented 4wd - the configuration you won't see in the Mini Coupe.

It would cost more and it would not compete. It would slot in right between the JCW stage 2 and the 1 series....chew on that.

By: Lee L

Lee L — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:51:59 +0000

Well, they are crazy enough to do the 1 series which is just a tiny bit smaller than the 3 series and will probably be much cheaper and cannibalize tons of 3 sales.

By: Bmw prepara una piccola basata sulla Mini?

Bmw prepara una piccola basata sulla Mini? — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:56:12 +0000

[...] | MotoringFile postato da p.a.fina il mercoledÃƒÂ¬ 18 luglio 2007 [...]

By: M. Dillon

M. Dillon — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 05:52:43 +0000

...hmmm. A small BMW to go up against the MINI?

I think they call it the BMW,3-door,1-Series.

...but don't quote me on it...

...since it's based on a rumor.

By: Greg W

Greg W — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 03:23:30 +0000

Here I go again – the BMW-isation of MINI. I hope Chris Bangle doesn’t design it! Talk about an about face of years and years of rear-wheel-drive technology being the Bmw-all and end-all. Didn’t the X5 get morphed from a Range Rover when they owned it?

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 03:21:33 +0000

Seriously doubt this one, since BMW is always looking for greater profitablility for the Mini brand, building more direct competion seems silly.

By: tsukiji

tsukiji — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 03:03:19 +0000

No way, but we could see BMW come out of the closet and add a roundel to the MINI wings & sell it through BMW dealers.

By: mataku527

mataku527 — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 02:33:07 +0000

BMW + Front wheel drive? I don’t know all the history or anything, but I thought that was a no-no.

By: Gabe

Gabe — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 02:31:48 +0000

Sounds like a dumb idea.

I'll second that. I personally don't believe it.

By: AN

AN — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 02:06:46 +0000

If memory serves. I saw an R53 on MTTS that had replaced all the MINI logos with BMW badges. Take a page from GM and just make this an option.

By: MiniShinobi

MiniShinobi — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 01:59:49 +0000

uuuhh THAT wouldn’t make sense. It’s like BMW competing against itself….BMW already has the MINI, why build another car under the BMW brand to compete with it? It would be like Coca-Cola doing a new lime soda based on Sprite.

By: Gary

Gary — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 00:54:24 +0000

BMW created the premium Small Car market with the new MINI… I don’t see why it wouldn’t be available in the US…

By: eager2own

eager2own — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 00:35:56 +0000

Awesome! they could call it — the R56!