MINI SUV to be Called the Crossman?

Sections: R60 (Countryman) Dec 17th, 2007 67 Comments

According to German automotive magazine Auto Motor und Sport the new MINI SUV may take a page from the Clubman and could christened the Crossman when it debuts in 2010. You can read the rest (in German) below:

[ Mini: Absatzrekord in Sicht ] Auto Motor und Sport

Written By: MF Staff

bavarian racing green

…i don’t have near the knowledge some have about MINIs heritage, but I would like to re-iterate a statement…

…some make ridiculous judgments and claims regarding this vehicle and it’s style and purpose…

…NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THIS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE…

…THAT IS A CLUBMAN ON TOP OF A PROTOTYPE DRIVETRAIN…

…the ‘soccer mom’ comments and even the ‘SUV’ references are silly upon silly…

…let’s review some dimension of some popular motor vehicles…

…Honda CRV = 4500mm overall length…

…Mazdaspeed3 = 4490mm overall length…

…Subaru WRX = 4572mm overall length…

…Honda CRX = 3775mm overall length…

…MINI ‘R60′ = 3960mm overall length!!!!!!

…though MS3 and WRX are close to CRV I don’t see anyone calling them SUVs…

…and i don’t see many ‘soccer moms’ driving rally cars like the WRX…

…from this empirical evidence one would more logically conclude this vehicle from MINI will be a non-aggressive (MINI is fun and happy) rally-type vehicle with BMW grade suspension/drivetrain…

…20 inches shorter than a WRX!!!

…and the possibility of DIESEL!!!

…how can anyone who likes cars at all not be excited by this…
bavarian racing green

…breathe…

…breathe…

…SEVEN INCHES LONGER THAN THE FRIGGIN C-R-X!!!

…how is that not MINI???
Jon

Heh Vanwall you caught me, sorry all was at the end of a exceptionally long day. Still doesn’t change my view that this is anything that can be linked into Mini’s rally history. This is a luxury SUV not a rally car.
Vanwall

Well done, bavarian racing green!
Bwana Yak

So who says MINI should only make rally-style cars? Most of the original Mini models were made for ordinary working-class owners who used them for commuting and light-duty hauling. Just because they were also popular for retooling with a very small group of enthusiasts doesn’t mean the entire product line has to be tied to that criteria.

MINI came back as a performance car because they knew that would excite people and build brand recognition, but if you look at the bloodline that produced the current MINI, there’s plenty of room for variants that aren’t specifically designed for the track.
Jon

Completely agree Bwana, just was pointing out the exact same thing actually. The R60 development isn’t a rally car, its a micro luxury suv.

I do however have to say though that the new Mini followed along near perfectly with the original with their performance versus other cars of their time. The original Mini was designed as a micro commuter auto, but people quickly found that this little car held up with many other cars because of being lightweight and having exceptional handling.
MINIme

I like Countryman! That was one of my original votes. Yes, this is ideal. A MINI suitable for the gentleman farmer… Tool around the pasture or motor into town for a pint. Sounds perfect!
Jon

Better than Crossman for sure lol.

I don’t see this aimed at the gentleman farmer either. I see it being crafted for young urban dwellers that either because of outgrowing the current Mini or filling the thirst of drivers in the US market for larger vehicles. They have already said the primary reason for the development is for the US market which I think has more young urban drivers than gentleman farmers heh.
bavarian racing green

…i did say ‘rally-style’ vehicle…

…i did not say a true rally ready vehicle…

…no one who buys a WRX would dare engage in a rally w/o significant mods…

…my point was only to say that the real numbers, facts, and history about this vehicle point more to a WRX or small Forester type vehicle than a bloated land yacht used to ferry small suburban offspring to mildly organized socio-politically motivated sporting events… ;)
O(=^=)OCapn

BVR and Vanwall, I agree completely.

Is being a troll MINI-like? I don’t think so.

I vote for Dakar!!! that would be the best. Mojave is really good too.

Good Job Mark
O(=^=)OCapn

I meany BRG
O(=^=)OCapn

I Meant BRG. Fat Fingers
MINIme

Yea, not too many gentleman farmers out there. Oh well, I was attempting to romanticize the whole notion a bit.

I can see the offspring of the Range Rover set driving this. I have had valets fight over parking my car when Porsches, MBs, Range Rovers, etc. were flanking her, jockeying for a parking spot. Alas, they all lost as I always self-park (no joy rides in my baby). Also, the hip urban cowboy who has a kayak or mountain bike or a couple of Labradors. I don’t see the soccer mom driving this. Still too small.

I am praying for Land Rover LR2 capability.
Vanwall

Third time’s a charm, Cap’n! ;-) I imagine we’ll see these in the ski towns some.
Jon

Heh why wait, my coupe plays in the snow already. No suv needed here.
MINIme

Jon, what type of winter tire do you run? I have owned numerous front-wheel-drive cars over the years (mostly VWs) that did great in snow. It is probably just the tires, but my “S” scares the hell out of me in the snow.

I got stuck (high-centered) in the snow, on a two-lane road in the middle of nowhere once. I was driving a VW Rabbit Convertible. Other than that, the car ran great. I ran 60 series tires on 14 inch wheels in those days.

I look forward to the extra ground clearance in the SAV. Nothing like a sporty ride that can handle inclimate weather… I just hope we are not talking about 20 inch wheels and low-pro tires. Sure it looks “pimp”, as my Son would say, but will take away from the functionality of having an SAV/SUV. I am thinking 265/60/17. Maybe Avon will make their excellent Tech ST model to fit our needs.
Jon

Having grown up in Colorado and spending months per year on every form of winter roads have always prepared my car for winter even though I live in the NW this is still the case. Over the winter I put on my factory 17′s (replacing the 18″ OZ’s) with Blizzak LM-25 RPT. This easliy handles most any issue with snow. I have routinly driven front wheel drive cars over the Rockies and Cascades over the winter months with no major problems. I also keep a set of lightweight “chains” in the car when I know I will be driving at the vehicles limits for clearance or grip.

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