…mostly folks just complain now…

…personally i’m excited to see it in the flesh as i foresee this as a viable stablemate to my r53, especially if it’s diesel…

…i loves me an ugly diesel…

mini needs to abort this thing ASAP while it still can, and just focus on strengthening its core product line. And by strengthening, I mean improve quality of materials, and better build… perhaps even use some of that money to solve the infamous german electronic gremlins?

just a suggestion.

If I wanted a RAV4 I would have bought a RAV4. I’m sure it will be less expensive. The MINI Cooper/Clubman is a niche, that thing doesn’t look like it fits in one. Again, it better do some wonderful stuff.

That swirly camouflage sure does a good job of hiding all the details, and the double rear doors seem to be a fake-out, since the rear window has only one wiper. Looks like those funny vertical tail lights weren’t included for final production. I think the scariest looking thing are those monster headlights that have morphed from frog eyes to lizard eyes. Looks like that “skull cap” roof design was left in, and I think that is also a big mistake. All-in-all, it still looks like it’s going to be the “smallest SAV” on the market, so by today’s standards, I guess you could call it the MINI-UTE.

MINI, like every other car manufacturer is looking to sustain itself. This requires reinventing the wheel (pun intended) sometimes. They cannot possibly cater to enthusiasts of an antiquated concept as a means of survival. At least, not for the long haul. My interest in a new MINI was sparked by my interest in the classic Mini, but they are distinctly different in so many ways. I really enjoyed the ownership experience of my R53 and I do plan to acquire a classic Mini someday, as well as an R60. I just don’t get all the closed-minded, overzealous defenders of the “genuine article” known as the new MINI when it, in fact, started as nothing more than a look-back attempt at capitalizing on the original Mini concept and ended up as a much larger, albeit premium compact.

This is a test mule, far from production and far from its final look. No need to write it off yet.

This R60 could be a huge blunder for MINI, or..like some others here have stated, could be a great way to reach new demographics. Its a good time to go for it, right now it seems that people love EVERYTHING MINI.

Well the R60 is pretty clearly a 4 door. I don’t see the connection.

Frankenstien’s workshop? They stuck Clubman door handles on tailgate, but are much lower than a Club, looks like a poor head fake on the rear door overall (faux barn doors, 2 handles, but a single wiper…)

Not crazy about the shape in this or the prototype, but would like to see a 4 door/AWD MINI on the market that is tasteful. Our 1 Clubman household is w/2 kids + 2 dogs and everyone fits thanks to the extended boot.

However, we are in New England and a R60 would definintely be appreciated over the long winters and easier loading/unloading of kids. My overall preference would be to have a traditional MINI for commuting and the R60 for family time if they can hit the right note on the design.

I believe Subaru was the only major car maker to increase US sales in ’08… AWD mini SUVs/Wagons are clearly in demand.

well… apparently Mini product planners forgot about it.

C4 – 50 comments, over 25% of them are from you. Great to read your opinion, but…you’re kinda crying wolf here.

Evan, I am not bashing anyone for saying this interests them. My personal unhappiness lays with some of the people at Mini that are willing to trash everything Sir Alec stood for and throwing the historical precedence into the garbage bin. While there are some things on the concept R60 I think are not bad designs, I choke thinking that Mini really needs a SUV. Also with the 1 series SUV there is likely to be so much overlap on the price point alone that a huge number that would consider a Mini SUV will go for the tiny bit larger 1 series that will be a few thousand more.

Interesting, then, that my comment does not show-up online.

Okay, I will say something more exciting:

“Oh, yeah? Well, so’s your old man! You little girl!”

(with mini)

hasn’t everyone who had bought a MINI? We are all experts by that measure.

There, I said it. I’d have it next to my ’04 R50 Cooper. It’s four inches longer than a Clubman, which is still wicked short. And it’s a little taller, with four easy to use doors. It’ll be more practical than the hatch and a 128i. Even if the price will bump a well equipped 1er. My next car purchase will need to account for a dog and child, pushing the limit of MINI Cooper.

I’m not sorry that I like it. A diesel version w/AWD may be the ticket. Or an S version w/sports suspension…. BRG, black roof, 18″ wheels.

If it’s a fall debut at Frankfurt, will it be in the USA around March 2010?

Although, I still love the Clubman. Especially now that I could get the JCW Stage I kit for it. Show me the 2010 update and I’ll tell you my decision…