MINI Crossover Spotted in California

Roccorocket…

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blockquote> If you follow the link in one of the comments above, you’ll see that the ‘barn doors’ and the handle are fake on the Crossover…there’s a picture on the link showing the rear hatch fully opened in conventional hatch style….the commentary associated with the link indicates that it’s just a standard hatch, not any kind of multi-opening door.

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blockquote> Thanks for the heads up. You never know with mules.

For all the haters, this car is still small and Mini when compared to other small SUV’s. So chill. Chris B. nailed it.

I love the idea of the crossover, as a MA I know have a chance to sell to another demographic and keep people who would normally move on because MINI has no all wheel drive model and now they can stay in our brand a little longer. Unfortunately, it would be nice to have a 5th seat beat but I understand there is a fine line between staying MINI and not driving like a MINI but me being not a gear head or hardcore as some of the guys on the website (no insult intended) I think MINI will do a great job keeping the MINI spirit and making this one of the most fun driving crossovers on the road. After all who really buys a SUV and wants it to do the same thing as a roadster or coupe I don’t think thats possible.

I’m with C4, as soon as Mini becomes diluted, it becomes just like everything else. To survive you must stick to your core values OR become the innovators in your field otherwise you become nothing special and fade away just like GM LOL

+1 with Gabe on C4′s history of dramatic and negative comments. I remember back when the R56 was coming out how he claimed it would ruin Mini…and then he bought a Clubman.

I’m actually a bit enthused about the Crossover. I love my R56, really, really love it. Still with two young daughters playing softball, trying to get all the bat bags, catchers gear, and buckets of balls in the R56 has proven a bit challenging at times.

The Clubman buys a little bit of space but not enough in my opinion to justify the purchase. I don’t want to leave the Mini family so if the Crossover has enough room and still has even 80% of that “Mini” feel it might just cover my needs.

OOPs I meant TALKING!!!

I agree with Axel. I would love to see a diesel, manual, AWD R60. I’m really curious to see what the C-pillar will look like. I hope that the sloping roof and C-pillar don’t create a whopping blind spot.

Yes, R60 is going to be “little” bigger than other MINI variants of the past; however, as a current R53 owner, I will be considering it as a second car/MINI. Soon, we’ll be replacing our second commuter with a smaller more efficient car, and this will be a good candidate. Our toddler likes my MINI a lot, and he will appreciate to take his commute to preschool everyday in another, more spacious MINI. I am looking forward to it actually.

In terms of whether this will divide the MINI community or not, we’ll see whether I’ll have any problems -as an R53 driver- with my wife once she starts driving the R60. If we end up getting a divorce, then JohnPD and C4 will win :)

By the way, where is C4? Is he banned?

Still not digging the physical design or what this development says about the brand. It will be interesting to see how the Mini community re-acts to the shift in brand image over the long term. ie I can’t wait to see a R60 wallowing along the Dragon next year ;)

I can’t wait to see the R60 in Frankfurt. My family has grown since Xmas and while a roof rack with box has extended the R53′s usefulness, it won’t be long before we HAVE to get a bigger vehicle. It would be nice if the R60 turned out to be a decent option.

Guess my question still would be if tomorrow I adopt three kids or need six seats does this mean Mini should make a larger car for me. I know that many people do need the extra room for a larger family and fully accept this, I fail however to think that the brand needs to fill every need of every possible owner. I would much rather have Mini keep a very clear brand image that doesn’t end up tarnishing the rest of the brand. I am not sure if this will be the case of not but I do believe its a real possibility.

As for a R60 on the Dragon, yep it will happen after a chunk of aftermarket tuning to make the extra mass and inertia of this car perform with the same grace of the coupe. Then again, just because I can spend the money to make a school bus cut around the Dragon doesn’t mean its a Mini.

To me the handling and feel of the R60 is going to be interesting. The Clubman is already a little less stable than the Coupe in default configurations. You can feel the extra mass it carries load into the corners. I somewhat shudder at what many extra hundreds of pounds will feel like. I do have trust in BMW/Mini to make a capable car just wonder at the end of the day if it will truly be a Mini.

Just as blind as complete blindsided acceptance of every choice made by Mini is Bavarian.

At the end of the day i can say I only expect this to change the perception about what a Mini is. I feel than this may be a negative move but then again I don’t proclaim any sort of insight or genius about what the future holds. I only see the great amount of anger and hostility this car has caused in the Mini community, the community is a large part of what makes a Mini.

Either way this turns out I feel this single development is a pivot point in the time line of Mini. It could be a good move or a bad move. I feel it will sell well but at the same time do more than a little damage. It will be interesting to watch either way.

It does make me chuckle that while Mini is spending so much time and effort with this more and more heavy direct competition is coming to the US against its largest production (the Cooper/Cooper S). Makes me wonder if Mini has realized it needs to grow since its best selling market is being invaded by more cars that have already caused it sales loss in Europe?

Well Aaron there was and still is a bit of a schism in the Porsche Owners group from the Cayenne, though likely still less than the old air cooled group. No doubt that it helped Porsche. Still not sure how a manufacturer building a completely unique SUV compares to Mini making a slight smaller Rav4? Mini has created NOTHING new or unique with this. Manufactures around the world have also been looking at the Micro SUV concept so given the release date of the R60 will be all that small or lite.

I for one believe the R60 will be a decent build, I just think its not one that’s all that great for the brand. So Aaron if tomorrow comes around that you find out you have twins on the way then Mini should ignore you? Yes I know that small families outgrown the Coupe and Clubman, but just because a market (one of the most hotly competitive ones out there btw) doesn’t mean Mini should build for it. With the idea were do you draw the line on whats a Mini??

If you have a family of 6 or 8 tomorrow should Mini build a car to keep you in the brand? I can tell you one thing for certain already, with the four seat arrangement of the R60 vs the X1 5 seat I am betting more than a small share will be looking at that one additional seat. I have no issues with small families I just feel Mini should concentrate its efforts where is makes a large percentage of its profit from. New business if great but throwing away a portion of your core business is an interesting concept

I hear what you’re saying, JonPD, and I know where you’re coming from…asking where do we draw the line. I just don’t think a four-seat, four door vehicle is necessarily crossing the line. I understand that you disagree. I know some folks are disappointed with how MINI is spending it’s development $$, but there’s little to be done about that. If you told me the R60 was a two-seat roadster, I might agree that that is more fitting within the concept of the brand than this SUV is, but on the other hand, I’d say that I think that’s a waste of developmental $$ because MINI already has a practicality issue and adding another “impractical” car to the stable would potentially lock in that perception of the brand.

Robbie I don’t claim to be any sort of a expert on SUV’s but at the time of the Cayenne can you name another SUV that was built on a high horsepower platform with a tuned suspension? The closet thing I can think of as completion for that was likely to be the new X6 M. Meanwhile Mini is building a Micro SUV that is build for a family of 4, and to me really doesn’t solve any solutions other than being small. Guess it might have a market there but at least the Cayenne had many years of unmolested sales and if you spend anytime looking at what is being developed the Micro SUV is a popular area for many manufactures.

Aarnon I do hear you, and I do honestly know a lot a smart people at BMW/Mini have looked at their business model and decided this was a growth sector for them. However I would point out history which is a collection of smart people that make bad decisions. Time will tell if Mini can figure a way out to heal its community, which I think anybody can agree is still unsettled over this development.

It’s good to see this vehicle quickly approaching official release. Can’t wait for the model to hit the showrooms and receiving an invitation to see the official local dealer launch for a good look-over and test drive. MINI’s vehicles are always interesting. Will be interested in assessing its off-road capability, power and economy. Make sure you have your details registered with MINI to receive an official invite!

@Chad:

Thank you Chad. You are the voice of reason. Another free thinking American that doesn’t drink the corporate “Koolaid”.

@777:

Thank you, sir. My sentiments exactly.

Wonder if MiniUSA or either of my local dealers will be sending me an invite to come see the R60 ;)

Well my friends a lot of good insight to this new vehicle, but remember when Mini came out in 02, this is same way the Porsche Cayene came out, DIFFERENT from the PACk, therefore Mini is coming out AGAIN different from the pack and it was hihgly critizied then, look at it now, one the best vheicles out there. Lets give it a chance but I want it with the 123d 2 liter DIESEL engine in it!!!