More Images of the Crossover in the US

Fred Jul 17th, 2009 Link

Until we have some facts, it’s just blather. Maybe afterward, too.

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hector M. Jul 17th, 2009 Link

I see some brake cooling ducks.

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hector M. Jul 17th, 2009 Link

I see some brake cooling docks.

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Gabe Jul 17th, 2009 Link

@hector M.: Wondering how long it would take someone to notice those :) Good eye!

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Mark Rosenthal Jul 17th, 2009 Link

Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

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jimskater Jul 17th, 2009 Link

Magna Steyr.

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Lee Jul 17th, 2009 Link

We has been reported??

The one pic at the gas station with the light at an angle really shows the contours and doors well.

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lavardera Jul 17th, 2009 Link

too bad they used brake ducks and docks instead of ducts.

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MikeJCW Jul 17th, 2009 Link

First MINI to have turn signals in the mirrors :-D. Wife loves those. Front bumper looks remarkably like the R55/56/57 with the wide opening and big fog lamps.

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txdesign Jul 17th, 2009 Link

Please less Crossover, more Speedster!

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Tim Jul 17th, 2009 Link

I agree with the concern that this might eat into the Clubman’s sales. I want a MINI with four doors, not the half door. If this is close in price to the Clubman, why would anyone buy a Clubman? That is, of course, all other things being relatively equal.

If this version is successful, I see the Clubman being killed off in the near future.

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Gabe Jul 17th, 2009 Link

First MINI to have turn signals in the mirrors :-D. Wife loves those. Front bumper looks remarkably like the R55/56/57 with the wide opening and big fog lamps.

This is just camo… BMW will never put signals in mirrors.

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Sideways Eh! Jul 17th, 2009 Link

TX – the speedster will come in time…

The Countryman is not going to be the big hulking thing i think most MINI enthusiasts are afraid it is going to be. If all you haters want to justify yourselves for wanting to hate on something, buy a “ridemakers” Monster-truck-MINI. Then you have something to hate on, and you will see how silly it actually is. You probably have a MINI already…as do I…but, as many enthusiasts have found out – NOT EVERYONE WAVES!!! Not everyone who buys a MINI does so to be part of our little slice of the universe. I know this might come as some profound insight to some, but it is the harsh reality of a capitalistic society. Kudos to MINI for trying to provide a more main-stream vehicle so they can hold more parties for us enthusiasts like MINI UNITED, and MINI TAKES THE STATES. There will always be us here debating / discussing / and collectively creating a community based on something we all have in common. It just frustrates me to read that MINI owners have come down to being that GROUP (like in High School)…makes my Cooper cry…

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Chad Jul 17th, 2009 Link

@Tim: Speculation abounds, but the concensus is that this won’t be close in price to the Clubman any more than the Clubman is close to the coupe. You could argue as well “why would anyone buy the coupe” if the Clubman offers so much more space and accessibility. I’m sure price and form will both be significant factors for customer choices.

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JonPD Jul 17th, 2009 Link

I will be interested in seeing this in person to make my decision for an opinion on the styling. Do have to say the haunches on the rear panel line don’t do much for me currently and the front end really seems rather blocky.

What is more interesting is what this means for the huge amount of money used to develop the Clubman and the R60. Both cars are likely to be cross-shopped and I think being the love affair with the SUV in the US that the R60 will outsell the Clubman.

Still at the end of the day, conceptually this is not a Mini for me. I think whomever believes that the outcry from the community over this development is missing the point. Most people that are having issues with this car are not have issues with the design but rather the concept of a micro SUV in the Mini brand. Not something the removal of swirly vynal is likely to cure imo.

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Rocketboy_x Jul 17th, 2009 Link

I still want that paint job.

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Tim Jul 17th, 2009 Link

@Chad:

In Canada, the base Clubman S is only $1600 more than the coupe S. So, if pricing is similar for the Countryman, perhaps we can expect to pay about $2000 more for Countryman over the Clubman. I’d certainly pay this for a 4-door MINI with a lot more space than a Clubman. The pricing side is all speculation of course, but I still think that the Clubman’s days are numbered.

I think the coupe will still have a large market due to its cheaper price and pure driving fun. The Clubman, to me, didn’t go far enough. It didn’t have 4 doors and the rear doors, although neat looking, needlessly added to its price.

I rarely see Clubmen on the roads up here. I see lots of coupes. I’d be interested to hear how the Clubman is selling in other markets.

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JohnDough Jul 17th, 2009 Link

I’m looking forward to seeing the crossover. Where I live, which is apparently the Subaru Outback capital of the Rockies, a 4wd MINI might be very successful. Even more successful if we weren’t 400 miles from a dealer.

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BenTYYC Jul 17th, 2009 Link

@Tim:

You should qualify what you mean by “up here”… as a fellow Canadian, and Clubman owner, I can tell you that they are selling well in Calgary. There are several in our local club!

Also, “MINI” is now a brand. Like any other brand they are going to extend their product offerings to keep interest in the brand. It’s not a one trick pony anymore. I think they’re building things smartly – BMW started out with the hatch, which has the strongest retro tie, then the Cabrio and Clubman. Like it or not, CUVs are popular today, and MINI is a modern brand.

I too am excited at the prospect of a Speedster, and other smaller or sportier oriented products, but bread-and-butter sales are needed to fund our enthusiast tangents…

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Bob Hayhurst Jul 17th, 2009 Link

One thing is for sure… These graphics used to conceal the Countryman seem to work very well. Given it’s disguise, I can’t really tell what it looks like as to proportion. I would however like to see some spy photos of a speedster disguised or otherwise…

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Tim Jul 17th, 2009 Link

@BenTYYC:

I’m in Ottawa, and I see about 3 MINI coupes each day. So far, I’ve only seen 2 Clubmans on the road — in total. Obviously, this is just my anecdotal experience, but it doesn’t seem like the Clubman is selling that well around my parts.

Don’t misunderstand me. I think it’s necessary that MINI expand its range. All I’m saying is that, with the Countryman coming, the Clubman becomes less attractive than before, given it didn’t offer much over the coupe to begin with.

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James Irmiger Jul 17th, 2009 Link

With those serious brake ducts, how could it be anything else…

…it’s the new GP!!! ;)

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that.guy Jul 17th, 2009 Link

How much is this beast going to weigh? I say it breaks the ponderous 3000lb mark.

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firconel Jul 17th, 2009 Link

Buy an X1 , thats a classy small off roader, the countrycrossmanover is not a MINI and never will be

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Haemish Edgerton Jul 17th, 2009 Link

Bear in mind that “MINI Coupes” (including 1st Gens) have been in existence in North America for 8 years… and Clubmans have only been around about 18 months.

Seeing more MINI Coupes each day should be completely expected, just based upon sheer numbers sold.

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BenTYYC Jul 17th, 2009 Link

@Tim: Sorry if I came off with the wrong tone… my intent was really only to say that the Clubman was selling well in my region.

As to the comparisons within the brand, I think each car serves a different purpose. Just like the original Mini had its variants, the sore vehicle will always be the top seller, but the other offerings keep things interesting.

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Aaron Jul 17th, 2009 Link

Looks like the door windows have frames around them…at least the rear doors (it’s not as clear on the front doors to me). That’s a departure from the coupe (sorry, I don’t have a Clubman and can’t remember if they put frames on the door windows…I don’t think they did, but maybe I’m wrong).

Gabe: Thanks for posting that the mirrors won’t have turn signals on them! That’s one touch that makes me cringe and makes the R60 seem more like an SUV than a car.

I like the photos of the R60’s parked next to the pickup truck and the following one where it’s turning next to a lawn sign. Those gave me a lot more size perspective and I think this car is not going to be as hugely out of proportion as many of us fear.

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Aaron Jul 17th, 2009 Link

Looking again, maybe the frames around the windows on the doors are just a trick of the camouflage. The door windows on the concept didn’t have frames around them. hmmm…

(sorry for the second post, I can’t get the “edit” function to work for me)

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Collin Ryser Jul 17th, 2009 Link

Notice the different types of grilles. Cooper & Cooper S?

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MarcusQ Jul 17th, 2009 Link

I can’t wait to get this!!!! Its looking gooda!

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SFRedMCc Jul 18th, 2009 Link

I thought the turn signals on the mirrors was overkill since they also had them on the side panels like the other MINI’s, so nice to know they’re just camo like that split back window. The single wiper was the clue on that. The camo on the headlights really makes them look huge and out of proportion with the front end. All-in-all that camo does a great job of hiding everything.

I’ve never liked 4-door cars because the front doors/windows are always smaller than a 2-door, and the side pillar is usually right next to your head. Plus it looks like the Countryman has bulky window frames on all 4 doors, and I really like the large “frameless” windows on my Clubman.

The Clubman is the perfect size for me since I can haul more stuff, and when I do have extra passengers there actually is some leg room in the back. It’s basically a MINI station wagon; and my CA title has “SW” for the body type.

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Axel Hernandez Jul 18th, 2009 Link

Put in the 2.0 liter Turbo Diesel from the 123d and see what happens!!!

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Greg Dominguez Jul 18th, 2009 Link

I want to see it. I can see replacing my 4Runner with the Countryman.

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Melis Jul 18th, 2009 Link

I would rather get a Clubman S than that. But I would get a Cooper S than a Clubman S. Though since I’d like to have some more cargo capacity I’d get a Clubman S since its the right size.

Maybe the Clubman will become the “Just Right” Goldilocks MINI.

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Chris B. Jul 18th, 2009 Link

I’ll take a Countryman S over a Clubman S any day. @ 6′5.5″ I can use every last cubic inch of room I can get be it for cargo, additonal passengers, whatever. Now I have no problem fitting in and driving a Clubman or Cooper for that matter, but this just looks and feels more size appropriate for me, AND it has two additonal doors which does wonders for practicality. Anyways I digress…

With brake cooling ducts it looks like the Countryman S was intended to be a serious street ripping machine. I always wondered how they’d incorporate a hood scoop on the S version as an S specific feature that has been. It looks like they included an additonal grill within the front grill to differentiate the S from the base version as is done with the hood scoop on the Cooper and Clubman S versions. A very nice and original touch if you ask me. Now for actual photographs. Cannot wait!

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C4 Jul 18th, 2009 Link

What a yawner! I for one, could never get excited over souped up trucks and wannabe “sports” crossovers. Give me a gold ole fashion station wagon anyday of the week. That is something to get excited about.

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Aussom Jul 19th, 2009 Link

Notice the faux rear barn-door camouflage overlay. It looks like the back is a hatch… Will be interesting to learn whether there will be a rear wind-down window like the old station wagons used to have.

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2009 Most Affordable Vehicles | Money Matters | Healthy and Wealthy Living Jul 25th, 2009 Link

[...] see the full story check out the full article by Forbes.  I’m going to wait for the 2011 Mini Crossover.  What about you? Share and [...]

Steve_LV Jul 28th, 2009 Link

They are in Las Vegas now. I saw two of them leaving the UNLV campus around noon. Posted a picture here: http://sincityminiclub.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=486

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Christian L. Jul 29th, 2009 Link

@Chris B.: I just started noticing that their grills are very different and you pretty much assume which is type S.

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