Comments on: MF Poll: Would You Buy a German Built MINI?

By: Dave Pevsner

Dave Pevsner — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:49:03 +0000

i think they should open the two plants, and let you specify where you want your mini to come from for a nominal fee, or take it from wherever one’s available for no extra fee. that way, if you want a mini specifically from oxford, you still can, but if you’re okay with, or even prefer, a german mini (or, if spartanburg has more capacity, an american mini), that’s available too.

i, personally, boast quite a bit about my mini’s british tradition, reborn through german engineering. that means more to me than where the final assembly is…especially since i always make jokes about how unreliable british cars are, so maybe a mini made in germany would suit me better….as long as it stays true to its heritage of small-car, big-attitude, and still handles like it’s on rails.

By: Eelke

Eelke — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:28:50 +0000

I haven’t voted, I’m not sure. One part of me says, no way, this is the last bit that somehow makes the Mini British. On the other hand, it’s already German engineered (which should really be the hard part to swallow – how is this car British except for the decisions made by some calculating German marketing people?), so where it is actually built is just a technicality. I suppose it’s OK if it remains an “overflow” kind of thing. If the bulk of the production remains in the UK, that’s fine (I don’t think anyone ever had an issue with the GP being built by Italians, which should in fact be a much nigger worry :P)

By: Matthew

Matthew — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:02:03 +0000

The fact that the MMM and the MINI have their roots planted squarely in Oxford is critical, in my opinion, will make this a brutally hard decision for BMW.

But the fact that BMW is not making much if anything on the car (as far as I've been able to glean from tidbits on the topic) brings up the ultimate motivation for decisions such as these: BMW's bottom line. While Oxford was an obvious choice at MINI's conception, perhaps now it's simply not a viable reality for the company.

While a MINI built (or assembled) outside of GB will take something away from the MINI's mystique, it will only be a minor detail for some buyers.

For others, I'm afraid it represents a compromise, watering down what is a very profound story in motoring history. How could it not be viewed as such?

By: glenn

glenn — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:13:31 +0000

A friend of mine in the UK claims there are more Germans than Brits in the factory.

By: that.guy

that.guy — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:12:33 +0000

That is right, my bad. The function of the scoop is to cool itself so that it does not melt.

By: r.burns

r.burns — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:05:07 +0000

For your information R56 bonnet scoop is useful, try to be up to date ;)

By: r.burns

r.burns — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:34:00 +0000

It’s not because very little do this kind of things that you have to throw all the Cooper S into a thrashcan, this motor is just the best ever Mini motor, a terrific bomb, world-rewarded

By: that.guy

that.guy — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:22:46 +0000

Well now the same guy is infamous for designing an engine that clatters like a diesel when cold and melts fake bonnet scoops when hot. Well done!

By: that.guy

that.guy — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:12:31 +0000

Well now the same guy is infamous for creating an engine that clatters like a diesel when cold and melts fake bonnet scoops when hot. Well done!

By: tsukiji

tsukiji — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:49:27 +0000

I bought my R53 because it was designed and built by BMW — I wouldn’t consider buying an English car.

By: r.burns

r.burns — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:03:37 +0000

R53 never were more British than R56, with their Brazilian motors

And some have to remember that R56 motors are engineered and developped by BMW, the engineer who created the so much famous 3.0 231hp, same technologies (vanos etc etc)

By: DUDE!

DUDE! — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:59:51 +0000

@dr… Ha, that’s a very good question! My answer, probably not until I saw a few years of them on the road.

By: dr

dr — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:02:40 +0000

maybe a follow up poll question would be: Would you have bought a MINI at all if it were a Rover instead of a BMW product?

By: C4

C4 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:01:10 +0000

Yes my Brazilian powerhouse sounds great, delivers power when I want to and continues to excel in the QC and reliability depts.

I am a Bossanova lover at heart.

By: that.guy

that.guy — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:38:59 +0000

Word. 120k on my sweet Brazilian mill and it still puts down 195whp like it aint no thang. No French engines for me, no matter where they are mated to the chassis.

By: eager2own

eager2own — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:38:12 +0000

This is an outrage! Part of the heritage and soul of MINI (as evidenced by the all-British R53) comes from the manufacture of powerplants in Brazil.

By: that.guy

that.guy — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:11:55 +0000

I would far prefer a German-built (-assembled?) MINI. In fact, I would pay a premium for that. Seriously.

By: bee1000

bee1000 — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:46:55 +0000

So long as they’re not made by commies, slaves or children, I don’t care where cars are made, but if I had my choice I’d buy a fun, small, well built car made by fairly paid Americans.

By: that.guy

that.guy — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:04:41 +0000

I would far prefer a German-built (-assembled?) MINI. In fact, I would pay a premium for that, if offered as an option. Seriously.

By: NEWDL

NEWDL — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:20:41 +0000

So, honestly all of the British was gone when the R53 became the R56. Not to say that those changes were for the worse, because not all were. For my tastes I prefer the R53 and partially due to it’s inherent British character.