Okay it sounds better than it actually is. I got an email a week ago from a Crains reporter wanting to ask me a variety of questions for a story they were writing on the MINI phenomena. So I offered a number of names of area owners that might be good to talk to. As it turns out Victoria Landau and I were the only ones that actually made the article. Nonetheless it's an interesting piece that generally retraces most of what's been written before. Here are our respective quotes:
“You really do stand out from the crowd when you drive a MINI” says Ms. Landau who owns an indie blue model with a black roof. “I get dirty looks from people in Hummers. But then, some people roll down their windows and say, 'What's that? It's so cute.'”…
…Obviously some people aren't convicted that bigger is better. MINI owner Gabriel Bridger is one of those people.
“When you get a big, flashy car, you're just flaunting your supposed testosterone.” Mr. Bridger says. “When I drive my MINI, there's no pretense there, no overbearing connotations…People actually smile at you rather than scowl.”
I swear I don't remember saying “big and flashy”. Anyway the article is online but only available to premium subscribers of Crains Chicago. The magazine is available at finer newsstands across the Chicago area.
<p>And dude, he wrote “navy blue,” not Indi Blue. I understand that there are editorial pressures that cut the material from a 45 minute convo down to one quotation, but how did Fenimore change colo(u)r? :)</p>
<p>Yeah I took some liberty there with the quote – I assumed you said “indie blue”. I'm a bit disappointed as well. I spent 15 minutes alone talking about the engineering of the car and how it's different than cars like the PT Cruiser and the New Beetle
and then he interviews a guy saying the MINI is very similiar to the Beetle and the PT Cruiser – go figure.</p>
<p>I'm not sure why he bothered to call me. He seemed bored or disinterested or something. I wasn't really paying attention, either. My answers were pretty lame. I did manage to say that SUVs were dangerous and irreponsible, though. I'm sure Crain's would have gotten plenty of hate mail for printing that.</p>
<p>When I read it yesterday during my lunchtime,I find article not bad at all compared to the latest MSN online review.</p>