Word is that Volkswagen has plans to develop a… (wait for it)… rear engine MINI competitor. Here’s an excerpt from Leftlanenews.com:
>The reasons for designing such a vehicle are not known, but VW might be trying to create a new niche for an ultra-sporty low-cost compact car. Earlier this month, we told you how Volkswagen’s new CEO Martin Winterkorn intends to fill “lucrative market niches” with new models over the coming years. His goal is to transform VW into a maker of high-profit niche cars.
You can read more here:
[ Report: Volkswagen Plans Rear Engine MINI Competitor ] Leftlanenews.com
Why not. The more the merrier. It won’t be an easy market to get into…but I guess that’s what makes it a niche market.
Used to own one of those rear engine machines 😉
Sounds interesting if the size/price/performance is right..
So, like, what? A German Miata? Scion X-Box? Just get MINI to import the diesel and all will be well . . .
That’s fine. I am not as well versed as many of MF readers, etc, on the history of MINI. But, from my perspective, MINI created a market unintentionally, or by accident if you will. Please correct me if I’m wrong. I mean, I know they were going after a market, but I don’t think even they predicted the success they would generate.
Thinking about it, some of the most successful things marketed are the ones done sort of by accident.
That’s not to say VW wouldn’t be successful with a “MINI Competitor”, but it is difficult to compete with something when that is your primary goal. Look at the criticism MINI is getting for the R56 by some and they are simply competing with themselves.
That is one fugly VW ; )
If they do a retro Karmann Ghia, I’ll buy one! If it’s like the picture shown, they can keep it.
I liked that car when it was called the Toyota Yaris.
Wonder if it’ll swap ends in an elegant manner – fly-by-wire will be the order of the day; pushers always have their own peculiar dynamics that demand more subtlety from the driver, and I wonder if that will be a problem for joe blows with ready money and no idea what happens when understeer turns into oversteer in a heartbeat.
BCNU,
Rob in Dago
If that illustration is anywhere close, it looks like they’re going for the Honda Fit market.
Cruzin Chris is on the mark — if they brought back the Karmann Ghia with the spirit that brought back the MINI, I’ll be interested.
The color is not to my taste, but a rear engine, rear wheel drive car would be a kick if it made comparable power to the NA Cooper in a gasp smaller package.
My guess is however, that we won’t see it actually come to the US with any real numbers. Too bad, too. Competion (real or percieved) brings out the best from manufacturers. It only betters the line.
Competition is good for customers, it forces companies to listen closer to what their buyers are wishing for. Having said that I am not a fan of this attempt of VW. To my eye it’s somewhere between a Yaris and a Smart car in looks.
VW seems to be obsessed with copying the looks of every existing Toyota model in the market today. Notice the new Jetta, which has been dubbed the “Corolletta”.
This car looks like a crossing between a VW Rabbit and a Toyota Yaris…UGLY.
Why VW instead don’t bring over the much better looking VW Polo GTI?
Honestly, they would have more success to bring back the Beetle with a rear engine and RWD, just like the original.
<blockquote>VW seems to be obsessed with copying the looks of every existing Toyota model in the market today. Notice the new Jetta, which has been dubbed the “Corollettaâ€ÂÂ.</blockquote>
Granted FrankInMiami but to be fair to VW the Avensis we have here in the UK also looks strikingly similiar to the VW Bora that preceeded the Jetta. At the end of the day it shows the blandness and lack of originality in design that some manufacturers are steering towards. With the MINI omitted of course!
This is just silly. The MINI is a front engine, front drive hatch. VW already has a car that fits that nitch – the Rabbit/GTI. I just don’t see how this “new” idea competes with the MINI.
Plus – a rear engine hatchback? Doesn’t seem to make much sense. I agree with the earlier comment, maybe they should work on a retro/update of the Karmann-Ghia…
The picture just looks like an overstylized rendering of the new polo they are offering. Same grill, headlights, mirrors, side profile, etc. And word is that it might be coming over to the US finally.
As someone else said though…with MINI rasing its prices and having a nicely specced MCS costing near 30k (Assuming you get things that come with most cars in that class…xenons, leather, LSD, etc)…VW already has the GTi for competing.
<a href="http://paultan.org/wp-content/polo_gti_02.jpg" rel="nofollow">Click Here for Pic of VW POLO</a>
<blockquote>– a rear engine hatchback? Doesn’t seem to make much sense</blockquote>
Like the VW Brasilia?
<a href="URL" rel="nofollow">http://www.oldbug.com/brasilia.htm</a>
VW is currently losing money in the United States. In fact their leases rates and promos are testimony to its lack of success in this market. Competing with MINI is going to be real challenge. A mini like golf is a non starter if this rendition on the cover is anything to go by. Kiss this one good bye and tear up the drawings. VW produces wonderful cars like the R32 and should stick to producing niche vehicles in more upscale autos. However, the VW set into the girl does little to compete with likes of Mercedes or BMW, not to mention MINI.
I’ve got to say that the the reason I hate the new “Beetle” is everything about it that was absolutely <strong>not</strong> derived from the original car, which is, sadly, <em>everything</em> about it. Show me a version that:Doesn’t look like an air cooled Beetle’s very fat half sister, but looks more like a <em>real</em> BeetleSports a properly <em>rear</em> mounted engineHas a 2L 4 cylinder engine derived from the water-cooled 3.4L 6cylinder in the original Beetle’s true progeny, the Porsche 911Is based on a new platform, don’t sully it with a Golf chassisBeats the Cooper’s and Cooper S’s performance:price ratioLindsay Lohan is <strong>never</strong> permitted to drive on screen — for that matter tell Disney to sod off
In summery, show me a rear engined, Porsche sired, Volkswagen Beetle and Beetle GTI that is in now way related to the current new “Beetle” that goes to the mattresses on price and performance with the BMW MINI.
Then, and only then, will Volkswagen get my MINI money.
Bring it on VW!
Hey Gabe, the unordered list formatting that showed up in my preview disappeared when submitted!
The Beetle is supposed to be a MINI competitor. But VW blew it. I have waited quite a few years for that car. But when it came out, it was cute, but not classic. And what I dislike most is it is kind of “feminist”, like the silly vase. They just totally lost the original spirit. Then they cannot get the quality right after these long years. For VW to succeed in developing such a car, they must pay attention to the reliability, safety, performance and no, it doesn’t have to be low cost. Everybody think MINI is a bargain. For the car that small, it is rather expensive. But people happily pay for it.
I am with Pete on this, VW could still have my money had they stuck with the original “Beetle” design I.E. the motor in the rear! The beetle concept kept to that design and had me bought and sold on a new “Beetle”, but that thing they call a “Beetle” now is no Bug! VW continues their downward spiral with cheesy air conditioned glove boxes, $350 keys and my personal favorite an umbrella holder! I have lost so much respect for that company and it just gets worse with nothing desirable in the new cars. I test drove all of VW’s new cars and there is nothing worth having.
So let them come after some of the MINI market, that car looks like the other crappy cars they are selling and it wont perform half as good as our sweet MINI’s!
(former air cooled lover!)
Down with VWUSA!!
Well maybe VW finely realized what I’ve said from the first time I tested one, I opened the “trunk” and said ” What the h*** is the engine doing in the front!”