MINI Goodwood Priced at €50,000
Welt.de is reporting that MINI plans to price the Goodwood at €50,000 for the German market. It’s the first pricing we’ve seen on MINI’s most luxurious model and it gives us some indication as to pricing elsewhere. However (as always) don’t expect a simple conversion rate to give you the US price based on that figure. In fact we believe this gives the rumored $50,000 price point that we’ve heard for years quite a bit some credence.
But at $50,000 (or €50,000) is this car worth it? As always that’s a very personal question that likely isn’t even meant to be answered by a typical MINI owner. We expect the Goodwood to be pitched towards Rolls Royce and other luxury brand owners as their urban runabout. It’s the car that gets used when you don’t want to pull-out the Rolls Drophead Coupe. And with RR levels of comfort and opulence and a healthy dose of understated British style thrown in, the $50,000 is almost not the point for that customer. Or at least that’s what MINI and BMW seems to be thinking.
Regardless we’ll see final US pricing in the coming weeks.
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<p>I can see the ad campaign now:</p>
<p>GET WOOD</p>
<p>I’m sure it goes faster, too!</p>
<p>It’s nice. (There, I said something nice about the car).</p>
<p>BUT: I just don’t get it.</p>
<p>Perhaps I’m not meant to; occupying the tax bracket I currently reside in, but really? Is this car really going to appeal to a millionaire, who’s garage is already filled with Rolls Royce(s), Ferraris and more?</p>
<p>Really?</p>
<p>MINI, this car makes you seem like you’re alienating your normal MINI buyers; looking down your noses at us. What is the bloody point of this car? How does this improve the MINI brand?</p>
<p>Spending north of $50,000 on a MINI seems so ludicrous. I could perhaps digest that number if it was a 300 HP racing machine for the track, like a GP but even more performance-driven. That is in keeping with the MINI brand. But going the opposite direction, towards (frankly unnecessary) luxury, just seems wrong.</p>
<p>While I can appreciate the fine leather and tweed craftsmanship and beautiful wood dash panels, they just totally seem out of place inside the cockpit of a MINI.</p>
<p>Agree 100% as per my initial comment on original story. The basic concept is flawed and contrary to the MINI heritage i.e., efficiency and performance.</p>
<p>While I would never be comfortable with owning a daily driver that was as luxurious on the inside as this car, I don’t feel in any way that MINI is “looking down their noses” at me by offering this for sale. Maybe that’s because I would genuinely prefer the standard, well-appointed cabin that is available in regular MINIs, which feel sportier and easier to live with.</p>
<p>I have no doubt there will be a sufficient market for this car. There will be successful television producers or Apple vice-presidents or plenty of other people to whom $50,000 is not an imposing amount of money for a car, and who would love a MINI as their second car, or even to replace their aging, boring Mercedes sedan.</p>
<p>Why should it be ludicrous to spend money on luxury instead of performance, if you are not looking for a car to take to the track? It seems some people have a hard time accepting the fact that the MINI is an exceptional car, completely independent of its cost, and that someone who could afford a Porsche might actually be happier and more comfortable in a Cooper S, and, having the dough, would love to spend it on the kind of luxury we see here. Why is that so hard to understand?</p>
<p>Oh, I suppose I’m too traditional in my thinking about the automobile industry. I liken it to (forgive me), Volkswagen: There’s a reasonably clear picture that most people can create in their minds of what a Volkswagen is. Luxury is not one of them. (See also, failure for Phaeton to sell well). If you want a luxury car from Volkswagen, you go visit the Audi dealership.</p>
<p>Asking a Volkswagen (the People’s car, after all), to also carry the luxury flag is simply asking too much of the Volkswagen brand. That is why there’s the luxury brand Audi. The same can be said for Chevrolet, versus Cadillac. Ford and Lincoln. Dodge and Chrysler. Nissan and Infiniti. Toyota and Lexus. Honda and Acura. The list goes on.</p>
<p>I think there is an essential difference between the Phaeton — which was a stand-alone model that was way out of class for VW — and this MINI, which is essentially a one-off for collectors with some moolah. Also, I think MINI has a bit more snob appeal than VW to begin with (to put it in the most unflattering terms), so this car is not as anomalous as it would be coming from VW.</p>
<p>To put it another way, the Phaeton didn’t really offer anything unique versus similarly-priced but better-branded competitors, while this car is still, at the end of a day, a MINI, and some people will choose a MINI at any price they can afford.</p>
<p>I agree with your alienation comment. Things like this make me hate MINI. I’ve said many times that I understand a corporation’s need to appeal to the huge market that doesn’t want a sporty car, but things as outrageous as this (or as mundane as the paint-color-based “special” editions, or the Countryman) will make me search for another sporty option when the time comes for another car. I may still find that a hardtop is the best sporty car for the money, but I certainly will search through all the other options before buying a MINI again.</p>
<p>I imagine it’s like being a BMW enthusiast who has to watch each successive generation of cars get bigger and heavier and farther away from the model that earned his devotion years ago. A 3-Series may still be the best sports sedan going, but that’s hard to admit when it’s drifted so far from what it once was — and is now sitting on the lot next to an X6.</p>
<p>Answer: it may not appeal to the self made millionaires, but it would appeal to people that want a Mini and are willing to pay for that extra icing on the cake. Only negative I see is the automatic transmission.</p>
<p>Of course this will appeal to owners of Rolls and Ferrari. That’s exactly who it will appeal to, not people who want to spend 50 Gs on their main car, but those who already spent 200 Gs on the main car and want a second or 3rd car (or more) as a runaround.</p>
<p>This version isn’t that much more expensive than the WC50 which sold 500 cars in no time. This is as luxurious as the WC50 is sporty. IMO, the Goodwood will by no means be a blockbuster, but the target audience will lap it up.</p>
<p>Having said that, for 50 grand I’d expect some bespoke alloys. With Rolls Royce style anti-spinners :8</p>
<p>Otto’s MINI dealer posted on Facebook that MINI Goodwood will be priced at $68,000 US.</p>
<p>That’s probably closer to the mark, considering the exchange rate. At the moment, €50k is $72k</p>
<p>It’s beautiful and well thought out. My only problem would be to keep the carpets absolutely clean. My MINI Sidewalk Edition cost a lot more than a base MINI, but I love it and wouldn’t have it any other way. Some people will spend $50,000 for a painting or a diamond, and no one says anything. It’s just like that with this Goodwood Edition – If you like it and can afford it, then buy (acquire) it, and enjoy it.</p>
<p>Wow, $72,000.00 for a MINI! You could buy two VERY nice ones for that price. I guess if you want to pay that much for the name then more power to you. Even if the car is say, 30,000.00 you could do a paint job and a interior make-over, re finishing all the surfaces for WAY less than $42000.00! I do wonder what the market will be for this car, would the people who can afford this car ever have said to themselves in the past, “Wow, that MINI is a nice car, too bad it doesn’t have… or I would buy it.” I guess time will tell.</p>
<p>I’d say this is meant to fly under the radar.</p>
<p>Looks great. Very luxurious. Just not my cup of tea. Thanks but no thanks.</p>
<p>I have no issue with the price point or development. Not something I would ever order but I am sure MINI will sell some of them still. However I think this is a tiny niche car at best.</p>
<p>I agree completely. This is not meant to be a “come check it out in our showroom and test-drive it” type car. It will have a very, very small niche, and it is almost certain that whomever buy this car is not going to be one of the MF readers :D</p>
<p>That hood on the ‘Wood looks good. Wonder where the turbo heat will go now? It’s a great looking MINI inside and out. That’s all it is, another variation of our beloved little car, not heresy.</p>
<p>I wonder if owners will be given a Ghost or Phantom for a loaner, or forced to drive another Goodwood!</p>
<p>I am a Rolls-Royce Dealer (as well as Bentley, Lamborghini, Maserati, Lotus, Aston Martin and Bugatti) and a full-fledged MINI nut (Both Classic and Current). I Have read all the comments you have posted. While it seems impossible to understand how a MINI could sell for $50,000-$72,000, we have customers that are interested. The majority of our customers buy cars to satisfy a current want.
It is not unheard of for a customer to trade in a Lamborghini for a Rolls-Royce. We have Rolls-Royce customers that have Escalades/Audis/Bentleys/MBZ/Range Rovers as Daily Drivers. The fact of the matter is that you can get the ‘bespoke’ Rolls-Royce paint and interior materials in a compact, fuel efficient, fun to drive package. It isn’t always about the performance ($-to-fun factor).</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, many of our customers have had MINI’s in the past (many still do..).</p>
<p>When this car was rumored to be built (on Motoringfile), I printed to pics and showed them to a few customers. Two of them said, ‘I have to have it’. I told them it would probably be over $50K. They said, ‘and..??’</p>
<p>The product is viable. Whether their are 1000 takers is the question…</p>
<p>That’s what most people on here don’t seem to understand or have just forgotten.</p>
<p>If you have to worry about the price, this isn’t for you. Most MF readers may not be made out of money but there are quite a few MINI enthusiasts who ARE and who would appreciate this.
There are a LOT more millionaires than most people seem to realize and many of them like MINIs.</p>
<p>I’ve been following the development of this vehicle from the beginning and I’m so very happy they’re almost on the road. I’m also so very happy they used the bonnet of the Diesel instead of the almost worthless Cooper S bonnet. Also, I’m wondering if there will be an umbrella in the driver door.</p>
<p>HHHaaaaaa HHHHaaaaaaa</p>
<p>Next project. A Low Rider MINI with full complement of Aeroquip braided lines and polished hydraulics … not to mention a gleaming set of 20″ chrome spinners. We’ll call it the “Born In East L.A.” limited edition. It will easily command $50K! Orders now being taken.</p>
<p>Very nice but this is what a JCW with higher output engine should be.</p>
<p>For the RR fans who own MINIs , this fills the gap. Or just shows what happens down the road if MINI wants to go into the ultra premium brands.</p>