MINI USA Gets in Touch with its Manual Side
Here at MotoringFile, we’ve held one consistent point of view when it comes to manual transmissions in MINIs: they’re a must. Sure, some people need an auto, but they’re sacrificing a lot of the car’s character in our opinion. Trouble is, a lot of people, especially here in America, don’t know how to drive a stick. So MINI USA and it’s agency BSSP, in typical cheeky fashion, are encouraging people to go manual.
And yes it’s a brazen move. But it’s inline with how the brand speaks and a completely own-able point of view. And others are noticing. Karl Greenburg over at MediaPost put out a survey asking what brand his readers thought would have “the audacity” to create a whole marketing campaign just around the manual transmission.
Only one person actually got it right (kudos to Tom Keane at USA Weekend.) Yes, it’s MINI. And the BMW unit actually makes perfect sense if one recalls that when the brand (re)launched here in 2002, it offered the MINI Cooper only as a manual-shifter, and most certainly the brand has the highest manual take-rate percentage among any automaker that isn’t a pure sports-car brand. (actually it was the Cooper S Tom, but we’re not holding it against you)
Thomas Salkowsky, manager of MINI brand marketing, says that in spite of an increasingly clutch-free world, about 34% of buyers of the Clubman, the MINI Cooper convertible and the hard top buy the manual version, and that even for the AWD version of the Countryman, MINI’s answer for a crossover, the manual take rate is about 30%. In New England, according to Salkowsky, it’s a 50/50 split between auto and manual, and even in highway-bound L.A. it’s about 15%. That’s a huge percentage, given the national average. AOL Auto’s editor, Kirk Seaman, wrote last year that back in 1985 22.4% of all vehicles sold in the U.S. came with a manual transmission. By 2007, it was 7.7%. AOL Autos says last year it was about 5.5%.
BMW and MINI remain one of the few auto makers committed to making a manual transmission available in their vehicles. Not simply as the economy option for those who can’t afford the auto, but as a performance option for those who want to get the most out of their driving experience. Greenburg mentions the Countryman, which is actually the only AWD crossover in the US market right now that gets better than 30 mpg, costs less than $40k, and has an available manual transmission.
We’ve said it before, and we’re going to keep saying it. If you want to get the most out of your MINI, opt for the stick. Yes the speed and efficiency argument only works when you’re talking about MINI’s out-dated torque converter auto. And when the a DCT becomes an option in the near future the manual will lose on both fronts. But to us it’s not about numbers with a manual. It’s about feel and control and that extra dimension of driving pleasure you don’t get with paddles behind the wheels (all things at the core of the MINI DNA). So it’s great to see that MINI agrees and the press is taking notice. Well done BSSP. This is some of the best work MINI has seen in years.
Check out Greenburg’s full article over at MediaPost, and give BSSP a visit to see their thoughts on the campaign.
<p>I’ve never understood Americans reluctance to use manual transmissions. The stereotype answer would be because they’re lazy, but surely that’s not genuinely accurate, is it?</p>
<p>I assume it’s just easier which is true, but it’s boring. I’m an American, and I’m glad I took the manual direction. Would never go back to auto ever again.</p>
<p>the manuals are not that common(relative to automatic). so when people learn to drive, its on an automatic. therefor the hesitation about manuals.</p>
<p>Probably more due to the amount of traffic congestion in so many areas. But that does tie right into laziness as well, IMO.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t use the word laziness – I don’t think that’s fair. It’s a much more complex answer. For some people it’s surely laziness. For others, there’s no desire because they don’t care about driving. Even a MINI to them is an appliance. There are others (and I think there are more than we think) that simply don’t know how to drive a manual and are intimidated to even try (despite tue fact that they know they may like it). It’s the latter group that I hope this speaks to more than anyone. Everyone should know the joy of driving a manual.</p>
<p>I completely agree with you Gabe that everyone should know the joy of driving a manual. I have offered to teach all of my nieces and nephews (all 13 of them) how to drive a manual once they get their license. A few have taken me up on the offer – and all still bought an automatic because “it’s too much work”. It’s the same excuse I’ve heard time and time again from fellow co-workers who have to commute in the horrible New Jersey traffic. If they have a manual, they want to ditch it because it’s too much work in traffic. That’s a bit of laziness to me. It’s really not that bad in stop and go traffic.</p>
<p>Scott, I live in a city where a trip that SHOULD take 20-25 minutes takes twice as much. My car spends more than half its time stuck in 25 mph traffic on a 70 mph highway. It’s normal for me to never wind up using 5th gear because the speeds are so slow. I’ve never found the manual to be “overwhelming” and I consider myself a bit of a lazy person sometimes. I think it boils down to fear and maybe a bit of arrogance. Some are intimidated but also refuse to entertain the idea of even trying a manual.</p>
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<p>There are others (and I think there are more than we think) that simply
don’t know how to drive a manual and are intimidated to even try
(despite tue fact that they know they may like it).<<<</p>
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<p>Ding ding ding … for those wanting to learn to drive a manual there really aren’t many options. I don’t think many are willing to learn on a brand new car and to find one from friends, etc. isn’t very easy either (and most aren’t willing to let you burn their clutch if they do have one)</p>
<p>MINI should offer some quasi driving school if they really want to push this to the next level.</p>
<p>You’ve hit the nail on the head. The only people who learn manual are those who have access to manuals. Dirver’s Ed in high schools don’t teach in manual transmission cars. I doubt many driving schools have manual transmission autos for students to learn on. As fewer people learn on manuals, fewer drive them and it’s a self-perpetuating decline. As I posted in this thread above, when I moved to Africa, >95% of the cars were manual. All the driving schools had manual transmissions. It cost me something like $30 for 10 1-hour practice sessions with a driving instructor to learn and practice how to drive a manual car. Then a 9-hour drive in a VW Polo through South Africa to clinch it. MINI should couple this with a manual driving school, or maybe start a program where they will provide cars for driving schools at invoice pricing, provided the schools offer lessons to all students. It really isn’t that hard to drive a manual…it’s just hard to find an opportunity to learn.</p>
<p>Totally agree, Gabe. All in my family are “shifters”. We have only owned one car that was not a manual, and that one WAS an appliance, a 1987 Toyota Camry Wagon. Currently we have a 2006 MCS 6spd, 2011 Subaru Outback Sport 5spd, 2004 Subaru WRX 5spd, and 1998 BMW 318ti 5spd. Both kids learned to drive on an automatic but are now dedicated “shifters”.</p>
<p>By the way, great article.</p>
<p>I think another group are those who simply have incorporated the multi-tasking of eating, drinking, texting, and talking on the phone into their “normal” driving. Certainly this group places “the driving experience” lower on the list of priorities.</p>
<p>I was part of that last group. When I bought my R53, I wanted to get a manual but psyched myself out of it because a) I didn’t know how to drive manual, b) every time I tried to get my dad to teach me in his pick up truck, it always ended up with my dad yelling at me and me feeling like an idiot, and c) I was planning on moving to San Francisco at the time and was nervous about hill stops. Well, I got an automatic. And I ended up moving to Africa, not San Francisco. But in Africa, there was no option…I learned how to drive a manual. And so did my wife. And without a doubt, our next car will be a manual.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, your joking answer about it being a stereotype is true. Americans are lazier about this and simply refuse to give the manual transmission a chance. I’ve been to car rental shops in Europe and the ones who are always complaining about no automatics being left are always American. Why else did I learn to drive a manual: you can’t know if the country you’re visiting will have automatics.</p>
<p>There is more to that though. Being German but living stateside I went back a few times on business and rented a car. In the beginning I was told by my colleagues that insisting on an automatic increased the chance of getting a car in a higher category. Now, that might have been the case a few years ago but not when I travelled. At least I didn’t get miraculously an E-Class or 5 Series. Instead I got a Peugeot Station Wagon or the likes. In the end I switched my mind at the counter and was happy with an A3 TDI… in fact, loved the TDI so much that I now have a Jetta Sportwagen TDI in the US.</p>
<p>Oh Geeze – here we go again! I thought this nonsense was over. Why is this subject constantly being regurgitated? It’s simple – those that want to drive and own a manual trans – fine – good for you. For those buyers that want an Automatic – fine – good for you. Leave each alone and quite picking at each other. Can’t we just all get along. Talk about singling out people or groups of people. He/she is lazy,he/she should learn/ Mini should only make manuals, blah blah blah. </p>
<p>Stop the madness! </p>
<p>It’s appropriate for MINI, as a niche brand, to have a point of view. Manual fits with the character of the brand, so it makes sense to push the manual. It doesn’t matter if people opt for it or not, by identifying themselves with it, they reinforce the character of the brand. Mini doesn’t advertise a lot of Black MINI’s with Black Roofs. That doesn’t mean you can’t have one.</p>
<p>I completely agree with R.O. I think is generalization to say all automatic transmission owners are lazy drivers. Some people prefer automatic here for practical reason. I live in the city with stop signs sometimes every 100m. Constant stop and go. In Europe with less stop signs and more roundabouts, it is great fun to drive a stick. For those who want to own a manual car – more power to them. For some, driving a manual MINI is pure fun, but I know others who drive an automatic MINI Cabrio and have fun too. Lets all have fun and happy MOTORING all MINIACS</p>
<p>I totally agree with R.O., it’s a nonsense. F1 cars gave up on clutch pedals years ago, and ask any of the top F1 drivers what they drive when they are ‘off-duty’, and they will tell you an automatic. It’s all about freedom of choice of course, but if you regularly commute in heavy stop-start traffic, surely only a masochist would prefer to drive with a clutch pedal!</p>
<p>But let’s look at the facts. Dual-clutch transmissions give better performance, create lower CO2 emissions and better fuel economy. In fact the Auto Industry acknowledges that manual clutch operated gearboxes will have been completely phased out by 2020, to meet ever stringent legislation on emissions and economy. The foot operated clutch pedal is rapidly becoming a relic from a by-gone age.</p>
<p>I know that critics of the dual-clutch transmission will cite the, as yet, far from perfect VW DSG version, but Mercedes has developed a ‘DSC’ seven speed dua- clutch transmission for the new A/B Class which, it claims, has completely eliminated the low speed shunting that can hobble the VW unit. The good news is that BMW is developing, from scratch, its own dual-clutch transmission together with Getrag, the leading systems supplier.</p>
<p>The future is that soon we shall be able to buy a MINI 3 with a super efficient 1.5L 3 cylinder engine, which in ‘S’ form will likely develop around 200bhp with triple turbochargers, and will have the option of a state of the art dual-clutch transmission. My bet is that the overwhelming majority of MINI buyers will heartily embrace the 21st century and opt for the dual-clutch transmission, in the knowledge that they will have better performance and economy, and a more enjoyable driving experience.</p>
<p>Right – the efficiency argument is only valid with MINI’s out-dated torque converter. When the new DCT coming into play that and the speed argument will go away. But the real argument should be around feel and control. And in that, a DCT (as much as I like them) will never win.</p>
<p>Gabe, with the greatest respect, if you were to suggest to a F1 driver that he would get more feel and control out of his race car if it had a manual gearbox with a clutch pedal, he would probably laugh out loud at you and then walk away.</p>
<p>However, you are clearly passionate about manual gearboxes and that’s good. You are really going to love the 1M. Autocar said in its road test of the 1M, “As for the lack of a flappy-paddle, two-pedal option, the character of the car is such that the kind of drivers who want to flick a lever rather than kick a pedal may not find this BMW much to their liking anyway”.</p>
<p>Enough said :)</p>
<p>In F1 control is much more about grip then the joy of depressing the clutching and managing the power-band. It’s simply impossible to compare the two unless your pouting out that a semi-auto is faster (which of course it is).</p>
<p>But the principle is the same.</p>
<p>Correct me if im wrong but doesn’t f1 have a clutch button? Have seen jeremy and Richard from top gear stall when they first drove an f1 car? I don’t think mini is implying that auto drivers are lazy, they don’t see any negative towards auto drivers. Its just a fancy saying that a Manuel is a best way to drive a mini.</p>
<p>I see your point, but yours goes against a lot of what R.O. said. Instead of going with the “leave them be, like what you like” stance you’re promoting the superior technology. The point was already conceded that the new tech is faster/smoother, but the issue is on feel, or better yet, involvement. </p>
<p>I’m all for freedom of choice, but with the number of people opting for 3 pedals, I’m just not sure how much longer that option will be around for me. All in all the ad did catch my eye and we are talking about it, so I guess that’s a win.</p>
<p>Porsche PDK= faster than a manual. VW DSG= faster than a manual. </p>
<p>Porsche PDK= faster than a manual. VW DSG= faster than a manual. </p>
<p>You are missing the point. It’s not the speed, it’s the interaction between the car and driver.</p>
<p>uff. is MINI needing to dump excess inventory? I have yet to “really” like anything BSSP has done campaign wise.</p>
<p>Back in my day, we had one gear, and we liked it!</p>
<p>Many, probably most, Driver Ed courses do not teach manual shifting.
My Grandson learned on my MINI.
My wife’s Chrysler 200’s 6 speed manual can drive one crazy shifting whenever IT wants.
MINIs are for fun, what’s not to like about being in control of your car.</p>
<p>Many, probably most, Driver Ed courses do not teach manual shifting.
My Grandson learned on my MINI.
My wife’s Chrysler 200’s 6 speed manual can drive one crazy shifting whenever IT wants.
MINIs are for fun, what’s not to like about being in control of your car.</p>
<p>It is one thing to choose an automatic over a manual for whatever reasons, fine. When someone does not know how to drive a manual that is another thing altogether. When I was learning to drive, the only cars in my family were automatics, dad is a car guy and we have always had street rods and cool cars floating around here and there but they were all automatics. I learned on auto. Fast forward a few years later, dad won a NASCAR experience and took mom because I never learned manual. None of us are NASCAR fans but we like to go fast, dad was a drag racer back in the day, and mom got the car up to 92 MPH!</p>
<p>Now I have my MINI, a manual, tought myself by driving it home off the lot. These days the family stable has many manuals, 03 vette, 66 nova, 70 nova and the MINI.</p>
<p>Look at it this way, if you know how to drive manual you are able to drive just about anything out there but you can choose automatic for your reason. My truck is an automatic, I don’t think I would do a manual truck ever.</p>
<p>Of course MINI is pushing the manual transmission now, aren’t they still having shortages of the Aisin auto due to the tsunami? I drove stick for more years than I can count and it used to be enjoyable. With the increased traffic and stop and go along with age, it ceased to be fun. I can still enjoy my MINI without shifting.</p>
<p>I think it is amusing how MINI is trying to entice drivers to learn stick on a MINI when the forums are full of reports of folks having clutch issues while under warranty and MINI claiming the issues are caused by abuse.</p>
<p>This has been planned since well before the parts shortage (which shouldn’t be an issue at this point).</p>
<p>I’m amused by those who are defending the automatic transmission. You can’t dispute the fact that a manual transmission gives you more control over the car and gives you greater access to the engine’s power. I’ve never met anyone who can actually say with a straight face that an automatic is more fun to drive. Buy what you want, but don’t cry in outrage whenever the guys on WRR and MotoringFile express their strong preference for manual transmissions and disdain for automatics. Or even more pathetic, suggest some conspiracy theory that MINI is trying to move excess inventory by highlighting the benefits of a manual. These aren’t personal attacks on your choice of a lesser car, but are rather an expression of the joy that driving a manual brings. Even with the eventual availability of DCT (which I would like to point out, BMW only offered a manual in its most enthusiast/driver oriented car, the 1M), the love of driving that causes enthusiasts to choose a manual is the same reason you automatic lovers chose a MINI over a Toyota Corolla… It’s more fun!</p>
<p>DCM, with respect, as I replied to Gabe, if you were to suggest to any F1 driver that he would have more control of his race car with a manual gearbox and clutch pedal, he would probably laugh out loud at you then walk away.</p>
<p>I hope you continue to enjoy manual gearboxes while they are still available.</p>
<p>I suggest you go watch the segment on Top Gear where Lewis Hamilton drive’s Senna’s old McLaren. From what I could tell, he was having an amazing time, and there’s no doubt in my mind that part of it was the manual transmission.</p>
<p>But the argument was that manual gearboxes with a clutch give you more control over a car, but my point is that a sophisticated semi-auto box gives you just as much control if not more, and gives you more time to concentrate on driving.</p>
<p>By definition you have less control. Hence the term semi automatic :)</p>
<p>It’s more involving with more control for a ROAD CAR; to stomp on the clutch and shift through the gears.</p>
<p>The Mini isn’t an F1 car, much less a race car.
The “semi auto” box gives the driver millisecond shifts, but the driver has to first engage the transmission, for it to then automatically “clutch” and complete the shift. Its more involving and gives more control than an automatic transmission, because of its “manual” engagement.</p>
<p>If you had an F1 car that wasn’t “semi-auto”, but “fully” automatic,
like what we’re comparing here, then a “manual” F1 car would give you
more control.</p>
<p>Its also more involving to have an open cockpit and the wheels in sight, but that doesn’t apply to normal road cars either.</p>
<p>Okay then, what if you wanted to deliver around half the amount of torque at 4000 RPM’s to the front wheels? Not sure when/if you’d ever use that but it’s something that you can control with a manual that you can’t with a semi-automatic. </p>
<p>Okay then, what if you wanted to deliver around half the amount of torque at 4000 RPM’s to the front wheels? Not sure when/if you’d ever use that but it’s something that you can control with a manual that you can’t with a semi-automatic. </p>
<p>Mr. Dawson, last time I checked, the technology found in the transmission of an F1 car is not available in a MINI nor am I an F1 driver trying to squeeze every last second out on the track. So I stand by my statement about a manual having more control than an AUTOMATIC transmission (not DCT, DSG, SMG, etc, etc). Once DCT’s are available in a MINI then you may have a point about control but it still won’t change the vast difference in driving enjoyment.</p>
<p>I honestly think that we’re light years away from having gearboxes like those. They cost probably two-three times more than a regular one and will probably never be available. Remember, the so-called fancy pseudo-sequential automatics with “manual” shifting do not improve the car’s performance. Almost all of them also do not function like that in any way because it’s more marketing hype to get people to one car. I’ve seen some that offer “manual” shifting but return to first gear when you stop the car! I find that funny sometimes.</p>
<p>Control of any drivable vehicle lies solely on the driver….</p>
<p>Wow… Touchy subject here. Mr. Dawson, no one here is comparing themselves to a F1 driver. I know I am not but when I took my MINI to the track, I could not have envisioned doing so with an automatic. I tried that once with my ’06 535 and it was no fun. However, for a F1 driver, the technology is so good and perfected to the nth degree, they would be laughed out of the paddock for having a manual in their race car. As for their personal car, sure cruising down the road (if they drive themselves at all) in an auto is fine. It’s not like they want to take their job home with them.
The point I would like to make here is that as MINI owners, we do not have access to DSG level of tech which makes for a difficult argument in favor of the DCT when it truly is not available. The torque converter auto is not the same animal and is surely less involving.</p>
<p>And to b- who commented that once you learn to drive a stick, you can drive anything… this is so true and exactly why I taught my wife to drive a stick when we got married (otherwise she couldn’t drive my car) and why I taught my 3 kids to drive a stick. I was particularly adamant about teaching my girls to drive a stick as I could be confident that they would never be forced into a bad situation for lack of knowledge. All three of my kids still do drive a stick shift, BTW as it is a cost choice and a preference for them.</p>
<p>Oh.. and back on topic, I do like the ad campaign. BSSP did a commendable job.</p>
<p>The biggest beef I have with shiftable automatics isn’t the clutch it is the shifting itself; having to move sequentially through the gears e.g. not being able to drop two (or more) gears at one time is frustrating. I get board when all I am doing is steering. Sure in heavy traffic is get a bit tedious but for me it is worth it. I have one car with a shiftable auto and honestly using the paddle shifters just isn’t the same. Now if someone came up with a shiftable auto that actually shifted like a manual whilst in manual mode…</p>
<p>That is only available on cars with sticker prices in the six digits! I doubt we’ll ever have an affordable sequential shifter available on cars under $50,000.</p>
<p>I’ve owned a lot of cars but have never owned an automatic. And IMHO automatic drivers are sloppier.</p>
<p>I think it’s great that MINI is trying to shift peoples perspective (no pun intended) when it comes to transmissions. As long as MINI continues to offer a manual transmission, they’ll have my business. For me it’s not about how fast a transmission can shift, but the enjoyment of driving a manual. </p>
<p>I concur Tony. Well said!!!</p>
<p>Having retired just as my career industry began switching from 8+speed no-syncro trans to 10 spd clutch-able automatics the fun factor never came up, but the control of the vehicle was issue number one from the very beginning. The over-the-road company drivers got used it for the most part and only really had a relapse of bitch-and-moan during the winter. City drivers loved them from day one for the obvious reason, but the City automatic was totally different, almost car like in operation compared to the Class A trucks. The long winded point here is the manual is FUN. Each to his own. Standing O to MINI for promoting the FUN of driving. Great to see MINI/BMW remind the masses of that.</p>
<p>I lived in Malaysia for eight years and I was fortunate to be able to explore most of South East Asia and beyond while I was there. One of the things that interested me was that all imported European cars, including MINIs, were fitted with auto gearboxes. When I asked one of the local BMW/MINI dealers why it was not possible to order a manual gearbox, I was told that there was absolutely no demand for them. I subsequently learned that the new aspiring Asian middle-class, who can afford to buy such cars, perceive manual gearboxes as very low rent and associated with poverty. In fact no smart twenty-something would be seen dead in a car with manual transmission! It is interesting how different cultures perceive success.</p>
<p>Europeans of course, have been driving cars with manual gearboxes since 1895, so they are nothing new, and until about twenty years ago, we Brits looked down our noses at cars with automatic gearboxes as being associated with people who didn’t know how to drive properly. Things are starting to change, however, with the advent of more sophisticated semi-auto boxes, but they are still a hard sell.</p>
<p>It does interest me though that some Americans have taken so enthusiatically to the ‘stick-shift’ especially since the reinvention of the MINI. This is not a new phenomenon of course, After WWII, many returning GIs who had been based in the UK, took back with them MG sports cars, thus starting a craze for such cars in the States. Today’s generation always think they are the first to start such fashions, but of course it’s all been done before.</p>
<p>To those of you who have just discovered the pleasure of a stick-shift, I wish you many miles of happy motoring :)</p>
<p>I like this campaign, and I think it fits with MINI’s character. When a DCT becomes available for the MINI, I will certainly go test it out. The manual is second nature to me. I just don’t give it a second thought, even in the stop and go traffic I face each day. Another big bonus with the MINI is its hill assist feature. I show that to everyone to allay their fears of driving the hills of San Francisco. On my daily route, I have a few steep grades. Automatics have come a long way, but my guess is that the auto tranny would be frequently hunting for gears on those hills–it just wouldn’t be that smooth, and that can be grating on a driver, diminishing the quality of the experience. Someone new to MINI, who has that kind of experience, may not be as loyal to the brand as someone who gives the manual a try, and loves it. It would be interesting to know if BMW has compared customer loyalty by transmission type. If a manual transmission makes it more likely for a customer to return to MINI, then this type of campaign makes even more sense. Auto availability broadens the appeal and access to a larger market, and gets manualphobic customers in the door–but it is even more desirable to keep them coming back.</p>
<p>I like this campaign, and I think it fits with MINI’s character. When a DCT becomes available for the MINI, I will certainly go test it out. The manual is second nature to me. I just don’t give it a second thought, even in the stop and go traffic I face each day. Another big bonus with the MINI is its hill assist feature. I show that to everyone to allay their fears of driving the hills of San Francisco. On my daily route, I have a few steep grades. Automatics have come a long way, but my guess is that the auto tranny would be frequently hunting for gears on those hills–it just wouldn’t be that smooth, and that can be grating on a driver, diminishing the quality of the experience. Someone new to MINI, who has that kind of experience, may not be as loyal to the brand as someone who gives the manual a try, and loves it. It would be interesting to know if BMW has compared customer loyalty by transmission type. If a manual transmission makes it more likely for a customer to return to MINI, then this type of campaign makes even more sense. Auto availability broadens the appeal and access to a larger market, and gets manualphobic customers in the door–but it is even more desirable to keep them coming back.</p>
<p>Wish my Cooper S was, but my wife doesn’t drive a stick (and doesn’t want to learn). I could buy one but would have to sleep in it, and Ohio gets cold. </p>
<p>Best reason I’ve heard yet.</p>
<p>Back in the day “Automatic” was a luxury item and a cool factor. So novelty sells and the automatic overtook the stick. Remember roll ups windows? I challenge you to find them or anyone who wants them in a newer late model car.</p>
<p>Count me as one vote for crank windows, at least for the fronts. Wing windows too while we’re in the “way back machine”. No serious reason, just miss the ability to custom tune the breeze and venting. No key needed to operate. And I do remember all the downsides to those artifacts of design.</p>
<p>Ah, crank windows, I remember you fondly. I grew up riding around in an old BMW 2002 so no culture shock here. Additionally, I think people on here would welcome the option if they they thought it would make their car reasonably lighter.</p>
<p>Most Americans are lazy hence why they drive auto’s. Its a shame as the MINI thrives on being driven hard through the gears. However having an auto means the yanks can eat burgers and drive at thd same time.</p>
<p>Been driving since 1965. My JCW is my 8th car. ALL have been Manuals!!!</p>
<p>Outrageous debate! Regardless of relative merit, it’s entirely a matter of free choice. </p>
<p>Outrageous debate! Regardless of relative merit, it’s entirely a matter of free choice. </p>
<p>Me and my lazy ass will stick to dual clutch + paddle shifters. </p>
<p>We have both a manual JCW and an automatic MCS in our driveway. While the JCW is my primary daily driver, the MCS is my wife’s daily driver. We occasionally drive each others cars.</p>
<p>I agree with the POV that it’s way more fun to drive a MINI in it’s manual configuration. My wife supports that POV as well. We’ve been driving them side by side for years now. (We had an MCS manual before the JCW.) It’s highly unlikely that we’d purchase another automatic MINI in the future because too much is lost in the overall driving experience.
I love really like campaign, it’s the type of marketing I expect from MINI.</p>
<p>BRAVO to MINI for a fun and entertaining campaign.</p>
<p>All I have to add to the conversation is MY opinion… that the opinion of those who are physically capable yet don’t know how to drive a manual have much less weight in the discussion, because if you don’t know how… you are arguing from a very narrow perspective. Some people who CAN drive a manual still choose an automatic for one reason or another (recall the “cars = appliance” perspective), and that’s entirely their prerogative. However, if you have only ever been able to experience one side of the fence, how can you be SURE that side is better than the other? You can’t. Plain and simple.</p>