Would BINI have...

[forddeliveryboy]

 

 

 

Would the BMW Mini have sold as well, or better, without the old BMC (mis-)name? Discuss. Danke sehr.

 

 

 

Posted Today, 03:27 PM

[NorfolkNWeigh]

No , because it wouldn't have been so British* if it had just been a BMW 1/2 series.

My mother genuinely thinks her Cooper is as much a product of BMC as the 1963 1100 she had in 1977. Probably because the salesman told her that, mind you.

[pandamonium]

I concur, I think its success is mostly based on its name. 

[steve_earwig]

Oddly, I was thinking about this earlier, I decided most of its buyers don't know what a proper* Mini was so it wouldn't make that much difference (although NorfolkNWeigh seems to have put the mockers on that idea). Maybe the younger buyers... I guess it would make a difference, although not a huge one.

 

Also, Fiat 500, which had a similar cult following around this part of the world. Capitalising on past glories again there. Citroen is doing it with their DS too, sadly. And Å koda with their Rapid, although I think the point has eluded them more than a little.

[vulgalour]

We are currently in the age of the rehash, everything old is new again.  You need look no further than the film industry to see just how popular a revamped idea can be, and how profitable!  I'm not sure how it works, the demographic they're selling successfully to seem mostly oblivious to the originals their trendy product is plagiarising.

 

It's all very strange.

[inconsistant]

Another way of looking at it is to consider whether it would have enjoyed the same success had the old (proper) Mini never existed, therefore any perceived styling or heritage connections would be meaningless, and the name Mini would just be a BMW sub brand.

[Matt]

If they didn't call it that they wouldn't have been able to style it the way they did. If they made a smaller car than the one series at the same price as the BINI and badged it as a BMW the same types of people would still fall over themselves to buy one.

[warren t claim]

Is it screwed together by former BL employees?

[Mike D]

To be fair to them they are a right hoot to drive, wor lass has a 2001 Cooper and it's a fun thing to blast about in.

[MarvinsMom]

its not actually, the site of the morris motors plant was on the opposite side of the A38?

 

the hun shut that site down, and sold it off for housing.

 

the hun's BINI plant is on the site of the Pressed Steel stamping plant.

[Lacquer Peel]

Each successive generation of the BINI looks like an inaccurate Chinese copy of the last one.

[2MB]

^very true^

I often think newer generations of vehicles

Look worse than the outgoing one but in the case of the MINI it's an irrefutable fact

[EssDeeWon]

I saw a 4 door Mini estate thing the other day, a swear its almost as long and certainly as wide as my 75!!

[Asimo]

its not actually, the site of the morris motors plant was on the opposite side of the A38?

 

the hun shut that site down, and sold it off for housing.

 

the hun's BINI plant is on the site of the Pressed Steel stamping plant.

Where they used to make bodies for all sorts, inc. Rolls Royce. (and then truck them North, uncovered, unpainted, whatever the weather)

[alf892]

Each successive generation of the BINI looks like an inaccurate Chinese copy of the last one.

I like them....... Great little modern car......but in the case of the latest one I would have to agree

 

If it was too much like the original it would be shit.

[HH-R]

The original Mini was a marvel of how much you could get in such a small amount of space, the modern is a marvel of how little you can get in such a large amount space.

 

I've always wanted to like the Bini, and first of the bloated ones was probably the closest I'll get. I like the interiors (though the one time I've been in one with my mate sitting behind me, my knees were on level with the dash airbag), and the back but the front has always been gopping, the oversized headlights make it look like a clown car. Each revision has been worse.

 

Been in a Cun...cunt... Countryman I think? Massive 4x4 thing, definitely not mini.

[HMC]

Old BL / whatever incarnation it was that week slaved away for years knocking the things out, seemingly forgetting to check whether it was worth their while. I suspect BMW didn't follow suit and just during the years since have probably coined it in like nobody's business.

 

How much of it is down to the brand is hard to say, but they've managed to re invent it to become something above all else it never really was- profitable!

[alf892]

I've had secondhand minis.....not as a toy but as a means of transport.

 

I agree they were a triumph(?) of design/packaging in their day but as a means of transport in the 70s/ 80 they were absolute shit. For a non 'car' person they were probably a liability.

 

At least the Bini is a viable means of actual transport that won't cost loads to own thanks to low depreciation. To me a modern car that fills it's function and doesn't cost loads is a good car. Makes it possible to have other stuff for fun.

[New POD]

No , because it wouldn't have been so British* if it had just been a BMW 1/2 series.

My mother genuinely thinks her Cooper is as much a product of BMC as the 1963 1100 she had in 1977. Probably because the salesman told her that, mind you.

 

 

We all know that I'm a fan of the Generation 1 version from 2001 to 2006, right ?

 

It was designed by British (Austin) rover engineers who made a few mistakes, along the way, like fitting the "midlands" gearbox which was shite.

 

And it genuinely is built on the OLD morris factory site at Cowley, and they do employ loads of people near the NEC in Brum, making engines and cylinder heads (for PSA as well)

 

In terms of what the generation 1 does as a car?

 

- genuine 3 plus one seater. (if the driver is small you can get 2 rear seat passengers)

- genuinely quick in S form, and still quick in Copper form. 

- great handling.

- cheeky looks

- Easy to remove engine if needed.

 

Mind you I swapped over the bonnet yesterday and because of the shite BL clip designers, it took 3 hours to transfer all the bits to the new bonnet and fit it.

[New POD]

 

If it was too much like the original it would be shit.

 

 

 

[Formula Autos]

You're average BINI owner is probably, even if they're a 17 year old just through their test, vaguely aware at least of the proper Mini by seeing them on the street and in things like The Italian Job. That no doubt makes them think that these things MUST be good, if they've been around for that long.

 

Just bringing something completely new out, like a Smart, doesn't come with those positive connotations. Even if they are probably just sub-conscious.

[chaseracer]

yes  on a former BL site 

 

proving yet again that the british motor industry's problems  were down to the influence of Moscow in  union offices

 

YAWN...

 

#false_syllogism

[fred]

We are currently in the age of the rehash, everything old is new again.  You need look no further than the film industry to see just how popular a revamped idea can be, and how profitable!  I'm not sure how it works, the demographic they're selling successfully to seem mostly oblivious to the originals their trendy product is plagiarising.

 

It's all very strange.

Think they have got to the stage when everything pretty much has been done - so just re make em

its an easy way out - look forward to the New Capri , Cortina, Victor, and Princess! Vauxhall already are making or made the new VIva 

[Hendry]

I actually don't mind the "new" Mini I just think if you want a small car there's plenty better ones for the money, more space, nicer looking, more kit/equipment for the money, better to drive.

 

To me the Mini is just a fashion accessory car for mainly "hip" young women, in the same way Beetles, 500s, Audi A1s, Vauxhall Adam, Citroen DS3 are. It doesn't matter if it's rubbish at car stuff, it's got "kudos" and is seen as trendy.

 

I don't like the driving position of the Mini, I like my seat height as low as the adjuster will go, in a Mini its too low, anything else and its too high, I don't like the noise of the doors closing (doesn't have a clunk like anything this side of 1995 does, it sounds like an 80s car, which isn't a bad thing, it just doesn't sound as quality as Mini want you to think) and the fucking electric power steering squeal.

 

IMO the nicest one is the 2006 Mild facelift version. I hate the bulbous Paceman, Countryman and Clubman, only nice one is the 3 door hatch.

[holbeck]

its not actually, the site of the morris motors plant was on the opposite side of the A38?

 

the hun shut that site down, and sold it off for housing.

 

the hun's BINI plant is on the site of the Pressed Steel stamping plant.

 

Ahem. British Aerospace asset stripped and sold the old Morris Motors site (and the Triumph site at Canley for that matter).

Years before BMW came on the scene.

 

The present Cowley site was initiated to make the R17 facelift Rover 800.

[HH-R]

electric power steering squeal.

Aye, can always tell there's a Bini about in car parks. EEEEeee-eeee-rrrrrrr!

[Inspector Morose]

You know, the early ones seem to be getting about my price range now. I think its maybe time for me to find out how they really are.

(Sorry, I've spent my entire driving life buying cars to experience how they really are instead of trusting persons I do not know telling me how they think they are. I'm weird and I will continue to be that way. I think it's called solipsism. I know it's cost me a fortune.)

[steve_earwig]

And just your luck to buy a lemon..

 

Hold on, solipsism? You only know that you exist but the rest of us may be imaginary? Why are you talking to possibly fictitious entities on a possibly non-existent forum then?

[martc]

Before anyone else says it, the Bini should have been called the Maxi.

[Lacquer Peel]