Mini News: Mini Lineup To Grow To Ten, No New Body Styles Though

[William Maley]

By William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

February 16, 2013

We known for a time that the Mini lineup would be growing to ten models, but we weren't quite sure how that would happen. Well Car and Driver had the chance to talk with Mini U.S. product planning manager Patrick McKenna about the possibilities.

Model eight is the new Mini Clubvan, while nine and ten will not be a new body style. Instead, nine and ten will be a front-wheel-drive hybrid and a second-generation electric Mini, both based on the three-door Cooper.

Also in the pipeline is the new Cooper which will debut in November and come with a turbocharged three-cylinder engine and a next-generation Clubman.

One model that will not be coming is the Rocketman, that has been canned.

Source: Car and Driver

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

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[ocnblu]

What, no cheeky little pickup?

[David]

Blah, the bulk of the Mini Lovers have their cars and now they are just putting frosting on the same old tired Mule and it will cost them. I do not see them increasing sales but canibalizing existing sales with no gain.

[balthazar]

^ Agreed; the 'trip down memory lane' has played it's hand, and Mini is locked into the look so rigidly they are unable to deviate from it. That said, the design is now coming up on TWENTY YEARS OLD, with the sole MCE being an incredible mirror image. Development is dead on the vine.

[ocnblu]

If they can parlay the Mini mystique as successfully as Porsche has with their 911, they have nothing to worry about.

[Robert Hall]

^ Agreed; the 'trip down memory lane' has played it's hand, and Mini is locked into the look so rigidly they are unable to deviate from it. That said, the design is now coming up on TWENTY YEARS OLD, with the sole MCE being an incredible mirror image. Development is dead on the vine.

Twenty? Exaggerate much? The New Mini has only been out for little over a decade... besides, the original design lasted for around 40 years, so I wouldn't expect revolutionary change..

[balthazar]

Feels like almost 20. "Went on sale July 2001" - so coming up on 12 years old. An "eternity" in the opinion of most armchair auto industry critics, who begin to sweat when a car goes without changes after 2 years.

Edited February 17, 2013 by balthazar

[Robert Hall]

Niche models can get away with longer product cycles than high volume appliances, I suppose...

[balthazar]

^ Ahh, but the mini should fit into your definition of mass-produced appliances, being FWD and all, no?

[Robert Hall]

^ Ahh, but the mini should fit into your definition of mass-produced appliances, being FWD and all, no?

Nah...it's a niche product...

[ocnblu]

Mini is FWD, but no appliance. Didn't the original pioneer the idea of FWD/transverse engine for max passenger room formula back in the 50s? So it is absolutely appropriate it has FWD... essential to concept.

That may not have been your point, Balthy, but you know wut I mean.

[Robert Hall]

Mini is FWD, but no appliance. Didn't the original pioneer the idea of FWD/transverse engine for max passenger room formula back in the 50s? So it is absolutely appropriate it has FWD... essential to concept.

That may not have been your point, Balthy, but you know wut I mean.

Yes...the Mini is pretty much the original FWD subcompact...the original set the template for all that was to come. By appliances I mean bland commodity cars that the mainstream buys in volume---Camry, Malibu, Corolla, Cruze, Altima, etc...functional product that get people you point A to point B but offer nothing interesting or distinctive. The Mini is stylish and distinctive, more than a mere appliance.

Edited February 17, 2013 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[balthazar]

It is distinctive, but its very tired-looking. Designed in the last century and all.