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The Mini has served 47 years as a British icon, but will the new BMW MINI ever achieve the enduring worldwide recognition enjoyed by its predecessor?
John Bullas of Minilist has his doubts.
BMW acquired the Mini brand after buying Rover but after six years sold loss making Rover retaining just Mini for itself.
Re-launching the Mini was always going to be a lucrative venture but in restyling the Mini have BMW made a fashion faux par?
The initial success of the new Mini could have backfired as many classic Mini fans, a key market, have snubbed the BMW.
John has plenty to say about the ‘new car’.
“The new Mini is just another modern car with a few design cues from our real Mini, but with none of the simplicity, none of the warmth, it perpetuates none of the deeply held beliefs that our real Mini strives to keep alive,” he said.
John explained how BMW upset many classic Mini owners with its instance that only BMW approved dealers could use the Mini name. This led to many established businesses having to change their trading name.
“BMW also decided that our real Minis were now ‘classic’ Minis,” he said.
“They have been replaced by a metal and plastic shrine to integrated electronics with a series of software upgrades Microsoft would be proud of.
“I am disheartened that to work on the new Mini you now need the skills of a C++ programmer rather than those of a Wiltshire blacksmith.”
“It seems the ownership of the new Mini will forever be consigned to those with big wallets rather than big tool boxes, forever innocent of the almost religious significance of the sacred can of WD40 held in awe by most owners of the REAL Mini." |
