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Out of context: Reply #5
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- Horp0
Its not a pretty Suzuki no, but Mini/BMW have a massive struggle on their hands keeping the Mini brand alive now. It was designed constructed and introduced on the cusp of the world changing and they are now locked into it due to the 'iconic' status they tried to carry over. They can't suddenly re-design the mini in other words.
When it came out it was a desirable, small, style-led little car, but its really heavy, and really really expensive. Economic necessity has now created a whole new slew of scaled down city-focussed cars and whichever way you want to cut it... performance, price, running costs, features, handling, style... there's something better than the mini out there now.
They have just recently announced a new bottom of the range entry level Mini to try and combat the leaden sales over the last 18 months. The Mini First is as stripped out and basic as they can manage to make that car. It has hardly anything in it, and a really weak tiny engine that can't pull a car of that bulk.
Even with those drastic measures its still nealry £11k OTR and for that money you can have a FIAT 500 that's cheaper faster, smaller, more fuel efficient and arguably more stylish, a Suzuki Swift that is cheaper, faster, better equipped and arguably more attractive as well as much cheaper to run, or an number of attractive mini cars from the far east.
They've invested a fortune in the Mini Traveller and nobody is buying it. I think the end of the Mini brand is conceivably round the next bend. Hopefully they'll look to sell it to a British firm who can then retool the original Issigonis mini, which is actually the ideal car for the climate, and it will be back where it belongs in Blighty.