I think BavMotWerk have missed the point completely with the new Mini.
the ideal of an inexpensive-to-buy, inexpensive-to-run (a penny a mile)
created by Sir Alec Issigonis (with help from a Mr. Jack Daniels,
although it is reported that Sir Alec's favourite drink was Gordon's
Gin...) has been lost in the heavily optioned and ugly device that
weighs 3 times as much as the original design. It also costs nearly
twice as much as a full size family sedan out here in the antipodes.
Admittedly, it's pretty hard to cram all the safety of modern cars into
the thin doors & tiny dash of the old design, but it's just not the same
<*sniffle*>...
Having driven different morris/leyland minis through my early twenties,
enjoyed going to the drive-in in the summertime & lifting the front
seats out to sit them on the ground next to the Esky (icebox, chillybox,
whatever) to watch the movies, it's _just_not_the_same_.
(btw I think these comments are equally applicable to the new beetle!!)
They have a LOT to answer for, destroying the names of motoring icons
like that :(
davidt
On Wed, May 10, 2006 at 09:17:55AM -0400, NSURIT@xxxxxxx wrote:
>
> I have a physician friend who is a wonderfully creative photographer and is
> of a size that a Mini Cooper would accommodate. A year or so ago she traded
> her VW which got 40+ miles to the gallon in on a Mini Cooper and although
> she
> enjoys the Mini Cooper, it is a good bit less fuel efficient than the VW. I
> guess it is all relative, because although less fuel efficient than the VW,
> it is perhaps 2+ times more fuel efficient than my 4 wheel drive Chevrolet
> Suburban. The Suburban on the other hand will comfortably carry 3 times more
> passengers and several times more gear if used for hauling stuff. Price
> wise
> there is probably not much difference in initial cost between the Mini
> Cooper
> and the Suburban if both are fully equipped. The real savings for this
> slightly claustrophobic, 6 ft 4 in, 245 lb city dweller comes from a feeling
> of
> being secure in traffic and considerably lower chiropractor bills each year.
>
> Bill Barber
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