Seconded. I assume the opinion on NAM is nearly unanimous on this.

 

I see your point!!! Every new thing that comes down the line seems to generate it's share of drama...at some point it just gets old. It is a weakness of this type of forum, I think, where opinions (both educated and not) fly about unabated. I do not expect this to disappear so brace yourselves for when the new cabrio comes out.

 

I wouldn't go that far!!! I think the consensus officially is that both cars offer much and will generate many loyal owners.

 

mmmmm .... new cabrio ... drooooool ...

 

I know....we (local NAMers) are planning our trip to the dealer when the new Clubman arrives. You know, just to gawk and drool.

 

at least it's not this.

 

I think a lot of people on these boards see themselves as "MINI purists" when in fact, they are far from it.

There's no sense scoffing at the Clubman when all the other BMW new MINI's are in the same boat. Thats just lame & doesn't make any sense.

 

I like the R56 design. the factory ride height leaves A LOT to be desired, but I understand why it is setup like that. The R56 looks really good with a proper suspension setup and some black wheels . If i was in the market for a new MINI I'd go for it in a heartbeat.

I'm not a fan of the clubman, it looks like the whole car was an afterthought, and something that was built by a limo company that had spare time in between building Hummer stretch limos.

And 'ugliest' car? Top Gear used to be a good show, but Jeremy Clark is getting old and his opinions seem more and more irrelevant with each passing episode. I suspect he was very disappointed by the clubman and his knee jerk reaction was to slap that label on the car. I can think of 10 uglier cars off of the top of my head, and that Renault posted earlier would rank waaaaaaay up there.

 

Seriously? How am I to heed my own advice? I'm being an elitest? Not really. And I don't think I'm being a d1ck. I merely pointed out that I think it's funny how willingly people bash the r56, and the like here. I'm not some new guy to the interwebs. I'm familiar with opinions. Please, have your opinion. Share it with us! But don't look down your nose at people, and try to act like you're superior; so far above that new-gen r56 trash. You drive the previous generation of a popular car. You aren't an innovator. You don't deserve a cookie. Get over yourself.

I should point out that this is not directed at you, Motor....

 

couldn't agree with you more. Remeber when the E65 7 series debuted????? it was the ugliest car ever, right??? funny how countless manufacturers including Hyundai, Acura, and Mercedes Benz all stole styling cues from that car....

 

I'm really not sure how you interpret "that clubman is fugly" to elitism and people looking down their noses at you or anyone that happens to like it.

Just because someone likes *their* MINI over *your* MINI doesn't mean that person thinks less of *you*.

You're making more out of this than anyone else in the thread. Maybe you should think about why that is.

 

somebody remind me to thank Mark for adding the ignore feature to the name pulldown menu

 

Thank Mark TT

I think everyoneismissing the really crucial point of that epsiode, the STIG know how to vacation, and who is the STIG's girlfriend. Not to mention I know a few twisties that need to be lined with apples

And Clarkson was not a fan of the R53 as it was too big, and Captian slow didn't like the 1st genon account ofthe BMWness, and well Hampster enjoyed it because of Pedigree, but even then it was the JCW was better for your teeth than its equvalent value in sweets. The fact that all of them, not just one didn'tlike it isno huge suprise, besides it was made for Germans and Americans, not Brits as mentioned in the new earlier (for those that actually follow the series) and I'm sure there was a tad bit of smigness from being shunned from the plantwhile teaching people about Proper britsh leaky princess history.

Now if only yall could act a little more like the brits and the germans and call truce for the holidays and cheer each other up some

 

Thanks Motor On

Well I'm off to watch some TV while eating chocolate covered butterscotch

 

I was hoping bmw wouldn't release the clubman, it will ruin the mini name! hideous!

 

It is only an exception.

 

Yes yes, the Mini name has been traded around by British Motor Corporation since 1959, been given Ford-like designs & been whored out to everyone under the sun. Not any of those tons of different variants over the years (many that were TRULY hideous) were enough to bring her down.

No no. THIS new Clubman.THAT will be the thing that finally ruins the Mini name.

 

Anything before the new mini has no importance because it had no real brand recognition that it has right now (to the new generation of people at least).

The clubman is the ugly sibling/cousin/friend (yes i am that shallow lol)

When I see a fellow cooper/cooper s, I tend to drive with them.
When I see the clubman, I will hide behind a truck or a H2 until it goes away.

There should definitely be a polling option on this forum!

 

You act like you are 3 years old. I'm hiding because your ugly. I have always wanted a MINI, but felt it was a little small for me and now this vehicle serves my purposes. If anything BMW is brilliant to exoand their range of vehicles and keep some of the basic style.

 

In black it looks like a Mini hearse. Yup, pretty ugly car actually, though nothing as ugly as the Pontiac Aztek. In any case, I don't need a magazine telling me what's ugly and what isn't. I know ugly when I see it, and yup, the Clubman looks ugly, like the product of early 1960s Soviet automotive design.

 

MINIdom does seem to have more than it's fair share of laggards and nay-sayers these days. I suspect many of those quaking over arrival of the Clubman also despise R56 as well. If someone cannot look at the Clubman and come up with...along with their dislikes...a similar list of likes, then their credibility is seriously undermined in my book. The same can be said of any MINI model, including R53.

 

i like the clubman, not with the gaudy silver rear trim (it just makes the entire car look cheap, it works on a few very select colors, black is pretty much the only logical choice)

now... styling is a personal thing... i agree with what everyone says about pedigree, about how mini should go smaller not bigger, but BMW is a company, they do not produce cars for northamericanmotoring's crowd, they produce cars for the 10 billion other drivers out there, if you like it, you like it, if you don't like it no one's forcing it on ya... i am still a skeptic of the R56, although i am warming to the evolution, i still am not a fan and needless to say i am not switching to a R56 or a clubman when my R53 is dead... i simply don't like it, even though i still like the MINI brand

also, will the clubman destroy the mini brand? certainly not as much as the MINI SUV will... what BMW really needs is a bone basic MC, bring back the idea of Alex Issigonis' idea of cheap utilitarian transport, BUT, again, what's the point for BMW to do so? they market the MINI as a styling icon, not like the classic which was cheeky utilitarian transport which just so happens to win the Monte Carlo Rally

 

[RANT]This kind of petty bickering was bound to happen. When the BMW MINI first came out there was one style. Everyone who had a MINI had the same basic car thus having something in common. Something to bind them together.

Then the convertible came out to roars of "This isn't a MINI!" The close knit group that was created by the single car was diluted with those who dare to go topless. "Those aren't real MINI enthusiasts," "The classic Mini was never made as a convertible!" Agast!

Next the R56 comes out and further dilutes and widens the appeal. And creates more targets to shoot at by the "purists" who drive the "original" body style.

Now the R55 is available. "THAT'S NOT A MINI!" proclaim the purists.

Like I said this was bound to happen. The car is popular. What else would any profit minded company do but expand on that profit. Appeal to a wider audience less the MINI go the way of the DeLorean, is that what all of you want? What auto brand has 1 or 2 models? None. Read this very thread. You can see the same thing happening with the Scion.

At the end of the day, were all being laughed at by the original Mini purists who sing that their cars are 100% free of BMW parts.[\RANT]

 

At least im cute at 3. You act like a 14 year old with pimples on your face that looks like a monster and thats why im running.

 

Exactly. MINI is a becoming a full fledged BRAND now, guys. Its not just all about the Cooper anymore. I suspect if you're disappointed with the Clubman, prepare to be disappointed again & again with future models.

Did you really think the MNI brand was gonna follow the same exact guidelines for every model they were gonna produce??

MINI is essentially a BMW. If you drive any of the new MINIs in North America, you're not a "purist". Enjoy your car, but get over yourselves.