I got the December 27, 2004 Autoweek magazine today and on page 4 Julian Rendell talks about the 2007 MINI, MINI 2

It seems that things are changing for all of us MINI fans, be it MC or MCS. Apparently BMW will change the personality of our cars dramatically. Although the displacemnt will stay the same at 1.6 liters, seems that not only the MCS is going turbo. The S looses its super charger and gets a turbo (you already knew this) and stays at 170 hp . The MC will get a 143 hp turbo . As well as a the 115 hp non turbo option.

The car will grow in key dimensions by "A few milimeters only, while the go-kart handling will remain a key feature for the replacement." Test Mules have been photographed and reveal a power bulge that provides space for the turbo and has a new grille shaped more like the 1959 Mini. The new grille will be more vertical in order to comply with European Union Pedestrian Impact Regulations. Other chages to the air dam will have an opening that will improve airflow to the intercooler.

The Interior will retain the central speedometer and will be styled the same but will have higher quality materials.

 

Black turbo mini with upright grille.


Dorky double headlights. Thank God we don't get these!


Test Mules with power bulges.

 

I don't buy it. That's pretty obviously been photoshopped. They even blobbed it over the hood emblem.

At least, that's how it looks to me...

 

True it has been photoshopped. They added the black bars over the eyes, Like on the AC/DC album Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheep.

 

I'm pretty optimistic about the 2007s overall.

 

and while it's probably of interest to those who haven't been able to make up their mind whether or not to get a mini yet I waited 3 years and finally have one and love it. No way would I wait another few years for "improvements". It'd kill me. :smile:

 

The bulge looks like a tumor. Photoshop or not I hope they don't offer it like that in the final design.

 

Keep in mind that it's a 'test mule' with extra monitoring equipment under the bonnet...hence the bulge. The pics that I saw of the 'test mules' for the MINIs we drive today had that same bulge. :smile:

 

Yes, the buldge in the mule hood is only for the test vehicle. The production version will not look like that. Rumor has it that the bonnet may come up higher but it won't look god aweful like the test mules.

There is a ton of info on the future of the Mini production line (along with tons of other great stuff) over at Gabe's site www.MotoringFile.com. Be sure to give it a look see one of these days.

 

MotoringFile even had the link to the Story on AutoWeek.com

For more pictures click Here.

Thank God we aren't getting the dual headlighted version.

The taller bonnet on the fuzzy black picture shows the new stand up grille.

 

For the most part they all look like photo shopped pics to me,but at least they are testing them in the snow.[like I believe that too]
Until I get to put my foot to the throttle of one and look it in the head lights,I will reserve my judgement

 

Yeah,
I saw the picks over at Gabe's a while ago, but things evolve, so I wasn't sure. I'll take your word for it, but none of the picks from motoring file of the original mules (pre '02) that I've seen have bonnet humps like that.

That artist rendering is 'orrible. I hope that's not what they deliver, 'cause this '05 may be the last new mini I own, at least until mini3.

The audi and beemer sedans from that page are vicious looking, very nice....but that BMW SUV is waaaayyyy off. Again, it's understood they're all prelim cars.

 

So lets recap = the car will be about the same size and shape "within a few millimeters", with the same interior except for a few minor material changes. The MCS will have about the same amount of horsepower, but with a turbocharger rather than a supercharger. This adds up to a "dramatic change?" I don't get it.

 

The turbocharged engine versus the gear/belt driven supercharged engine is radically different especially when you consider the way they produce power. A belt/gear driven supercharger produces power down low in the rev range. A turbo must spool up as exhaust pressure increases. The turbo car will have "Longer legs" while the belt/gear driven supercharged version will have more "Punch" off the line. IMHO more of what a small engine needs.

This difference will dramatically change the MCS fans as well as the MC fans who opt for the turbo.

Formula one engines produce incredible amounts of horse power but have a narrow powerband, hence the need for a 7 speed transmission. Where a Top Fuel dragster produces its power down way low and its RPM limit is more of where a Formula one engine idles.

 

I for one would like longer legs,well for my MINI that is,living here in the bald a$$ prairie.I don't see much use for real fast starts on the streets,but having more punch to merge and pass on the highway would be nice. I can see where those folks who have lots of twisties to carve would want more low end power.
But for my needs my MC will do just fine for a few more years at least.

 

Everyone talks about how turbo motors have no low end. Well the new MINI turbo motors develop 177ft/lbs at just 1400rpm, and keep that same torque all the way to 4000rpm. Where the current supercharged mill makes a peak torque of 162ft/lbs at 4000rpm. So now which engine has the fatter torque curve??

 

I am historically not a proponent of turbocharged passenger cars, mainly for their "you have to drive it like a turbo, silly" style (read: lag), however I have a feeling the twin-scroll design that BMW is implimenting in the MINI and 1-series will remove some of the drivability issues with traditional low-displacement engine turbo setups.

We'll have to wait and see

 

just talked to the maint. tech at Hendricks Mini in Charlotte this past thursday and was told that BMW in 2007-8 was going with one of their own engines (4cyl. ) normal aspiration....was told that BMW can get the kind of horsepower (170 +) from one of their own design & builds; without a supercharger....just me 2 cents....

 

While I love my supercharger, don't get all worked up about going turbo... Think VW turbos...not those drive the p!ss out of it Subaru WRX style turbo. I'm very optimistic about the new engine...I still think I like my supercharger a lot better...but the MINI going turbo is NOT the end of the world.

 

I've loved the Mini for a long time prior to me owning one, but I am VERY thankfull I waited this long to get one. From what I have been reading 2005 has been the best year thus far. I love how I have the constant power at my feet due to the Supercharger. The Supercharger is one of the reasons why I got the MCS. Not many cars nowadays have one, and its constant power at such a small displacement.

Yeah with a Turbo ull get the cool "PSHHHHHH" sound and the car is cabable of being tuned more then a supercharger, but I'm not a fan of Turbo Lag, and having to sit in my car for 5 mins after a long day of driving to let the turbo cool down or having to purchase a turbo timer....

I don't wanna be a hater, but I will be disappointed if they put a turbo in...The car will turn into a rice mobile.

 

From what I hear the Audi TT with a normally aspirated 3.2 is w-a-y better in just about every way than the 1.6 turbo. I haven't driven the latter, but my brother's 3.2 is a really, really fun car to drive. Of course, there isn't much room for a bigger motor in the MINI, but my point is that some of the German manufacturers seem to be losing their enthusiasm for turbos.

I've only driven a couple of turbocharged cars (one of them being my wife's daily driver Volvo C70), but based on my very limited experience, I don't much like them. I'm glad I got my supercharged MINI when I did!

 

I would think the 115hp will be a CVT only 3-door here is the states and the the 143 HP Cooper will have a 5-speed as well as a 6-speed automatic option like whats in now available in the MCS.

I would also think the Mini will also unveil a 5-door Cooper that will have the 143 HP as standard and the MCS version of the 5-door will have an AWD option.

Im sure Mini wants to get Mini into WRC (World Rally Championship) and the current Mini is 13 inches too short to meet minimum size requirements so a new larger 5-door with AWD and more HP (JCW's) could make the Mini competitive. (a turbo will be needed if Mini wants to compete in WRC)

The dollar is at an all time low against the Euro and this will force BMW to raise prices on the next-gen Mini's and the best way to do this is the get rid of the low-priced 5-spd 115hp hardtop version and make the 115 hp a CVT-only version and give the standard Cooper an HP jump to 143 so BMW can justify the higher prices since the cars will come standard with more features and HP.

 

I don't have an opinion regarding super- vs. turbocharger. Before my 04 MCS I had a 1.8T Jetta, and their power delivery feels very similar to me. The 1.8T delivers all its torque starting at 1950 rpm (if I remember right), so that could be why.

I'll wait and see about the styling, but I am excited about the 143hp Cooper. I think that sounds like the right amount of power for a Mini, especially with a lighter, all-aluminum engine. The MCS has a little more power than I need at this point, so I welcome the addition of a less expensive but still adequately powered option.

 

Maybe it will be like this in 2007:


3-door Cooper -115hp CVT-only ($18,995 base price)

3 & 5-door Cooper R- 143HP 5spd (3-door base price $20,995 and 5-door base price of $21,495)- (6spd automatic $1500 option)

3 & 5-door Cooper S- 170+ HP 6spd (3-door base price $23,995 & 5-door base price $25,495)- (6spd automatic $1500 option)

3 & 5-door JCW's - 220HP and AWD 6spd (3-door base price $29,995 and 5-door base price $32,495)- (6spd automatic $1500 option)

 

I wouldn't be too concerned about the WRC length issue, it sounds like WRC is in for some major rule changes over the next couple of years. By the time the next MINI is out there may be no length restrictions and NO TURBOS in WRC!!....but that is the subject for another forum.