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Mini Cooper SUV
- Thread starter wa-loaf
- Start date
MR. evil
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That's pretty cool!
Interesting, I'm not sure how feel about this move...
ctenidae
Active member
Except for teh fact they will offer a 6-speed manual, little or no interest to me.
Geoff
Well-known member
I have no interest at all. The reliability history of the Mini has been pretty nasty. The dealer network is sparse so if you move, you may be hours from a dealer. I have enough problems seeing around massive SUVs and minivans in a VW GTI. I really don't want a lower and narrower car. I haven't driven a 2nd generation car with the turbo but the 1st generation was a dog without the supercharger. You basically had to drive it right at the red line to get any kind of performance out of it and you don't get acceptable fuel economy driving it like that. I prefer engines with more low end torque as a daily driver. I'm not a Honda guy either for that reason.
drjeff
Well-known member
I'm guessing that they put a mini styled body on the Beemer X3 frame.
I can forsee a bunch of these sitting outside of Starbucks in affluent suburbs with their owners inside blogging away on the iphones about how miserabe their life is
I can forsee a bunch of these sitting outside of Starbucks in affluent suburbs with their owners inside blogging away on the iphones about how miserabe their life is
campgottagopee
New member
Cool looking ride, but what he said ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
they have a very good warranty but dealers are few and far between if you have an issue
they have a very good warranty but dealers are few and far between if you have an issue
dmc
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Will it fit your roller blades in the back?
Not going to argue with most of what you said, but do you really think it will be lower than t GTI. Looks like it's lifted up quite a bit.
Even though they won't produce it, you could always make your own by taking the doors off....
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/15/detroit-preview-mini-beachcomber-concept/
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/15/detroit-preview-mini-beachcomber-concept/
Hawkshot99
Active member
The original is OK. Do not like the 4 seater setup. But I do like the concept BeachComber version.
Geoff
Well-known member
They didn't change the seat position or the distance between the floor pan and the roof. A stock GTI is 58.4" high with 5.6" ground clearance. A stock Mini is 55.4" high with 5.5" ground clearance. The drivers seat on a Mini is more of a sports car low & back position since there's so much less room between the floor pan and the roof. The stock Mini on the market already has quite a bit of wheel gap. The boy racers often lower them 2" (don't try this with Northeast winter pot holes!) From the photo, it looks slightly lifted but it's still a Mini body. Even if you lifted it 2" and gave it 7 1/2" ground clearance, which would look rediculous, your line of sight is still lower than a GTI.
For frame of reference, the far bigger Subaru Outback has 8.4" of ground clearance. If you put a Mini that far off the ground, it would look really out of proportion. The car also has a really narrow wheelbase so the handling would go to hell with the center of gravity shifted up that high.
Besides, my bigger issue with a Mini is width. For me, that driver's door is right there on my left elbow. Not much you can do with the side impact requirements. I decided I couldn't live with it as a daily driver.
Speaking of VWs. They need to bring this bad-boy back (ok, it was never in the US, but so what)
Kinda fugly so high up, IMHO. I always wanted a Golf Rallye though...
It's the little wheels. They'd need to be bigger to make it look proportionate. Plus we're talking about the 80's here. Not too many good looking cars in those days.
WJenness
Active member
Geoff
Well-known member
There's always DMC's Tiguan. You can apparently get them in the Fahrenheit Orange color of my GTI. From all my encounters with the police, I'm never getting that color again!
dmc
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I'd consider replacing this with a TDI/manual when they become available...
So far it's been a great ride...
Geoff
Well-known member
I'd consider replacing this with a TDI/manual when they become available...
So far it's been a great ride...
Does the Tiguan have the DSG automatic or a slush-o-matic? Now that I have DSG in the GTI, I kind of like it. I also like being able to drive wearing ski boots.
