AutoGuide.com
Feb 10th, 2011, 05:57 PM
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/wp-content/uploads//2011/02/2011-MINI-Cooper.jpg
MINI USA boss Jim McDowell sat down with AutoGuide at the Chicago Auto Show to talk about what might just be the most carefree car brand out there, complete with its own lexicon that includes things like bootgating – that's tailgating in a Countryman, if you must know.
Much of the conversation dealt with the upcoming Coupe and Roadster models, but first McDowell shared with us a revelation. The most cross-shopped car with the dynamic MINI Cooper is a vehicle that's most certainly not known for being fun. In fact, it could be described as the exact opposite. That car is the Toyota Prius.
The reason, says McDowell, is due to the way both cars appeal to a certain buyer, with a distinctive look that says something about the driver.
Fuel economy is a top priority for these consumers, and McDowell is eager to point out the Cooper's impressive 37 mpg highway rating. While hardly close to the 48-mpg rating of the Prius on the highway, that number is up one tick from 2010 thanks to some added efficiencies rolled-out in a mid-cycle update for this year. In the end, he says, those who really want to make that big environmental statement choose the Prius and those who value driving dynamics more highly pick the MINI.
More: MINI Cooper's Number One Competitor Will Surprise You (http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2011/02/mini-coopers-number-one-competitor-will-surprise-you.html) on AutoGuide.com
MINI USA boss Jim McDowell sat down with AutoGuide at the Chicago Auto Show to talk about what might just be the most carefree car brand out there, complete with its own lexicon that includes things like bootgating – that's tailgating in a Countryman, if you must know.
Much of the conversation dealt with the upcoming Coupe and Roadster models, but first McDowell shared with us a revelation. The most cross-shopped car with the dynamic MINI Cooper is a vehicle that's most certainly not known for being fun. In fact, it could be described as the exact opposite. That car is the Toyota Prius.
The reason, says McDowell, is due to the way both cars appeal to a certain buyer, with a distinctive look that says something about the driver.
Fuel economy is a top priority for these consumers, and McDowell is eager to point out the Cooper's impressive 37 mpg highway rating. While hardly close to the 48-mpg rating of the Prius on the highway, that number is up one tick from 2010 thanks to some added efficiencies rolled-out in a mid-cycle update for this year. In the end, he says, those who really want to make that big environmental statement choose the Prius and those who value driving dynamics more highly pick the MINI.
More: MINI Cooper's Number One Competitor Will Surprise You (http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2011/02/mini-coopers-number-one-competitor-will-surprise-you.html) on AutoGuide.com