Unimpressed with MINI at London Motor Show

[118]

the BARge in 2006 was way better and so was the display. they had the space invaders game outside too, which you sat in a cabrio to play

[dalboyne]

So the general feeling is that MINI marketing have got far too complacent and seriously lack some imagination?

I wonder, is this really the case, or is it that until now the car has been able to sell itself, no matter what numpty they have doing the selling? But now the market is getting hotter, and at the same time the original MINI wow-factor is wearing off, and now we are more likely to notice (and less likely to forgive) BMW MINI's poor showing in marketing?

Or it's none of the above!

Ian

[neilians]

Just got back from Motor Show, I was disappointed with the MINI stand particularly the JCW very poorly spec'd should of had every option possible with a breakdown of the cost !

2006 a hell of a better show by MINI

Ian

[ScoobyDoo]

I havent been to the Motorshow since it moved to London.... also remember the previous MINI stand / owners lounge and meeting Russ Swift when he invited the MINI2'ers who went, onto the track for a nosey round the stunt cars etc....

TBH I see it a little different than some people and I think that MINI are relying on return customers who dont need the hard sell rather than showing of specced up cars to potential new customers... and from what pictures Ive seen, our club stand at Himley Hall had a better range of cars on display.

[Joogle]

Kinda get that impression from the dealers as well.... but is this not just a knock-on effect of the "Premium" market that they are aiming for? They do kind of give the impression that they dont have to sell the car - it sells itself and all that C**p....

[Tracie]

I went yesterday and agree with the comments about how poor the MINI stand was.
Not a lot else to say really as all above have mention most of the better parts of the show.

2006 was a lot better IMHO.

And here's a pic of the wonky badge.

[dalboyne]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tracie (original)

And here's a pic of the wonky badge.

Thats poor, very poor indeed

[ian67]

I too was dissapointed with the MINI stand,there wasnt enough on display and I thought the owners lounge was a poor effort.I also think that they should have at least put the works seats in the works s.I would say I think that Ford had the best stand with the free drinks,lies,rally car,new RS and the live entertainment(I liked the quick costume change routine they did around/in the new Feista).

[minicabrio]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tracie (original)

And here's a pic of the wonky badge.

Glad it wasn't just me that spotted that

First thing I noticed, and it's something that really annoys me - almost as bad as a wonky number plate

[Tracie]

Attention to detail, something that was lacking on the rear of the JCW. I wonder how that got through Quality Control.

[dalboyne]

Hmm - and MINI has just been placed 73 out of 100 in the AutoExpress Driver Power 2008 survey.....

[jon vital]

I think MINI UK have lost the plot and need to get some people in there who actually are enthusiastic about the car. The JCW looked dull and boring, you'd expect a car like that to be getting plenty of people round it but it was a basic spec and looked nothing special. Renault and Vauxhall are making a better job of their performance oriented cars at the moment. MINI only added the aero kit to the JCW after people started complaining. But they still want another £1500 for the Recaros that are in every other £15-20K sporty hatchback now.

[*Vikki*]

Quote: Originally Posted by jon vital (original)

I think MINI UK have lost the plot and need to get some people in there who actually are enthusiastic about the car. The JCW looked dull and boring, you'd expect a car like that to be getting plenty of people round it but it was a basic spec and looked nothing special. Renault and Vauxhall are making a better job of their performance oriented cars at the moment. MINI only added the aero kit to the JCW after people started complaining. But they still want another £1500 for the Recaros that are in every other £15-20K sporty hatchback now.

very well said!

[dalboyne]

So, is it beginning to look like MINI have stood still, rested on their laurels, and totally failed to notice that everyone else is making huge efforts to raise their game? Or are our expectations now too high?

[supa-dupa-cooper]

Quote: Originally Posted by dalboyne (original)

So, is it beginning to look like MINI have stood still, rested on their laurels, and totally failed to notice that everyone else is making huge efforts to raise their game? Or are our expectations now too high?

I dont think our expectations are too high at all!
I think anybody going to the motorshow expects to see cars with nice specs, something a bit different, something they perhaps wouldnt ordinarily see in the showroom. Especially with the advertising for the JCW and all the press cars, im very very surprised by sending an essentially 'crap' car to the main show in the UK!!

I know from dealing with the cars going to the Motorshow for all the GM stands, that the cars were ordered in especially for the show. The specs were thought out and I think they had a very good range of cars on the stands as well as the 'future concepts' (im not just saying that coz I work for them ). Also from working with the events team to co-ordinate getting the cars there and arranging things like spare keys etc, we know how much work and cost goes into organising a stand - a lot! Some of the guys and girls were taken out of the office to go and work on the stands, at least they know what they are talking about!

Unfortunatly it looks like MINI failed to capture the audience this year Ok so in 2006 they had the GP that everyone was swooning over, but you'd have thought that the JCW would have (or at least should have) been just as special, at least the GP was meant to be a standard car!

In fairness one of the girls on the stand (I think her name was Anna) did come over to chat to us in the owners lounge and seemed interested when we said about doing the Italian Job etc. It was the supposed 'head of production' that got me.....while we were sat in the owners lounge we were watching him talking to someone. The body language was all wrong and it looked like he couldnt wait to get away, and this was the case when we spoke to him later on Shame really from someone whom you'd have thought would be interested in customers views etc.

Ahh well, better luck in 2010 MINI