[MINIVISION]

Dear fellow enthusiasts,

I also visited the new MINI at the show in Carlisle, PA. and I was amazed not only by the car but also
by the fact that it was there! I strongly believe that instead of pointing fingers at show personnel we should
be grateful that a big organization like BMW makes such an effort to show their newest product to
us car enthusiasts. I have been told that there are only six (6!) handbuild new MINI Cooper prototypes in
the entire US! Thank you MINI USA for getting these out to the people!! I was able to check the entire car
from the engine to the trunk. She even fired it up for me! I haven't seen that effort from another car compay
lately!!

I also strongly believe that introducing and launching a new brand to the largest market in the world
is not as simple as most of you seem to believe! I am sure that most of these little details are not yet finalized
given that the US is the last market to get it and that it looks like as if the US cars will have a different standard
and optional equipment. Don't think that you can simply take a German spec MINI and put US plates on it.

I too have spoken to this very helpful and friendly lady from MINI and she told me too that the Cooper S
will be available March 2002. There is no reason why I should not believe her! There are enough stupid
rumors around. We also talked about the colors and she frankly told me that she was working on finalizing
the dealers and that she hadn't received all the information on which color had been dropped. Very honest
I thought!

Well fellows, there will come the time where we all can get our hands on a new MINI Cooper or Cooper S but
until then we should be grateful that MINI is getting their car out to the public! Especially as it seems that
they really only have a handfull of cars! (I happened to run into a photo shoot in South Jersey where they
had exactly the same blue car that was at Carlisle)

Best luck in getting your new MINI,

Chris

[tommy]

I'm sorry, but, yes, I do expect more organization from a large organization. This car is supposed to show up in Limeyland in only 2 months, and there are WAY too many loose ends out there. I realize that there are many things to do with the launch of a new brand, but that's why there are in-house and external consultants.

How long in the making is this car? What, 6-8 years? This car has been around in one form or another for awhile.

And, how many different times have we heard about upcoming "finalized" dealer listings?

I'm not trying to start anything or do general *****ing, but we are expected to pony up some cabbage for a deposit on these suckers, and we can't even get real answers from people other than slack-jawed expressions. The leap of faith required for believing in these things is pretty big.