[smartbomb]

Am happy with the choice of name as it's pretty cool.
Traveller can suggest a number of things, not all of them create the image MINI might be looking for......

[miniXL]

Clubman - why not... I will stick with the R56 Cooper S though.

I'm a not a fan of the "halved" passanger door. I think it bizarre that there will only be one door on the one side? I hope this changes. The "barn doors" for the boot should also rather remain standard issue on a White Van!

BUT all that said I am glad to welcome another MINI variant into the family as I think overall it should be a good thing for the MINI brand by broadening the appeal.


Hatchbacks FOREVER!!

[ABG]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett (original)

Bit of an odd choice (although internally it's always been called that), because the Clubman was a new front end, not a new back end. But there you go.

Wonder what they could do to make it more Cortina like?

Let Rakey ride shotgun and do his Gene Hunt impression?

[envy]

Hmmm

a. Will this outprice the 1 Series? As im sure BMW wont price themselves out the market
b. Will it use the 1.6T Lump, as see a bonnet vent (of course just for show ) or a larger maybe 2.0T due to the extra size and weight

Not that i want one, just some questions i was thinking of

[envy]

And to add to it

Mazda RX8 Doors (photoshop)

http://images.motortrend.com/feature...en_doors. jpg

EDIT - Actually looks like a photoshop, nice idea though

[Paul]

Quote: Originally Posted by ABG (original)

Let Rakey ride shotgun and do his Gene Hunt impression?

I wonder if he knew the link if he'd be on the list?

[Paul]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tigger, Eeyore & Roo (original)

Okay, so most concept cars are watered down for production, although the concept MINI shown in 1997 (based on a FIAT platform) hardly changed at all before launch in 2001

Tigger.

Talking to Frank Stephenson quite some time ago now he said that the day to day work of a designer consisted of arguing with accounts and production people to get what you vision made.

[smartbomb]

Love that pic, am sure it'll look great. Any chance it's going to be shown at MINI United ?

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett (original)

Talking to Frank Stephenson quite some time ago now he said that the day to day work of a designer consisted of arguing with accounts and production people to get what you vision made.

I knew I'd heard that somewhere before! It must be so frustrating when a very talented designer knows just what to do and then, instead of just getting on with it, the designer has to waste time fighting destructive internal battles

Paul, is Frank Stephenson still at Ferrari? I hope it's everything he hoped for, I'm imagining it can't be too bad

Tigger.

[CC07ERS]

Heres bhoping the turbo diesel is good as that will be my next mini if not a 330 d

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

No need to wait, take a Peugeot 206, or 207, HDi 110 out for a spin and see what you think

Tigger.

[Paul]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tigger, Eeyore & Roo (original)

I knew I'd heard that somewhere before! It must be so frustrating when a very talented designer knows just what to do and then, instead of just getting on with it, the designer has to waste time fighting destructive internal battles

Paul, is Frank Stephenson still at Ferrari? I hope it's everything he hoped for, I'm imagining it can't be too bad

Tigger.

Moved from Ferrari/Maserati to head of Design at Fiat. His influence is in the Grand Punto and obviously he's involved with other new cars too, giving the brand a new "identity", and of course the new 500 too.

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett (original)

Moved from Ferrari/Maserati to head of Design at Fiat. His influence is in the Grand Punto and obviously he's involved with other new cars too, giving the brand a new "identity", and of course the new 500 too.

Thanks for bringing me up to date, Paul. He certainly isn't one to shrink from a massive challenge then You don't surprise me that he's behind the new Grand Punto, it is a very clever piece of design and the new 500 looks like it's going to be absolutely brilliant

Oh well, better get back On Topic I suppose

Tigger.

[Restyle]

Hope the frontend as it is shown here will remain that way in production, with no more unsightly or uneven gaps between the bonnet & wheelarch ... which they are still turning out even now !!

[Paul]

He keeps in touch too, which is cool, he's a really likeable guy.

As I'm sure was Roy Haynes who designed the MkII Cortina and the original Clubman, but of course had nothing to do with the new Clubman, apart from the name.


And so... we're back on topic.

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Quote: Originally Posted by Restyle (original)

Hope the frontend as it is shown here will remain that way in production, with no more unsightly or uneven gaps between the bonnet & wheelarch ... which they are still turning out even now !!

It's always good to see pictures of that concept car again, such an interesting looking car

The very rear and the roof of the Clubman will be similar to the concept car, while the entire front end and sides will be pretty much pure R56, only differing from the rear edge of the front doors backwards. The front end and front doors on the concept car were a complete red herring I'm afraid. Just check any of the recent photos of pre-production Clubmans.

Tigger.

[Restyle]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tigger, Eeyore & Roo (original)

....while the entire front end and sides will be pretty much pure R56.

Noooooooooo !!!

Well thats that option out of the window then

[Minifritz]

On youtube we can watch an "unofficial" clubman spy video ..

YouTube - The new MINI Clubman?! Caught on tape!

[smartbomb]

Talking of design vs cost cutting - the dash in the Punto would make Tupperware feel ashamed.....

[Paul]

Quote: Originally Posted by smartbomb (original)

Talking of design vs cost cutting - the dash in the Punto would make Tupperware feel ashamed.....

You mean it doesn't keep your salads fresh and cripsy?