We saw a couple of R57 Cabriolet bodyshells being worked on during a MINI Factory Tour at Oxford yesterday, also plenty of R52 Cabrios and Clubmans coming down the lines. We were also told the tours were stopping for 4 months soon........I guess due to the new model.
Excellent! We didn't see any sign of the R57 a couple of weeks ago when we were on the tour - you must have been very lucky! But MINERVA did get to pose outside the T Building.....
Thanks for that Mac - sorry I don't read German, so I'll take your word for it! I assume you mean LHD variants? Be good to have something official.......
I reckon that the info on a March 2009 first deliveries date is right on the money, with the car being "launched" at this autumn's show(s). There are enough R53 cabrios in the supply chain to keep people happy for a few months, and nobody wants to buy a cabrio in winter anyway. The new cars will be available in time for next summer though.
Although I agree that rumor points to March 2009 for the R57, your winter theory is flawed i'm afraiad. It'll be heading into Summer in the Southern hemisphere - Australia, South Africa etc, and of course there is the market in the equatorial regions where it's hot 365 days a year
Is that right? So the new version is in 2010 of the cooper, D and S? if so there is no point worrying about it.i was going to see if it was worth waiting till early 2009.
So the Cab will come out March 2009 with the rest the following year?
the "new" or better "facelift" version will be out in august 2010. nothing will happen in 2009, so if you're looking for the facelift version you should wait till 2010
Now I'm worried! I hope BMW MINI doesn't pull a daft trick like rolling out the Cabrio next March based on the current R56, and then facelift across the whole range only 18 months later!
(If there's any suggestion this might be the case, then I'll not buy in 2009....)
I’m sure the Idea is to face lift the Cabrio to the next face lift was it not? If its just catch up to R56 then that’s a bit daft……..but then again the current new cab is behind………
I would hope a facelift might be rather more than a new lower grill and a new set of wheels! Maybe the real improvements are in the cockpit......and the roof mechanism
And is it just me, or does that seem to be a very large gap around the front wheels - almost looks like they are too small for the arches?
A Cooper D Cab? Now you are talking! I had heard some speculation...but also that this model would arrive later, and not at R57 launch next spring......
Had the preview last monday afternoon on the factory tour with our mini club from holland, in the body shop there were about 10 bodies of the R57, and on the assembly hall we saw a complete build chili red one with the roof open :biggrin: i can say it looks great without the roll over bars, and higher bodyline like teh r56 and r55
There's a rumour that the R57 will be launched by BMW-MINI at the North American International Automobile Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, 11-25th January 2009.
I guess they need to do pre-production models to shake out any manufacturing bugs, ensure their QA proceses are adapted, re-train all the robots and humans, and have a stock for the press to hammer prior to the official launch?
But if so, then launching in Detroit would seem a long, long way away!
Ian
P.S. You didn't see one with my name on the paperwork, by any chance? I placed my order nearly 2 years ago.......and am still waiting for a delivery date
Are you originally from Luxembourg? My dad is from near Thionville- down the road from you. Haven't seen many mini's down there, last time I went. How popular are they?
Well, well! Nope, I''m a Scot, one of the large expat community here.
Loads of MINIs here (the locals appreciate a small but high quality motor), but mainly seem to be Luxembourg, German or Belgian registrations - much fewer French ones .
Off to the Vosges next week - have heard there are some great MINI roads to be driven!
Cool- I lived in Strasbourg most of my life and the french have no taste in cars for sure!!! The battered old bangers they drive is untrue! Anythow off topic sorry- I'll stop!!
At the Belgium + Luxembourg launch event for the JCW today, got a hint that the launch event for the R57 will be sometime "mid-March", and they may even be asking first customers to firm up their specs by the end of the year. Suddenly, it feels not much time to wait (only another 6 months )
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