Absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, the '01 to '04 version.
The controversy begins here, because:
1. The older ones really do remind you of the look of the classic mini; the new ones don't. The new rear one doesn't look like anything, but the new front one seems to take styling cues from many current BMW's! (look at the front of the current 5 series, if in doubt). It rarely is obvious that the genius who was responsible for the style of the New MINI is no longer at BMW, but Chris Bangle is.
2. The new chrome strips low down on the back don't break up the back of the car in the same way and give it a "saggy bottomed" look.
3. The old chrome rear bumper (and the old front bumper, to a lesser extent) actually helped to save the bumper paint from damage. The new ones don't.
The plus side of the new front bumper is that it looks much better where, in some US States, no front number plate seems to be needed.
I won't be replacing my '04 with a current one and will wait to see if they do any better in '07. If I had to replace it (write off / theft - God forbid) I would want to on specify the current One D bumpers on a new Cooper and see how the factory copes with that order!
Why were One D's saved I wonder? At least the One D and Cooper S looks as good as they ever did!
Please don't think it's sour grapes, because I much prefer the new rear lights, the optional Xenons and the new radiator surround (if not the reduction in the number if slats). AND I saw the new bumpers on the Convertable before I ordered my Cooper and I didn't like them then!
Interestingly, my dealer told me he sold his allocation of pre face list MINI production slotsvery quickly just after the convertable was released!
Tigger.
PS Not entirely certain that the above photos are fair; the photograph of the face lifted Cooper is so very much more skillfully taken! Huge respect to the photographer.
The controversy begins here, because:
1. The older ones really do remind you of the look of the classic mini; the new ones don't. The new rear one doesn't look like anything, but the new front one seems to take styling cues from many current BMW's! (look at the front of the current 5 series, if in doubt). It rarely is obvious that the genius who was responsible for the style of the New MINI is no longer at BMW, but Chris Bangle is.
2. The new chrome strips low down on the back don't break up the back of the car in the same way and give it a "saggy bottomed" look.
3. The old chrome rear bumper (and the old front bumper, to a lesser extent) actually helped to save the bumper paint from damage. The new ones don't.
The plus side of the new front bumper is that it looks much better where, in some US States, no front number plate seems to be needed.
I won't be replacing my '04 with a current one and will wait to see if they do any better in '07. If I had to replace it (write off / theft - God forbid) I would want to on specify the current One D bumpers on a new Cooper and see how the factory copes with that order!
Why were One D's saved I wonder? At least the One D and Cooper S looks as good as they ever did!
Please don't think it's sour grapes, because I much prefer the new rear lights, the optional Xenons and the new radiator surround (if not the reduction in the number if slats). AND I saw the new bumpers on the Convertable before I ordered my Cooper and I didn't like them then!
Interestingly, my dealer told me he sold his allocation of pre face list MINI production slotsvery quickly just after the convertable was released!
Tigger.
PS Not entirely certain that the above photos are fair; the photograph of the face lifted Cooper is so very much more skillfully taken! Huge respect to the photographer.
