I’ve decided to keep my 2006 MINI Cooper S, and I’m really happy about it. It’s really easy to get caught up in the allure of something new. The familiar, no matter how awesome, can easily become ordinary.
I’m not saying that I’ve made up my mind, but if I were going to order another Cooper S it’d probably look like this. It’s what I think is the perfect blend of nice options and economical restraint. It’s also a spec aimed more at comfort than performance.
One sunny autumn afternoon when I was about 13, my dad and I were out collecting canned goods door to door as part of a Thanksgiving charity drive. We strolled house to house, our paper grocery bags filling with dusty boxes of mac ‘n’ cheese and squatty little neglected cans of tuna. The sun was getting low in the sky and as we entered yet another cull de sac, I saw something I’d never seen before.
Todd, db, and special guest Michael Babischkin took some time to talk about the MINI Crossover Concept and gave a very kind mention of my analysis from last week. Thanks, gentlemen. Their discussion of the concept turned out to be very interesting, which is no surprise. WRR is always a fine program worth a listen. db’s comparison to the Infinity FX on looks and Todd’s likening to the Scion xA/xD on concept were very good observations. Likewise the comparison to the Subaru Outback is a really good analog to what this car will end up being, I think. The Outback has a very loyal fan base, so something similar in a smaller package could really be a big hit.
Regular readers of MotoringFile learned ages ago that MINI is developing an SAV (sports activity vehicle) for the 2011 model year. The news broke yesterday about MINI’s new Crossover Concept car, which will give us a good window into what to expect in late 2010 debut of the Crossman Countryman factory car. BMW and MINI generally follow a pattern of releasing concept cars about 18-24 months before releasing a factory model based on that concept. The Crossman, known internally as the R60, will reportedly be a shared platform between BMW’s X1 (the 1-series baby brother to their X3 and X5 SAVs) and MINIs Clubman wagon variant of its iconic Cooper hatchback. Expected features include four doors, all-wheel drive, and possibly even an ultra-efficient diesel engine option. Reports from MINI are that the AWD system will not be a sport-tuned symmetrical system akin to the Subaru WRX, but rather an as-needed system to assist in low-traction situations. I don’t think anyone expects this “soft roader” to be suited for anything more adventurous than Midwestern pothole dodging, but that extra level of traction appeals to an ever-growing number of car buyers, especially those of us with real winters.