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March 20, 2008
BIG News From Mini? Not Really…
By Mike Musto
AKA Mr. Angry
We just came from the press conference at the Mini display, where they were going to release some really BIG NEWS. As it turns out it wasn’t really that big—it was medium-sized at best. There before us sat the new Mini Clubman, which in-and-of itself is not really big news, but upon closer inspection we noticed it was actually a John Cooper Works Mini Clubman. As some of you know, John Cooper Works Minis are supposedly the rip snortin’, take-no-prisoners Minis. In reality though, they’re more along the lines of we’d-take-you-prisoner-if-we-could-catch-you Minis. I actually like the Mini, a lot, but when their VP of development tells me that the new Mini Clubman JCW edition has "blazing performance" and then says 208hp, 0-60 in 6.7 seconds with a top end of 147mph, well—that’s just not all that blazing now, is it.
Don’t get me wrong, it was cool little bugger with some trick bits, but I just don’t know if spending a bunch of extra loot on a jacked-up Mini is worth it. My opinion, buy the standard Clubman S and save your extra shekels for a track day or something.
P.S.: Someone really has to tell these guys not to use "Mini" and "blazing performance" in the same sentence.
Comments
GTwildfire
Mar 22, 2008 at 1:58 am
I understand. I tried new things back in the ’80s… Don’t remember much of that time in my life. Created some wierd things back then, too.
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Looks like the wierd stuff was already done to this one though and yeah… it certainly dosen’t look like any other car ‘cept the next one off the production line.
D
Mar 21, 2008 at 1:20 pm
OK Mini is by far not the fastest car I have ever driven. But it is one of the funnest. I think your being a bit harsh on the Mini. Its not trying to compete with the Big Boys, its kinda in its own “lil” class.
The interior is kinda funky, but i like that its diffrent. The Mini isnt supose to look like every other car. And thats honestly what i love about the Mini’s. Its the kinda car you CAN get away doing weired stuff to, trying new things.
GTwildfire
Mar 21, 2008 at 2:39 am
To top it off, the body of the car has high-gloss black, while the fender trim and lower body edge had rough matte trim that barely passes as black. Sheesh… this thing is so freaking unharmonious it’s laughable.
GTwildfire
Mar 21, 2008 at 1:57 am
Maan. I don’t like the interior, with its Flava Flav speedo bigger than life there in the middle of the dash (please someone, ’splain the ergonomic benefits of that???). The rest of the interior looks like Fisher-Price in greyscale.
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I hate the exterior, used to think the sedan was ugly but the wagon manages to be even worse, unsurprisingly I guess. The stripes look trivial at best, being canceled out by the expanse of black roof. The black rear-quarter trim and bumper sill just looks out of place (to put it very kindly).