Mini Coupe?

Saw one of these in red on the way home from work this morning...um, they look pretty wicked! Not sure how "mini" the design of the car is but it sure looked cool! Totally threw me off when I saw it, I thought that it kinda looked like there are some Nissan Juke-esque cues on it, at least it looked like that to me. Anyone driven one or whatnot? I can't tell if its a convertible or if just a funky roof design on it...it would be a shame if it were a convertible :(

That funky roof design make me laught. Like it is wearing a toupee.

If they jacked the roof way up and made the passenger compartment boxier to give it some room, that would make a great little car.

It's not a convertible, that's a lowered roof and raked windshield. That silly hat brim at the back actually adds downforce, and there's a rear spoiler that deploys over 80 km. Visibility is terrible, but the John Cooper Works version is a blast to drive - particularly in sport mode. Really tight handling and nice steering.

Isn't the point of a MINI that it's sporty and practical?

What's the market for this? People that want the CR-Z in everything but it's hyrbidness? Does it have any performance advantage?

ReverendDexter wrote: Isn't the point of a MINI that it's sporty *and* practical? What's the market for this? People that want the CR-Z in everything but it's hyrbidness? Does it have any performance advantage?

Allegedly the aerodynamics are much improved. The suspension is stiffer and has a better setup in the normal S car and the JCW. Little more structural rigidity. Weights the same as a Standard Mini though.

Somebody needs to tell BMW that MINI as a brand was fine with just the regular car and the convertible. All these other variants are jumping the shark.

I like the raked windshield and lower roof, but wish it had the regular Mini's hatch. More of a shooting brake style. we all love shooting brakes right?

It's a two-seater hatch with a turtle on its head.

I like it. I would rather have one then a normal one.

I want a modern Mini pickup and Moke.

mini-ute?

Modern version of this.

It's heavier than the standard Cooper because the chassis has already been braced to cut the top off for the MINI Roadster coming next year.

Serious tunnel vision inside but plenty of head room.

I'm 6'2" and can't fit in the back hatch area no matter how much I compress, so I'd say it has less usable room than a Cooper. It's a hatchback by the way.

I don't like it.. sorry, I just cannot get behind it

I kinda like the coupe. Who cares if the rear seats are useless for adults? There are other choices and even MINI offers them.

The 2nd gen CRX's were 2+2's everywhere but North America; seems like that car found a niche. Lots of people on the board clamor for another hot-hatch; MINI has provided one.

Of course, I wonder if it's faster for autocross?

I love hot hatches (Hotches?) but I really do not like the roof treatment on that mini-coupe

oldsaw wrote: I kinda like the coupe. Who cares if the rear seats are useless for adults? There are other choices and even MINI offers them. The 2nd gen CRX's were 2+2's everywhere but North America; seems like that car found a niche. Lots of people on the board clamor for another hot-hatch; MINI has provided one.

It has no rear seats, just a bulkhead with a pass-through.

And I think the issue is that the MINI Coupe is pretty expensive despite being the cheapest MINI.

It looks better in person. MINI says the top is supposed to look like the car is wearing a baseball cap backwards.

The shark jumping happened with the Countryman IMHO.

24h of the Nurburgring

Basil Exposition wrote: It looks better in person. MINI says the top is supposed to look like the car is wearing a baseball cap backwards.

Now that you say that, I can totally see it, and I'm not sure how I feel about that.

Joshua wrote:

I rode in this. It was nasty... in a good way.

Its like a Mini and a Beetle mated. F'ugly.

I saw a black one with a silver roof the other day.

I didn't make me go cross-eyed or anything.