Spy shots: 13-foot long Mini SUV! Has BMW gone mad?
We noticed the Mini was getting a little bigger but we never expected this. Car Magazine has several spy photos of a Mini 4X4 SUV - well, a "lifestyle 4x4" SAV, which means sports activity vehicle, is what the marketing department is going with to hide the fact they are butchering the star brand of small car market. The Mini SAV is based on the Clubman but it's a little taller, has tail lights form an SUV, a new drive train in the rear that makes it all wheel drive and, I almost forget: It's 13 feet long (4000mm)! It's rumored they might call it Monte or Colorado and release it in 2009 for a wooping £20,000, making it the most expensive Mini as well as with the largest. In the article, Car Magazine asks "is this Mini marketing gone mad?" What's your answer?[Source: Car Magazine via 4wheelsblog]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
kballs 1:47PM (11/03/2007)
It looks like it has maybe 6" of ground clearance (and maybe only 3-4" with all the junk sticking down which may or may not just be unfinished mule test parts)... and while the approach and departure angles aren't horrible (because the wheels are near the corners), the breakover angle is a joke. At most it's a 4wd rally car that can handle gravel fire roads (like a WRX), not an off-road 4x4.
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Mattias 1:51PM (11/03/2007)
I wonder if they use Getrag's RWD biased 4x4 system. If you come around supermarket parking lots around Untergruppenbach you should look under the car, there are quite a few mules on the road that Getrag retrofitted with their AWD system independently of BMW.
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Hank 2:19PM (11/03/2007)
I had the same initial reaction...then I realized it's actually shorter than a 2004 Corolla (4529mm). I think Mini may be looking at this from the opposite end of the telesope. We see Mini growing larger. They see the SUV/SAV shrinking. Maybe it's a matter of perspective?
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Jimbo 3:01PM (11/03/2007)
It won't be called Colorado since Chevy already owns that name, at least in the U.S.
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detroit9000 3:24PM (11/03/2007)
That thing's all sorts of lame. But so was Britney Spears.
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Joseph 1:38AM (11/04/2007)
Um, 13 feet isn't that long. That's as long as a regular MINI.
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MarkR 7:30PM (11/04/2007)
My Reaction, So what! Its a mini! with our with out the new 13ft version they are over priced and over rated.
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