About Me

As a man thinks, so he is. Some people are never.

RSS Feed

Recent Posts

November 2009

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930

Archives

Categories

Friends

roadburner

ergsum

8sparkplugs

rsholland
See all 818 friends

CarSpace

Alternate Route

Turn off the nav system, crumple up that MapQuest printout, and let's find out where the next random turn may take us!

Sep 13, 2007 - Jumping the Shark

It's all downhill from hereInsideLine has a story up about their first look at the 2008 Mini Cooper S Clubman.

The original Mini  was produced by the British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 to 2000 and since I'm old enough to remember all of that time period, the Mini was kind of an automotive icon for all that time. The first time I saw a race that involved only these little cars I was intriguiged by the idea of everyone racing with the same equipment. They may not have been the most powerful racing cars, but it seemed a truer test than who had the deepest pockets. My local Datsun/Nissan dealer even had an early 60's Mini in British racing green sitting in their showroom for a number of years.

Then in 2001 the new Mini was launched, and even though it was slightly different from the original, it still captured that Mini "feel" for me, in an updated, 21st century sort of way.  From following the discussions in the Mini Cooper group I know there are issues with parts and service availability, odd sized tires on some models that are hard to find, but in general it still looked like a car that I could enjoy for just driving around for the pleasure of driving.

With the introduction of the 2008 Clubman, I have to ask... Has Mini jumped the shark? Perhaps it's just the photos, and maybe I'd see it in a different light in person, but the Clubman loses some of the essence of Mini for me. With the added length and barn doors it gives me the impression of being a stylish version of the Honda Element, which sort of moves Mini in the direction of being more like the crowd and less standing out from the crowd. What's next? The four-door Mini with third row seating? Perhaps a Mini SUV? Surely not a Mini van?

Once the Fonz jumped that shark, things were never the same in Milwaukee. Pat Morita left Arnold's, and even though Al Molinaro was a nice guy and kept the name on the place, something was lost.

It's a tricky thing,
automotive heritage
Stale, or nostalgic?

3:03 am | Categories: automotive heritage, mini cooper
Permalink | Alert Administrator		  
Add to:     

 
Comments
zephyr_7 - Sep 16, 2007 6:10 pm
If the Mini has no "fun factor", then what car does these days . . .
lawriter - Sep 14, 2007 10:12 am
While the Mini has been around for quite some time, the real explosion in popularity can be directly related to the F.Gary Gary’s 2003 film “The Italian Job”, staring Mark Wahlberg (which by the way was a remake of the 1969 film starring Michael Caine, Noel Coward and Benny Hill. Yes, that Benny Hill). While the use of the Mini and its sudden popularity might seem serendipitous, as a film writer, trust me, nothing happens in a vacuum, and Cooper was very deeply involved in one of the best marketing campaigns of this decade. While I can’t speak for the rest of the country, in Los Angeles, in early 2003 you never saw a Mini-Cooper and by the spring of 2004, you couldn’t walk across the street without almost being hit by one. Okay, that’s not exactly true, it’s LA and no one is walking, but you get the point. As for the new Mini, the novelty of the old was wearing off and evidently something needed to be done. Unfortunately, catching lightening in a bottle twice isn’t that easy, and for me, the fun factor no longer seems to be there.
zephyr_7 - Sep 13, 2007 11:26 am
The Clubman is a strange looking car, even for Mini. The combination of the higher roof line, the barn doors, and the very noticeable C-pillars makes the Clubman seem quirky and awkward; but I think the Clubman is a way for Mini to say that there ready to expand there horizon. For the next couple years I think that we will see Mini making a few concept vehicles that will get both a positive and negative feed back, while they try to expand Mini beyond the traditional hatchback . . . It will be interesting to see how this will affect Mini's overall appeal to the consumer. But until then, the Mini Cooper remains a great car.
pf_flyer - Sep 13, 2007 8:12 am
Heyyy... :)
chicagopro - Sep 13, 2007 7:07 am
Very fine entry today, Mr. Flyer!
mickeyd16865 - Sep 13, 2007 4:52 am
hahaha. The Fonz!
Add Your Comment:

To post a comment about this blog you must be signed-in