Tag: Mini

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Cars

Mini: The Rolls Royce has its price tag now :)

Today I have two news! One of them is good and one them is bad. Let’s start with the good one; the price of Mini Inspired by Goodwood is announced and bad one is, it is too much.
My least favourite brand has the most charming model. This is how I define the Mini Inspired by Goodwood. I could not manage to love Mini but this Rolls Royce styled model altered my perception, but only for one model! The Goodwood model is a great composition of Rolls Royce and Mini together in one piece. You have the agility of the Mini and exquisite quality, comfort and design of a Rolls Royce at the same time. As I mentioned, this is the only Mini I would go for!
As this new model is based on Roll Royce philosophy, the price would not be at Mini levels. Eventually, it is expected to be at the Rolls Royce level or Aston Martin Cygnet level !?! This is the new trend, Aston Martin started with Cygnet and Rolls Royce followed by the Mini. Small luxury urban vehicle for people who already have a big luxury car but suffering serious problems to drive them around the city. And they don’t have a good small alternative car for their Rolls Royce or Aston Martin. So, Aston Martin revealed Toyota iQ based Cygnet and Rolls Royce revealed Mini based, Goodwood by Mini. However, there are no Rolls Royce logos or brand on the Mini Inspired by Goodwood.
Okay, the price £41,000! In terms of Euro and US Dollars, this is a lot of money. Because, its target customers are the people who already own a Rolls Royce! So, this is nothing for them. My opinion, wait for one year and buy Mini Inspired by Goodwood as second hand. It would be cheaper and a good deal!

Pictures’ Copyrights
Aston Martin, Mini

Published at: http://uygarr.blogspot.com https://carsandlife.net

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Cars

Motor Expo, Canary Wharf, London

If you did not have time to visit Motor Expo this year, here you have the chance to see all the vehicles!

Mercedes New SLK
Mercedes New C Coupe
Mercedes SLS AMG
Mercedes Actros
Mercedes CLS 63 AMG
Range Rover Evoque
Range Rover
Range Rover Sport
Land Rover Discovery
Tesla
Nissan Leaf
Lexus LFA
Jaguar XJ
Jaguar XF
Jaguar XFR
Jaguar XK
Jaguar XKR-S
Bentley Continental GT
Bentley Continental GTC Ice Record
Bentley Continental GT Flying Spur
BMW M3 GTS
BMW 6 Series Cabrio
Mini Countryman

You can find the album on Facebook Page!

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.234307956584199.80236.197690936912568

Published at: http://uygarr.blogspot.com https://carsandlife.net

Categories
Cars

Mini: Rocketman

Today’s bigger news was Ferrari FF’s live press conferences. However there was anohter news which was skipped by all of us. Mini’s sexy concept car Rocketman!
Until now I have never ever had any sympathy to Minis. I always found them too snob and too expensive and could not generate a bond between their design and my expectations. However this new Rocketman is something totally different than others! This car is really small, unlike its big siblings, this car is only 3,5 metres and that’s all. A proper Mini, which has the same DNAs with the original Mini.
Unfortunately this retro style length comes with a compromise, actualy it will have adverse effect on your Facebook friends. This car only accommodates three people, that’s all. Two in front and one in the back. But this triangle accommodation has a great advantage. The doors and boots open in a way no body can ignore it. If BMW product this car with these doors and boot openning style, their sales will boost. People would buy it just for this engineering excellence. In addition to its erotic doors and boot, it only consumes 3lt of petrol!
I think this is the best Mini of the century. I would definitely buy this one.

 
Pictures’ Copyrights
Mini
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Cars

The good looking Mini: Paceman

Recently Mini released their best looking vehicle, Paceman. Actually it is a concept vehicle not yet in production but I can say one thing about it; the best looking Mini. I have never liked any Minis. They are not bad cars but I never liked their design, therefore they were not in my area of interest. However this new vehicle looks totally different. It is a descent coupe and looks really beautiful!
Mini calls this vehicle Sport Activity Coupe (SAC) which is three door version of Countryman. Don’t be fooled by the new definition. It shares the same platform with Countryman and offers four wheel drive, so that’s three door version of Countryman.
Unfortunately this Paceman will cause a serious trouble for consumers. Many consumers are not interested on cars that much and they first look at the design. So, Paceman will be compared with normal Mini models. In other words, Mini created a competitor for its own model range! Consumers will try to understand why to prefer Paceman instead of traditional one and marketing team will say many things which do not mean anything. On the other hand, Paceman will bring new customers to Mini, people like me who don’t like the current range but find Paceman is a really well designed car. But I don’t know how many people are thinking like me.
Again in terms of design; Mini Paceman is an adaption of BMW X6 for Mini! Nothing really special. They are both coupe styled vehicles and offer four wheel drive. Of course, Paceman offers three doors and optional four wheel drive but the design concept shares common identity. Therefore, I am predicting a different customer range for this vehicle.
Whatever Mini says SAC or anything else, it will be a competitor for Range Rover Evoque. But they satisfy totally different needs!

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Cars

Mini Countryman in faux snow

Mini is not my favourite car brand. Despite its excellent drive train and go kart like driving experience, the design and its target group caused me to ignore it! Many times I tried to like the Mini but it never happened. In first generation, the engine was coming from Brazil and produced by Chrysler! This was not something very nice to see in a new car. Many people skipped this problem but it was the reason why Mini was eating petrol like nothing else. In second generation, the engine is replaced with PSA Group (Peugeot Citroën) engines and they are better but nothing has changed in terms of design. In addition, more snobs bought Mini and this was worse than Chrysler engine.
However Mini Clubman changed my view on Mini because I love the Rolls Royce style doors. And Clubman has one and it also has a Ford Transit style doors at the back. Clubman is the only vehicle which combines Ford Transit and Rolls Royce Phantom! The suicide door is a nice but the rest is the same! Hopefully, snobs did not like it that much :)
And lastly, Countryman. This sounds like an American V8 powered pickup! New Countryman with 6,2lt V8 engine with more loading and towing capacity and bigger than your neighbour’s house :) Unfortunately it was a semi SUV with interesting interior. Actually consumers identify Countryman, as a more comfortable Mini. Countryman offers easy access, more doors and bigger boots. Nobody would ever care about its incapable off road capabilities. And many car magazines compared Countryman with Volkswagen Golf and Skoa Yeti. Nothing can be worse than these.
The incapable off road capabilities, or should I say faux off road capability! When I watched the Mini Countryman’s advertisement on YouTube, I remembered the word faux! In advertisement, two people were trying to clean the “faux” snow from the road and the Mini Countryman (thanks to it “real” four wheel drive) destroys the wall of “faux” snow and surprises people. Unfortunately, there is no plastic snow on earth, all we see is foam glass or something like that. I think it is a product of petrol and being used in most for packing industry and for making fakes snows. (It used to be very popular but not anymore). So, what I learned from this advertisement? I still don’t like Mini and I have solid reasons and Mini Countryman offers excellent traction in faux snow :)
Despite the adverse conditions of Countryman, it has the best front look in whole Mini range. I really like the front design of Countryman. It is much much better than any other Mini!
Pictures’ and Video Copyrights
Mini

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Fashion

Mini the Mini: I don’t want anymore new Minis!!!!!

Mini became very aggressive to extend its product range like a handbag company. Their aim is to make more money, more cars and more dullness. Actually dullness is very subjective for Mini. For many people, Mini is something really special like an iPhone but they don’t know why they buy it. Mini is the best handling small car on market with independent rear suspension and communicative steering wheel, but who care? I guess only twenty percentage of the current owners pay attention to these details and the rest is a consequence of popular culture. Therefore I compare Mini with handbag brands.
Instead of being exclusive, Mini decided to offer anything kind of weird vehicle. With the last innovation Mini Countryman, they shifted into a new level of craziness. I think these creative ideas are coming from Germany, BMW HQ. British brands are not obsessed with extension this much.
Extending vehicle range like extending handbag range, helps to generate more money but also helps to ignore your core values. For instance, Mini as a size! But with Countryman, the small SUV of Mini is far beyond mini size. That’s a huge SUV for Mini and introduced with the urgency to eat the market share before Range Rover Evoque arrives next summer.
I thought this very creative marketing strategy ends up with Countryman but noooo! Mini is planning to introduce more interesting vehicles; two doors Countryman and a three seated city Mini. I really wonder what was the aim of current Mini? Did not market it as a small city car? And now you will introduce a Mini for city.
I really wonder where you have these ideas to introduce really “interesting” vehicles like these. Which expensive marketing report is suggesting that, there are some people on earth who don’t like current Mini and found it big and they want to have a city Mini with three seats! If you ever read this blog please let me know through the email button in the right hand corner.
As Mini introduces more “interesting” vehicles, it will be become a more senseless brand. Good thing is, you will be marketing lecture books as an adverse example!
The undercovered Mini will be revealed in London on 23rd of September at London Design Festival and BMW design will be there. Don’t miss it ;)
Pictures’ Copyrights
Mini and Louis Vuitton
Categories
Cars

Donut taste Mini application

I don’t like to consume or prefer pointlessly popular brands like Mini and Apple. I don’t say these brands are bad or worthless but they are over exaggerated. They might be offering very special functionality but their emotional benefits placed higher than the functionality.
However I own an iPhone 4 which drives me crazy all the time but I like the application very much. Especially there is one application that I was waiting for long years. It is like waiting for a hot donut from Krispy Kreme. iStore is not offering donut! It is the Mini’s iPhone application, Mini Connected!
This new application is offering very basic but very satisfying function. You can see what is wrong in your car by connecting your iPhone to your Mini. I know this sounds a bit weird but I always envy the machines in workshop which diagnosis the car’s problems. And it is nearly impossible to own one, because they are very expensive. However Mini is offering this satisfaction free by iPhone!
Also you can see the level of your fuel, range and total distance. These are board-computer functionalities but the diagnosis is a great function! Unfortunately I don’t have a Mini and I could not test the diagnosis function. But I won’t be buying a Mini to try this function. I just liked it :)
If you wish you to understand what is wrong in your Mini, you have the application! I hope that other manufacturers will also offering this donut taste application.

iTunes link: Mini

Pictures’ Copyrights
Mini and Me
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Cars

Plastic Mini Countryman at real size

There is a new battle in automotive industry and it is between small sized SUVs. A decade ago small sized SUV was something totally ridiculous and pointless, one decade ago we were not able to able to do no more than talking from our mobile phone and now we can do nearly everything. Nobody would ever predicted this kind of huge change in mobile phone technology. Like SUV market, nowadays nobody wants to buy an SUV for off road, they just want to buy it because you can park on pavement, no problem while snowing, it is easier to get in and bigger boot.
The definition of car totally changed by the SUVs. They are the iPods of automotive industry, once they appeared nothing remained the same. However SUV trend became more complicated and a bit boring. Any company which is able to assemble four wheels and one engine is offering an SUV. And they are becoming smaller every year, BMW X3 was suppose to be the smallest SUV but now it is a kind of mid-sized model.
When the size reaches Mini, Mini will in business! That’s only car which is big and Mini. Honestly, I don’t like Mini that much. The technology underneath the car is excellent, very cleverly made and very well engineered. But there are some problems like spotting too many, ridiculously high priced, people who are driving them is another issue. The iconic Mini turn into I made money and I wanted to buy something expensive thing, and anyone who has enough money to buy Mini immediately bought one. Mini became a symbol of wealth but this erodes its spirit. Instead of Mini, I would definitely go for Alfa Romeo MiTo or Fiat 500. I know they are not as good as Mini but I don’t want to be labelled by Mini!
Anyway, let’s forget my emotions about Mini and discuss about the huge Mini, Countryman. Today in Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham I spotted this new SUV. But it was fake, partial. Tyres were real and the rest was plastic. They placed lcd screen on windows and showing people. Those people are the ones who recorded their face during the event. I really don’t know the details, I am not that kind of person. This new Mini actually looks better than a normal Mini and probably more convenient than the normal one. It is more spacious, easier to get in, bigger boot, optional four wheel drive. That will be line between poor Mini Countryman owners and rich Countryman owners :) In general a good car which has a huge potential to fail.
Fail? Yes! Mini made a huge success when it was first revealed and sustained it for nearly one decade but as the product range extended the success did not extended that well. The Clubman which is a four door hatchback did not manage to achieve the same sales performance because that’s a big weird car and a bit further away from the Mini concept. Does this stop BMW to extend the range? Of course Nein! As the BMW loves to extend everything to its limits, they introduced the Countryman. Of course many snob people will buy this car and they will defend its character and etc. But Countryman has a very big competitor! This competitors boots as big as a Mini! And it is called Range Rover.
Range Rover Evoque, the new small SUV on market which will be available next year with Range Rover brand! As BMW knew this thing they rushed and introduced the Mini Countryman earlier ;) So they could eat the market before Range Rover arrives. However Mini may not compete with Range Rover like it compete with other small cars. Even though the Mini is a premium brand, Range Rover is the king brand! Unfortunately Mini never made the same impression like Range Rover.
Just, try with someone. Say Mini and say Range Rover and observe the facial differences. Unfortunately Range Rover means luxury, status, heritage and expensive! Mini also means similar thing but in a small scope. People bought Mini, because it was something different, interesting and part of popular cultures. But they buy Range Rover because it is comfortable, good off roader, exquisitely designed. And Range Rover brand is associated with these attributes, therefore it will have an absolute advantage over on Mini Countryman and also on BMW X1. X1 is the small, ugly SUV from BMW.
Mini Countryman will not a be huge failure but it won’t be easy to sell customers when there is an alternative called Range Rover! Objectively consider yourself in that position, you probably wish to own a Range Rover instead of a Mini. The team in Bullring was great, I can say better than the Countryman :)
Pictures’ Copyrights
Mine, Mini, Land Rover

Categories
Fashion

The best driving shoes on worst carpets !?!

Shoes, one of the biggest business on earth after iPhone! Both for men and women, it is important for completing your dress and change the way you look. Therefore, every brand is offering many different types of shoes and changing them every season. Except the Prada sneakers for men, they are the same for last two thousand years! And everyone knows that, if it was sold by a company cold Mrada, nobody would ever buy it. Let’s back to shoes.
Recently my favourite magaine GQ UK, announced top nine (I don’t know why nine not ten) driving shoes which you can buy on their website. For men only! Why? If they try to find driving shoes for ladies the list will be like this; ankle boots, ballet flats, boots, clog sandals, closed-toe slip-ons, combat boots, flip flops, high-heeled boots, high-heeled sandals, high-top sneakers, laced shoes, mules, platform pumps, platform sandals, pumps with open toe, sandals, shoe boots, slingbacks, slip-on sneakers, sneakers, wedges, beach sandals, espadrilles, round toe, point toe, peep toe (List is from Yoox.com and Net-A-Porter.com). As you could see the list is more confusing than a working schema of a hydrogen car! Even the hundreds of fashion magazines cannot solve this problem on their every issue it is a good idea to decide which women shoes are best for driving.
As expected GQ UK focused men driving shoes which is more easier to pick. Actually six months ago they selected best driving shoes from Kurt Geiger with pink colour, this is a totally different issue :) This time nine different shoes are selected placed on nine different car carpets. However there was a small problem. The carpet and the shoes did not match.
If you have lots of money, if you will change your car and then change your shoes !?! I don’t know but for now, I consider it like this. The first shoes is from UK brand Bill Amberg and this is the first I heard this brand. I guess they thought, if you buy a blue Mini Cooper this shoes will match the colour of your car. And from the carpet we can see that clearly. And if you will not buy a blue Mini Cooper, don’t buy these.
The next one is from Kurt Geiger with ridiculous colour on Mercedes AMG carpet. So the GQ suggested that; if you buy a enormously powered Mercedes AMG like SL65 AMG, you have to buy these shoes! Try to buy something else.
Our next shoes is from Giorgio Armani on unknown carpet. My recommendation for these shoes is Lamborghini. As the Armani brand is always highlighted its logo on their every product and it becomes impossible to ignore it by everyone, so you have to be driving something which cannot be ignored by everyone. Buy a Lamborghini :)
Red Hugo Boss shoes on Chevrolet plastic carpet. Oh come on! Where did you find this carpet from the Hummer (Hummer was a brand of Chevrolet) which you rented for your birthday! This is the most combination GQ ever made on man history. From this pictures, I can only recommend one car. Red coloured Mercedes C Class Estate, not a sedan model a proper estate model.
Finally GQ matched the shoes with the car. Tod’s from Italy and carpet from German Porsche, great combination. Porsche 911 Turbo, nothing to say more.
Car Shoe from Italy but with Land Rover !?! From the colour the shoes, they should have tried Range Rover instead. At least it looks more sophisticated, any with this colour nothing looks sophisticated :)
Salvatore Ferragamo, the brand which I adore the most! I cannot even pronounce the brand properly, unless you are Italian you cannot pronounce it properly. And GQ put on Lexus carpet. Great creativity. There is one car for this brand Maserati. It can be Quattroporte or GranTurismo, no problem. But not a Lexus which is advertising its faulty recalls on websites.
Gucci and Jaguar, great coupling. White Gucci shoes with Jaguar. I think there is no problem with this combination until the time white Guccis turn into white gray black Gucci.
And lastly and the worst combination. Paul Smith and Chevrolet !?! Come on, again the Hummer carpet. How did you emerge this emotional relationship with the Hummer !?! Paul Smith is a great brand with excellent and clever creativity on their products, okay this time it is not that good looking with this colour. But it still deserve to be coupled with an Aston Martin, instead of Chevrolet something!
Pictures Copyrights;
GQ Magazine, Aston Martin, Mini, Land Rover, Jaguar, Maserati, Mercedes, Lamborghini and Net-A-Porter

 
 
 
Categories
Cars

Baby Audi

Audi A1! For quite long time Audi was promoting its new small Car A1. After the A2’s trauma, Audi hesitate to introduce a small car. What happened with A2? It was beyond its time and made from aluminium which made it pointlessly expensive as the consumers do not pay that much of attention that thing! Also it was not sharing the Audi design concept, it was too tall for the Audi brand. Anyway, Audi halted the A2 long time ago.
Audi introduced this car to have a place in popular small car segment which is dominated by Mini and Fiat 500. This is a very profitable segment, people can reach to luxury brand with reasonable prices :) Also Audi will add new customers to its portfolio. Everything sounds great! They also producing this car from steal, which is much cheaper :) Also they are offering a rear suspension which could turn your journey into nightmare!
Mini and Alfa Romeo MiTo are offering independent rear suspension. Many of you don’t have no idea about this. Basically, this technology offers better handling and comfort and also more cost. Audi claims it is taking more space in that back. Anyway, what Audi A1 is offering twist beam rear axle. This means Audi saved cost and offers to feel the road in your back. Audi A1 is a sport shoes which does not have the comfort.
Don’t think that A1 will cost cheaper by avoiding independent suspension. It will be expensive, actually over priced like other Audis! And many people will rush into Audi dealers to buy one. Honestly, I don’t have any problem with Audi, probably it will be a high quality small car with Audi engineering and it will be a very good alternative to people who got bored of Minis! Would I buy one? Hmmm, I really don’t know but there is one thing is very clear, Audi A1 is the best looking Audi! There is also Alfa Romeo MiTo with a better soul :)
Pictures are taken from;
Fiat, Audi, Mini, Alfa Romeo Websites