Tag: Mini

Categories
Fashion

Haute Couture Mini

As you might have noticed, I don’t write on weekends. Because, people don’t bother to use their computers. However, time to time there are exceptions for me, like today. Couple of months ago, Mini revealed the semi naked SUV concept car (Mini Beachcomber), which was like a haute couture of Mini. Haute couture is a type of clothes which are only made for Paris Fashion Show (Please correct me, if I am wrong). And they stay as haute couture, the marketing department does not willing to sell them just to increase their profit. Because, they may not be ideal for daily life. This Mini is the same; an SUV which does not offer any door, any top or anything which will help to cover the car! And it suppose to be an SUV.
This crazy idea was a concept car, which means it may not go into production and save automotive world from a ridiculous model! But Munich (BMW HQ) decided to produce this pointless SUV! And they told that, Mini never reveals a concept car which won’t go on production. That’s great! If you said this sentences in a movie like Gladiator, everyone will love it and you will be adored! But this is real life and you need to think twice sometimes. Especially, automotive industry; as the industry has a very bad reputation for introducing useless cars during last decade!
On paper everything might look nice, of course on paper economic crisis is a just a two words not more than that! This is the same, naked SUV! A new niche market which will be offering a unique way to injure yourself while driving it. Come on BMW, you are offering a four wheel drive car which does not even have a proper door! This is worse than anything else. I really wonder who is going to buy this? I can imagine this answer from Jeremy Clarkson but I am not going to write it here.
I am pretty sure that, there are many people who are ready to buy this car. However, those people will not help Mini to sustain its profit level. Because, they will buy this ridiculous car just to be different nothing else!
Anyway, whatever people say or write, BMW will produce this car and it will be a great material for Top Gear to entertain us. I am looking forward to hear the jokes and meet with people who will buy this naked SUV :) My opinion? Keep some concepts cars as concept!
Pictures are taken from;
Worldcarfans and Valentino Websites
Categories
Cars

What is Countryman?

The Mini! Excellence of repackaging :) Personally I never liked the Mini. It is a very well made and a very nice car, it is combining the Mini heritage with sophisticated technology. BMW made a very good job and never ruined the heritage. However, I never like the Mini :( Despite its unique characteristics, it was a brand which is not very close to me. This is totally emotional! In my opinion, Alfa Romeo MiTo and Fiat 500 are totally much better looking cars than the Mini. Also Fiat 500 is slightly better than Mini while packing the heritage with contemporary automotive world. Especially the price. Mini is a overpriced car, that’s absolutely clear. You pay too much money for a small car. Macro priced, micro sized!
As usual BMW, transposed its product extension strategy to Mini, and Mini introduced the Clubman which looks like a Ford Transit from the back. It could not manage to achieve a success like normal Mini but some people bought it. And Mini followed the popular culture in automotive business and design a Mini SUV which is totally pointless. Yes, there is no competitor in this segment and it will collect the whole potential customers, if they are existed! Until now everything is fine, normal German style extension strategy in a British car.
But the most stupidest thing is, Mini Countryman (SUV) is not four wheel drive! Yes, it will be front wheel drive and you can have the four wheel drive only with S model. Very nice! A very expensive SUV which is not a proper SUV! I know, there are some SUV like this on market; they are only front wheel drive but they are not asking a price which is more expensive than an island! Those front wheel drive SUVs are cheap! This Clubman front wheel drive partial SUV will a very interesting car from Mini.
Actually more interesting than Apple iPad. Despite its pointless disadvantages, like Apple iPad, some people will just buy because it looks nice. Nicer than Mini Clubman and people will buy this weird SUV just to own it :)
Pictures are taken from;
Mini and Apple Websites
Categories
Cars

Mini Countryman and Vertu share somethings in common !

I am sure that many of you heard of Vertu mobile phone. It is handmade mobile phone from Nokia, despite Nokia’s technological features Vertu has actually nothing except being expensive and luxurious! Despite its price as much as a small country’s GDP, people are buying it. When you consider Vertu as a phone mobile, ten years ago it could be the most technological one but now, it is one of the basic one. And it has a demand!
I know Mini and Vertu are totally different products; they only share very few things in common. People with Vertu do not tend to drive Mini very often. But their common parts are being ridiliously expensive and do not offer anything very different rather than their style.
And finally Mini revealed a car which has a demand as few as Vertu phone! This is the Mini SUV, The Countryman. Unlike its name, people who are living in country sides may not afford to buy Countryman or they might find it pointless. This new Mini, has four wheel drive, five door, big tyres, big wheel arches, and like pointless X6 it could accommodate only five people. As I consider, at the size of Ford Fiesta, four people can travel happy with the Countryman.
Mini’s product extension strategy is a very good example for marketing modules. They are marginal, iconic brand with its heritage and they extend the product range to increase sales. However their ambition to extend the product range is becoming insane, BMW has every kind of Mini concept vehicles which have potential to be built! As BMW loves to take risk and create new segment but those segments may not receive the expected demand all the time. And this might be similar with Mini also, BMW is trying to maximize the Mini brand’s assets and create money. This is very normal for a company because they are here to make money. But these kinds of aggressive marketing strategies may not help to grow more money in their account, instead it can erode the brand image. People who used to prefer Mini brand can adversely influence by aggressive extension policies.
I am pretty sure that, there is a demand for Mini SUV. Land Rover will offer one, BMW has X1. Mini has a different character than these brands. People who bought Mini and Mini Clubman (which did not make huge success) may not be very happy with new Mini. As the original Mini was reflecting the life style and memories from 1960s, these new models are just reflecting the contemporary marketing techniques.
Picture are from;
Mini Website
Vertu Website
Categories
Cars

Audi A1 vs. Mini and Fiat 500



Yes, Audi is again in small segment business! After they have crashed the A2 to wall very badly in 2002, they didn’t have the mood for a small Audi, until now. As the Mini made superb hit on hot playing lists, manufacturers started to think about introducing small cars but cool ones! As usual Ford had a chance to succeed and as usual they ruined it (StreetKa). Actually it was very nice car. Fiat became very confident and introduced the new Fiat 500 and they received a demand which they have never imagined of during a world crisis. After that Alfa Romeo introduced the MiTo which is the prettiest car on market! 
And in Ingolstadt, Germany where the Audi’s HQ is placed started to think. And they said “Ja, wir müssen einführen, ein kleines Auto”. Of course, they remembered their traumatic experience with A2 and hesitated a bit but they didn’t give up. Now Audi A1 is here :) It looks very good, actually millions times better looking than the R8. As German traditions, it will have every kind of technology Audi is offering in other ranges.
But there is a bit problem when I read the news on internet. Audi is expecting to sell 80.000 A1s per year !?! After reading several times, I noticed that they were not speaking of a year Mars calendar. They are planning to sell 80.000 in 365 days time. Because, Mini sold more than 60.000 last year and Fiat 500 had enormous demand. So why not? Actually 80.000 is very optimist prediction. Let’s be honest, people will not sell their Minis or 500s or MiTos to buy A1!

There is something which cannot be put into number, that’s the soul. Mini and Fiat 500 have heritage brought from old times, even though the Mini is more expensive than old times. But people want to live 1960s dream again in contemporary world. It is the same with Fiat 500; 500 is bringing the black and white Italian Shows from 1960s to HD quality! They are both retro and reflecting their character. Alfa Romeo MiTo; it is Alfa Romeo. It is like a love in first sight, you won’t think about the future. You just want to be together. I cannot describe Alfa Romeo better. And Audi A1; I am pretty sure that it has more gadgets than its competitors and offer better of everything and never break down. But it is just A1, nothing else! I am sure that, people who got bored from Mini and MiTo will buy A1. However expecting 80.000 in these conditions is a very optimistic approach to automotive. My prediction is; no more than 50.000 first couple of years. We will see it later ;)

Picture are from;
Worldcarfans.com
Fiat Website
Mini Website
Alfa Romeo Website
Categories
Cars

The Best Car Designer: Frank Stephenson

Most of you have never heard of this name. But if I wrote Tom Ford, everyone will know it :) However, Stephenson is a very successful car designer like the fashion designer Tom Ford. The cars he designed are the ones we felt in love with them. This is ability is very rare, even the very well know car designers have disaster designs (eq. Chris Bangle: BMW X3) but Stephenson has none. All of the cars he designed are piece of art and turn into money maker. I cannot find an ugly car from Stephenson’s design! Whatever he designed, it is magnificent.
These are the cars which he had designed;
Mini
BMW X5
Ferrari F430
Ferrari 612 Scaglietti
Maserati Quattroporte
Maserati MC12
Lancia Delta HPE
Fiat 500
McLaren MP4-12c (McLaren should find a better name which we could remember “easily”.)
As you could see there are no “ugly” cars in this portfolio :) And you don’t have to be rich to drive his cars :) Like, Fiat 500 ! BMW should have kept him. If they have done that, there won’t be so much scary BMW around us. The best one is the Maserati Quattroporte, this is my choice :)
I am pretty sure thati you cannot deny that any of these cars are not beautiful unless you are not looking some where else now :)

Pictures (in order);
Fiat 500
Ferrari 612 Scaglietti
Maserati Quattroporte
Picture are from;
Fiat Website
Ferrari Website
Maserati Website
Categories
Fashion

Mini Beachcomber is like open toe boots!

I have some doubts about the Mini’s product extension strategy. As the automotive industry is suffering serious problems and consumers are still not feel safe, therefore it may not be a good time to extend the product range. On the other hand, consumers’ obsessions with Mini emerged a question in my mind. Should Mini use it full potential and capture as much as market share? And avoid being exclusive! Being exclusive is one of the key elements of luxury goods suggested by J.N. Kapfrerer. As we could see from their concept models, Mini wants to capture every kind of consumers and move from niche to kitch!
Beachcomber model is promising “unique standard of driving pleasure” with no door, no top; actually nothing at all. As you could see from its chunky tyres, this is light weight SUV or in their term crossover, which you can off road “safely”. And when you wish to have extra safety (I think nobody is looking for that!) you just put the door into their places. They defined this as flexible protection!
I think while the designers discussing about this concept vehicles, they evaluate the world from a different perspective. From their concept vehicle, we could see that they suggested, there is no such a thing called accident and side impact. And door are fashion items on cars :)
When I see this concept crossover, I remembered one of my friend’s comment about contemporary boots in luxury brands. They are sold as boots but they have nothing to keep your feet warm. Of course, boots are not for winter, they are for summer! And from the same perpective, this concept vehicle is not offering anything to keep you warm inside.
I admire different design concepts but please be rational, who is going to buy a car with no doors! And how are you planning to pass from side impact crash test? As you don’t have proper doors. Yes, our target group will not push that hard with this car. Probably they won’t even crash or rollover ;)
One suggestion; when you buy this crossover or whatever it is, buy Givenchy open toe boots with them. They will definitely fit with each other :)
Pictures are from;
Luisaviaroma Website
Mini press release
Categories
Cars

Mercedes is in love with Renault !!! ??

Recently, I read on internet that Mercedes will work with Renault to increase their competitive power in small car segment. Like BMW is putting Peugeot engine in Mini range, Mercedes will probably put Renault engines in Smart range.
I said range, because they are planning to expand Smart brand with Renault, which is very good at producing dull cars. And you could remember 1980s in Renault, because Renault still has the ridicilous problems of 1980s. For instance, while driving Renault you can “feel” that gear knob is reflecting what is going on inside the gearbox! Even Ford Ka doesn’t have this problem. Ohh, I forgot! Lack of feeling in steering wheel and superb handling! Why superb? Because, for cost saving Renault doesn’t like to offer proper suspension in the back. They offer torsion bar, which is not a suspension!
Anyway, Mercedes had accident with previous Smart models ForFour and Roadster. I hope that they won’t repeat their mistakes again. Mercedes please think twice!!!

Pictures are from;
Smart
Daimler Media

Categories
Cars

Want to be snob quickly? Here the chance! Mini First

Unlike Fiat 500, Mini turn into a snob icon as soon as it revealed to market again. Since it was first revealed with its “over priced” price tag, people rush into Mini. Some said, Madonna drives one; this is a cool car. So Madonna is doing yoga every day, are you doing it? Of course no! And Mini obsession spread to whole world. Especially in Turkey, East Asian countries, China, Gulf Countries; Mini turned into something which you must buy when you have a lot of money. Mini became a status symbol. I drive Mini, I have style. Matter of fact, you don’t have a style, you just copy someone else and try create an impression “I have a style”.
Of course, Mini is very good British German car. Drives well, good equipment, equivalent of go-kart, etc. As Mini became more popular than public buses on earth, its image started to be eroded. As a luxury good, or exiquiste brand we shouldn’t see Mini in every corner in everywhere on earth. And a typical Mini stereotype emerged; rich (or trying to look rich), young (sometimes old), stylish (relatively) and some of the have the impression of Alexander the Great when they go out of the car. And BMW understood this fact very well and expanded the model range, which I totally agree with them. If people love it, give it more ;)
And the Mini is First. When you don’t order with tech or design or salt package, what you will get is chilly Mini or raw Mini. As you could see from the picture below, it has plastic wheel covers like in Ford Transit. But I still salute BMW. There is a huge demand, they created a Minilogy and they are making money ;)
With the help of Mini First, people who desire to be snob has a cheaper alternative ;)
Honestly I like Mini, it offers really good technology and features and safety but it is very expensive for that car. I would rather go for Alfa Romeo MiTo which does not have the same quality with Mini but it has more passion. I know, you will say Alfa Romeo will break down, it won’t have the same quality, etc but it look better ;) We are not rational always in our decision!
Mini.com
Categories
Fashion

Paul Smith & Mini

I really like the British designer Paul Smith but I could not manage the same feelings for Mini.
Paul Smith has a range of collection with Mini print on them. But I still prefer Fiat 500 !