Automotive Observation

"TheTurbochargedSquirrel" (thatsquirrel) 10/12/2016 at 19:28 • Filed to: None

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The Mini’s eyes have moved more and more on top of its head over the years.

Also the R56 (2nd gen new Mini) looks like the R50 (1st gen new Cooper) which is having an allergic reaction to a bee sting. Stop with the Puffyness and go back to a leaner design. The newer cars aren’t that much bigger than the R50 but they look big because the design is inflated like a balloon.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 10/12/2016 at 19:31

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SO RETRO OMG

DESIN INSPIRE BY STREMLIEN FIHS

Probenja > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 10/12/2016 at 19:32

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The side windows have also gotten smaller, crash & pedestrian protection FTW!

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Probenja 10/12/2016 at 19:34

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Well all cars have gotten higher waistlines. Though the Mini also has the roof angled backwards (and the chassis angled forward, making the roof level) making the rear windows even smaller.

Nibby > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 10/12/2016 at 19:37

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SOON

Die-Trying > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 10/12/2016 at 19:39

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they are rolling back in its skull.............its almost over. its rolling towards the light. the sweet end is here........................

jkm7680 > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 10/12/2016 at 19:47

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It’s becoming slowly more inbred.

Maxima Speed > jkm7680 10/12/2016 at 20:02

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Lol

dogisbadob > Probenja 10/12/2016 at 20:02

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bigger car, smaller windows :(

dogisbadob > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 10/12/2016 at 20:03

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I always forget there are three generations of the new Mini Cooper unless they’re parked next to each other like in this photo. They all look the same to me.

The old one had 10-inch wheels!

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > dogisbadob 10/12/2016 at 20:42

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The R50/R53 and the R56 look very similar and it is easy to forget there was a second generation.

ranwhenparked > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 10/12/2016 at 20:44

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I think the R50 was about as far as it was worth taking the retro 1950s design, everything afterward is kind of becoming a bit silly.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > ranwhenparked 10/12/2016 at 20:58

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The R50 is actually a Rover design . It is a very good modern interpretation of the things people loved about the original Mini. It handles great, is fun even with the minimal power of the R50 and gets better with the additional power of the R53, and has tons of character. The R56 became puffier and softer but was still fun and had character. The latest generation seems to be closer to the spirit found in the originals and the R50, though I haven’t been able to drive or ride in one yet. Looking at the current car I think they can still maintain the iconic silhouette of the Mini with more modern designs. The current car is defiantly better than the R56 (though not as good as the R50) but is still a bit over inflated.

ranwhenparked > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 10/12/2016 at 21:00

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It was a Rover design, but to BMW’s dictates, as Rover’s team originally wanted to go a totally different direction with the car (rear engine, ultra modern styling, highly space efficient, with the expectation that it could stay in production well beyond a decade). It does share some trim bits with the 75 and other Rovers, and you can see a family resemblance in parts - like the door mirrors.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > ranwhenparked 10/12/2016 at 21:15

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Rover had been trying to create a replacement for the Mini going all the way back into the 60s. I honestly doubt that the spiritual concept would have ever been able to get through to production.

ranwhenparked > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 10/12/2016 at 21:38

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It does kind of show the direction they were thinking though. Essentially, they wanted the new Mini to replace both the classic Mini and the Metro/100, as a mainstream city car. BMW wanted it to be more of a premium, driver-oriented car with a retro look.

The need for a new city car continued to plague MG Rover, which is how we wound up with the unfortunate CityRover.

Theropod > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 10/13/2016 at 00:45

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So it’s going to end up like this?

Wagon, semi manual, not brown, turbo because volvo > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 10/13/2016 at 01:49

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It is like seeing the fossil record of a flounder’s predecessors.