Why Does (Did?) The Paceman Exist?

"CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever" (carsoffortlangley) 10/15/2020 at 11:25 • Filed to: None

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I was driving to work this morning and saw  what I assumed was a Clubman (which I like) pull out into traffic in front of me. At the next red light, I ended up beside it and noted it was indeed a Paceman, not a Clubman.

After studying it, I was like.....why does this exist? It’s a two door, it’s huge (like, CUV size), it doesn’t seem to have much room or look like it would perform that well.

I dunno, I’ve always been of the opinion that Mini is essentially a pointless brand that is built on a foundation of lies (look how British we are mein herr!). But this stands out as a stupid offering.

Still, it is refreshing to know that there is a whole brand out there based solely on hatchbacks somehow in 2020. Look at their lineup (and pricing) compared to Ford’s passenger car offerings....

Yikes.

Milky > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/15/2020 at 11:35

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Cuz 2 door hatches always look better.

Fiesta, Evoque, Wrangler, Bronco, old Tahoe, C30, ram charger, A3, 1 series, Cherokee, old range rovers, etc.

Less practical so no one buys them, but my opinion will not be changed.  

rctothefuture > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/15/2020 at 11:36

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hey. HEY. HEY!

I am a proud Paceman owner. There are literally dozens of us.

To give you a short answer, it was the only way to get an AWD, 2 door, 6 speed turbo from Mini at the time.

If you’d like a long answer, let me know. I’m writing up my Oppo Review over the next few days.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > rctothefuture 10/15/2020 at 11:37

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I’d love a review!  I didn’t mean to shit on anyone, because I am sure that, as a car, it is great.  It just.....seems like it shouldn’t exist?

rctothefuture > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/15/2020 at 11:45

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It’ll be out soon, hopefully.

The Paceman was from the era of Mini being... weird. A good weird or bad weird depending on how ya feel. When the Paceman was designed, you also had the Mini Coupe, the Mini Speedster, and even the Clubvan. It makes sense that Mini would take the Countryman and give it a “2 door coupe” look.

The Paceman was sold as an “ SAV” (Sports ACTIVITY Vehicle) as to say it’s a sporty car but can still do stuff. It was also designed around the time of the X6M and other BMW Coupe SUV’s, and since BMW owns Mini, it really starts to make sense why they built this. I’ve jokingly said “It’s the Mini for guys who have a size complex over owning the standard Cooper S”

It does a lot of Mini things well. Fun to drive, handles well, great little gearbox and a surprising amount of power from that 1.6 turbo. But you’d get even more performance from a standard Cooper S. It does, however, do everything wrong as a CUV (which why I think they called it an SAV). It has no back leg room, no head room in the rear, the trunk is small, the seats can’t fold all the way down, it can only tow up to 1200 lbs, etc.

So you’re correct in that it shouldn’t exist, but neither should most Mini models from the era. That’s why I love it, it’s a jack of all trades and master of none.

rctothefuture > Milky 10/15/2020 at 11:46

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Was a sad day when they went back to the Countryman.

HammerheadFistpunch > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/15/2020 at 11:47

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It was birthed in the “try all the niches” era and hasn’t aged out yet.

Milky > rctothefuture 10/15/2020 at 11:51

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Its okay, I still can dream of Bowlers.

Jb boin > Milky 10/15/2020 at 11:58

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I don’t share your opinion, some cars looks better with 2/ 3 doors but the Mini ain’t one, especially the one in the OP with it’s white door bigger than the plastic cladding around.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/15/2020 at 12:03

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https://oppositelock.kinja.com/it-has-come-to-my-attention-none-of-you-have-thought-ab-1844587776

I discussed this same thing not all that long ago. I’ve seen, like, what, a half dozen ever ? It wasn’t a car people were asking for so no one really bought them but I still respect this plucky little hatchback on stilts. It just wasn’t a very good CUV and was too expensive for what you got.

onlytwowheels > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/15/2020 at 12:08

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This is the Mini that I question why it exist:

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/15/2020 at 12:09

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I think whoever at Mini suffered an attack of delirium and OK’d the Coupe had a relapse while looking at the Countryman. Woke up in a pool of transmission fluid and a pile of door hardware.

|germans pretending to be British

Cue the “Mr. Hilter” Monty Python sketch.

wafflesnfalafel > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/15/2020 at 12:16

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It clearly is the 2dr version of the 4dr version of the 2dr version - understand?  :)

I worked with a lady that had a green one for a while. I honesty liked it, it was a better size for me, (I don’t fit in the original ones all that well...)

CompactLuxuryFan > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/15/2020 at 12:18

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It’s really the exact same as any other SUV “coupe” or even regular coupes . Why did the Camry, Accord, Civic, Elantra, C-class, 3-series, S-class, etc. coupes ever exist?

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/15/2020 at 12:22

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Always thought it was a two-door CTM....

My wife has one of those and loves it.  I think it’s the dumbest car ever built, including cheap-ass plastics and rattles galore.

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > rctothefuture 10/15/2020 at 12:23

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I am enthusiastically subscribed to your newsletter, sir.  Please keep me apprised of Special Offers and Insider Deals.

Spanfeller is a twat > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/15/2020 at 12:23

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I liked the Paceman because I’m tall, I like giving my passengers space, I like AWD, and I also hate the countryman.

I just wanted 130% of a Mini, and for me the Paceman solved that. 

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > rctothefuture 10/15/2020 at 12:23

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We are CTM owners— the intentionally off-brand “porky” Mini.... so I don’t get it.

But my wife loves the car.

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > HammerheadFistpunch 10/15/2020 at 12:24

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Was that also the 4200 pound curb weight Mini weird era?  Our Countryman hit the Fourth Meal at Taco Bell pretty damn hard.

Ermahgerd! > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/15/2020 at 12:25

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Thinking of it as an SUV is the mistake. This thing is half a foot shorter and roughly the same weight as a Golf GTI. All you have to do is lower it and you have a proper awd 2dr hot hatch.

HammerheadFistpunch > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish 10/15/2020 at 12:26

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That was from the “communication person in charge of the difference between curb and gvwr on the website was an idiot” era. 

Mid Engine > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/15/2020 at 12:32

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I looked at the Minis when we were car shopping for the wife. Holy fuck these things are expensive! Add BMW quality and you got the perfect shit show, come to think of it should sell well in the dumpster fire we call 2020.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Mid Engine 10/15/2020 at 12:34

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but look at the (canadian) MSRP, they actually seem reasonable in the base spec.  That being said, I’ve sat in a new Mini and HARD PASS, it doesn’t do anything for me.  Add in the BMW element and I’d take my chances with an automatic fiesta with the boat anchor trans.

Svend > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/15/2020 at 12:45

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Well there had to be a coupe at some point.

I’m not sure if Austin officially made a coupe though.

Mini Broadspeed GT2+2 (only 28 made, believed 16 went to Spain).

Mini Monaco coupe from Australia (made by Buckle Motor Company), 30 built between 1966-67 .

Then there was many kit cars based on the Mini, like the Deep Sanderson 301 coupe .

This one however looks too American, like a Mini with a baseball cap on backwards.

Milky > Jb boin 10/15/2020 at 12:46

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Yea, using that body line for 2 tone doesnt work well . Audi actually unveiled a car today with it, the Quattr o 40th anniversary.

But I’ll look past the rocker for those sweet 2/3 door aesthetics.

ranwhenparked > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/15/2020 at 12:47

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This is the result of taking what was once a single model (Mini) within a broader marque (Austin/Morris/Riley/Wolseley/Rover) and deciding that British Leyland had the right idea in trying to make it a separate brand of its own, and do the same thing on a bigger scale. A standalone brand with standalone showrooms and franchise agreements needs more than one model, and BMW kind of had trouble figuring out what those extra models should be and what the brand itself should become when it grows up someday.

61hp > Ermahgerd! 10/15/2020 at 13:33

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I’m always surprised when people say the Paceman/Countryman of that era are huge/ large - my partner’s 2015 Countryman is only 2 inches longer and 2 inches wider than the 2015 Fiesta ST that we had and smaller in every dimension except a few inches in height to our 2012 Focus we had before the Fiesta . The Countryman is more spacious inside than either the Focus or the Fiesta, much more comfortable for adults in the backseat, and the cargo area is more flexible as the back seats slide.   Even the new extra large 2017+ Countryman’s are the same size as a Focus hatch .

All three do share the same trait of horrible ride quality and plasticky rattly interiors - so at least we were being consistent in our vehicle choices at that time.

smobgirl > rctothefuture 10/15/2020 at 14:19

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I love how, no matter what car someone posts about here, an owner will appear out of the woodwork and a sensible discussion will follow.  Oppo.

Ermahgerd! > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish 10/15/2020 at 18:00

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Did you put half a ton of tacos in the back? B ecause they currently weigh 3307 in JCW All4 spec .

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/15/2020 at 18:02

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I believe most of those were and many still are available in manual, so there’s that.

Ermahgerd! > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/15/2020 at 18:10

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I have to be honest, the Paceman is starting to grow on me. I too originally thought it was pointless but n ow that I think about it, a Paceman was a 1.5" drop from almost being a shooting Brake. If it still existed and sported their current 300hp mill, I could be interested. All the same I’d probably still go for the Clubman over it though.