Random Photo Thread

[cmcpokey]

It might have been, but Stephenson lays claim to it also. Perhaps he was part of the design team.

The Mk1 Mini is a tragedy of design over functionality, the only difference between it and the New Beetle is the fact it can handle. If it was rubbish to drive....

i can find nothing on these here interwebz to link him to the t-bird. or ford for that matter.

so can't the fact that it was absolutely brilliant to drive be it's raison d'etre? but also remember it built the premium compact niche from nothing. so while yes, there was not a whole lot of innovation on the engineering side, it made great strides in the development and marketing of small cars, and now everyone is rushing to copy them. see the DS2 or the small audi, whatever it is called.

besides, we all give the miata a pass for being absolutely useless because it is fantastic to drive. what's the difference? it is a great drive, and reasonable to live with as your only car. more so than the miata anyway.

[LeonOfTheDead]

to put it simply, why?!

[Ferrer]

so can't the fact that it was absolutely brilliant to drive be it's raison d'etre? but also remember it built the premium compact niche from nothing. so while yes, there was not a whole lot of innovation on the engineering side, it made great strides in the development and marketing of small cars, and now everyone is rushing to copy them. see the DS2 or the small audi, whatever it is called.

besides, we all give the miata a pass for being absolutely useless because it is fantastic to drive. what's the difference? it is a great drive, and reasonable to live with as your only car. more so than the miata anyway.

The problem for me was its retroness. As a car, it's a brilliant thing. Without any shadow of a doubt the best front wheel drive car I've ever driven and far more exciting than some so called rear drive driver's cars.

But as a fashion icon and the retro design it just strikes me as something easy. It's like BMW had the opportunity, saw it and went for it without having to scratch their heads too much. Unlike all the other badge whoring icons which they had to earn their status in the past, the Mini didn't.

I personally would have been happier with it if it was the BMW 0,5 Series or the Rover 100 or something.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

i can find nothing on these here interwebz to link him to the t-bird. or ford for that matter.

so can't the fact that it was absolutely brilliant to drive be it's raison d'etre? but also remember it built the premium compact niche from nothing. so while yes, there was not a whole lot of innovation on the engineering side, it made great strides in the development and marketing of small cars, and now everyone is rushing to copy them. see the DS2 or the small audi, whatever it is called.

besides, we all give the miata a pass for being absolutely useless because it is fantastic to drive. what's the difference? it is a great drive, and reasonable to live with as your only car. more so than the miata anyway.

The compact premium niche? I think the VW New Beetle might have something to say about that as well, although in the US it's a budget brand, so thats understandable.

See also VW Polo, Lupo Etc - paying lots for a little car.

Small Premium is popular simply because of economic conditions and a change in the market, perhaps accelerated by the Mini, but the GFC has something to say about it too, along with a shift in driving habits by motorists.

I don't think the Miata is useless, it's entirely fit for purpose. It doesn't have enough room for rear seats, so it doesn't bother trying to fit them. the rear seats on a Mini are simply luggage racks with headrests in terms of rooms. The Miata is honest and upfront as to it's intentions, the Mini has illusions of practicality.

And I shall redact my information on the T-Bird, the website I used to claim it has self-edited, as shall I.

[Ferrer]

Another problem with the Mini, especially with the S, is considering it a city car.

It just isn't. It's a sportscar.

[Kitdy]

Small Premium is popular simply because of economic conditions and a change in the market, perhaps accelerated by the Mini, but the GFC has something to say about it too, along with a shift in driving habits by motorists.

I am uncertain about this, but as I recall, the Mini did very poorly during the GFC - as did the Smart.

Hyundai did quite well though I think - the moved upmarket while still being inexpensive and stole sales from those thinking Japanese.

I just wonder how the Genesises are going to do.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Geneses? Genesi? Genusians?

Mini did lose ground during the GFC but there is always a market for something like that - especially when Bankers are trading in Coxsters for something less...money.

[Ferrer]

And many people have discovered they prefer a base One rather than an Ibiza Cupra.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Don't you get the Mini Ray as well? A completely stripped Mini with weirdly colored rear view mirrors, and still more expensive than many other nicer cars.

[2ndclasscitizen]

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Fabrication on the rear tray door sucks, crazy kiwi's.

Now here's Nicki with the .gif shop

[Commodore GS/E]

Want that. Rear is a bit fugly, but still want.

[john14]

Yeh bro, thet ute is sikk bro. Choice.

[racingbmw]

wow... creepy...

Fabrication on the rear tray door sucks, crazy kiwi's.

Now here's Nicki with the .gif shop

[pimento]

Guys.. please don't quote the pictures without at least trimming to just one. Netiquette and all that.