I too would love one of these. The only way I'm giving up Bruto is if they come out with an electric/hybrid/alternative fuel MINI that is close on performance and not too exorbitant on the price. But I imagine that this first round of electric MINI's is going to play out a lot like those people who are paying $600/month to lease a Honda FCX. I'll be happy to wait... for now.

he can buy Winnie for 22k :)

SPDinNY wrote:

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he can buy Winnie for 22k :)

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Why are you selling Winnie?  Isn't she a beast?  I think that he wants a hard top, anyway. 

Just added another link to first post. I give up. If they come out with this one I will screem. MINI Crossover..... uggggg

-s

A cross over SAV is on its way... with in 3 years from nothing but rumors, but it is coming. While talking to different people they admitted its coming, but came right out and said it is nothing like the artist rendition you see on that link. Whether thats true or they just didnt want me running out and telling everyone about the new ride I dont know.

As for the electric MINI, I have heard of many different models and variations that are planning on being released, this is not one of them. From what I gather this is an easy low $$ amount R&D vehicle to pass CA laws. If they dont offer this vehicle and have so many sold by 2014 they cant sell in California. From everything I have heard BMW is committed to hydrogen, and thus far with great luck. Between the lack of a filling station infrastructure and loose ends they are not being released in all models anytime soon though.

Battery powered cars are not the answer to the crisis the world is in. They cost more upfront and though work may not be needed before 50 or 60k miles (why does it matter your cars under warranty until then anyways) when they do need work performed it is very expensive. So those two costs off set the savings in fuel for many years. Then comes the "green" aspect of the vehicle, from the start of production until the day they retire in a salvage yard, most electric cars are "dirtier" than an internal combustion engine burning the average amount of gas. The biggest reason is due to the batteries, and the fact that if they are not a hybrid and need to be plugged in nightly, think about the petroleum and coals used to generate that power. The batteries dont break down and they cost high amounts of dollars to recycle and the land fills that are going to be holding them in every state are different than normal ones costing more to be environmentally safe.

I cant guarantee all of this to be true, but its what I have read heard and my opinion.

bleh....I am still hoping for oil to be found on the moon.

By the way, Check with your Energy company (its real easy), but You can get Green power and it only costs an extra 5-10 dollars or so a month. I did it while i was a poor college student living off campus in an electric heated home in CNY and it didn;t break my bank at all! I did 100% wind
Here's some info from NYPRIG
and if you don't feel like navigating through links, here's a quick link to signing up if you're with Nat Grid

-- Edited by Venno at 14:22, 2008-07-22

-- Edited by Venno at 14:25, 2008-07-22

Thanks Mark. For your ability to help us stay grounded.

We do have to still remember that in most of the ratings for gas only cars the Mini is second only behind the Smart (big difference in value there). Most charts I have seen look like this;
1 - Smart
2 - MINI Cooper
3 - Honda Civic Stick
4 - Clubman
5 - MINI Cooper S

Not bad if you ask me. Some through the Honda Fit in the top five.

As far as the Moon - With the lack of O2 at least the Texas Oil FireFighters will be able to stay on Earth. Then think of the cost of that pipe line. It might disturb the natual flight path of planes - Wooh.
I do like the thought of oil in my back yard too. Think I could move to Beverly Hills. That would be a sight with Mom riding on the roof. Might need a new stretch (large) MINI ( I'm so confused). Would have to be gas though, I don't have a long enough exstention cord. Good thing we did not get the high speed rail from NY to Buffalo we were to get 10+ years ago. It might have been exstended to the west by now. Could just load the MINI on that. Not having it saved our car from stone chips and spray paint. What ever happened to the radioactive pellet idea? 60 years of MINIs glowing in the dark. Wait ours does that on the inside now in blue, pink, blue, PINK!, BLUE!, %*^&%# she keeps changing the color to pink on me. Well we did get 36.8 MPG in the MINI Copper S from Watkins Glen back to Rochester Sunday.  It might have been better if we did not have to pass all the trucks with trailers. Oh wait I got one of those trucks. Must be why we traded the 300 for the MINI. Lets see 36.8 for about 50% of driving the MINI and the truck 50% hmmm, 22MPG average for both. Dang, is MINI going to make a truck? I'll have to look into that.

-s

To SPDinNY
LMAO!!!! You are killing me. Does that come with a blower or turbo? And it looks like it could even be made into a convertable. You are funny! But I need a "larger" wish I could go "MINI". Red is a nice color though. I wonder if my HEMI would fit in there. Hmmm...(thinking) to many tickets being red and all. Do have to say that is a nice looking truck you have there. Is it yours? What year?
-s

-- Edited by MightyMo at 23:36, 2008-07-22

Knew about all three of those. They are classics in every part of the word. One I always like the most was the Moke.

There are a few shots about the crossover around but not much new. As Townmini has said it's a long way off, 2010 or so. But for those who would like to see a picture simmilar to Mark's point here is an older link. SAV
There seems to be more talk this month on a revised diesel (no longer Toyota powerplant) on R60 platform. Not the current Mini "D".

Venno wrote:

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I'd be pritty thrilled if the diesel came to the US. I took a clubman diesel for a spin on friday at the Prague MINI dealership...It was actually a lot of fun, Didn't have much of a lag and i was very thrilled with it.... I then costed out a Cooper S works and was a bit taken by the differences in US MINIs and Europe MINIs, supposedly seat height adjustment is not standard on the passenger seat and the list goes on, I'll have the European cooper book on Aug 9 along with the accessories book if anyone is interested in checking it out

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I hear the Copper "S" Works in Europe is a little more power. Have you driven the American JCW and the one over there of the same year to see any difference?
-s