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Just_me · 02-07-2007, 02:55 AM

Motoring File just had a chance to attend MINI USA's official 2007 MINI press introduction, and besides seeing the new Coopers, they got a few insights into other future products. While most questions generated a polite "no comment," MINI USA's Jim McDowell let MF in on a few secrets. When asked about the importance of MINIs being British, he compared them to BMWs being built in Munich. Important, certainly, but not important enough to keep BMW from building plants in the States and South Africa. So will we see MINI plants outside of Oxford? Quite possibly. And then McDowell mentioned we should "expect to see four to five models in total from the MINI brand in the next five years."

When asked to repeat that, he said, "we will have an important new production every year for the next four to five years." Now, we know about the new Coupes, the Clubman and the new convertible, but what else could we be looking at from MINI? Perhaps a top-of-the-line Cooper like the Works or GP? A sedan? A pickup? A CUV? Who knows. All we know right now is that MINI will continue to hold our attention over the next few years, and not just for its great little Cooper and Cooper S.

[Source: Motoring File]

02-07-2007, 02:55 AM	#1 (permalink)
Just_me Expert Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Sweden Posts: 12,612 Thanks: 741 Thanked 2,035 Times in 1,028 Posts	5 more MINIs in 5 years Motoring File just had a chance to attend MINI USA's official 2007 MINI press introduction, and besides seeing the new Coopers, they got a few insights into other future products. While most questions generated a polite "no comment," MINI USA's Jim McDowell let MF in on a few secrets. When asked about the importance of MINIs being British, he compared them to BMWs being built in Munich. Important, certainly, but not important enough to keep BMW from building plants in the States and South Africa. So will we see MINI plants outside of Oxford? Quite possibly. And then McDowell mentioned we should "expect to see four to five models in total from the MINI brand in the next five years." When asked to repeat that, he said, "we will have an important new production every year for the next four to five years." Now, we know about the new Coupes, the Clubman and the new convertible, but what else could we be looking at from MINI? Perhaps a top-of-the-line Cooper like the Works or GP? A sedan? A pickup? A CUV? Who knows. All we know right now is that MINI will continue to hold our attention over the next few years, and not just for its great little Cooper and Cooper S. [Source: Motoring File]