Mini Acemen Announcement 27 July!

Of course, the [p]Aceman will be an electric crossover. SE production is moving to China, will the [p]Aceman be made in Oxford or Baoding? My guess is if it's another retro-fitted electric MINI Cooper it will be made in the UK but if it's a ground-up new design it will be Chinese. Not long to wait.

 

The video says "and meet the Mini Concept Aceman", and the fine print says "The MINI Concept Aceman is a concept car only, meaning it is not in production and not for sale."

So at most, it *might* be indicative of a future model...

 

Like the SE convertible.

 

https://www.motoringfile.com/2022/07/25/the-mini-aceman-concept-teased-ahead-of-debut/

Welp, not surprising, but still stinks...

 

Who says everyone wants an inefficient larger crossover in the US? Have they even looked at US sales numbers for the small Cooper SE? Seems like they are selling all they can make!

 

Some dealerships say that the Countryman is their largest seller. Of course, I believe that larger vehicles are only appropriate for those who actually have a need for a large vehicle (for a larger family or actual business purposes), and totally inappropriate for those seeking to compensate for their own self-perceived inadequacies. Just my viewpoint, and I'm sticking to it.

 

The Mini SE has spoiled me. I’ve been getting more than 5mi/kWh this summer and think it’s hilarious watch reviews of the F150 bragging about the “great” efficiency it has at 1 point whatever. Give me a break.

Small, light, and efficient. That’s where it’s at! Bring the Aceman!

 

The Countryman really is extremely popular, and while it's big for a MINI it's much smaller than other SUVs. Personally I think SUVs have wasted interior space compared to a minivan, and American tastes in vehicles are generally awful. I just hope MINI keeps something closer to a Clubman in the lineup, since I need a wee bit more cargo space than the SE has. But I don't know if I could ever give up my SE.

 

My local dealer also confirmed the Countryman to be by far the biggest seller. They rarely sell 2 door hardtops.
Now the wife and I play Mini spotting we notice that most are Countryman, which my wife refers to as the ugly Mini, followed by 4 door models, which she refers to as too big, and it is very rare we see a 2 door hardtop of the current generation. I’d guesstimate that 60% we see are countryman, 35% are 4 door models, and only 5% are 2 door hardtops. This is if we discount the older generations we see which were obviously 2 door hardtops. But once larger ones hit the market…
It’s a shame as I only accept the 2 door hardtop as a Mini. And yes I know there was a Countryman when the original Mini was around but they didn’t sell many and it was a lot closer to the 2 door hardtop shell than the current Countryman which bears no relation at all!

 

My wife and I refer to the Countryman as the Maxi-Mini - usually preceded by a not so flattering adjective. I have nothing against their owners though, as with many other manufacturers, who are being kept profitable by SUV sales, we probably have the Countryman to thank for the fact there is an SE at all.

 

Like the 911 and 918 Porsches have the Cayenne and Macan SUVs to thank for their continued existences. Still, I don't look kindly upon a Cayenne or Macan when I see one.

 

Prior to getting the Tesla M3P, our family car was a GTS Macan - and it was actually quite fun to drive, though when driven thusly (and just like the SE, always in Sport mode) was more than a tad thirsty! Cold startup sounded great, especially for an SUV. Mind you, the other side of the garage at the time was a Cayman S (with a proper flat-6), and fun-wise and sound-wise it was on a different level - as you would expect.

 

The Tesla Roadster was almost the perfect size at 13 feet, but the MINI is just so much more practical.

 

Yesterday I saw an R59 JCW and an R61 All4 in the same 9-mile commute and rued their withdrawal from the North American market.

 

I could never figure out what the heck the Paceman (R61) was, until one day it dawned on me it's nothing more than a 2-door Countryman (technically 3-door including the hatch). Not surprised it's gone, it didn't make a lot of sense. People who want a big Countryman are going to want four doors. And there's also the Clubman, which is practically the same in a lower profile but with more cargo space.

 

We have a Macan S, and compared to the SE it's a dog. A very costly, cramped, but beautiful SUV. Can't wait for our new SE to replace it. I'm of the opinion that a truck should be a truck, and a sports car should be a sports car. For that reason I find the X3 to actually be the more enjoyable SUV. Doesn't handle as well (because, SUV...), but the straight line power, inline 6, and utility and spaciousness more than makes up for that.

 

The Tesla Roadster (a battery-powered Lotus) is the only EV I'd concede might be more fun than the MINI Cooper SE.

I'm eager to read how Porsche chooses to balance weight vs range in their upcoming electric Boxster/Cayman duo. I'm guessing range will be their priority (see Taycan), but maybe they'll also offer a lightweight, 114-mile range "Turbo" or "Speedster" model for those whose focus is on fun.

 

By standard Porsche nomenclature that would the "T" model - they get the "base" engine, so maybe that would translate in the EV space to less range. If they thought they'd sell enough, they might consider it.

 

Knowing Porsche, they would add some carbon fiber bits so they could charge more for the lighter, sportier, smaller-battery 918s. And they'd make them "limited editions" to boot!