[Tandy]

BMW has announced some big changes may be coming to the Mini brand. Plans for a new 4th generation model have now been pushed back, and it will not appear before 2023. Even the schedule refresh, which was originally scheduled for later 2019, may be canned as BMW looks to overhaul the brand. There are also a bunch of reports that the Mini range is going to shrink, with both the convertible and 3 door hatchback on the chopping block.

 

[Morris]

Odds are that there wont be a 4th generation of the ICE Mini, especially if its not until 2023. By that time I'm guessing that the Mini brand will go purely electric, that is of course dependant on successful sales figures. I'm not a huge fan of the 4 door models, but I guess there isn't much interest in coupes these days.

 

[MiniFootPrint]

Problem with Mini is they're tied to being a certain way and sticking to that while preparing for the future is hard. Maybe one day they'll go under but the future doesn't look too bright.
BMW already has models to take its place (X1/X2/2-Series/etc.). Even as a Mini loyalist that had a JCW Cooper and drove it to the ground... BMW is looking more attractive.

 

[Coops]

The brand is in a tough spot and a lot is riding on their electric model. Sad to hear that they may be doing away with the convertible, because that could have helped to distinguish them in this competitive segment.

 

[MiniFootPrint]

Global reach is a key factor as well to Mini sales and as the Chinese economy has grown so has interest in long established brands like Mini

I will be looking forward to how Mini EV sales in china take off once launched.

 

[Tandy]

It seems like a lot of premium EV's will be debuting in China first. I actually think that will be to our benefit as we will get to see what early issues/shortcomings there are before we decide to buy in.

 

[MiniFootPrint]

It seems like a lot of premium EV's will be debuting in China first. I actually think that will be to our benefit as we will get to see what early issues/shortcomings there are before we decide to buy in.

Some deeper research might reveal similar components in the upcoming Mini EV and future EV BMW's close to its segment. Making those BMW's a key reference point for gauging reliability.

 

[Morris]

Reliability is somewhat of a non issue with electrics, as there are far less moving pieces. Aside from suspension and brakes, which already last substantially longer with regen, most issues will probably be software related.

 

[MiniFootPrint]

Too bad that even simple components without near the level of complexity can have its flaws. Simple bushings can be faulty from the start due to type of material, molding process, etc.

 

[Tandy]

There is really no way of knowing what the quality of a brand new platform will be like. It's for that reason that we usually don't see a lot of interest in first generation EV's, with the exception of the Leaf.

 

[MiniFootPrint]

There is really no way of knowing what the quality of a brand new platform will be like. It's for that reason that we usually don't see a lot of interest in first generation EV's, with the exception of the Leaf.

I remember when the first Volt came out it took some time to build street presence but this time around it was completely different.
Being part of a brand known for dependable products helps as well, not many people need to be convinced to buy GM products.

 

[Morris]

The main reason for buying into the Volt was to eliminate the range anxiety that many were having with pure EV's. Now that the standard range is around 200 miles, we may no longer see the need for range extender models.