Rumor: New giant MINI (as in mini COOPER) SUV could be built in the USofA

[AAA]

With lowering production costs here due to favorable monetary imbalance for the Germans, an influx of manufacturing like this could be predicted to occur.

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/30/mini-...stateside/

BMW looking at the Spartanburg, SC plant

http://bmw-blog.com/updated-bmw-to-produ...ler-rolls/

The MINI brand will gain an SUV model, Mr. Reithofer said, confirming recent rumors.

"At MINI, we opted for a further model in the sports activity vehicle segment," he said.

Past reports indicate the vehicle will arrive in showrooms for the 2010 model year. It's not know how closely it will resemble the MINI Cooper.

The document also stated that BMW will better monitor currency fluctuation and will increase production in areas that have a favorable exchange rate. The document outlined increasing production at BMW's Spartanburg, South Carolina plant to 240,000 vehicles annually by 2012 — a 100,000 unit increase over current capacity — as well as increasing its Mini plant in Oxford to to 260,000 units annually.

BMW is also planning to increase Chinese production from from 30,000 units to 44,000.

[Z]

I almost fear that picture is to scale. Flying spaghetti monster save us all.

[AAA]

The SUV will be larger than the car. Is that what you fear?
The Clubman is already bigger/longer.
The poor little MINI dealers need more than one car with 4 major configurations to sell.

[BernDog]

Are we completely sure that's not their version of the ghostmobile?

[cbelt3]

What hath the noodly one wrought ?

And WTF&*(&@#!!! makes these morans so insistent on making an "SUV" out of everything ? I fully expect a 'Hybrid Hummer' next. It will use 1,000 batteries a week, and spew lithium and mercury vapors...

[davester]

This is an SUV:


These are station wagons:

[ho'ard]

[stephen]

Sales are up, resale's ridiculous, Mini's doing fine.

[Zoidberg]

Amen, davester. I've been arguing that point with people ever since these "amazing new crosses between a car and an SUV" started appearing a few years ago.

If that's an SUV then my Mom had a nice SUV back in 1974. The door slid into the back and we had side-riding seats in the back. And NO television.

[OWC Jamie]

[quote stephen]Sales are up, resale's ridiculous, Mini's doing fine.
Um, yeah, I want to meet this <> mini dealer that's having such a hard time.
I haven't seen one around here that actually has an unsold car on the lot. (yet)

The Cooper dealer near me sells Suzuki motrcycles (no cars).
You probably have to wake the guy up (if he's there) in February.