I never really considered that...

http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosin...autos-69173.htm

BTW...I may be one of the few here who thinks the Mini is an incredibly cool car. I'm not kidding!!

 

They had hinted at going after the Mini market during the introduction and in the press pack

 

When the Mini was introduced, I thought it was so neat...for so many reasons. I kept thinking, how cool it would be if Chevy had someting in this niche.

Well, maybe the Nomad will be it. Even better if it really comes in at $17,000.

 

I almost bought a mini as my daily driver but reliability and rear-seat size were factors I couldnt overcome to make the purchase.

The fact the Nomad is RWD and should be more reliable and have larger rear seats make it an option when I buy my next car around 2008 even though the next-gen 07 Camaro is on top of my list.

 

Yeah I read that in USA Today this afternoon. It would be a great buy if it did come in at the 17,000 price tag. Also if the horsepower is anywhere near the concepts (250hp GM claims), it could easily top the Cooper S (175hp, $17000) in sales.

 

That's an interesting idea. Do people here think the Mini woud be as big a hit if it didn't have the history behind it? While I'm personally too big for it, I really like the interior especially the toggle switch controls and I think it's designed and styled very well. But without it's pedigree, would it have gotten a reception closer to the Scion Xb or Honda Element?

 

Can the Nomad be as "cool" as the Mini?

If we see a production Nomad...how might it differ from the concept?

Everyone seems to think that the production Solstice is a carbon copy of the concept. But I disagree....the production Solstice is very nice...but has nowhere near the impact and agressiveness of the concept. Of course that is to be expected. I feel the same about the SSr.

The reason I bring that up is, the production Nomad will undoubtedly lose alittle flair as/if it transitions from concept to reality. My issue is....I'm not sure that I find the Nomad concept any cooler than a Mini Cooper S production car.

 

Excellent point on the Mini's pedigree! Mini had the lineage to take advantage of alot of things. Things that BMW was able to translate superbly into the new Mini.

Nomad, of course, does not have that historical advantage. But Nomad has people like us. GM enthusiasts, with a pent up demand for something cool from Chevy.

 

That's really one thing that has had me wondering about Chevy and GM? What is the last really fon, cool youthful thing GM has done? Chevy is supposed to be (or has traditionally been) the youth division, and yet nether it nor Pontiac has anything really hip of cool in it's line up.

I've thought on and off for the longest time that a really cool thing for Chevy or Pontiac would be a compact El Camino type vehicle for young, active single people (of somewhat older single people like me).

Somehting along the lines of the departed Subaru Brat or Dodge Rampage. For all the mountainbikers, surfers, rock climbers, eddie buaer posers out there.

(added benefit for us mountain bikers, can't take our car on group roadtrips!)

It's a slow day maybe I'll sketch something up.

 

Vibe. That's what it was supposed to be. To me though, it looks like a cross between a compact and a minivan.

Young people want sporty and sexy and affordable. When you combine that with a package that performs well and is practical to boot, you have yourself a winner.

Like it or not, that's how the Mini is percieved. Adults trying to feel young follow this type of thing as well.

Nomad fits the bill perfectly.

 

Nomad could fit the bill. But for me, it's just missing something that I can't quite put my finger on yet.

Maybe it needs different wheels?

 

Oh yeah. forgot bout the Vibe, odd since I really like it

And we can add the Solstice to the list. I still think that a 'Northface Edition El Camino' (for lack of a better name right now please god don't flame me!) would be a hit with young people and couples.

I agree completely with what you said, although I still wonder if alot of that coolness is these new mini owners now thinking they belong to the 'mini cult club', if you will, people who love and followed the original.

Is it just me or does 'coupe' seem cooler than 'sedan' or 'sport wagon', even if market demographic point otherwise.

 

The mini sells well in BIG part because people see it as a BMW. The original mini, as I recall, was pretty much a peice of crap.

 

Oh, I don't know. I think the original Mini had a pretty good reputation. It was in production for something like 40 years!

Also, the BMW connection doesn't hurt.....but I'd bet that's not the primary reason that the Mini is so popular.

 

The person I know baught it BECAUSE it was a bmw.
My GF would like one only because its BMW.

Now granted, thats just 2 people heh.

But it is my beleif that the badge does A LOT of difference.
This is just my opinion however.