Autocar - First for car news and reviews

Forget the extravagant door arrangements and the concept car detailing, because the Crossman is the new maxi-sized Mini. With much of the styling carried over from the Mini and Clubman, it is quite hard to get a grip on the size of the new car, but it is noticeably bigger in all dimensions.

The Crossman is wider, taller and 4.07m long, making it noticeably bigger than the 3.95m-long Clubman. But in showroom form, with production overhangs and bumpers, the new Mini won’t be hugely smaller ...Read the full article

Checks calender to see if it is April 1st.

It isn't.

Ensures sunglasses packed for impending Mondial de l'Automobile visit.

The End.

 

My thoughts exactly.  I thought this was a joke at first, but obviously it isn't.

 A Mini over 4m long?!  Go on BMW, call it the Maxi, I dare you...

 §

Apparently BMW does own the rights to the Maxi name - and had to be persuaded by UK marketing people not to use it for a spin-off of the first BMW Mini. This thing is an absolute abomination. It will sell, but you will hate everyone who drives it: it will be like a poor man's BMW X6. And as for Alec Issigonis's thoughts - I can hear frantic subterranean spinning.

Cross man needs to chill out! Mini sales were down in the USA last month, maybe they will have to get a realisitic pricing policy at last with some stripped out models that normal people could afford, though they would have to put a speedo or larger LCD in front of the driver I think before I would drive one.