Better tech in the new Mini

[Dabz]

I quite fancied an electric mini but the seat facings were fake leather which is a complete no-no for me, I don't mind fake leather elsewhere too much but I don't want to sit on it or have it on the steering wheel, so it was a no.
For me a non-leather interior needs to be fabric or alcantara.

I'm pretty certain ours is real leather on the JCW seats - if not it's a very convincing fake. As someone who appreciates the driving experience though Frank, I'd avoid. I'm not enjoying the sterile artificial driving experience at all, and although this is obvious when swapping straight from a Taycan to a Mini and back again, it's not even as good as the previous generation. For the £40k it cost I believe we could get a better electric vehicle, but I was overruled by my wife who is very happy and loves her new mini, so that's all that matters really.

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[f1eng]

Frank, I'd avoid. I'm not enjoying the sterile artificial driving experience at all, and although this is obvious when swapping straight from a Taycan to a Mini

What a great shame.
The other small EV which appeals is the Fiat, though the one I admire the engineering design of is the BMW i3 which was too innovative for the conservative car buyer.

 

[MrB]

What a great shame.
The other small EV which appeals is the Fiat, though the one I admire the engineering design of is the BMW i3 which was too innovative for the conservative car buyer.

We have the Fiat and it’s a delight. It’s not the most dynamic handling vehicle (steering is super light and lacking in feedback) but it has a puppyish charm when driving it. It’s naturally at home best in the city, its turn of speed off the line is great (well, up to about 35-40 mph anyhow but, city driving being what it is that’s all you need). It’s darty enough and, despite being a little jiggly, (which I assume is in no small part due to the comically small wheelbase) it’s a wheel right at each corner and drives like it. B-roads a lot of fun too, again in no small part due to the fact it’s dinky enough that you can go at most blind corners without fear of what’s coming the other way.

In extremis we took it across to Dudley and back last minute on motorways when my windscreen took a stone and cracked badly and even in the rain and squall it was bearable, again, a little less planted but nothing you’d not expect given the dimensions and foursquare nature of it, even the ADAS systems worked pretty well (certainly no worse than the Taycan in the pouring rain).

As an added bonus it’s had one warranty job in 2.5 years as opposed to my Taycan which, well, is somewhat high into double figures. We’re planning on keeping it a long time. My wife adores it and thinks (as I do) that it’s a simply cheerful thing.

 

[RGBArgee]

You think us saying no would have resulted in any difference? ROFL.

Our govt would ha e been asking for more speed curbing.

I am suggesting that our new ‘freedoms’ mean we have no opportunity to participate and inform the debate.
clearly unless people think we are little Englanders we have to take on EU directives as we are in the European market. Hopefully things will change in the future and we can return to the pre Brexit situation of better exchange rates and cheaper EU produced cars!

 

[Murph7355]

I am suggesting that our new ‘freedoms’ mean we have no opportunity to participate and inform the debate.
clearly unless people think we are little Englanders we have to take on EU directives as we are in the European market. Hopefully things will change in the future and we can return to the pre Brexit situation of better exchange rates and cheaper EU produced cars!

We don't have to be part of the debate as we can do what we want to suit our needs. We've chosen not to. The same outcome would have happened irrespective of our EU status.

We could have chosen different regs. "But companies wouldn't build for just our market"... Except they do already, judging by which side my steering wheel is on, the units my dashboard defaults to, which way my headlamps deflect and various other more nuanced differences.

It's a bogus argument, and an irrelevant one. Govts everywhere like to try and persuade us we need them to save us from ourselves. They need purpose to justify their size. This is why cars made from 2024 chime incessantly. (Ironically, given their safety stance and early adopter of 112mph capped speeds, the chime on our Volvo is actually quite pleasant and goes off after a few bongs).

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