Since I was relatively jealous, Mrs. Kyality and I popped on over to our local BMW/MINI dealership to sneak a peek of the two rods that were apparently stealing the show: the 2008 BMW 135i Coupe and the 2008 MINI Cooper Clubman S. Seeing these two cars in the flesh was amazing. The 135i is gorgeous, muscular, and most importantly classic. It’s a small car but the massive 18-inch rims just give it a menacing stance. The 135i is the spiritual successor of the 2002. It’s got a killer tagline that says it all: Distilled Not Diluted.Then we wandered over to the MINI side of the dealership and caught our first glimpse of the Clubman. This car is tighter than tight. It’s double rear doors are elegant, piston-cushioned devices. The stretched-look is groovy rather than goofy. And with the right accessories, the car is downright rugged. I instantly fell in love with the beautiful beast.
As a car guy, at any given time, you need know what your “next car” is going to be. The “next car” can change and even change frequently, but there can’t be a question mark as to what that car is. So this weekend, after experiencing these two vehicles—I was dumbfounded. What was my “next car” going to be—the Bavarian Burner or the British Beast?
Well, Mrs. Kyality had a great insight. The 1 Series will become BMW’s new bread and butter vehicle—it’s gonna be around for a while. The Clubman is most likely a one-of-a-kind, unique machine that may have a short-run at best. So I’d like to announce that officially (for today at least) my “next car” is the MINI Cooper Clubman S. It is the perfect combo of form, function, performance, and personality. The 135i can always come later. And by the way, I call Hot Chocolate!
I think it's cool that we're debating the same issue between the same two cars.
ReplyDeleteI'll throw another one in, though. Although it's a year or two away, the next will be either a Clubman S, 135i, or a JCW Cooper S.
I LOVE the 1-Series. Fantastic little car, and if I wasn't dealing with a newborn, I'd certainly be considering one. My only qualm is that we don't get the 123d they get in Europe. 2.0L, twin-turbo 4-cyl. diesel? Yes, please!
ReplyDeleteI actually did some work on the 1-Series positioning at my old job. One of the few things I miss is working on the BMW account.
And the Clubman...wow. I was down on it at first, but I think the less-than-flattering spy photos probably had a lot to do with that. Seeing it properly built and kitted out changed everything. Should be taking delivery of mine in late May/early June!
This seems like the place I can admit this without a sense of shame, but: I really want a Zug. I could care less bout the minis in general, but I can't help but like the ZUG. Gimme.
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