This group will be "interested in cars and have happy memories of old Mini," says Panke. "They like the overall design and styling of the new car as well as the strength and character of Mini heritage."
While it looks a lot like the old car, there's one thing that's definitely changed-the car's size. The Mini Cooper that arrives in a couple of years will be a small car by today's standards, but it's a lot bigger than the original model. By keeping the shape and growing the proportions, BMW has managed to create the same look in a car that will fit four adults.
Along with its retro look (the new car's shape could be mistaken for nothing else), BMW also promises the newest technology. Panke says it will offer "the very latest technology available, easily making it the most advanced car of its size in the market. At the same time its performance and handling on the road make it a car that real enthusiasts will love driving."
Details on that technology were a little light, though BMW did allow as how the new car would replicate the "exceptional, go-kart-like handling" of the original, which will certainly please the Boomers with boy-racer instincts. The car was justly famous for its ability in the corners when it was blasting around the streets and racetracks of Canada in the '60s.
This handling ability will come from a torsional stiffness two to three times greater than other cars in the segment, which include the Honda Civic. The multi-link rear suspension will be shared with other BMW "sports saloons," says Panke, and the disc brakes will be ventilated at the front and solid at the rear.