Buy Now or Wait for 2024

Its not the leather, it's the VTec, and third pedal that tells your butt dyno it is not an appliance. Same with the radio.

The radio in my Cayman sucks! So I rarely play it loud, which is OK since the air intake is by my left ear.

 

So my salesperson confirmed the aluminum trim is available on the Iconic trim and sent pics of one they had on the lot…






So I went ahead and made the switch from the electric collection to aluminum. I’m not rough on my cars so not too worried about dents. Think I’ll be much happier without as much piano black on the doors!

 

Dents? You know it's just painted plastic and not actual aluminum, right?

 

Over here we have the Honda E and I was tempted by it when I was buying my SE. The full width screens, cameras and screens for door mirrors, 240V three pin socket in the dash for connecting a laptop or PlayStation/Xbox are all really cool features for a gadget lover like me, but I fear they’d lose their novelty value pretty quickly. Interior design and quality feel wasn’t on a par with Mini IMO, but I do like how it looks on the outside. It would have been slightly cheaper than my level 3, but it has an even smaller range than the SE, and it’s heavier too I believe. Anecdotal evidence suggests it doesn’t have the handling of the SE either, so for all of those reasons I plumped for the SE.

 

Here's a light-hearted showdown MINI SE (MINI Electric) vs. Honda e vs. Corsa-e (?).

 

Maybe this'll help relieve some of your concern about size/weight/handling with a larger battery. 300hp, 33kWh, and 700kg all fit in a classic Mini without compromising the interior space! MINI engineers with all of their resources should be able to do better than a couple of guys doing a retrofit.

 

I drove nothing but Honda cars after my marvelous 1986 CRX-Si. After 20 years in gen-1 Honda Insights, I was ready to go full-electric. I bought an expensive scale-model of the great-looking 2-door prototype for the Honda e and waited for the production model.

When I read that the Honda e would not be coming to North America, I wrote letters to Honda explaining that having a low-volume EV (like the low-volume gen-1 Insight), would help dealers dip their toes into the EV waters before Honda led the tidal wave of EV cars flooding the market. I also claimed that the Honda e would become a cult-favorite vehicle in the US.

Of course, Honda ignored my letters, but they also ignored the EV market. The Honda e proved to be a one-off dead-end (I'm discounting the 89-mile, lease-only, west-coast-only EV cousin of my Clarity PHEV). Honda squandered their head-start and never followed up the Honda e. I always wondered what happened to the Honda e's innovative design team who strayed so far from Honda's corporate pablum.

Now Honda's EV for the North America will be a General Motors SUV with body mods designed by Honda. There was recent news that Honda and Sony will be partnering on another EV, but that's many years away.

Boy was I lucky Honda whiffed! There's no way that a dash-width set of screens (two of which can display an aquarium), a lounge-style interior (requiring an aftermarket center arm-rest), and rear-wheel drive (enabling an absurdly tight 14-foot U-turn) could make the Honda e anywhere near as much fun to drive as the MINI Cooper SE.

I hope MINI doesn't also lose their way as they turn the corner to make their journey down the silk road.

 

Unfortunately, like most corporations, MINI/BMW probably spends much more time listening to the press than to forums like ours. And, almost every press article says that the SE is terrific “except for the unreasonably short range”.

Therefore, I fully expect the new skateboard platformed electric MINI to emphasize range over nimble quickness.
In fact, I doubt it will be badged as an S. It will simply be a very nice, very small, electric hatchback perhaps badged as simply as an E.


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I wholeheartedly believe you're right about MINI choosing range over romping for the 2024 MINI Electric. Larger battery + smaller motor = more range.

MINI's rule is that ICE or Electric, if it's an "S" it gets a fake hood scoop. So this photo from China supports your theory the Silk Road MINI Electric will not be an "S" model.

 

Who knows, maybe your anti-scoop letters finally changed their mind!

 

Looks like crab no Cooper design !

 

I actually like the look of the China electric MINI: simpler, cleaner, smaller, and NO needless hood scoop.

But, if it turns out to be neutered electric snail it will only appeal to an economy minded owner, not the enthusiast types who frequent this forum.


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From what I have been able to interpret, they will be adding a Cooper E version while keeping the Cooper SE as an option. So you will probably see one with the current Ora Cat motor with slower 0-60 times and another with a higher power motor with comparable 0-60 times. Possible also an electric JCW version.

 

If MINI makes an electric JCW, it will be interesting to see how they handle range, weight, and overheating. And weight.

 

and hood scoops, and functional hood scoops

 

Given MINI's history, anything else would seem unlikely. It might take a few years to replace all the ICE versions, though.

 

This would be a great plan. I realize that we would all like to have both range and quickness and nimble performance in the same model. But, being a very small car, it simply is not possible. Three model choices, each with 3 levels of refinement, should cover all the bases.


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I'm thinking I'll wait for the 24 models with the hope of many improvements. Just about pulled the trigger to order a 23, but didn't. I think production delays will increase thus pushing deliveries out further. Have found a 21 with 10K miles local to me that I've considered but probably not. Priced same as a new 23 model. My overall concerns is I perceive the SE as a light weight sports car. But being a 20 yr old platform underneath it is in need of updating. And if a sports car, one would want to drive it a lot. Like a long Sunday cruising the back roads. But with the limited range and the fast charger desert once you get away from the interstates and big cities this becomes a problem. If I'm going to spend almost $40k then I think I want more out of a car. Retired senior that doesn't need it for commuting. Just for fun. My personal 2 cents.