Gert Hildebrand was the man behind the newest interpretation of the classic Mini. After Stephenson's widely recognized success in the design of the new, now old, Mini he received offers from every corner of the globe for his design guidance. Frank turned down each request. However one request came that led him to make a move befitting that of Johnny Damon when he accepted a lead design post at Fiat Ferrari. As a boy Frank would stop in place when ever a Ferrari would pass buy. He didn't know how or when, but someday he wanted that car to be part of his life. Ironically Stephenson is the brain child behind the unveiling of the new Fiat 500 that is set to do "hand to hand" combat with the Mini on European turf. 
Hildebrand came in as the new Mini design chief filling not only NBA size shoes but the unenviable position of changing something everyone loved just as it was. Hildebrand rose to a challenge, that was in many ways far more difficult than Stephenson's. The difference between the two is similar to the difference between a writer and an editor. A writer can let their creativity flow pounding away on the keyboard like a virtuoso piano prodigy. The editor must then come in and take this work of art and make it fit both the needs of the publisher and the book buying public. The editor cannot let their red pen fly across the page as the writer the keyboard. The editor must painstakingly labor through each change weighing the pros and cons of the alteration. The editor must live through many a Mylanta filled night of this deliberation. Hildebrand did not have the benefit of a "clean paper towel" or a "cocktail napkin" for that matter, Hildebrand had to work within the conformity of the new legends parameters, and he had to succeed. If the Mini had become the minimal success, that Rover initially intended selling through select dealers ,then this challenge would not have been so hard. The unexpected takeoff of the brand ,especially in the US, made the redesign a very public illustration of Hildebrand's work, like taking SAT's in a glass box in the middle of Times Square. Hildebrand like so many Europeans had his own distinct memory of the Mini growing up. 
He remembers going to the gym ,that he and his father helped create, as a teenager and watching with envy as his opponent arrived in his new Elf, a luxury version of the Mini with a small trunk. This memory stayed with Hildebrand as he refreshed the Mini. Hildebrand in a word, succeeded. The new Mini captures the essence of the past model while casually tweaking some of the design clues that begin to align it towards subsequent design changes down the road. The most notable is the raised belt line that increases the door height and subtlety sweeps the window line upward towards the rear deck in a very mild wedge shape. This upward window line could be "played with" in future designs to slowly evolve the design. The headlamps are now slightly angled towards the side. This was a brilliant way of disguising the slightly longer and higher hood that was required to meet European law ,and really set the redesign in motion. You see the new European law requires a certain distance between the hood and the engine underneath so that there is ample "dent room" between the two in the event a pedestrian is hit and ricochets of the hood. This new law spearheaded the redesign effort and also created a good opportunity to bring in this interim design between the original new Mini of the past decade and the, now named, Clubman wagonette of
next year that will take these styling themes up a notch. The new new Mini is not simply a styling exercise however, not by a long shot. The engine in the past new Mini was supplied from Chrysler, which now independent, was at the time of the redesign effort owned by Daimler. Now for the past years Daimler and BMW have coexisted in the upbringing of Mini. To use an analogy it would be as if Tom and Jerry had had a love child. The problem is that at some point Tom is going to get that look in his eye and start chasing Jerry around the house, it is instinct.Similarly BMW really didn't enjoy sharing it's success with it's "Tom". In comes Peugeot. The new engine sourced from Peugeot solves that problem, it also provides a more modern mill that is lighter than the past engine while providing slightly better power and utilises a turbo as opposed to a supercharger for power gain. Turbo's are generally associated with haphazard power delivery that can switch on when you least expect it like a jet pack strapped to the roof. In the case of this new engine the torque curve is so flat, delivering near peak torque throughout the rev range, that the turbo lag is nearly non existent. What else is nearly non existent is the sound of the engine that in last years Mini created a noise that ,when combined with the supercharger whine ,provided an Indy 500 sound track to your drive. The new engine delivers the goods but with less noise. To some this is not as satisfying, while to others it shows BMW's influence in using this new model to illustrate that the Mini is now pure "Stuttgart" providing the goods without the whims of unnecessary noise or harshness. The ride is also gentler ,which to some is a source of concern that the Mini has gone soft. The fact is that the suspension is softer but not at the detriment of handling. To BMW the past suspension ,that knocked your molars out, was an unnecessary adolescent detail that went the way of the acceleration noise. You do not need to be uncomfortable to carve a corner. One of the largest differences was the addition of electric steering, which John Cooper had stood up against in the first new Mini. If Mr. Cooper had driven this new new Mini I think he would not have minded the change one bit. The steering is now effortless in congested city driving while "go cart" exact in the mountains. The one change that has received less attention is the change of transmission. Many reviews are positioning this new new Mini as a kinder, gentler Mini that is pushing the envelope of it's historic counterpoint, Mini one. Yet amidst all this skepticism surrounding the new Mini the transmission returns to it's roots ,this time around by forgoing the continuously variable transmission for a wonderful geared unit that provides an auto manual clutch ,similar to the VW's industry leading semi auto DSG transmission. These changes have come together to complete the picture and provide a holistic mechanical presence that was lacking in the new Mini. This change does in fact mature the Mini. Luckily under the watchful eye of BMW this evolution has succeeded in bringing out the vivid colors of the Mini icon like washing a newly tie died shirt out in the sink. Yes the new Mini had all Mini lovers scared. After all changing an icon is never easy. One needs look no further than the Nissan S-ER, the Honda Civic, or the even the Newly redesigned Scion Xb to illustrate that a redesign ,no matter how minor, can change the demeanor of a vehicle. So we have only one question remaining, would Issigonis approve? Well yes and no. In Issigonis' mind set of 1957, no. Issigonis never felt comfortable with luxury versions of the Mini such as the Elf, the very model that played on a continual loop in the mind of Hildebrand as he redesigned the Mini. But in the mind set of 2007 I think he would applaud what the Mini has evolved into. In the case of the Mini the luxury only serves to embellish the experience, it is not the experience itself. Like a drizzle of Au jus over fillet minot the gravy only aids in the taste of such a fine cut. Many cars today in the same price class ladle on the "luxury gravy" to cover up what is a rather tough cut of beef. So here it comes full circle. It all began with Sir Issogonis, who began this automotive bliss because of his ingeniousness, who taught us that a small car can be just as fun and just when we thought the final verse had been sung in comes BMW surrounded by much hullabaloo over whether they could keep the flame lit, and they proved fit by choosing the flowing ink of Frank Stephenson who rekindled the spark and indelibly left his mark in the Mini history book. But all was not done, no the Mini needed a closer look to sand out the details with Stephenson's air apparent Hildebrand. Hildebrand has now made the Mini as good as it could ever be, a sports car wrapped in a smiling face that proves that it can more than keep pace it sets the level for others to achieve, it gives credence to all those who believed this marque could fly again, and just one look in a child's eye as it drives by shows it will not die but live on for the next generation to come to experience "Mini joy" when their day comes along.
Hildebrand came in as the new Mini design chief filling not only NBA size shoes but the unenviable position of changing something everyone loved just as it was. Hildebrand rose to a challenge, that was in many ways far more difficult than Stephenson's. The difference between the two is similar to the difference between a writer and an editor. A writer can let their creativity flow pounding away on the keyboard like a virtuoso piano prodigy. The editor must then come in and take this work of art and make it fit both the needs of the publisher and the book buying public. The editor cannot let their red pen fly across the page as the writer the keyboard. The editor must painstakingly labor through each change weighing the pros and cons of the alteration. The editor must live through many a Mylanta filled night of this deliberation. Hildebrand did not have the benefit of a "clean paper towel" or a "cocktail napkin" for that matter, Hildebrand had to work within the conformity of the new legends parameters, and he had to succeed. If the Mini had become the minimal success, that Rover initially intended selling through select dealers ,then this challenge would not have been so hard. The unexpected takeoff of the brand ,especially in the US, made the redesign a very public illustration of Hildebrand's work, like taking SAT's in a glass box in the middle of Times Square. Hildebrand like so many Europeans had his own distinct memory of the Mini growing up. 
He remembers going to the gym ,that he and his father helped create, as a teenager and watching with envy as his opponent arrived in his new Elf, a luxury version of the Mini with a small trunk. This memory stayed with Hildebrand as he refreshed the Mini. Hildebrand in a word, succeeded. The new Mini captures the essence of the past model while casually tweaking some of the design clues that begin to align it towards subsequent design changes down the road. The most notable is the raised belt line that increases the door height and subtlety sweeps the window line upward towards the rear deck in a very mild wedge shape. This upward window line could be "played with" in future designs to slowly evolve the design. The headlamps are now slightly angled towards the side. This was a brilliant way of disguising the slightly longer and higher hood that was required to meet European law ,and really set the redesign in motion. You see the new European law requires a certain distance between the hood and the engine underneath so that there is ample "dent room" between the two in the event a pedestrian is hit and ricochets of the hood. This new law spearheaded the redesign effort and also created a good opportunity to bring in this interim design between the original new Mini of the past decade and the, now named, Clubman wagonette of
next year that will take these styling themes up a notch. The new new Mini is not simply a styling exercise however, not by a long shot. The engine in the past new Mini was supplied from Chrysler, which now independent, was at the time of the redesign effort owned by Daimler. Now for the past years Daimler and BMW have coexisted in the upbringing of Mini. To use an analogy it would be as if Tom and Jerry had had a love child. The problem is that at some point Tom is going to get that look in his eye and start chasing Jerry around the house, it is instinct.Similarly BMW really didn't enjoy sharing it's success with it's "Tom". In comes Peugeot. The new engine sourced from Peugeot solves that problem, it also provides a more modern mill that is lighter than the past engine while providing slightly better power and utilises a turbo as opposed to a supercharger for power gain. Turbo's are generally associated with haphazard power delivery that can switch on when you least expect it like a jet pack strapped to the roof. In the case of this new engine the torque curve is so flat, delivering near peak torque throughout the rev range, that the turbo lag is nearly non existent. What else is nearly non existent is the sound of the engine that in last years Mini created a noise that ,when combined with the supercharger whine ,provided an Indy 500 sound track to your drive. The new engine delivers the goods but with less noise. To some this is not as satisfying, while to others it shows BMW's influence in using this new model to illustrate that the Mini is now pure "Stuttgart" providing the goods without the whims of unnecessary noise or harshness. The ride is also gentler ,which to some is a source of concern that the Mini has gone soft. The fact is that the suspension is softer but not at the detriment of handling. To BMW the past suspension ,that knocked your molars out, was an unnecessary adolescent detail that went the way of the acceleration noise. You do not need to be uncomfortable to carve a corner. One of the largest differences was the addition of electric steering, which John Cooper had stood up against in the first new Mini. If Mr. Cooper had driven this new new Mini I think he would not have minded the change one bit. The steering is now effortless in congested city driving while "go cart" exact in the mountains. The one change that has received less attention is the change of transmission. Many reviews are positioning this new new Mini as a kinder, gentler Mini that is pushing the envelope of it's historic counterpoint, Mini one. Yet amidst all this skepticism surrounding the new Mini the transmission returns to it's roots ,this time around by forgoing the continuously variable transmission for a wonderful geared unit that provides an auto manual clutch ,similar to the VW's industry leading semi auto DSG transmission. These changes have come together to complete the picture and provide a holistic mechanical presence that was lacking in the new Mini. This change does in fact mature the Mini. Luckily under the watchful eye of BMW this evolution has succeeded in bringing out the vivid colors of the Mini icon like washing a newly tie died shirt out in the sink. Yes the new Mini had all Mini lovers scared. After all changing an icon is never easy. One needs look no further than the Nissan S-ER, the Honda Civic, or the even the Newly redesigned Scion Xb to illustrate that a redesign ,no matter how minor, can change the demeanor of a vehicle. So we have only one question remaining, would Issigonis approve? Well yes and no. In Issigonis' mind set of 1957, no. Issigonis never felt comfortable with luxury versions of the Mini such as the Elf, the very model that played on a continual loop in the mind of Hildebrand as he redesigned the Mini. But in the mind set of 2007 I think he would applaud what the Mini has evolved into. In the case of the Mini the luxury only serves to embellish the experience, it is not the experience itself. Like a drizzle of Au jus over fillet minot the gravy only aids in the taste of such a fine cut. Many cars today in the same price class ladle on the "luxury gravy" to cover up what is a rather tough cut of beef. So here it comes full circle. It all began with Sir Issogonis, who began this automotive bliss because of his ingeniousness, who taught us that a small car can be just as fun and just when we thought the final verse had been sung in comes BMW surrounded by much hullabaloo over whether they could keep the flame lit, and they proved fit by choosing the flowing ink of Frank Stephenson who rekindled the spark and indelibly left his mark in the Mini history book. But all was not done, no the Mini needed a closer look to sand out the details with Stephenson's air apparent Hildebrand. Hildebrand has now made the Mini as good as it could ever be, a sports car wrapped in a smiling face that proves that it can more than keep pace it sets the level for others to achieve, it gives credence to all those who believed this marque could fly again, and just one look in a child's eye as it drives by shows it will not die but live on for the next generation to come to experience "Mini joy" when their day comes along.
