Owners of rusty old Minis last week rejoiced as BMW UK announced it would be fully supporting the UK Government’s new vehicle scrappage scheme, meaning they can finally chop in their ailing old classic in place of a shiny new BMW produced MINI.
The scheme, revealed as part of last weeks budget announcement, entitles owners of cars aged ten or more years which have a valid MOT, and have been in their possession for at least one year, a £2,000 discount off any new car, including BMW and MINI vehicles. The scheme means the UK government and the manufacturer share the contribution of £2,000 evenly between them in a bid to entice consumers towards a new car purchase.
Interestingly in BMWs example provided to the media, a lease purchase deal of a BMW 116i, the figures show the government contribution of £1,000, matched by £1,000 from BMW, then a further £1,260 “dealer contribution”. This suggests the £2,000 discount should not interfere with any dealer based bartering, and should be considered as an additional incentive, rather than something the dealer will use as a “look, you’re already getting two grand for your old rusty motor” bargaining chip. In practice, who knows how the dealers will react and how this will effect new MINI sales in the UK in coming months (the scheme starts mid May 2009).
More details of the upcoming MINI United, MINI 50th Birthday celebration event at Silverstone have been confirmed recently by official press releases. Interestingly, while the US press release reveals the “Introduction of two new MINI Cooper Anniversary Editions” (as previously mentioned on theSwitchback), the UK press have merely been given the hint that “MINI will have important product news to shout about at MINI United”. We can’t wait!
On the music front Calvin Harris and Paul Weller are the main draws, while MINI and Mini owners will be given the opportunity to take their own cars out onto the Silverstone circuit and be given a drive in a MINI CHALLENGE race car. Other highlights include:
We will, of course, be in attendance at MINI United, and as well as special features for theSwitchback, I’ll once again be twittering on about the goings on live from the event on theSwitchback twitter page.
This week MINI revealed more photos/renderings of the MINI Clubman Airstream trailer combo designed by Republic of Fritz Hansen which still looks as cool as is does (unfortunately) unlikely to become a purchasable reality.
Talking of renderings, Auto Express have been at it again with their Photoshop sources to conjure up their unique take on the recent hot MINI rumour topic, the MINI Speedster. The not entirely unattractive concept ends up looking like a MINI, Porsche and BMW spent some time in a morphing machine together.
In other, far less favourable news, MINI have been the subject of another BBC Watchdog report focusing on a potentially serious fault with power steering pumps in certain first generation MINI models. While this fault (or potential fault) is fairly widely known in MINI enthusiast circles, the power of the BBC viewing figures will no doubt bring this issue to the forefront of many people who own first generation MINIs, and those who were perhaps considering purchasing one.
Tags: airstream, MINI Speedster, mini united, scrappage scheme
[...] can finally chop in their ailing old classic in place of a shiny new BMW produced MINI." MINI United with Government scrappage scheme | theSwitchback MINI News & Reviews – MINI Flickring – MINI Tweeting – MINI Charity [...]
Am I being too sentimental in thinking that sending all of those rusty old Minis to the scrapyard is a total waste?
No you’re not. The Classic Mini stuff is all written firmly tongue in cheek, in fact I have one of those “rusty old Minis” sat on a driveway myself!
[...] on from confirming BMW and MINI would be backing the UK Government’s so-called “scrappage scheme” MINI UK have come over all patriotic and are urging consumers to take advantage of the [...]