QUOTE:...""Oddly enough, the Maxi was quite a modern design, let down by completely rubbish build quality, and it couldn't compare with things like the Renault 16 ...""

...which also had rubbish build quality and was uglier than the Maxi despite not having to use doors from another model in the range!

I have a vague memory that BL was offered a very stylish body design for what became the Maxi but they didn't pursue it and instead it ended up (in mildly butchered form) as the shape of the Citroen GS.

Re. the Mini Paceman and other derivatives:

Perhaps BMW are coming to realise that to keep the Mini brand alive, they can't just keep restyling a pastiche of the original Mini but have to evolve the design away from it. The Paceman looks like it's attempting that - an unhappy mixture of Mini styling features morphing into a modern shaped car.

The problem with retro-pastiche cars is that in isolation they would be unappealing - only their connection with an earlier design gives them any appeal, I think. That's particularly true of the Fiat 500 - but the same goes for the New Beetle, the New Mini and the unforgiveable Morgan Aero 8 - why Morgan chose a retro design when they still make the original as well beats me!

Edited by Sofa Spud on 10/11/2012 at 23:32

For me Maxi sums up BMC / BLMC / whatever abbreviation they used that week, a brilliant idea but lousy execution. It wasn't just the build quality, on the first thousand or so the rear seats would only fold down if you opened the back doors first. That sort of poor attention to detail killed them.

They were actually not bad to drive for the times and the amount of space was incredible.

You'll get me on why the Dolomite didn't become the 3-series next!

The R16 was a really good car, ugly for sure but a brilliant bit of kit.