The Mini Experience

A new Mini Magazine is about to hit the streets and is produced by Craig Watson of Mini Calender fame. Some background from a couple of emails between Craig and I follows.

The magazine is no longer a secret. We have started some reasonably high profile promotion. I'm currently in Brisbane and have just got back from the All British Day where we had a stand to promote the magazine. Very positive response. We're happy for everyone to know about it now, we just wanted to keep a little quiet about it earlier to avoid any chance of the likes of Hot 4s or Fast fours bringing out a Mini special ahead of us.

As for the Broadspeed, yes it is a fantastic car. Look out for more details in issue 2 of the mag, due out 11 march 2005. In our first issue we have an interview with Brian Foley, who was actually surprised to hear that the car is still around. We also have Australia's oldest Mini, a celebration of 40 years of the Aussie Cooper S, a twini Mini on the race track and the London - Sydney Coke Moke. If that's not enough, how about the history of the new Mini, including the bits BMW doesn't talk about, a specialist Mini business from Tasmania, club news, readers' cars, technical articles on new and classic Minis, a light-hearted look at life with Minis and Stoney - Australia's top motoring cartoonist and long-time Mini enthusiast. I think any Mini owner will be thrilled with the new mag and I'm confident of it being the must-have Mini reference in Australia.

I've attached a copy of the front cover of the mag for your interest. We will be sending out subscription information to all on our mailing list in November. Are you already on our mailing list? If not, fill in the attached form and we will put you on the list.

We will have a club focus section of the mag and it might be worth incorporating something about the web forums as well.

Cover of the mag is slightly retro in look and that is quite deliberate. Style of the mag is certainly influenced by UK mags like Mini Mag, Total BMW and others (because they are nicely laid out and are of a high standard). I have deliberately gone for a fresh look and a title that suggests more than just a mag about cars (it's as much about the people who drive Minis, as the Minis themselves). Colours for the masthead are similar to others that are about, but they are a good bright, easily read and stand-out combination. Interestingly, look at all the mags on the shelf in your newsagents and see how many of them really stand out. I think ours will.

Please spread the news about the mag to the ACT club and anywhere else you like.
Cheers, Watto

PS from Mick to Ausminiers - I will post the images soonest!!

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"Show me the Mini!"

Congrats on the mag . About bloody time!!

act only?

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Yes Yes...... filled mine in and sent it off today....... this i cannot wait for!!!!!

Despite what the pollies might tell you, and oh by the way, most of the pollies ALL come from somewhere else!! CINTCOTU!!

Read my post again, I posted the content of emails between Craig and I.....I is associated with the ACT Mini Car Club.....Craig was saying back to me.....spread the news in the ACT......why would I post it on here if I wanted to keep it a secret????

Hey, I'm shouting it from the rooftops!!! 'nuffsaid???

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"Show me the Mini!"

Thank you Tzi, Poeee and the bi guy for posting the subscription form as requested Cheers

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"Show me the Mini!"

Thanks for the positive feedback people. We are working tirelessly at the moment to try to make the magazine as good as we can. It's good to hear the number of people who are right behind it (just have to get the advertisers behind it too)

We will have a letters page, so feel free to write in, even at the moment to give us your impressions on the launch of the mag or what you expect from the mag. We will also have a readers' cars page so you can email us a pic or two (at least 2Mb when uncompressed to give some sort of quality)

There will also be a cars for sale page, so if you have a Mini, Moke or derivative to sell get in touch with us.

The form that has already been posted is just to get you on our mailing list. Info about subscriptions etc will be sent out in November.

We will feature new and Classic Minis, with historically significant cars, modified, standard, restored, race and rally and just about anything that is interesting. WE will have an interview with a significant Mini driver in each issue - coming in the first few issues are Brian Foley, Don Holland, Gus Staunton, Bob Holden and more. We've got technical stuff on the Classic Mini and we're working on getting someone for the new MINI. We've also got a regular light-hearted look at life with Minis and Cartoons from long-time Mini enthusiast and the country's most notable automotive cartoonist - Stoney.

Like I said, we are going all out to make it the best Mini magazine anywhere.

If the moderators of this site are happy for me to do it, I will post relevant info as it becomes available. I realise there are restrictions on commercially motivated postings, but it is in the interest of all Mini owners. What do you think?:D

Forgot to give our email address so you can contact us with letters and stuff. It is [email protected]

Watto.... can't wait for the magazine to hit the shelves......... saw the stand at the All British Day up here last weekend and checked out the calender which is also an impressive production. Good luck with everything in relation to the magazine and roll on Decemeber 10!!!!!!

P.S Might have to take you up on the readers cars page....... expect some pics soon!!

I've got no problems at all with that!

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Terrific to hear Poeee.

Welcome Craig, you now have the ears of over 500 Mini people (sorry, not necessarily small statured people)

Please keep us up to date with subscription details....hate to ask this....but, have you thought about some sort of discount for Car Clubs etc??? If not, then for annual subscriptions??

Man...Mini people are such scroungers !!

(I do know that it takes a swag of money to produce a magazine and I want to see this one successful!)

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"Show me the Mini!"

Cool Watto,,,good on ya mate!!!

Bout time someone took the right path & produced an OZ mini mag.( well besides the old virtually non existant mini magic one)

Whew!!!,,,starting to think the mini magazine scene was dead here when it`s right in the moment for a huge boost/boom with growing market & intrest in the darling little things



& besides,,,as soon as the Bimmer twinky turbo injected donk is done you can do a full centre spread write up on it ey???

stick with it mate,,,it`ll take off 4 shore !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

Thanks again all for your support.

In terms of the subscriptuions, we can't afford to do much of a discount (at just $6.95 it's not exactly dear) but we will be offering prizes in each issue exclusively for subscribers. These will mainly be the likes of books, DVDs, calendars, clothing, etc. but are just an incentive to subscribe. You'll also be getting the mag delivered to your door (or post box) and won't have to spend the time or money going to the local newsagent for your copy. However, the mag will be distributed nationally to newsagents through Gordon and Gotch so you should have no probelms finding a copy locally, unless you are in the deep outback or something.

I will post more exact details and a subscription form in November, and will also have it on our website (www.autofan.com.au) shortly.

At the moment we are flat out getting the production things sorted out.

If no one objects, I might use some of the comments from this forum in our letters page in the first issue.

Cheers all, Watto.

Bring it on...I can't wait to see an Austrlian Mini Mag. $6.95 thats a lot cheaper than the pommy mags and well see our mini and not thiers.

Congrats and keep them comming.

I don't have a printer can i just Email my details.

Cheers

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Stop Licking the Dog...I Don't Care Who Started It