Another interesting article recently in Automotive Design & Production, which mentions the various MINI concepts seen recently (interior, Detroit, Tokyo, Frankfurt) and the contributions of Chris Bangle:
With the BMW brand work essentially complete, Bangle will focus his attention on another automotive icon, MINI … a partial glimpse at the next iteration via the MINI Concept Frankfurt … Bangle is mum on specifics when it comes to the future of MINI design … but he is willing to say that MINI is more than the car itself: “MINI is a brand, not a car. To me it’s less a question of what kind of MINI will be out there, but how will MINI make a jump to the next paradigm,”Β Bangle says. “There’s a lot of room to work in”
I don’t know about you, but “a jump to the next paradigm” does not inspire me π
M&I / GBMINI 
Oh, no! please Please PLEASE don’t let that man near my MINI!!
Actually he was already near your MINI. He’s the one that approved the final design of the car you’re driving.
Do you think the beard is so he can hide in public?
Might as well start putting creases in all your body panels now before your mini looks dated!
I didn’t know there was a petition to remove him from BMW?
Here’s another pro-Bangle article…
http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthread.php?t=107727
Thankfully I can’t afford a 7-Series anyway ;-(