Clear Photos of the Next MINI's Interior

Sections: MF Feature | R56 (Hatch) Mar 29th, 2005 97 Comments

While we’ve already reported extensively on what will be seen both inside and outside the next generation MINI, we hadn’t gotten our hands on any clear photos of the upcoming potential interior changes. Until now. Wheels20.co.za has now taken care of that issue with a full page of the same rough prototypes AutoExpress had already published in it’s printed magazine a last week. While there’s nothing new here that wasn’t reported on MotoringFile in our Next Generation MINI Revealed story, the pics do a great job of illustrating many of the reported changes. Check ‘em out:

[ MINI Cooper Interior (2007) ] Wheels24.co.za

For further detailed info on the next generation MINI’s interior, exterior, and new engine range, be sure to check out last week’s MotoringFile scoop: Next Generation MINI Revealed.

Note: The exterior photos also on the site are of a camouflaged testing mule and do not represent the next MINI’s exterior in any way.

Written By: Gabe

http://www.detailingconcepts.com Matt

not bad. pretty lukewarm on the center stack, and the 2 spoke though.
http://www.jwardell.com/mini/ Josh Wardell

It certainly seems a little better thought out as far as functionality goes. It has lost some character though.

I really like the new speedo both and without the nav. And how cool is that old fashioned radio dial-like tuning bar on the nav? I hope BMW takes the opportunity to improve the Nav software too, it’s currently one of the worst in the industry.
http://www.gbmini.net/ Ian

Initial gut reaction – I like the narrower “streamlined” look of the dash.
http://motoringfile.com Gabe

BTW – thanks Mike!
http://motoringfile.com Gabe

If you want a sneak peak at what could be the new nav software on the MINI – check out the new BMW 1 or 3 series.
http://mini.leetimage.com Miles

One thing that sticks out as an improvement to me are the cupholders that are brought out from under the console, to hopefully allow for some taller cups :-D
mini vanilli

looks like the interior of a small retro aircraft.
Frank

This is a more clean looking muckup. Not bad. i am glad to see the return of the 2 spoke steering wheel.
tim

its ok. a little dry for me. im just in love with my current 05 mcs i really like the 3 piece dash change for the 05.
SrBlanco

I am not sure how I feel about the center stack. It looks kind of plain and there seems to be to much non-functional “white space”. I guess that is just the nerd in me talking though.

Overall I like the dash style. It looks more aggressive and futuristic. I REALLY like the larger Speedo and the fact that they have integrated NAV into it. I always felt the the MINI lost something when the speedo was moved the the steering wheel to make room for a NAV system.

I was never a much of a fan of the two spoke steering wheel so I am pretty unenthused about then new design. Is it me or does it seem to have a larger diameter?
You have got to be kidding

Stick a cup in the cup holder and turn off your DSC by accident.

The interior looks like it was built with Legos by a 7 year old.

The exterior bulge around the back is hideous.

I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt until more pictures arrived, but man, the only thing this MINI is going to have going for it is more HP.

I can see people loading up on 2006 models. They are going to be worth something after this monster flops.
nrkist

Agreed. Those who posted above as being “luke warm” about this design… check your temperature, people. Someone indulged a little too deeply in their early-70s-Japanese-automotive-interior fetish. Totally disconnected with the exterior. Check out those mitered joints where the center stack meets the dash… hello?

I’m not a huge fan of the current interior, but let us pray that these are bogus photos.
mpez

Nooo… I think I am going to be sick
niggelig

looks cheap to me, like an fiat of the 80th. dislike it.
RednWhiteCooper

quite possibly one of the ugliest interiors ive ever seen…. that crap rivals the dashboard from my old volkswagen!
http://motoringfile.com Gabe

Okay – judging from the responses I’m guessing a few of you haven’t read the article from last week about the new interior and new MINI. Just to reiterate – these are rough mock-ups of the proposed interior. While a few of the details seen in the pics will undoubtedly change, most will be similar to what you see here.

And if you would like to know a ton more info on the next generation car (and its interior) read this: motoringfile.com/2005/03/20/nextgenerationmini_revealed
ANTSMINI

Anyone else notice that the CD player in the center stack has a DVD logo on it??
Zack

I agree with Gabe that the pictures are not 100% accurate as to the final outcome of the new MINI. However, I assume MINI’s corporate folks read boards like this, and I am not a fan of the larger speedo. It reminds me of Texas, where the general notion is to improve things by making them bigger. The speedo in my ’05 MCS is perfect.

Other things I don’t like (again, judging by the latest photos only) is the placement of what looks like the hazard lights button on top of the speedo, the two-spoke wheel, and the J-Lo boot-y.

I know this is repeating some of things others have mentioned, but I have to throw in my two cents. If these pics are closely aligned with the final product, I may have look elsewhere when I go car shopping in the years to come.
Zack

Sorry about the bad grammar and a few missing words from the last post. After all, it is pretty late.
nrkist

“While a few of the details seen in the pics will undoubtedly change, most will be similar to what you see here.”

This is not making me fell any better…
nrkist

Sorry – this is not making me FEEL any better.
http://www.jwfisher.com JW

It’s grotesquely out of proportion.
Glassintrepid

I new it couldnt be as drastic as the first photos. HA! We thought WE had a big speedometer!
ben

The standard pkg in my mcs is the acs+t(i turn it off, i dont like it), would you recomend the dsc, lsd. And will it make a big diference.
Mark

Are you sure this is not a Geo Metero with a big speedo and a Mini logo on the wheel?? They might be improving the quality of the materials used inside, but it look cheap. You would have to limo tint the windows and make sure no one was around when you opened the doors!

I really hope this is just a prototype! I would have to say, if this is what roles of the line, that would keep me from buying another mini. Maybe even selling the 2 that I have just from embarrassment!
Rob

Can’t say I like their direction as much as the current design but as long as the new dash and door panels don’t rattle like the current I could live with it. Hopefully they’re taking the rattles into consideration.
ben

First of all I agree, the speedometer is almost as big as de s.wheel, it looks like it has a large red screen on it(well for the size of that thing you can get wall-street tiker info). But I now why they did this, so even the guy three cars behind can see that you are overspeeding. Not good my friend, not good
F.R Walter

I like it, It’s Cool Jetsons Retro. As long as there is room for Astro. George, Jane, Elroy, Judy and I will like the entire MINI.
ajigel

“not bad. pretty lukewarm on the center stack, and the 2 spoke though.”

My thoughts exactly. I love my 3 spoke wheel, and that center console is iffy. I like the speedo, and the fact that they want it to house everything is great (I never liked the speedo and tach on the wheel with the navigation in the current mini). Its just that the AC/stereo/toggle arrangement looks a little weird. Still has that goofy “concept car” feel to it.

However, for the most part its nice. I’m reserving final judgement until I see it in person. After all, the Mini didn’t totally blow me away until I found myself sitting behind the wheel of one.
ben

I forgot, what seems to be the climate control, looks like its done with the mini logo, this is so if you, for a second turn your head from the wheel(wich is where the logo is and should be)and turn to the climate you donÃ‚Â´t get confused, what was this? a hummer, my dadÃ‚Â´s pacer, oh no, now i remember, there it is. sorry but I had to say it; not good not good
Lee L

I will echo the comments about liking the dash but not the center stack. Somehow the A/C, disc player and swithches do not match the rest of the dash and look fake/stuck on.

I like the steering wheel better than the current 3-spoke wheel. I have always liked the 2-spoke better anyway.
Kurt

I like the current 3 spoke wheel on my MCS 2005 better then the 2 spoke…

and the wood look just can’t compete with the silver look in those pictures… maybe they’ll come up with a better wood for production…
Dean

I like the new 2 piece dash. Seems like less to rattle and much more streamlined.

The instrument pod beneth the speedo is very clean and simple. Reminds me of art deco styling.

The steering wheel is not a good match with the interior.

the door panels are much nicer than the current on my ’05 MCS.

The bonnet reminds me of a Mercedes. Not bad, not great either.
http://motoringfile.com Gabe

You won’t be able to tell much from the spy shots they have of the exterior. They are the same ones that have been around for months now and are of a full covered and camouflaged R56.
Nicholas P

I don’t like it…it looks more like a BMW than a MINI…

the current interior fits with the go-kart theme…this new interior gives off zero go-kart feelings…it looks like they are trying to mature the car, when it’s supposed to be a kid…

the new speedo is too big, the 2-spoke is bleh and either has a larger diameter (so much for our tight go-kart steering, barely turning the wheel to turn) and/or is thinner (i like the beefy feel of the current wheel)…

the center area looks cool, but what happens when i want to put in my own cd player? or an in-dash carputer/screen?

the speedo is now way too big…any bigger than now is too much…

i like the 05 dash 1000x more…the only thing this has going for it is the cup holders further back…

and u DEFINITELY need a Whalen with that new shift knob…

it looks like an 80s 3-series with some silver and circles (and new stereo area)
ajigel

Here’s a question – what’s going on behind the steeling sheel on the right side? It looks like it might be the ignition (I’m thinking new 3-series here). I assume BMW would be updating it along with all of their cars, I just haven’t seen a clear shot of it.
http://motoringfile.com Gabe

ajigel – that will be where the push button starting system is (similar to the new 1 and 3 series).

Everyone: If you want to read all the details on the interior and other changes expected for the next generation MINI, please check out our previous story: The Next Generation MINI Revealed (from last week).
http://www.bancroftsonline.com Sean Bancroft

Please tell me that this is not how the boot is going to look for real.
http://motoringfile.com Gabe

The exterior is completely camouflaged and doesn’t represent the form of the final car. No – the rear of the car (or the front) won’t look like the pics).
http://www.bancroftsonline.com Sean Bancroft

Sorry…

Ugly boot pic

That is just straight up scary.
Ken

Not too bad for a handmade mock up. I don’t care for the silver buttons down the center. I love the idea of more legroom around the center console and the return of the two spoke wheel. I was wondering what the stick in front of the handbrake was for? I read the earlier story but still not sure witch gizmo it would control.
05DSMCS

I’m ok with it. I think the steering wheel needs to be a bit more beefy, looks a bit thin to me – I wasn’t originally a fan of the 3 spoke until I got my 05, and I like it much better than the 2 spoke now.

I agree that the speedo is too big, also. I think the size now is just right. Classy without becoming exaggerated.
Nathaniel Salzman

Wow, such drama. It entertains me to no end how intense some folks get when something new comes along. I love hearing everybody’s opinion, but these spy pictures of the prototype cars are turning into an episode of Dynasty. “Maybe this is the evil twin of the real interior.” On some of these posts, I feel like I’ll have to throw my head back and rest the back of hand on my forehead, and in a deep southern drawl declare “wherever shall I go, whatever shall I do?”

Makes me laugh, keep it up.

My reaction to the new interior is mixed. I agree that they’ve over-simplified the center console and not being able to swap out the head unit for the stereo borders on being just plain mean. Minimilist though I am, they’ve gone over the border from clean to over-simple on the center console. I second the “Jetson’s” comments and the discordance between the interior and exterior. It doesn’t feel british to me and I would like to see something with a little more character. The MINI logo A/C control is cute, but it’s not that cute. In many ways, it looks like simply an over-simplification of the current interior but it’s lost a lot of character in the process. Diddo as well on the two-spoke stearing wheel, I would much rather see a streamlined three-spoke.

That said, I don’t disslike it. I’m excited to see what the final version looks like. I hope they trim it out a bit better than what we’re seeing here. I’m also just thankful that they haven’t gone the Fisher Price route of so many Fords and Toyota’s with gigantic preschooler-sized dash buttons and seemingly palm-sized dials. I personally love the toggle switches and relative simplicity and cleanliness of the current interior. It sets the MINI interior apart in a great way from other cars. That will contiinue, changes and all, and hopefully the build quality will be such that it’s at least well put together even if not as pretty as it used to be.

Beyond the interior details, I also am not a fan of the bit of an ass they seem to have put on the car. I’ll be very interested to see what the final design accents on the exterior turn out to be. All in all, I’m personally more skeptical about the powertrain change than many of these stylistic adjustments.

“…of course that’s just my opinion, I could be wrong.”
greg

not sure how i feel about this much less the photos of the new exterior. change is tough when the current is so great.
ChrisW

Holy moly, the speedo is steering wheel sized! The thing has its own gravitational pull. No thanks.

Oops, allow me to rephrase: Please, please, BMW, make the new interior look exactly like this mockup. I want to keep my ’05 forever, and an interior like this will certainly kill off any need or desire for me to upgrade in ’07.
Alex

I think MINI will read all our comments and fix some things, hopefully the center stack! It just looks plastic-y and out of place, we at least need a black finish!

They weren’t planning on the clamshell bonnet or bonnet scoop for the next MINI, but they listened to us and decided to keep them – lets hope they do the same here!
Brian

Speedo is WAY too big. Not cool. It’s trying too hard.

Im sure the interior will look better when its done, but its getting too BMWish.
dgszweda

I don’t like the exterior a lot, but I can live with it. The interior though, has got to be one of the most hideous interior I have ever seen. It seems really disjointed, like they were trying to incorporate the old interior with a Z4 interior with the new 1 series interior, and in the process got nothing right. The speedo is huge. It is kind of like they took the bad things about the current interior and exemplified them in to this interior.

As for those who either laugh because of the strong posts or complain because we should reserve our judgement, are way out of touch. The last time I looked this was a blog/board on the Mini. The purpose of this site is to disseminate information and collect comments/discussions. If it wasn’t then Gabe should disable the comments sections. If you are going to post it, and solicit comments, than this is what you will get. So what if they are strong, and so what if they are prototype shots, not-production…. It is still very interesting to see them and hear people’s comments, both positive and negative on the evolution of the items. If all you want is mild mannered comments, and only when all the information in the post is 100% confirmed and in production, than you are looking for another site. Who wants to see a bunch of boring comments like “It looks interesting, I can’t wait to see a production piece”. I love seeing the spy shots, and I personally love hearing the comments. I think it looks hideous, but that is just my opinion. I like to hear some of the other people with their positive comments and what items they like. Maybe they point out something I didn’t see.
KevinR

My only question now is, do I keep my ’04 model or try to get one of the last ’06 models? Like someone said in a previous story, “it was fun while it lasted.”
http://motoringfile.com Gabe

Personally, I welcome a good debate with well thought out opinions (for or against anything). The comments that I see as unfortunate are the ones that give us nothing but negative comments with no real reasoning behind them.

So if you love or hate the look of the mock-up – let’s hear why. For those that dislike the design – is it that you just don’t like change and you like the current car’s design? Are you uncomfortable with the size of the speedometer? Is the MINI logo designed into the HVAC controls now too obvious (compared with the current car)?

Let’s hear it – both good and bad. Hopefully the folks from MINI are listening.

And not to beat this to death but – if you want to read all the details on the interior and other changes expected for the next generation MINI, please check out our previous story: The Next Generation MINI Revealed (from last week).

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