Special Options Package coming for 2006

Sections: MF Feature | Uncategorized Apr 4th, 2005 30 Comments

In an effort to keep sales up for the final year of production of the current car, MINI will be offering a special options package for the 2006 model year. While details are scarce at this point, we do know that MINI plans to market this car not as a “commemorative” edition but as a special options package. What’s the difference between commemorative and special you say? Well we don’t have a definitive answer yet, however it’s worth noting that we’ve been told that this package will be much more unique than the previous commemorative edition MC40. In other words expect something truly special.

mini

For starters the package will feature some impressive new sport seats. We can now confirm that the seats will in fact be Recaros. They will feature fore and aft movement and will grip much better than the current sport seats offered on the MINI. They will also offer side airbags (like the oem seats).

Another interesting aspect of this package is that it’s looking like it will be installed at the factory and not at individual MINI dealers. We’re also hearing that it may be available on both the Cooper and Cooper S however that has yet to be confirmed. Dealers should be informed in June. Expect the package to be available after the initial start of the 2006 model year and possibly as late as January 1, 2006.

The special edition package will undoubtedly offer a few more surprises and as soon as they become more clear will pass along the information on MotoringFile.

In all it would seem that MINI is going to give us plenty of reasons to look at buying the last model year of the current MINI.

Note: the Recaro sketch above is not necessarily the seat that will be offered by MINI

Written By: Gabe

http://motoringfile.com Gabe

And for those interested in looking what BMW has historically done with late model year special options packages… look no further than the BMW series Performance Package (PDF).
Scott

“…much more unique than the previous commemorative edition MC40. In other words expect something truly special.”

MC40 = unique? Aren’t they all the same? :)
http://motoringfile.com Gabe

“much more unique”
Eric

That’s what I love about BMW. They give us good stuff for every year of a model’s life. BMW and now MINI as well. Excellent!
http://www.lawrenceotoole.com/ Lawrence

Hmmm… Recaros? With airbags??? I smell a “retrofit” coming in my future…
JFS

Will MINI allow customers to ad additional options to a “special options package” order?

If not, I really hope the factory package includes LSD & Xenon.
http://motoringfile.com Gabe

Will MINI allow customers to ad additional options to a “special options package” order?

I would believe so since it will be an “options package” rather than a special edition MINI. I think MINI learned their lesson with the MC40 and not allowing other options.
Frank

Nice stuff coming down the pipeline…
gmini

if the value is good, I will consider yet another trade. This may be the stripped down rally model i’ve heard so much about…? Might some JCW components be thrown into the mix? Will they be putting the JCW name on those sport seats, for instance? Will there merely be a carbon fibre intake and spoiler? Or maybe the works kit will be installed at factory..!

dreaming
indimini

I thought that the 2007 spy photos and lack of supercharger were all it would take to get us to buy an ’06 model.
Wraith

ahhh, i want the recaro’s! any word on if they’ll be heated?
KevinR

This is the kind of information I’ve been hoping for. I wonder if my wife is ready for me to trade cars… again.

Recaro has provided heated seats with side airbags to Volkswagen, Audi and others for several years now. Follow this link for some more information:

http://www.recaro.com/englisch/produkte/pkw-sitze/oem/navi-oem.html
AZ

“Another interesting aspect of this package is that it’s looking like it will be installed at the factory and not at individual MINI dealers.”

The MC 40 was installed at port, not at the dealers.
Frank

For this pkg to be successful it would have to have some meaty JCW performance upgrades and not just stickers and magnets.
meanboy

It would be nice to have heated recaro type seats in the car from the factory.
hi

This is what I don’t like about BMW/Mini. By doing this, they are devaluing the current cars that are on the roads.
nrkist
Here’s a package:
- JCW Tuning Kit
- JCW suspension
- JCW Brake Kit
- Recaros
- Limited-edition light-weight wheels
- LSD
For $5k installed.
dgszweda

The difference between Commemorative and special edition, is that a Commemorative package is created to reflect a past nostalgia of a car. The MC40 was a commemorative, because it was based on an earlier historical aspect of the car. Anniversary editions are in themselves commemorative as well. A special edition is a package that is based some unique options or elements that are not found or available on other models. The Lexus Coach edition would be a special edition. For the US commemorative editions are not hot sellers for the Mini, because the US doesn’t have a history or nostalgia with the car. This would do much better in Europe. Whereas a commemorative edition for a Corvette would do much better in the US than in Europe since we have a history or nostalgia with the car.

With that said, I think that Mini should go with a theme for the car (i.e. either styling, performance, color…) and then go bonkers with it. Don’t offer something that you can piece together from other options packages. Go with something really unique and maybe even serialized. One thing that would really top it off in my book would be unique paint scheme only available on this car. This couldn’t be copied and would really make it a special edition. That was the problem for the MC40. Except for the serialized plaque you could make the car yourself and even save a few dollars. A paint scheme wouldn’t allow anyone to really recreate it, because it would either be very cost prohibitve and it wouldn’t be from the factory. I like the idea of new seats also. I think maybe a unique aero kit would be cool as well, and maybe some special edition wheels. I personally think some unique styling items would really sell. I don’t think they would put much of a performance emphasis on it, because of the competition it may have with JCW, and the fact that you can order most anything out there. I am really looking forward to what may come out.
gmini

How can we expect any new body or interior specializations at the end of a build edition? it seems economicly unsound. How many of these packages would have to be sold to justify the introduction of brand new parts that won’t fit the next model year’s body/interior?
http://motoringfile.com Gabe

This type of thing is very common for manufacturers to do in the late stages of a model’s life cycle.
http://www.hubertus.net/mymini Philip

Oh, I’d love to exchange my MCS’ sport seats with some proper sports seats. While the current seats are perfect for long drives, they lack a proper grip.

JCWs are not an option as they are higher then the normal seats when installed. I’m about 6.5″ and I have to bend my neck to fit in the car with the JCWs.

MINI: Please make sure tall humans can sit in the car when offering any new sport seats!!!!
http://www.gbmini.net/ Ian

Philip, Someone will no doubt correct me if wrong, but I believe the JCW seats are themselves based on Recaros so you may have the same issue with any special edition seats.
KevinR

I’m fairly certain the JCW seats are retrimmed Sparco Milanos. If I had to take a guess (and it’s only a guess) at which Recaros they would use, I would look at the seats fitted to the M3 CSL or the Audi S3.
http://motoringfile.com Gabe

I believe you’re correct. The JCW seats are essentially rebadged Sparcos.
http://o allan MICHAEL

Damn.now i gotta trade in my ’05 MCS??????!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.hubertus.net/mymini Philip Hubertus

There is a guy here in Germany who put a Konig seat into his MINI. They custom-made the seat fittings for him so he is now sitting a bit lower than the standard seats. So there is enough space and it’s just a matter of proper fitting.

Unfortunatley the Konig seats are not my taste at all and have no side airbags. That said, you have to go through a special gov. approval process as you’re reducing the safety features. What a pain.
GoofyTruax

Well that’s good and bad that they are releasing details in June. I was going to order my MCS convertable in June so I could get it by Sept. But if new details are comming in june might have to put off ordering till I know what’s new and if I need it on my Mini!
Roger

Any word on colors for the ’06 convertable? I’m hoping they will add Pepper White to the selection.
steven

i killed a bmw m3 in manchester motorway i did 160mph and the m3 was doing about 155mph and he got scared hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahAHA he could not take it he was geeting mad hahahahhahahaha
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