From a recent MINI USA parts bulletin:
The MINI Gear Shift Indicator is a feature from the JCW Challenge racing series that is now available for your MINI.
Differently coloured transparent LEDs are illuminated depending on the engine revs; all LEDs flash if the set engine revs threshold is exceeded.The display can be switched off and on at any time using the integrated button, for example when driving at night or on the motorway at high engine revs.
The Shift Indicator features transparent LEDs in a plastic casing and is available in the colours ‘Panther Black’ and ‘White Silver’.
Note: The engine speed threshold can be set between 3500 rpm and 7250 rpm in steps of 250 rpm.
Gear Shift Indicator is available from 09/2005 and installation time is approx. 1.0 hour.
Part numbers:
Panther Black 62 13 0 410 113
White Silver 62 13 0 410 114
While the shift indicator doesn’t appear to be available in the ordering system yet, expect it to show up at dealerships within weeks. Pricing information should be coming soon.
<p>Awesome! I’ve been waiting on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.johncooper.co.uk/JohnCooperSite/category/Motorsport%5FOther/index.htm#JCM166">this option</a> for a while. Though, if it’s anything like <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.johncooper.co.uk/JohnCooperSite/category/Motorsport%5FOther/index.htm#JCM166">the part that the JCW sells in house</a> it’ll be around $450.</p>
<p>ooohhhhh, i want… look at all the pretty lights…</p>
<p>Cool!!</p>
<p>Are there any audible alarms like the WRX STI?</p>
<p>If it is to be mounted above the speedometer similar to the picture, isn’t it farther to look at the shift indicator than it is to look at the tach? I guess lights are easier to interpret than an analog gauge.</p>
<p>Last time I looked at the JCW site it wasn’t available outside the JCW’s garage. Glad to hear it is finally available in US.</p>
<p>This may be a stupid question but it for both manual and auto?</p>
<p>I would hope it could be mounted somewhere closer to the steering wheel, perhaps even on the steering wheel trim itself. It’s pretty useless as a shift light if it’s not near the center of your sight line at all times.</p>
<p>Oh yeah! I installed a heads-up display- type shift light in my old Suby, and found it extremely useful!</p>
<p>It allows you to avoid hitting the rev-limiter by an intuitive visual indication that you are nearing the ideal shift-point. On many cars, you can learn to recognize the engine sound as this engine speed is approached, but in my Suby (and to some degree in my MCS) it was difficult to hear it soon enough before the rev-limiter cut-in.</p>
<p>Even though the indicators may be farther away from the driver than the tachometer dial, the shift-lights are more obvious, and can be more easily “acquired” by the driver using peripheral vision.</p>
<p>My big question is: is the display characteristic programmable? I’d like to be able to set the ideal RPM, as well as the characteristic for sequencing the lights as the selected RPM is approached. (For example, set it so that the first LED lights when the revs are 300 RPM below the selcted point, the second LED when revs are 200 below the selected point, and the third at 100 RPM below the selected point.)</p>
<p><em>Dave</em></p>
<p>That’s what the revlimiter is for, right?</p>
<p>yes, it’s programmable in steps of 250 rpms</p>
<p>My old saturn still blinks an idiot light at me when I’m supposed to upshift for the best fuel economy…but this is cooler.</p>
<p>Radar detectors are illegal where I live and cops sometimes pull people over when they suspect a radar detector is being used. </p>
<p>So, a) you might consider carrying documentation from the dealer referring to this as a shift indicator…because a line of bright LEDs really looks like a radar detector and b) maybe this would be a good place to hide a radar detector :)</p>
<p>Far out mannnn!!!!!</p>
<p>Actually it would be better if it was integrated into the tach housing so it would be in you line of sight, but I guess beggars can’t be choosers!</p>
<p>Oh please. My current car that has a ‘shift light’ has had the relay removed. Yes, this one allows you to set where in the rev range, but.. Come on. Completely worthless 99% of the time.</p>
<p>EH, whatever. At least it’s an option. =]</p>
<p>Zeke: Sure, it’s worthless on the street most of the time. It’s worth its weight in gold on the track though, when your undivided attention to piloting the car and watching your line is required.</p>
<p>come on guys. Lets be a little bit more critical here. Its design looks like a stop watch protruding button. It doesn’t even follow the lines of the curve.
Not good for that price. If I was in need for something like that I would consider gage Autometer anytime. 😉
Not my thing though.</p>
<p>The only state in USA that radar detectors are illegal is Virginia and the District of Columbia but some cities don’t allow them. Now Radar jammers are illegal everywhere.</p>
<p>RB,</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure they’re illegal in New York State also… or at least they used to be.</p>
<p>Thanks, but I think I’ll continue to use my ears and watch the tach rather than be distracted by more idiot lights. I’m just too old school, I guess. I’m also not a fan of paddle shifters; I prefer to row my gearbox with a lever just as Archimedes intended.</p>
<p>What’s next from JCW, neon rocker panel lights that change color as you go faster . . . :-)</p>
<p>I believe they illegal in NY. First car in the city and other people have told me not to get one if I want to avoid a nice ticket.</p>
<p>Honestly, it looks like a cheap piece of plastic. A lot of the stuff coming out of the Cooper garage seems like it is meant to merely separate MINI owners from their cash. Give me something semi-useful at a reasonable price.</p>
<p>Still wonder if this shifter device works with auto and manual?</p>
<p>This was way off subject, sorry Gabe.</p>
<p>Dale,</p>
<p>Unless the laws have changed in the last 90 days all states except Virginia. As I said before some cities have their own laws. I checked when I drove my daughters MC from MINI of Peabody, Ma. to Pasadena Ca.</p>
<p>This from the Escort website:</p>
<p>Are radar detectors legal? Yes! Radar detectors are completely legal to use in non-commercial vehicles in 49 states. Virginia and Washington DC are the only places in the United States that currently ban radar detectors. Radar detector use in commercial vehicles has been prohibited in the U.S. since 1995. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.escortradar.com/radar-detector-faq.htm" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.escortradar.com/radar-detector-faq.htm</a></p>
<p>No worries RB… and for what it’s work I believe you are correct.</p>
<p>Will this be available in Canada?
If so how much?</p>
<p>Wow, JCW Sounkit Deja-Vue, only the other way around. This bit of kit was axed over at Mini2.com, here everyone seems to think it is wonderful, except maybe for one or two comments. (Sound Kit was axed here as being too expensive and too little power gain).</p>
<p>OK, some more critisism. This already looks like a cheap piece of plastic on the official photograph (where usually, stuff that looks horrible IRL is made to look high quality and sturdy), so I dread the way this will look IRL. Also, as has been indicated before, the placement doesn’t make sense. With that said, it may be true it’s easier to pick up on this “from the corner of your eye” than it would be with a dial gauge, so the placement may not be too much of an issue..</p>
<p>I love this (stock) feature on my 350z, definatly soemhting to think about for our 2005 MCS, though I would prefer it to be mouted in the center of the drivers area (i.e. on top of or inside the rev counter pod) rather than in the middle of the dash.</p>
<p>Also other colors woudl eb better (what about chrome to match everything else?)</p>
<p>I’d prefer something like this <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.autohausschaefer.de/mini-clubsport/details/schaltanzeige.jpg">here</a>. At that position you can at least see it directly and it is less intrusive as the JCW part is not a beauty. I saw it at the Frankfurt Motor Show and it’s a simple piece of plastic.</p>
<p>This is more like JC Whitney than John Cooper Works.</p>
the mini shift light i so sic if your a racer