Good: drives well – just like a MINI should. engine and gearbox are lovely.

Bad: front and rear lights – both too big and too much crome. The front lights are too slanted – not very MINI like. side indicators – far too big and nasty looking. annoying and potentially dangerous indicator switch operation – why fix it if it ain’t broken? no more wrap around rear window. horrible large gap between the front wheel arches and bonnet. hideous interior – plastics are cheap looking, the big speedo is far too big, the radio controls included in the speedo are small and fiddly common looking gear knob soime horrible exterior/interior colours – like the redwood leather seats – they’re not red and not brown – just horrible

I specced a Cooper S with the toys I would order if I wanted to buy one and ended up with a £20000 car. This is too expensive for a small car, no matter how good it is.

The first new MINI was an instant classic, let down by engines and some interior materials – the new version is the MINI equivalent of the new VW Beatle – looks good, has a better engine/gearbox, but certainly doesn’t reach the spot.

I expect the values of the MK1 new MINI to stay high…

Still, I need to get used to the cosmetic changes, and I’m not sure I will be able to.

I believe someone on NAM has spotted (and took a pic of) Oxygen Blue!!

There are oxygen blue color chips and promotional material floating around out there now so I’d be surprised if there weren’t pics up somewhere at this point.

As we’ve reported here on MF, Oxygen Blue won’t be available until 03/2007 production and will only be available on the MC

Just kidding, I have no idea what the VED tax scale is. But I’m guessing being on the low end of it is a good thing.

vin.

Do a YouTube search for “Manchester Bollard” and you will see why you can’t drive around them.

Cheers, Jack