Comments on: US MINIs Get Different Seat Designs

By: Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:25:39 +0000

All points well taken, but I have had my GP for just over a month now and do wish I had the Recaro seats that the rest of the world got. It took NO effort on MINI’s part to find a replacement (the checkmate seat). I knew this before the car came so it wasn’t a surprise just a disappointment. They went to length to make the GP different in most ways and then threw those seats in as kind of an afterthought. If it’s not mandated, why not make it an option, I would’ve gladly paid extra for the Recaro’s but was never given the option?!

By: Chad

Chad — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 22:24:30 +0000

But I still don't see why the Europeans or anyone outside of North America would NOT want the advanced airbags.

If the idea is to make a safer car, shouldn't Europeans want that too? Seems odd.

By: Joema

Joema — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 19:54:21 +0000

Are you guys sure itÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s just that the configurator isnÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t messed up?

Gabe: Thanks for the response. MINIUSA really does, however, need to get the quality control around their website. If you click on "Shop" from the MINIUSA.com website, then "Order a Brochure", a beautiful picture pops up of the Lounge Leather seat with the "non-USA" style cusion. The picture is even for a left-hand drive car!

By: karlInSanDiego

karlInSanDiego — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 04:30:14 +0000

I understood that in addition to being more effective and safer, advanced airbag sensors are used to save insurance companies (and maybe consumers) money. When a car is in a collision and is repairable, the replacement cost of airbags and their installation is a large portion. Passenger-side airbags (3 of them) firing in a minor prang at the grocery store could cost thousands more when they didn’t protect anyone.

By: scott mcintyre

scott mcintyre — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 03:58:27 +0000

so sorry, thought this was about the side bolsters-however- craig, I agree with, but as robbie pointed out, lots of cars meet this and have cool seats. AND if people didnt insist on putting infants and small children in the front seats, we wouldn’t have this regulation. It isnt the governments fault we get safety equipment that isnt cool. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not much of a defender of buraucratic bs, I just work in the automotive safety field and hear too much “it’s the governments fault” when in fact, the government pretty much lets the automakers build what they want, as long as it meets the regulations.

By: Craig

Craig — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 00:23:44 +0000

Having side air bags has nothing to do at all with the seat base design. That is all down to the weight sensors used by the "Advanced Airbags." This website has information about the advanced airbags. According to the NHTSA website "Advanced Airbags" are REQUIRED on ALL new vehicles sold in the USA after September 1 2005. Thus the difference in the seat BASE on the USA spec MINI. Again nothing to do with the SABs.

By: George

George — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 00:04:46 +0000

It’s obvious that no one at BMW & MINI is paying attention or they just don’t care.

By: robble

robble — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 23:15:27 +0000

Thanks Scott for the link to the airbag info although I had to backtrack the link since this problem deals with the "advanced air bag system" vice SABs. I see now where all new vehicles in the US must have advanced air bags. I still don't see why MINI can't make the sensor work with the "cool" seats when other cars have "cool" seats and the sensors too.

"Gabe Having ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œrecaroÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â style seats doesnÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t preclude them having the correct airbag sensor."

My point exactly.

By: Gabe

Gabe — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 20:28:21 +0000

Are you guys sure it's just that the configurator isn't messed up?

Yes we're sure. It was confirmed to us before we posted on it.

By: Joema

Joema — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 20:25:41 +0000

Are you guys sure it’s just that the configurator isn’t messed up? If you notice for the Cloth/Leather seats, for example, the description reads: “…the seat and headrest are Pacific Blue cloth with side supports in contrasting Carbon Black leather.” Same goes for Rooster Red. The opposite, of course, is true at least according to the corresponding config picture and the other countries sites. I wonder if it’s just coded wrong for the Leather Lounge as well. Take note of the Lightning Blue color too on the first page of the configurator – it looks like a pastel purple! I reported these observations to MINIUSA – we’ll see what they fix.

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 05:36:34 +0000

It’s too bad we’re not given the option to turn off the airbag with a key as the EU versions can.

By: scott mcintyre

scott mcintyre — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 04:50:24 +0000

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ncap/airbags/pages/SABFAQs.htm#5

link to the nhtsa site with everything you ever wanted to know about airbags

By: scott mcintyre

scott mcintyre — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 04:12:39 +0000

HOLD ON EVERYONE-PLACE THE BLAME WHERE IT IS DUE: taken directly from the NHTSA website:

Does the Federal government regulate SABs?
Unlike front air bags, SABs are not required by NHTSA. Because they are not required safety equipment, the federal government does not mandate that vehicles be equipped with SABs. NHTSA has recently proposed an upgrade to the federal standard for side impact protection. The standard establishes occupant protection performance requirements, but does not mandate particular technologies to meet those requirements. Manufacturers may meet this upgraded rule with various types of innovative head, chest, and pelvis protection systems, such as SABs.
In or about 1996,The government began drawing up requirments for vehicles to be designed to withstand a 26 mph side impact WITHOUT FATAL INJURIES TO OCCUPANTS. The Government further suggested strongly better/stronger DOOR IMPACT BEAMS be utilized. It was vehicle manufactureres who had by then discovered that airbags were a great sales tool, that put forth the idea side airbags are a good thing. Head airbags, which deploy from behind the headliner and protect your noggin from a crash impact with the glass and other hard areas in the side of your car, work EXTREMELY WELL. however, dont expect that worthless litle air bladder in the side of your seat to do much, cause they dont. tHE nhtsa WOULD STILL PREFER BETTER IMPACT BEAMS IN DOORS instead of seat airbags, but the head bags do work.

By: Gabe

Gabe — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 03:38:41 +0000

seems IÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢ve seen recaro style seats in several new vehicles.

Having "recaro" style seats doesn't preclude them having the correct airbag sensor.

By: robble

robble — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 03:10:33 +0000

"US mandated sensors"

so ALL new cars in the US have sensors in the seats?

seems I've seen recaro style seats in several new vehicles.

By: ISELLEM

ISELLEM — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 23:59:58 +0000

Who knows, maybe the seat will still be an improvment over the r53 seats… also… the r53 seats aren’t that bad! most cars have terrible seats, they are no where near as bolstered as the MINI seats. Also, remember not everyone is as slender as everyone else. We have alot of “bigger” clients, and they need to be comfortable too! They would rather have you be disappointed in the seat and buy the car then to eliminate a particular size of person because the seat is just TOOOOOOO uncomfortable. plus we have clients who complain that the sport seat is too confining as it is. Its all about balance… MINI will never make anyone happy.

Also, you may want to adress your complaints to your congressman or senator instead of MINIUSA. Trust me MINIUSA would rather sell one style of seat to the entire world then have to reengineer the seat for a particular market. it costs them more money and more headaches

By: Mark Smith

Mark Smith — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 23:02:59 +0000

You all are too critical. All you’ve seen is an illustration. I reserve judgement until the car is sitting in front of me. I have to also say that the U.S. version of the English leather seats for the 2006′s isn’t bad at all compared to the way it looks on Euro spec cars.

By: Chad

Chad — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 22:39:13 +0000

I don’t understand the reasoning behind this. Why not put the US spec seats in the European cars? Now there are twice as many seat models for the assembly line. Why would you NOT want the sensors installed in the European models? Sensors are cheap, but haveing a more diverse range of parts for each market is not. Same reason we don’t have US spec hoods. If US MINIs we made in KY or TN or something, then it would make sense, but if all the cars come off the same line…

By: Gabe

Gabe — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 22:34:16 +0000

I think Mini has tried to accommodate the average American. Mini has learned a lesson with the first generation cup holders. Lets face it it is one thing to retrofit a American sized cup holder and another to retrofit a American shaped seat.

This change has nothing to do with the size of some Americans and has everything to do with the airbag sensor mandated on US seats.

No recaro JCW seats? Gabe can you verify that?

Don't believe the hype. You'll hear more soon.

By: Zeke

Zeke — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 21:35:53 +0000

You mean like these?

The plastic milk cartons are great because they absorb bumps and conform to yr arse!

. As far as this, not too concerned. Sorta expected. And it doesn't look that bad (but then I have no problem with the current sport seats, so I'm a lunatic).

What's the deal with importing the other seats from, say, Canada? Besides expense obviously.