Enjoy – don’t you guys think he is there to research the car, and not be q/a guy to MINI with your concerns. You need to take that up with the MA when you confirm your error on your MFSW. Just my opinion.

(: motor on!

Torque steer? I notice that the drive shafts are of disproportionate length. How bad is it? This is big to me. A big reason that I fell in love with the MINI to begin with.

BTY, surprised to see that front strut tower support area looks NO beefier.

Seriously — please “push” for the MINI D. Ask if the diesel will be available in Canada before the US and when? Also please try and get a definitive answer/timeframe on AWD. Have fun during your 70F defrost cycle in Phoenix. Will you be attending AMVIV?

I think I saw something over on mini2.com that nightfire red is delayed until build dates sometime in March or April.

Not sure exactly where I saw it, but check the GEN II/R56 threads.

Have fun Gabe. Looking forward to your review/write up of the car & event.

Thanks for posting the awesome pics. And thanks for talking to the Mini folks about the MFSW order mixup issue as I am one of those whose ordered had been messed up. Folks on NAM have suggested the following very reasonable resolutions if you could please pass them on to the Mini folks there:

1. If can retro-fit now and not delay more than a few days then do it and give lifetime warranty on MFSW to meet any possible concerns.

2. If can retro-fit later only then charge us our cost less our $550 wheel now and deliver the car now. Retro-fit for free later, with loaner car, with life of car warranty on MFSW.

3. Expedite re-order with some compensation.

Thanks Suzanne

I’m going to be ordering a new Mini and am going back and forth on a couple of options:

First and foremost, can one get a MCS without runflat tires? (In reading reviews, it sounds like runflats are much more costly to replace and don’t last as long as conventional tires.) If it’s possible, which wheels do I need to specify?

In your writeup of this weekend’s events, I would also appreciate if if you could include a comparison of the premium sound system to the stock radio and the sport suspension to the regular suspension (in the base model w/ 15″ wheels assuming you can’t get an S w/o runflats). Are these options worth the money? Are there any drawbacks to each that I should consider?

If you have a chance, please take a moment to note whether the new Mini’s wood steering wheel offerered in the premium package is real wood or imitation. (From what I gather, the dash option is real wood but please correct me if I’m wrong.) Also, from the pictures it looks like there’s a button blank on the left-side of the climate control cluster – Is this for the Powerfold Mirrors or a Europe-only option? And, if one orders the Auto-dimming rearview mirror w/o the garage door opener, will the buttons to operate the garage door opener be on the rearview mirror but inoperative (like the phone-control bottons on the MFSW when the Bluetooth option is not ordered) or will they not be present?

Thanks for the info – The Mini rep at the car show couldn’t answer these questions about the new Mini. I would like to get my order into the que soon…

Enjoy Phoenix,

Brian

These are my questions and it appears that others have this question too:

• Is a retrofit of the multifunction wheel even possible at the dealerships or VDC?
• If the retrofit is possible, will it be as reliable as the factory installation
• If retrofit is possible, will there be a delay in getting the car?
• If we need to re-order, will Mini put priority on our orders?
• What will Mini do to make it up to us for the extra wait?
• Mini has known about this issue for at least a week now, so when should we expect to hear an answer as this uncertainty is painful

Soon we will find out if Mini will do the responsible thing and like someone mentioned on a different thread, turn a lemon into lemonade or will this turn out to be a classic case of a global giant that has an almost monpoly whee they won’t care about their customers and make it up to them for this critical mixup.

The forum on NAM is trying to get a headcount of folks whose ordered has been messed up and so far there are 17 people listed just on one thread in one forum. How many more are out there? Here is a link to that forum and I believe it has been mentioned by some other people here: http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91071

Have fun Gabe, hope you know how many of us are dying of envy lol.

Also, just how different is the new 6-Speed gearbox from the current one? Coming from a CVT, I don’t know much about the old box, but from what I’ve heard, it’s great, but quirky, notchy, and the reverse is in a weird spot (hint hint…), so what’s up with the new transmission?

Have a blast down there, as I’m sure you undoubtedly will; my only R56 interaction comes on 2/16/07 at MINI of Peabody- they’ve got a little meet and greet going on for the new car. But fill the Flickr with photos and Motor On!!

Can you please ask the mini folks what’s going on with the multifunction steering wheel order mixup on the R56? Will they be retrofitting the multifunction wheel here as lots of cars have been effected by this I believe.

Done. I’ll have more next week.

Gabe, have a great time at the press event. Take the opportunity to let the MINIUSA brass know about our outrage with the factory “Aero” kit.

Done. It still looks terrible.

Please ask why the S has a fake hoodscoop.

Done. It’s fake. It’ll be fake forever.