Comments on: MF Exclusive: MINI’s Mid Life-Cycle Refresh

By: Alberto

Alberto — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:27:19 +0000

I like the MINI as it is now. What really matters it’s the driving feeling and the pleasure to drive: fast or slow. So, for me, I hope the improvements solve, in COOPER S: - the torque steering problem; - double cloche gear in option it will be a must; - electronic dumping control; - and one efficient dif-lock (like VW Golf VI GTI, or the new Seat Leon Cupra R), usable with the DTC ON! With this changes, the MINI Cooper S will be a blast hot hatch! Regards to all and forgiven my bad English

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:36:48 +0000

Wow, people NEVER seem to be happy. Always find this or that wrong… and debate, speculate for ever about it. I have an 08 cooper, and although it has some funky interior layout, i love it and btw, I bought a Mini KNOWING that it would be extactly that. My many thanks and hats off to Mini for having put such great designs outhere.

By: Juan Carlos

Juan Carlos — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:10:57 +0000

Please don’t forget the sunroof!!!! that is a headache!!!

By: MotoringFile » Archive » Is This the Face of the 2011 MINI Facelift?

MotoringFile » Archive » Is This the Face of the 2011 MINI Facelift? — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:32:54 +0000

[...] popping up later this year and next. And for more on the 2011 MINI refresh make sure to read our exclusive report published earlier this [...]

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:21:22 +0000

I was hoping the interior rehash would start with the 2010 MY…not 2011.SOB.You are starting to really tick me off BMW. I want to see the speedometer redone ( smaller- as in my 02 MCS). I want to see a return of the water temp gauge and include (as standard )…an oil temp or oil pressure gauge on the Cooper and a water temp and boost gauge as standard on the MCS. THIS IS A SPORTING VEHICLE BMW…..at least make these items optional…and what was wrong with the sport chrono option???? Move the stereo out of the speedo. Move the AC /heat down…simplify but improve the quality of the knobs and dials.and BTW make the tach graphics higher quality. Offer a grey or tan fabric seat as an option.Thank you….and I want this for 2010 MY not for spring 2010. Throw in 2-3 more HP and Ft/lb on both the Cooper and MCS……..Just Do it BMW because the Suzuki Swift Sport is right around the corner in the USA for thousands less.

By: C4

C4 — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:42:16 +0000

Thameth, 75K miles on a well cared for R53 S is really nothing. Consider this...Most modern cars are design to last well over 250K miles with basic maintenance. With that in mind, you still have 70% life left on that 2005.

I plan to put at least 150K miles on my R53.

As a 2005 R53 S owner approaching 60K miles.... I would never sell a R53 to get a new R56. I own a R55 Clubman S. Fabulous car. But it is not the superbly tuned/design car the R53 S was. Trust me when I tell you this. If you want to add a R56 or R55 to your R53, that is a different story. But selling a R53 for a second gen... Never in a million years.

By: Thameth

Thameth — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 09:55:07 +0000

Well its a real shame that my plan of getting a refreshed MCS as a 2010MY has now been pushed back to 2011, at least there's hope for some great changes. I'll need to stay on my schedule of selling my 05' MCS before the end of this summer though as I'm just getting too high in miles (75k)

I was planning on getting my third Pepper White MCS, but if there is the chance with this latest news I would love to get a True BRG, Diesel MCS possibly??? Now that would be awesome! Plz plz plz....

By: Peter

Peter — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:22:53 +0000

no value for the coin? how about best resale value for 7 years running & free maintenance just to name a couple?

By: C4

C4 — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:54:22 +0000

@gokartride:

Arrogance is the worst enemy of any successful auto maker. Arrogance brought down GM and a number of others. The days when MINI was the only game in town are clearly coming to an end. I am still holding hope for a much better car in 2012 but I am afraid that the current economic climate is not going to help much.

By: Collin Ryser

Collin Ryser — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 02:44:35 +0000

I liked the origional idea of the speedo being put on an extra dial above the steering wheel. Having the GPS and the speedo in the same dial is just too much.

By: gokartride

gokartride — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:16:56 +0000

I’m afraid the Mini mantle is not going to fall to MINI, and that a better Mini will, in fact, be built by someone else. BMW has every right to do what they wish w/ the car, and they will succeed in an excusive way, but other car-maker have been watching and taking notes. The realm of the premium small car is expanding, and others will do what MINI is failing to do. BMW may own the name, but they do not own the idea, and that idea is germinating elsewhere. Remember, you read it here first.

By: Lester

Lester — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:01:47 +0000

Hope those radio buttons will be removed from the big speedo ... the center stack of the R56 really looks horrible! And yes, a desert plate speedo would do!

Besides I’d like to see the Lightning Blue back. That Horizon Blue is crap – and the Lazer Blue is too bright for my taste

By: M_POWER

M_POWER — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 04:51:59 +0000

Well now, you can make it have 1000hp if you wish, but I think some folks here would agree that in case of JCW Factory car’s engine, messing round too much with tune and turbo may not be such a wise idea….9hp hike is good. In fact, to me, any plus from factory, maintaining the warranty is a plus. We all know more than few had that warranty come in handy when things went south, even with stock setup.

By: robble

robble — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 02:03:09 +0000

220 HP for the JCW….really??

Get a Jan/RMW tune and you'll have much more than that.

By: bee1000

bee1000 — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:14:43 +0000

Per the latest Autoweek magazine, it is looking unlikely that the 500 will come to America because it is1 size too small. The Grande Punto is highly likely, they say. The MiTo is somewhere in between. We shall see.

By: DUDE!

DUDE! — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:25:44 +0000

If indeed the next version has better looks then I may not get the Fiat 500/Abarth but the fact that M Schumacher drives one makes them pretty kool.

By: goat

goat — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:28:45 +0000

Good news… and long overdue… the current stack and plastics selection should not have ever been given green light for production. Agreed with sentiments of dc11 above: any change is good when it comes to the interior and the same applies for the “lazy eyed” headlights. Dynamically, much improved with the R56, but aesthetically it was a miss both inside and outside. I guess the stock 4×4 ride height issue won’t be fixed in the refresh but at least the JCW suspension is available to sort that issue out.

By: greg

greg — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:58:00 +0000

220 HP for the JCW….really??

By: dc11

dc11 — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:47:24 +0000

i really hope Alfa comes out with the 500 quicker here in the US… new competition and new refreshed model for mini, only the consumer can win at that point. hopefully mini will get their quality and design issues in order, and most of all, actually give us some value for the coin we toss at them.

By: Steve Mehder

Steve Mehder — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:29:52 +0000

Can we change the dinner plate speedo, to a desert plate speedo?