Most of the announced changes are not surprising. It seems silly to claim that BMW is trying to “mainstream” the MINI when the take rate for LSDs clearly shows that — if not wanting LSD is “mainstream” — consumers have already “mainstreamed” the car.

(although I say that as someone who wishes he had an LSD in his R52… and is still saving up for the Quaife)

Please explain to all the “mainstream” neigh sayers, ELSD will extend adoption of LSD in one form or another, because now you can get it on EVERY MODEL! An S or Cooper, and manual or automatic.

Yes yes, I know I said the word “automatic” because there are some people out there who don’t know how to row their own, can’t for some reason or another, or live in cities with too much traffic for it to be fun.

A new more efficient engine. Giving back every time I stop at the pump. Because my current car has all 4 packages when I add the convenience package I also get the comfort access, along with bluetooth and ipod adapter. I also get to drive a new car that has the full warrantee from the dealer. I don’t feel the price increase is out of line for the past 4 years.

That said I will probably wait for the Coupe concept to come to market. That will more than likely increase the price drastically. Because my 05 had no aero kit, NAV, or JCW bits.

The thing is, Mini owners complain about Mini’s decisions about other cars it makes. We love the cars we have!

And I think the era of the mechancal limited slip is going away. More and more cars are using electronicly controlled differential systems because they can do things that mechanicals just can’t. Look at the Lancer MR and the new Porsches… They’re offering something they call “torque vectoring” that really, really works well to be faster through the corners via predictive torque distribution as opposed to the reactive torque distribution on mechanical system.

On my 02, it was so early that there was no LDS (no JCW option either!) so I didn’t get it with that one. For my wife’s clubman, we went with a real stripper of a car (08 at $22,650)and we skipped it there too. If I were to get an S today, I honsetly don’t know if I’d prefere the eDiff or the mechanical… I could live with either I’m sure….

So Mini had an option that wasn’t selling well at all, with a replacement technology that would keep at least some of the mechanical purchasers happy. Don’t blame Mini for killing the LSD… Blame the buyers of the cars that didn’t order it. And FWIW, the price from Mini was GREAT for a LSD… Mine was about $1200 plus installation!

Matt

Now that the cold start issue seems to be in the bag, I’ve got nothing more to bother me but the odd squeak and rattle. Just got the new Continental DW tires to replace the worn runflats and I couldn’t be happier ;)

Btw the take rate for the LSD was jaw dropping in it’s low numbers. Many dealer sold less than 5-6 a year according to our info.

Btw is anyone else continuously amazed at the complaining that some MINI owners seem to do?

The take rate gives them what people REALLY want, enthusiasts are only a small percentage of buyers and I bet that many “enthusiasts” don’t even have the LSD…. basically they just gave the aftermarket some business- a few hundred LSDs a year.

-M

My question is how have the prices risen since launch, and is it in line with other cars?

As for people not ordering limited-slip differentials, it was a $500 option that I bet most people don’t understand, and if they couldn’t understand it they almost certainly didn’t need it. Face it, most Minis are not bought by autocrossers and canyon carvers. ‘twould be nice if Mini could cater to those customers who are enthusiasts, though.