Thomas – Love your son’s lego mount! I’d be tempted to put it in the front seat and use it at stop lights.

Youtube video of our Atomic MINI Weather Globe posted here: http://www.youtube.com/user/confessionsofaminiac

This is my 11 year old son Max’s submission. It’s a lego table that sits on the rails between the two rear seat passengers, one of which might be a kid. It’s a flat surface covered in lego studs surrounded by a wall to contain the lego bricks. In each corner of the table, is a pocket which holds unused lego bricks.

http://miniclub.ie/blogimages/2010/02/ipadholder.jpg

The arm can rotate at the rail through 360 degrees. The elbow of the arm is a racheted pivot, and at the end of the arm where it connects to the holder is a ball joint which allows it to move in any direction – similar to a premium manfrotto tripod.

The iPad holder itself has design touches allowing it to integrate with the colour and trim options the Countryman owner has chosen. The interior surfaces of the pockets that support the iPad are lined with a protective suede/flock finish, which is co-ordinated to the Countryman’s Colour Line. The MINI wings logo appears in the centre of the device.

The telesopic arms extend to cradle the ipod, but as seen in the sketch can also contract to a shape no larger than the width of the rail for stowage. This maximises the interior space of the Countryman when the device is not being used.

Finally, because the iPad has an accelerometer which allows for use in portrait, or landscape modes, the entire assembly can also be rotated on the ball joint through 90 degrees.

http://files.me.com/rtg/4g3rjf

There are four adjustable arms with channels that will securely hold the board in place and then there is a flexible arm that can be used to position the board. There are also a couple of spring loaded playing card holders and a dice cup. Of course, the sticky part (pun somewhat intended) is figuring out how to get the playing pieces to stick to the game board. I was thinking the kit could come with a silly putty type goo that could used to stick the game pieces to the game board.

In addition to working with existing board games it would also be possible to sell games specifically designed to work the board game holder. One idea that comes instantly to mind would be a mini/MINI slot car racing game, how cool would that be!

Cheers!

trying to post an image again

• A square bin that accepts standard size compact tissue boxes, so they can pop-up and be served directly through a cut out in the lid. We all know Mom likes to have a tissue readily at hand. This brings an end to the “car tissue box” kicking around in the foot well – come on, we’ve all been there!

• A circular bin for pup up wet-ones disposable sanitary cleaning cloths. Diaper wipes, anit-microble, take your pick – the package fits right here and no groping in the hatchback when those sticky hands are ready for a mop up.

• Small cubby for stuffing plastic Puke bags – come on, you parents out there don’t need any arm twisting for this one. Parents have two kinds of cars: ones that have easy to reach puke bags, and ones that smell like puke. What is the latency for your Mini from “Dad, I think I’m gonna be sick” to handing off the bag? Longer than 10 seconds? Well then let me introduce you to your all new car smell – you’ll be spending a lot of time together.

• A second cubby for stashing USB cords, or your phone or the kids gameboy while it recharges.

• And lastly a power dispenser via a quad USB outlet for powering/recharging various devices en-route – cell phones, GPS, gameboys, etc. Two facing front, two facing rear.

• And the unit is reversable so you can have tissues closer to Mom, or the larger cubby favoring one side or the other.

This is the “Go To” accessory for all new family Countryman owners.

More images of the Multi-Dispenser here

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/7596/all4cargoweb.jpg

greetings from Graz ;-)

Ok, so the idea is a snowboard / ski sleeve that runs down the middle on the rail, so you can still have 4 people in the car and carry your gear on the inside. Sure beats having to fold both rear seats in a Cooper, or at least 1 in a Clubman. I snowboard a lot and like to carry my gear inside the car.

http://homepage.mac.com/metromel1/images/MelisHeerensMINISleeve.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO6D28Af1Jk