This slipped under our radar screen last week with all the other daily posts. MINI has launched a few web-pages detailing the three new special edition MINIs for 2006 that were announced last week. Beyond the general info we’ve already written about here on MF, there are new detailed photos of the exterior and interior as well as a bit more information. It’s definitely worth taking a look if you’re interested to know more about these new packages.
[ MINI Checkmate ]
[ MINI Park Lane ]
[ MINI Seven ]
And for those that might have missed the original information, here’s our article from last week: 2006 Special Editions Announced.
Now the real question for current MINI owners, can we get our hands on some of these special editions accessories? For instance the MINI Seven has some pretty nice looking black shifter/ebrake boots with red stitching. And I’m sure more than a few out there are interested in finding out more on those Park Lane seats. Here’s a quick look at those interiors:
BTW just in case some of you missed the original story on MF – these special editions are meant only for outside the US market. The US may see some type of package containing some of the Checkmate accessories.
<p>Very sweet… Always been a HUGE fan of mini’s website design…</p>
<p>FYI, the link for the Park Lane is not correct. One of the under-scores was left out. Here’s the correct link: <a href="http://www.mini.com/com/en/mini" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.mini.com/com/en/mini</a><em>park</em>lane/index.jsp</p>
<p>Thanks for a great site. I look forward to checking it every morning for new updates!</p>
<p>I think there’s something I like about all of them. </p>
<p>Checkmate: bonnet stripe on hood</p>
<p>Park Lane: the seats are just phenomenal</p>
<p>Seven: Piano black sounds just plainly cool.</p>
<p>one things that seems to be missing, or maybe something i just missed is special shift knobs. Are they unique to each kind?</p>
<p>Huh, I know I typed it in correct. I’m not sure why it didn’t display properly. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.mini.com/com/en/mini" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.mini.com/com/en/mini</a><em>park</em>lane/index.jsp</p>
<p>…still look like equine shoes</p>
<p>Looks like the old 2 spoke steering wheel is coming back?</p>
<p>Actually it never left most markets outside the US. It’s highly unlikely that MINIUSA will return the 2-spoke to the US for the last year of production.</p>
<p>BTW just in case some of you missed the original story – these special editions are meant only for outside the US market. The US may see some type of package containing some of the Checkmate accessories.</p>
<p>there is very little that mini does that i do not love. i liken their ability to market amazing products to an apple or the like. in my book they can do no wrong.</p>
<p>but in this case i just gotta let loose on this one…</p>
<p>am i the only person who thinks these cars look cheesy and terrible? i mean…a checkerboard sticker on the side of an s with a silver roof?</p>
<p>i simply don’t get it…</p>
<ul>
<li>drew</li>
</ul>
<p>I like the MINI Seven interior, cool circles.</p>
<p>LOVE the SILVER ROOF! Been thinking about changing the ’04 Chili red/blk to Chili red/silver.</p>
<p>I presume the silver, on roof, used is the Pure silver?</p>
<p>Aren’t we [USA] going to be surpass, soon, if not already, England as biggest MINI buying country? Seems we should have all OPTIONS available to US! </p>
<p>Maybe a petition to BMW/MINI would be in order?</p>
<p>I am with drew, these have a bit of tacked on cheese</p>
<p>A question about the special editions. Each of them mentions their “exclusive” color, e.g. Solar Red for the Seven. The new colors wouldn’t be very exclusive if they were available through the entire Mini range. Are the new 2006 colors available only on the special editions?</p>
<p>Richard: the short answer is that for the U.S. market we don’t know yet whether those colors will be exclusive or not, because we don’t know if we are going to get “special edition car(s)” or “special edition options package(s)”. </p>
<p>The rumblings from MINIUSA seem to be that the U.S. will get special edition options package(s), not the specific “special edition cars” shown above. That being the case, I think there is some hope that, at least in the U.S. those colors won’t be exclusive to MINIs with the special edition options package.</p>
<p>Any idea when we will find out what changes are being made and what options are going to be available in the US for the 2006 model year?</p>
<p>Interesting webpages. You can look around and find “hidden” stuff. I’m still liking the Space Blue, but not the checkers.</p>
<p>James</p>
<p>People have been making fun of the new 17″ Flame Spoke wheels because they look like horseshoes. Well, try the following. Go the CheckMate website, then click on the checkerboard on the wall forward of the car (“Sidelong Glance”) to get the side view of the car. You can then click on the wheels and see how the car looks with different wheels. Click back and forth between the Flame Spoke and the 17″ Web Spokes. Notice the more than passing resemblance. Now I can’t get it out of my mind that the Web Spokes also look like horseshoes.</p>
<p>MMMMMM…love the space blue and gray combo seats. I still want to see what the recaros are like, though.</p>
<p>glassintrepid writes:</p>
<p>Looks like the old 2 spoke steering wheel is coming back?</p>
<p>======================================
Gabe writes:</p>
<p>Actually it never left most markets outside the US. It’s highly unlikely that MINIUSA will return the 2-spoke to the US for the last year of production.</p>
<p>=======================================</p>
<p>Gabe, why is it unlikely that MINIUSA won’t have the 2-spoke steering wheel in the US? In 2004 when I was looking to buy a MINI, I visited 3 different dealers in the San Fran Bay Area. I wanted to see the 3-spoke S.W (and how it felt compared to the 2-spoke SW).</p>
<p>None of the dealers had a Mini setup with 3-spoke SW and they told me that people were not ordering it as an option. </p>
<p>So I’m curious why did MINI eliminate the option of getting either?</p>
<p>It’s not like they have to make the 2-spoke SW special of the US. It’s still available in markets outside the US.</p>
<p>Gabe, if you have access to MINIUSA via Press privileges, etc, is it possible to ask MINIUSA why they no longer offer the 2-spoke SW? (in the USA)</p>
<p>At least they should bring back the option of having a choice.</p>
<p>On another note, I really like the Park Lane! Love that Royal Gray Color, the Wheels and the overall look.</p>
<p>If MINIUSA were to bring the Park Lane to the US with the 2-spoke SW, I would trade my ’04 MC in. Park Lane a great look.</p>
<p>New price increases (and prices for speical editions) for all Mini Models in Germany. This info comes from the Germany Magazine “Auto Motor und Sport”.</p>
<p>Prices are in Euros</p>
<p>Auto Motor & Sport Magazine – Germany</p>
<p>Mini One One D Cooper Cooper S </p>
<p>Serie 15.100 16.900 17.000 20.800</p>
<p>Seven 16.900 18.550 18.650 —— </p>
<p>Prk Ln 19.100 20.700 20.800 23.650 </p>
<p>Checkmate – – – – 20.300 23.100 </p>
<p>OneCabrio CooperCabrio Cooper SCabrio
18.700 20.400 24.400</p>
<p>Does anyone know the model designation for the Park Lane’s 16″ Bridge Spoke Wheels?</p>
<p>ive just emailed MINI UK these are europe only models.</p>
<p>Am I the only one who notices a strong resemblence to the gorgeous seats in the 1996+ Mini Cooper Sport Pack? If they just put on white piping…</p>