The Pure Silver roof that MINI introduced with the special editions in 2006 (and as an a la carte option in the US) will die a quiet death with the introduction of the R56 MINI. MINI had always intended the silver roof as a one year option to accompany Checkmate and the other special editions so this probably doesn’t come as too much of a surprise to some.
Black and White roof options will continue on both the Cooper and Cooper S models. We’re told a silver roof may show up in a few years time but MINI hasn’t quite decided when and on what model.
Wow – makes the Solar Red / Silver roof combo that Herb Chambers MINI donated to MINIsOnTop really rare!
Bummer, perhaps by the time I am ready for a new MINI, the silver roof will be back. I really like the silver roof, mirrors and stripe on my HB MCS – it is a nice contrast. I think the silver roof really looked great with the various reds.
Viva la Silver roof! I’m so glad I opted for it. Pick up is tomorrow!!!
I love my Silver roof MINI. I was actually hoping it would be retired… Makes both the Solar Red/Silver and Space Blue/Silver quite rare.
The number of MINI’s in my area have ticked up this year but I’m still the only SB/S combo in the area 🙂
Honestly, the silver roof option never really turned me on. When MINI first announced last year I was expecting a striking looking tone of silver but somehow the end product was not all that great.
Don’t get me wrong, I think the silver roof looked best with Space Blue metallic and Solar Red Metallic as evidenced by Dave’s gorgeous Cooper.
But against a Chili Red Body? I am not so sure.
This comes as absolutely no surprise to me. The fact they only added the silver roof in the final year of the current model told me that it was an “out with the bang” kind of thing, unique for 2006s only.
I’m sure that this (or something just like it) will happen for the final year of the R56 as well.
<blockquote>Honestly, the silver roof option never really turned me on</blockquote>
Well, I for one am glad to hear that Frank…I have the silver roof, and it doesn’t turn me on either..I couldn’t imagine what I’d do if it did…not to mention how that would look to my neighbors. =P
But I do like my silver roof!
The GP also has the silver roof – nice!
They probably figured that silver contrast roofs were redundant because at current rate all Minis will be some shade of silver within a couple of years. Mini’s palette is converging on that of rental fleets of Hyundais. For this we have three things to thank: 1) the hidebound conservatism of the mainstream auto buying public, especially in North America 2) BMW’s insistence in making most paint “metallic” so they can impose an upcharge and 3) the marketers insistence that the brand be “butched up.” Can’t have more than one or two bright colors, can’t afford to be perceived as a “chick car.”
The more mainstream Mini gets, the less fun it gets.
…in addition, i think getting rid of the silver roof option is another bad idea MINI is currently making- in conjunction with the poor color options of the new ’07s this should make for a stellar selling year for MINI rolls eyes
I think it is nice that these will be a one year only thing. Makes them kind of special.
I believe that our Purple Haze / Silver Cooper is probably one of the rarest color combos ever. Makes it special and as unique as a mass produced car can be.
I ordered a 2006 MINI (my first BTW) with a silver roof and the silver bonnet stripes. I’m kindo of sad to see it go. But now I’ll really feel special when I pick it up this September. Thanks MINI for making the 2006 models even more unique.
When sales orders on the new car start to slide, the silver roof will be back on some limited edition ‘specials’ to boost interest.
i dont think mini sales have experienced a “slide”
Whenever these color threads get going, I’m reminded of the Jeremy Clarkson quote about the BMW 6-Series (apologies if this has been posted on MF before):
<em>Today, the BMW 6-Series is available in grey, off-grey, grey with a hint of grey, and dark grey, whereas its forerunner from the Seventies, the old CSL, was available in red, white, lime green or orange. </em>
I really wish they’d stop taking options away…
They limit options to keep manufacturing costs down.
><em>Today, the BMW 6-Series is available in grey, off-grey, grey with a hint of grey, and dark grey, whereas its forerunner from the Seventies, the old CSL, was available in red, white, lime green or orange. </em>
Ken (of MotoringFile Garage Night Fame and a key member of the MF “staff”) has that quote taped up in his garage. The same could be said for the 3 series vs. the 2002.
Only youn the customers, can decide it’s fate. So you had success with the ANTHRACITE headliner by protesting vociferously, and won. If you really like silver roof cars, then tell MINI USA 🙂
What AverageJoe said!
Wow, Gabe – looked at the BMW site, and your right – the 6 series comes in black, white, about 4 shades of grey, and a couple of dark blues. How totally boring! Are they marketing this car to the color blind or somethng?
sad to see that go – it worked well with so many colors. Solar Red/Silver is stunning, as is the Space blue, BRG and more.
I like the silver becuase it was a light top that was a bit more subtle than the white.
oh well – i didn’t vote with my wallet, did i?
RG/RG…
-jac
>Wow, Gabe – looked at the BMW site, and your right – the 6 series comes in black, white, about 4 shades of grey, and a couple of dark blues. How totally boring! Are they marketing this car to the color blind or somethng?
To some degree BMW’s classic colors could be construed as boring to most MINI owners. However “Arctic White” and Silver have always been mainstays and are generally my choices when looking at BMWs. But I agree bold non-metallic colors are needed in both cases.
Maybe BMW is taking a page out of Henry Fords old book – when he said you could get the Model T in any color you wanted, as long as it was black.
Gabe, does this mean the only contrast roof colous will be white and black again? I, for one, am glad I got my SB/S MCS even more, now.
Sad to see it go, but then, I do like the notion of having color and trim choices that are exclusive to certain model years.
Honestly, I wish they’d do more one-year-only paint and trim options. Keep things interesting.
Could this be because of the new “clip-on” as opposed to painted-on roofs?
>Could this be because of the new “clip-on†as opposed to painted-on roofs?
There will be no “clip-on” roofs for the R56.
That’s a nice little reminder of what my MINI looked like when it had stripes.
This really is no great surprise. After all, it’s all market-driven. The mainstay colors of any car are derived from what sell best. Colors like PW and BRG are kept around primarily as “heritage” colors, but would die a quick death if they didn’t sell in the first place. The Silver roof, on the other hand, seems to have gone the way of production streamlining. Sad, really.
i seem to recall that at the introduction of the silver roof it was said to be an 06 only option as an “end of the line” send off. i suspect the R56 will have similar treatment. given the way BMW has cultivated the individuality of MINI’s and literally millions of option perumutations, as well as current painting methods, i find it VERY hard to believe that the silver roof is being cut due to “production streamlining.”
<blockquote>Maybe BMW is taking a page out of Henry Fords old book – when he said you could get the Model T in any color you wanted, as long as it was black.</blockquote>
Except that there is no evidence that Henry Ford actually said that, one of the greatest auto myths of all time.
If you find yourself in Reno, NV check out the all original (chili) red Model T Ford at the National Auto Museum. Looks great!
Gabe, can we get a petition going to send to MINI regarding color choices on these cars? I believe that a non-metallics in orange, medium/light blue, and green (similar to the Porsche palette on the current GT3 RS with the 70s “Mexico blue” added) would sell quite well given the number of folks who have lamented lack of real color options in recent threads.
Sad to see it go. If the silver roof was available for the 2005 model year, I would have definitely got it with my BEP/PH MCS. Now both shades of colors are gone. sigh.
before the silver roof was available, i saw silver roofs on some Minis (in France)
so, you see what to do…
and that’s not so expensive, even for a quality work
Usaaus:
Your correct, Model Ts in different colors were produced from 1908 to 1914, and then again from 1926 to 1927; however, to speed assembly, between 1915 and 1925 the “T” was only available in black. Henry was something – produced a car that in today’s inflation dollars sold for $3,300 ($300 in 1920). To keep manufacturing costs down he did things like specifying how his suppliers had to make their wooden parts shipping crates, becuse he then took apart the crates and used them to build the car bodies. Even used the wood scraps left over to make and sell charcoal – “Kingsford”, which is still the leading brand.
This was kinda expected all along. It is nice…I look forward to its return one day.
Yeah … the whole paint thing for 2007 is not looking great in my view. Glad I’m going for an ’06 (and Gabe has just cemented my decision to go with a silver roof). I’ve never understood what appears to be the price gouging on metallic paint. I can buy 25 gallons of house paint at Home Depot for $450.00 … enough to paint a bunch of MINIs (not that I would). So what’s up with the premium charge? Cars in America are all starting to look like fiberglass boats! Yuck.
<blockquote>The fact they only added the silver roof in the final year of the current model told me that it was an “out with the bang†kind of thing, unique for 2006s only.</blockquote>
Exactly. I am actually surprised that it’s a surprise to so many. Actually, I predicted this a few days ago (I did forget to place a closing quote-tag, though… 😉 <a href="http://motoringfile.com/2006/08/07/r56-final-color-list-us-market/#comment-47526" rel="nofollow ugc">http://motoringfile.com/2006/08/07/r56-final-color-list-us-market/#comment-47526</a> The silver roof is becoming a nice tradition for an end-of-model year.
interesting. I am happy with my SB/S MC and like the idea that it will be even more unique now. There will always be nice looking color combos available.
I love my silver roof. I heard this when I ordered my MINI. Too bad. It’s a great color combo with the Reds and Space Blue.
SB/S MCS’s Rule! Long Live “Quicksilver”!!!
count yourselves lucky. we did not have the option of a silver roof except for the Checkmate in space blue, the Park Lane in dark silver and the Seven in solar red. You could only get the silver roof with these special editions in south africa.