MINI’s New Wheels Revealed
2011 brings a refresh not only in styling, drivetrain and colors but also wheels. In fact for 2011 MINI is drastically rehauling it’s wheel line-up and finally axing a few old favorites. MINI will continue to offer a large range of wheels from the accessory catalog that can be ordered via individual dealers. However the selection below will be the main wheel line-up available from the factory.
Here’s the rundown (images courtesy of Bigblogg):
15″ Wheels
In the 15″ category MINI will continue to offer a steel wheel with hub cap (not available in the US) and carry over the R100. New is the R118 S-Star twin spoke (which is vaguely familiar to a 18″ JCW wheel released in 2007).
16″ Wheels
MINI is completely revamping the 16″ wheel line-up and ditching the always popular (and MF favorite) Bridge Spoke wheels. Light and classic in design the Bridge Spokes will be missed. In their place will be the R115, R120 and R119 in that order. All are available only in silver with the exception of the R119 which also comes in black.
(17″ wheels after the jump)
17″ Wheels
MINI has dropped the 17″ Crown Spokes. We at MF would like to thank whatever designer or product planner made that decision and then the next to green-light its replacement, the 17″ Conical Spoke R121. It’s simple the best looking standard 17″ MINI wheel ever offered in our eyes. They’ve also brought the Mayfair wheels (which had been an accessory wheel previously) to the factory line-up. Finally the R98 Web Spoke soldier on for another few years. All are available in silver with the Mayfair being the only wheel available in white.
<p>The only wheels here I’d consider… Conical Spoke and the Mayfair.</p>
<p>Will the Black Star Bullet still be offered for a factory build? (Cooper S Convertible)</p>
<p>I’ll paraphrase what I wrote in an earlier thread about these wheels: like the 17’s, think the 16’s are pretty ugly, and I will especially miss the 16″ S-Winders, which I always think look great when I see them around town on any Cooper or Cooper S. I think it’s quite a shame that there isn’t going to be a good-looking 16 inch option (IMO) anymore.</p>
<p>I think the 16″ Twin Spokes look pretty good in the pic of the 2011 Spice Orange cabrio a few days ago. Funny how people have opposite tastes but I never liked the S-Winders at all.</p>
<p>The Twin Spokes might grow on me, at least there’s hope there. They remind me a bit too much of an erector set wheel, though. The other two 16’s look pretty awful in that illustration. Hopefully they will look better in person. I couldn’t stand the Bridge Spokes that Gabe apparently loves, so beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder.</p>
<p>I never was a fan of the Crown Spokes, but the new Conical Spokes, R121 I really like. Gabe, what is the weight of these wheels?</p>
<p>My 17″ Crown Spokes are part of what originally drew me toward a MINI – love ’em. Repeating Minipuma: “beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder”.
That said, I’ll need to give the Conical’s an in-person-looksee. They seem faster looking – though not as strong looking.</p>
<p>No 15’s or 16s in white?</p>
<p>All the sixteens are nice, with the R115 being the one I like least. I would consider the R121 if it were available in 16 in diameter. The best advice given to me when buying my 06 MCS(only 50K on odometer) was go with sixteen inch wheels. No mushrooming on my car, no pothole damaged wheels or tires! I will be buying one of the sixteens and placing my stock wheels on my snow tires.</p>
<p>No hub cover in white!? Madness!
Seriously though… So happy they took out the Crown Spokes!</p>
<p>Ugly as sin, except for the conical spokes. You have to wonder what is happening to “less is more” at Mini design. Their designers are ruining the Mini by losing sight of the elegant simplicity of the original. Another example- ugly new brake vents for the Cooper S in 2011, outlined in chrome.</p>
<p>Lame.</p>
<blockquote>It’s simple the best looking standard 17″ MINI wheel ever offered in our eyes.</blockquote>
<p>Really? IMO the original S-Lite (even though it was anything but light) will always be the perfect and iconic 17″ MINI wheel, and the best integrated into the overall design of the car.</p>
<p>I assume the black web spokes will still be avilable as an option. Second nicest wheel available behind the R90s and much less expensive.</p>
<p>I’ll miss the bridge spokes, but I like the new Twin Spoke 16″ wheels. Those R120s look horrible… very, very horrible. Are they the new Flame Spoke?</p>
<p>DDON670…one of the reasons for the 17″, and even some of the after market 17″ won’t work either, are if you go with the larger Brembo, or Wilwood brakes. 16″ers just don’t fit. I’d love to put a set of 16″ Rota RB’s on my upcoming Mini JCW, but no can do. The Conicals should work, and those are the wheels that I will go with if they aren’t 25 lbs or more.
As for 16″s those R119’s look pretty nice too.</p>
<p>Bill… I knew about the brake issue, but had forgotten about it entirely. It’s ok though because in 2013 I will be forced into 17 inch wheels when I upgrade to a 2013 three cylinder JCW. Also by the way Rota RB’s rock: light,awesome looking, and revoke the styling of minlite wheels of the 60s.</p>
<p>The web spoke is one unique wheel IMO aside from its weight. One can always get another sets of 16″ for tracking. Glad I still have the web spoke. R118 is nice too if they offer it in 17″</p>
<p>I don’t like any of the 15 or 16 inch wheels. all of the 17’s look good.</p>
<p>What I wouldn’t give to have a set of those 15″ steelies to run my snows on…</p>
<p>The S-winder was horrid and looked about 2″ smaller than it really was (thank/blame the circumscribing circle in the design for that visual effect!), glad it is gone along with “big flat brother” Crown Spoke. ;)</p>
<p>I agree the Conicals 121 are truly ace and finally worthily succeed the fantastic S-lites. But I also think the R120 has potential on cars with a lowered ride height (reminiscent of 1st gen CRX “lambo wheels”)…. curious to see these on R56’s. Overall some good work here by MINI Design!</p>
<p>Conicals are the only one that floats my boat.</p>
<p>You’d think MINI could do their market research and see what aftermarket wheels are flying off the shelves, then design accordingly.</p>
<p>R120s…
Holy horseshoe wheels. I take back everything I’ve ever said about the flame spokes. It’s like MINI’s taking a page from Crocodile Dundee. That’s not a horseshoe wheel. Now THIS, is a horseshoe wheel.</p>
<p>best best
best</p>
<blockquote>They’ve also brought the Mayfair wheels (which had been an accessory wheel previously) to the factory line-up.
</blockquote>
<p>The Mayfair wheels were not offered as an accessory wheel. The R108s look similar but are not the same wheel. The spokes are thinner and do not have the little hump that the spokes have on the Mayfair wheels.</p>
<p>That being said, I only like the conical spoke wheels and the twin spoke wheels. Also, at first glance I saw the steel wheels and thought “Holy s**t they’re bringing back the holies!” Only to be disappointed when I realized that they are just the steel wheels from the One.</p>
<p>Not all that attractive unfortunately, I’m not loving these new rims. The most important thing they can do however is make all the new wheels LIGHTER. My 17s are ridiculously heavy. Performance suffers too much.</p>
<p>I never liked the flame spoke, but the I like the 16″ horseshoe – probably because it looks more like a circle. In general I think the new 16″s are an improvement over the old 16″s. Now only if they would step them up to 7 or 7.5 wide. I never liked the S-winders, and the Bridge spokes were a lesser evil, inoffensive, but boring (perfect for snows). I like the new cone spokes a lot, but I’ll probably go for aftermarket wheels when I finally get dedicated summer tires – because I want that extra width that Mini does not offer on their stock wheels. I too am a sucker for those Rota RBs.</p>
<p>Left out of the discussion here has been the fine 5-spoke design that is the 17″ offering on the Clubman. Always liked that one.</p>
<p>Holies!! Gotta have em!</p>