Checkmate Gets Checkmated

The Checkmate Package’s run is nearing an end.  The package will no longer be available starting with September production.  To reflect this, the package was recently removed from the MINIUSA configurator and...

Three Colors to be Discontinued in 2006

As the MINI Plant in Oxford gets ready to commence large scale production of the new MINI later next year, expect availability of some options to change. Specifically we’ve learned that Black...

Rumors Behind the JCW GP

As the hotly debated JCW GP project continues to advance, today we look at some of the factors that appear to have lead MINI to select an outside firm to be so...

Solar Red & Silver Bonnet Stripe Photos

Until recently the only information available for the new 2006 colors came from either the MINIUSA configurator flash animation or a color sample at the dealership. Neither one was a very good...

New Bluetooth Kit Comes to the US

In November 2004 MINI announced a new OEM Bluetooth that worked with the official armrest and steering wheel controls. Yet for some reason the kit was never been offered in the US....

English Leather Seats Changed for US Market

The English Leather seats are a standalone option in the US that are taken straight out of the special edition ‘Park Lane’ Cooper (available outside the US). However we’ve recently learned that...

JCW Carbon Fiber Bonnet

Update: Thanks to an intrepid reader we’ve now learned that JCW isn’t aware of this product being sold as an accessory despite it being shown in the JCW tent along with other...

2006 MINI Wheel Details

We’ve got the goods on the three new OEM wheels for the 2006 model year including full weight numbers. In the US all three will be available as dealer accessories with the...

MINIUSA Releases JCW Challenge Decals

MINIUSA has just announced that they will be offering the official John Cooper Works Challenge Decals as dealer accessories. The decals are featured in the JCW Challenge racing series as seen in...

Let's Configure

MINIUSA has launched the 2006 model year edition of it’s always popular online configurator today. The updated edition features all the new 2006 options and colors that have been on MotoringFile for...