I see SS is already taken for Sports Suspension...drats! It would be so perfect for Sparking Silver!!

 

SS is listed under the "New for 2007" colors as Sparkling Silver. I don't think there need be any confusion. For example, a partial description of the MINI I am so impatiently waiting for is:

07 MCS SS/B+Stripes, RR Lounge Leather, Premium, Sport+SS, Convenience, Cold Weather, LSD, PDC, NAV, HiFi, JCW Aero

That's got two SS's in it, but context makes it clear that one is Sparkling Silver and the other is Sports Suspension. I hope, anyway.

By the way, is there a "Sparkling Silver Society" thread anywhere around? Seems like we are about ready to take on "Peerage of the Pepper White" in the elegance contest. hehe

 

Yes, context is key.

 

What is R56 and other things like that?

 

Model numbers.

From Wikipedia:
"All MINI models have R-series model numbers assigned to them. These are a legacy of the MINI's original development within Rover Group. The following designations are known:

• R50: "Mk I" MINI One and Cooper (originally R59 within Rover Group)
• R52: "Mk I" MINI Convertible
• R53: "Mk I" MINI Cooper S
• R54: "Mk I" MINI Convertible
• R55: MINI Clubman/Traveller
• R56: "Mk II" MINI One, Cooper, S and D
• R57: "Mk II" MINI Convertible
• R58: Possible future four-wheel drive MINI"

2006 was the last year for the R50 & R53.
2007 is the last year for the R52 & R54.

mkp

 

I

 

I just joined, posted my hello on 1st gear and then found this thread. Great! so helpful! Thanks to all.

 

Hey guys... I have a small question that is rather silly I think but here goes anyway. I have a 05 MINI S. The part I can not seem to figure out after 2 years of owning the car is if it is a R 53, Rwhatever. So what posts am I suppose to be looking at on this site..??? Any and all help would be fantastic. Thanks...

 

Don't worry, it is a R53 (unless you have the convertible which would be R52). The answer is actually 3 posts above yours in this thread


Furthermore to the abovementioned list, some additional comments:
R51 is the model that never made it to the showroom; a MINI with a longer wheelbase;
R52 should state that it is the One Convertible, the Cooper Convertible and the CooperS convertible.
R54 is not a Mini Convertible, but is the MINI One Diesel Mk1

 

Where do you get some of those cool cartoons for the signature... ?? Don't really want to plagiarize anyone, but art is not one of my strong points...

 

whis is "NFR"

 

NFR means Nightfire Red

 

Maybe the German word for convertible? umwandelbar
but then again
The German for cabriolet is Kabriolett

 

hey, with regards to colour, how do you get those little 'Owners Club' badges? I would like to find one of the BRG Owners Club ones...

 

Here ya go, my friend -- see Post #1 in this thread:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=71218

Happy motoring to you!

 

This has been a helpful thread, but I'm still a bit confused by the R designations. I just bought a 2005 MCSC. (HB FTW!)
So is it an R52? or an R54? If its a cabrio AND S, which takes over?

 

R52 is the designation for all 1st-gen cabrios. Best I can tell from the internets, the R54 was a design that never made it to production. The Wikipedia entry that was quoted in your quoted post seems to have been edited to remove the R54 reference.

 

Thanks for the response. As I'm looking at aftermarket parts (on Alta right now) they designate that they are compatible with R53 and R52. Will R53 items work on a cabrio? Or did I just get parts that wont fit?

 

As long as it's compatible with the Cooper S, it should be fine. I don't believe there is any difference between the convertible S and hardtop S as far as those aftermarket parts are concerned. (If I'm wrong I'm sure someone will swoop in to correct me. )

 

As seen on MotoringFile...

MINI Model Number Cheat Sheet:

1st Gen MINI
R50: One & MC Coupe
R52: All 1st Gen MINI Convt.
R53: MCS Coupe
2nd Gen MINI
R55: Clubman
R56: One/MC/MCS Coupe
R57: One/MC/MCS Convt.
R58: TBD

 

Quick Question on Colors---

If it's "Purple haze" here and "Black Eye Purple" in Europe, Why does my Mini -have "Black Eye Purple" on the VIN Tag?

Gm has had very close colors in the past but named different and coded different. If you would touch up or paint a item in the other code, you would notice a BIG difference.

Can anyone help?

 

Hello All: I've been reading here for several months, but this is my first post.

I am the proud owner of a 2008 Mini Cooper S Sidewalk Convertible loaded with everything but the heated seats. (And I live in Minnesota!!) Bought it with on 1072 miles on it, and it is a gem. I've had it for exactly 4 weeks. I want to move into it.

I thought I had this question figured out, but......I don't. From what I've read, I thought the new (upcoming) 2009 cabrio would be the R57, but this thread says that 2007 is the last R52, so what is the R # of my most beautiful car???

Thanks for your help!

 

Yes it can be complicated at times with all these numbers.
The R52 is indeed your car type.

The Sidewalk edition is a special model of the R52. This sidewalk edition was introduced I believe in 2006.

The model that MINI will introduce in (I believe) March 2009, will be the R57.
Can't wait for more details and will then trade-in my beloved R50 Cooper for the R57 convertible.

 

All I know is that the color name BEP was somewhat politically incorrect in the USA and therefore they named it Purple Haze. It is the exact same colour. (and a beautiful colour I may say ).

 

Some R53 will just fit perfectly in a R52 convertible.
However there are a a lot of of items that are different.

For example if you want to order sideskirts, you have the same skirts, but you need different clips to install them. I think this has to do with the sway bar under the car that a R52 has.




Contradictory to this, I have learned from the internet that the R51 was the model that never made it to the showroom (extended wheel base). and that the R54 was the Mini One Diesel (and not a convertible).
So which is correct?