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2. chrome shift boot ring no longer standard. chrome only with chrome line option. driving mode ring selector no longer exists. selector is now far right toggle switch.
it still has the 8 segments but it's in a much cleaner design. The dots or slashes on the older version look cheap and out of place on such a premium feeling car.
it still has the 8 segments but it's in a much cleaner design. The dots or slashes on the older version look cheap and out of place on such a premium feeling car.
Point taken. The new 2018 gauge is more elegant, in the traditional sense.
I guess it depends on what one is accustomed to -- I had an expensive high line car before my Clubby that had a funky graphic, cartoon fuel gauge -- so the orange dots are a step up for me
haha, at the end of the day I wish they mirrored the tach and gave us a physical gauge. I agree the new fuel gauge is more elegant and almost too traditional for MINI. I see it as a step up but still think they could have done something far more fun and interesting.
I'm a product designer so stuff like this rubs me especially when so much of the car is so well done and sophisticated.
I wish there were an option for a real wood dash trim piece to replace the "carbon fiber" decal along the horizontal surface that runs all the way along the dash. English cars (and, to my mind MINI is still a UK car) should have wood! ... and orange dots
One of the aspects of good design is the way it grabs a person's attention in a visceral way. It is fun to watch people doing double-takes when they catch sight of my Clubman. They know it's a MINI, but it's not quite what they are accustomed to seeing, and the gestalt of the lines and packaging draws people in -- they probably couldn't articulate why, beyond saying what I often do hear; "cute car," or "what color is that? It's very pretty."
I consider myself a design snob and, much to my initial surprise, the MINI Clubman got me to bite. And I'm enjoying the heck out of it at both an aesthetic and visceral level. And with the Sport Tuner, well, still grinning every time.
I wish there were an option for a real wood dash trim piece to replace the "carbon fiber" decal along the horizontal surface that runs all the way along the dash. English cars (and, to my mind MINI is still a UK car) should have wood! ... and orange dots
I agree! I loved that translucent black Jaguar used to have. Something a little lighter would be perfect in the mini (to me).
One of the aspects of good design is the way it grabs a person's attention in a visceral way. It is fun to watch people doing double-takes when they catch sight of my Clubman. They know it's a MINI, but it's not quite what they are accustomed to seeing, and the gestalt of the lines and packaging draws people in -- they probably couldn't articulate why, beyond saying what I often do hear; "cute car," or "what color is that? It's very pretty."
I consider myself a design snob and, much to my initial surprise, the MINI Clubman got me to bite. And I'm enjoying the heck out of it at both an aesthetic and visceral level. And with the Sport Tuner, well, still grinning every time.
Just missing a little wood on the dash.
I didn't like the Clubman initially, my wife loved it. Fast forward a year when I changed jobs and needed more of a company car than my R53 was giving me. I took another look at the Clubman and realized it was exactly what I needed (quick, fun, quirky, 6-speed, wagon...). I got to keep all the things I loved about the R53 plus an actual trunk and backseats when I have to take people out to lunch. My only other options were a GTI/R (too sterile otherwise awesome) and a Focus ST/RS (uhhh, that interior).
Now just switch the Tach and the Speedo and it would be perfect. It is unconscionable that they would put the tach anywhere but dead center. As bad as the placement is, they made it so small and the sweep so tiny, that it's nearly useless when it's the most needed (like when shifting near redline). I really like this car, but the tach is possibly the worst I've ever seen in any car. And certainly so in any performance-oriented modern car.
Now just switch the Tach and the Speedo and it would be perfect. It is unconscionable that they would put the tach anywhere but dead center. As bad as the placement is, they made it so small and the sweep so tiny, that it's nearly useless when it's the most needed (like when shifting near redline). I really like this car, but the tach is possibly the worst I've ever seen in any car. And certainly so in any performance-oriented modern car.
I've noticed this too, almost makes you want to get a set of CANBUS Gauges and replace the whole pack.
Do a quick vinyl job on it with some 3M di-noc. They've got some great textured options which look great and you could probably pick up some remnant pieces on ebay for pennies.
I thought the same thing. Someone needs to mill a big chunk of aluminum to put over that boring little ring. There's no texture or anything on it. Makes that whole center area be a field of matte black plastic.
Ring/shming. I want Cornnuts' gauge cluster and the wood dash trim -- REAL English Oak or Walnut. Though I agree the shift area looks a little barren without the bling ring.
