My dealer lies. It's...what...ugh.

This time MINI Customer Service has been no help.

I give up.

"Currently mini does not produce a 16" rim for the Mini Cooper base,"

"There has not been a spare tire mount produced as of yet. In addition there is no place to put a spare tire on the 2014 Mini Cooper Base."

"If you were wanting an extra rim and tire to either store at home or in the trunk that is possible. That would be an $800 addition."

- That's great, buddy. What size would that rim be?

What an *******.

 

Wow, that's really bad.
Obviously they make 16'' rims, that's what the Sports Pack gives you and there's three options!
There is a place to put a spare tire on the base model, its under the car... however I believe you only get the spare if you have 15'' wheels, going to 16'' or higher puts run-flat tires on your car and no spare. Not positive on the last piece, thats what I've read and what my MA thought was the case.

 

A15" wheel and tire will have the same net diameter as the 16".
The profile/sidewall of the 16" tire is smaller on the 16, but the wheel itself is taller.
As long as the bolt pattern is the same, no worries.
The spare will get you to the tire store.

 

That's odd! My base is rollin' 16" black Victory spokes. And it has a donut spare in the usual location.

 

The MINI website states that the base hardtop comes standard with a spare tire. The ones I looked at the dealer had spares under the car.