Preface: In case you don't already know, I love my MINI. I'm not going to sell it and get a different car. I'm not trying to insult anyone's car. And I'm not moving to Europe. So no need to point any of that out.

But... does it bother (or interest) anyone that there are certain aspects of Euro MINIs that we living in the cradle of liberty can't get or get a different version of.

The things that immediately come to mind are:

No diesel in the US. I drive an R56 MCS, but I'd trade it in a second for the efficiency of the diesel if it were available.

Lounge leather seats. If you look at the Euro spec LL seats, they are much more appealing than the US versions. I would have considered the exorbitant cost of the LL, but the US design turns me off.

Recaro seats. I don't know if they're available in Europe yet for the R56, but they definitely won't be coming to the US. That's an option I could really sink my teeth (or butt) into.

Castrol Oil. This one doesn't bother me at all, but apparently Europeans get 'Made in Germany' "true" synthetic oil; and we get some reworked blend of dinosaur extracts (even though the bottle says 'full synthetic')

Well, that's a start. Anything else that Euros have that we don't? Or is there anything that US has that the Euros don't (other than the decreasing value of our currency)?

Someone could start a thriving business importing European MINI counterparts to put in our cars (if they could get past the regulations).

 

Does it matter if it's the R50 vs. R56?

I rented an '07 MC in Switzerland a few weeks ago. Some differences I noticed:

-No annoying door chime (key-in ignition)
-Headlight adjustment switch on driver's knee bolster (non-HIDs)
-Fog lights stayed on with high beams (wish mine did that!)
-Little cubby in driver's knee bolster
-Auto UP (and Down) for front windows (another one I want!)
-Convenience opening AND closing via key remote
-Radio tuned into both odd and even frequencies (like 88.1 and 101.2), and had an option for "TP" (in place of the "PTY" button we have) which appeared to switch on/off the traffic announcements on the radio
-First aid kit and emergency triangle in the boot

There were a couple more things that I can't think of right now... But the ones listed are the major ones I noticed.

 

In theory yes, in practice not really.

Lets just look at the Euro Parcel Shelf for instance.

Right now these little buggers retail at $180. Not may are selling at this high price. When they were more affordable they sold well. Why the high cost?

I've done some investigating on importing these in quantity

Cost to purchase complete shelf with all the bits in quantity

German Source 65 Euros each or $92 and change, UK source was within a few dollars cost wise.

Shipping of 1 small container (480pcs) from source to Dallas TX via slow boat and truck. $2860 or $6 a unit.

Customs Broker Fees and import tariffs add about another $700

That makes each one about $100 landed. So we're looking at almost $50k invested before the first one is sold.

Oh and shipping will take about a month before they reach the states and pass customs.

Being as many of the vendors we deal with are small companies thats a nice chunk of change to sit out there for a month before any possible return is made. Just to do this with a small range of products runs into the range of $70k out there before any sales. I looked into this.

Don't forget the normal everyday business expenses too.

In the end for a company that has a wide range of parts already that can add these products to the mix it could prove to be lucrative. But to base a business solely on Euro parts would take a fair amount of upfront capital. Besides the capital needs one has to wonder just how large the market is for what will be quite expensive goods. The exchange rates are killing us right now.

That said, anyone with a spare $50-75k laying around, I have the contacts to obtain all sorts of cool parts we don't see here often.

 

Oh. I forgot the autostop-start at traffic lights that Euro 08s will have. And won't they have regenerative braking systems as well?

 

I have the money, but I'd sooner invest it in a new design (assuming it's patented). Production costs would probably be closer to $30-50 a unit, if that. I assume for $180, you get both sides (driver and passenger).

 

The first aid kit is required by law in europe. The radios tune to the even numbers and the odds because european radio stations transmit on both.

 

$180 is for driver side only. Mini Mania sells them.

We don't get all the cool seats they do in the EU market. US Regulations require an airbag sensor in the passenger seat.

 

Ouch! $180 for a little shelf!

That's also why the Lounge Leather is nicer in Europe. The tuck and roll covers where the sensor is in the US.

 

How hard was it to find a MINI rental? Approximate price, if you don't mind my asking?

 

I rented from the Zurich airport, it was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing. It was very expensive, something on the order of $100/day after you include the mandatory "mastercare" insurance for foreigners. It was the last MINI they had available, the agent there said a lot of people liked to rent those for the weekend.

I felt it was worth every penny to drive a MINI in Europe, even if it wasn't a Cooper S. I have a couple of pics in my gallery...

 

I think it's part of the fun trying to put the Euro parts you want on your stateside MINI. I probably would have ordered the Recaro or Sparco seats had they been available in the US from the dealer but otherwise everything is just a small detail I won't really miss, auto up and down windows is a relatively affordable circuit to install, as is the high-beams with fogs on (although with my Xenons I couldn't imagine needing that much light) When I drove other European cars with the low-beam adjustment I found I never really fiddled with it so it would just be a gimmick, my mom's Cavalier has a traffic button and from what I can tell, no US radio stations broadcast the traffic info the way the Europeans do (with a code that allows the radio to interrupt CD play or other station play to give an update), so getting the useful Euro parts is just sort of a sport to me.
For the importing of the Parcel shelf, it probably would be cheaper to design your own and either have it injection molded somewhere in the US or China (now with lead!). I think I'd prefer the Euro knee bolster with the small cubby, over the parcel shelf myself, although the parcel shelf is undeniably useful and running one on both sides gives the look of the classic dash.

 

i wish they would import the diesels here. modern diesels are GREAT. i hate hybrids and modern diesels are way better than hybrids

 

I agree with you 100% on that point and do wish BMW would bring almost all of it's diesels over here, not just the MINI. I wouldn't want to replace my R53 with one but it would make a much better commuter car and let me save my current MINI for a weekend toy.