It was a pretty loaded car. Sport, convenience, premium, cold, lds, and JCW engine kit. also had the premium HD radio/sirius setup. No leather or nav. $32,000

I should not have done it. I want it. Bad. Maybe not that color (it is dark silver/black just like my 06) but the seats, the sound, the POWER! It drives like a MINI, that is for sure. I drove most of the route with the sport button on, then my MA turned it off, and I almost stalled the car at the next light. It really does make a difference!

The only thing I don't like about the whole car is the rear bumper. The exhaust just looks weird to me. I think I like the JCW aero kit bumper even less. too bad, because the rest of the JCW aero kit is really nice.

Well, I can't afford it, and I've only had my MCS for 10 months, but now I know for sure what my next car will be.

-- Unless my wife ends up with a clubman S at some point

 

Agreed that the JCW rear bumper is terrible! Sad because I like the front one.

I'm holding out until the day that the JCW kit is a factory option then that baby is mine, all mine!

 

I might have test-driven that car earlier in the month I think I still like my R53 more... but probably that's more because it's "mine." The R56, JCW or no, is a worthy successor should my R53 pass on...

 

I'm growing to like the JCW rear bumper. From the pics it looks huge and disproportionate, but when you compare it side-by-side to the stock bumper? Its actually a lot smaller and streamlined.

 

I haven't looked at the R56 JCW, but couple of weeks ago I saw on eBay a new R56 (fully loaded) for sale, asking price $48k. And someone else posted on eBay a 2006 R53 JCW (fully loaded), the guy took snapshot of original sticker...$39,995k.

How come the car you test drove is less expensive?

 

Fully loaded is a relative term. MINI offers a lot of options that are just fluff that most people wouldn't consider or want. I've never seen a true "fully loaded" MINI, but I'm sure it would approach $50,000.

 

Well, this one priced out about like this, from memory:

MCS : 21200
destination : 650
dark silver paint: 450
Premium : 1400
sport : 1400
Cold : 300
Convenience : 1400
audio : 1400
lsd : 500
sport suspension : 500

which is $29200, adn leaves $2800 for the JCW kit, which has an MSRP of $2100, and is probably only 5 or 6 hours to install.

this car didn't have leather or Nav, which would add about $4k or so to the price.

I'm really feeling that a red S with a white top, premium, cold, lsd, sport suspension, and JCW would be the hot (and relatively affordable) ticket.