Was in my dealership for a few minutes on sat BSing with my MA, and he mentioned that effective the week of June 15 the automatic tranmission option is being dropped on US-build base Coopers, all models He had no idea what will replace it; all he knew is that on 6/15 that option will no longer show up on the dealer order database.

It is NOT being dropped on the MCS's, all models.

wow, first the paddles (at least here in the US), and now the entire A/T option? Are they bringing back the >gulp< CVT for 2011 base Coopers, or maybe paving the way for a DCT? He did not know.

My MA is a very dependable source for information, so I do not doubt him. If anyone else has heard about this please chime in. Meanwhile, we'll see if Motoringfile picks this one up.

 

id be very skeptical lol.

they cant offer americans a car w/o an auto tranny.... we're too fat and lazy for that and im sure BMW knows it lol

 

well, Ive heard that BMW is having difficulties getting enough A/Ts from Aisin, so perhaps this is a temporary thing. After all, MINI is getting close to the end of the 2010 build year here.

But I have no reason to doubt my MA; he's always been spot-on about option details and availability--he was the first to tell me about the paddle shifters being dropped for the US market justaCoopers.

 

Give us DSG gearboxes. I want a shift time of 8 milliseconds!

 

ahh. that could be... im sure the minute they get them thell be back.. doubt theyd go a whole year w/o

 

Yep fat & lazy, but I like to stir the gearbox myself.

Can't believe it would be a form of DSG, maybe on a Cooper S, but not for the Justa. Doesn't make sense to me. Maybe they found a warehouse full of CVT's that they want to unload.

 

I wasn't suggesting it was a possibility for a DSG, but who wouldn't want a DSG on all of their cars? The shift time is just amazing.

 

Well me for one. No clutch peddle, not for me.

 

I think I head on an episode of WRR that they were looking at a 7 speed auto coming in the future but not this soon.

Like sequence said, it may just be a temporary supply thing for a few days or weeks on new orders. Kind of like when they had to take away the doors option a few months ago!!

 

count me in. a 7-speed dct is now an option on the 135i, so maybe the trickle down effect??

 

If we get an DSG option, I hope you can spec it withginormous pedal shifters or a Rally Shifter

 

I think that Mini and the 135i are sharing a lot of engineering so it may not be too far of a stretch!

 

Pretty hard to impossible to take a north-south tranny & turn it east-west for a front driver. Maybe they have found a nice Peugeot tranny to use.

 

No, but there are 7-speed Aisin and Getrag DCTs out there for FWD cars not exceeding 300 HP.

 

it's not going to be DCT... no way in hell they would keep the automatic trans for the MCS but offer DCT for MC.

that would be like offering M3 with automatic, but DCT for 335. it just doesn't make sence.

 

I completely agree...

 

yes, its just a temporary shortage of supplies, thats all

 

...and probably plenty of dealer stock to choose from, so why make more?

Who knows, maybe Toyota had to pull Aisin engineers away from their jobs to help resolve the gas pedal issue...

 

It's an odd thing, but not of unheard of one to run out of parts. Could be any number of reasons. Maybe the front drive widget factory had a fire. Can't build a tranny without the widgets you know.

 

I think they ran out of the letter "R" on the shifter so no more trans!!