Does anyone know what the little rubber bumpers on the inside of the hole of the console is?

 

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

This is the one question I'm still kicking myself for not asking after my test drive.

 

Yes, they are to hold an optional tray. You can see the tray here:
http://new.minimania.com/web/Item/G2.../InvDetail.cfm

 

That was my guess, but it seemed like way too much effort to secure an accessory that only a small percentage of the Mini ownership is even going to have.

Of course now I'll have to get it just so that everyone riding in my (future) car doesn't ask what the wee nubs are for.

 

Thanks!

 

It seemed kind of odd, in that it made the car look unfinished. And, for such a small price, it would seem like they would just include the part.

 

I wonder if they don't include it standard in other markets and for some reason decided to force us schlubs in the US to pay for it. It seems like every country has vastly different options/packages.

 

I asked over on Mini2 and the British owners said they had to order it separately, as well.

We actually got the better deals over here. Our options package offerings are much more extensive than what they get. And there were things like the onboard computer, mood lighting and other things they had to pay for. They even had to order the no-cost "smoker's pack" just to get the ash tray/coin holder and a functioning lighter/power outlet.

Plus they pay the 17.5 percent VAT on top of everything else. The Mini costs more in the UK than to ship it here.

 

Taking the horrid exchange rate into account you'd pay almost twice as much to get the same car in the UK as here.

And their configurator is teh suck, though I was rather amused to see that you can select to have your Mini debadged at the factory. (I guess that'd technically be 'nonbadged'.)