From Gabe's article in Motoringfile:

In the spring of 2010 MINI will be introducing the refreshed (or LCI – Life Cycle Impulse as it’s known in BMW speak) R56 and all its variants (ie the Clubman and Convertible). While the number of changes (major and minor) will be huge, there will be several key changes.

So the inside and outside will be rethought and refined. But like the 2005 R50/R53 refresh, this update is going to be more the skin deep. While we don’t have specific information on changes yet, we have been told to expect some noticeable tweaks that should result in slightly different numbers at least for the Cooper S.

Look for the updated models to debut at the Geneva motorshow in March of 2010 with an on-sale date late summer (the start of the 2011 model year).

Here's the link to the entire article.

http://www.motoringfile.com/2009/06/...010/#more-9608

 

Part of me wishes I waited to order...but not a full year!

 

Oh boy! A whole bunch of new problems to deal with and to write notes in this forum complaining about! Melting sunroofs! Sticking hood scoops! Freezing your leg on the a/c duct! Yippee...I want to buy one right now!

 

Well said. 2009 on order; 2008 lemoned.

 

This is indeed good news as hopefully the many teething and quality issues will finally be sorted out.

However its unfortunate that it won't show up till the 2011 model year, I was hoping that it would release this fall as the 2010 model.

 

This is interesting. I was planning on getting a car next summer so I should have my choice of either model. Hopefully one of the new colors is a true white.

 

Kinda wished i waited for 2010, but my 09 is just like my 07 i turned in except more refined. There is always something better in the future. Gonna keep and love my 09 just the way i ordered her.

 

I hope they work on improving the software for the Audio system... I find it dumber than a sea-monkey!

 

Same here.. I JUST got my production end date and I see this. However, I really don't want to wait another year.

I hope it's a great car...but not that great.

 

Look at it this way. The 09's will be the best of the 07-09 production range.

 

As an owner of '06, I can only wish that my AC worked that well.

 

Sorry thatatvguy,

I forgot to mention that the leg-freeze-on-a/c-duct problem only occurs in winter...

 

I just realized I've been using your Flickr gallery whenever I need to show someone the color I'm getting.

 

This is the news I have been waiting for. Interior fixes - check. Exterior tweeks (more aggressive styling to the S) - check. Possible bump in performance - check. Non metallic BRG - BIG check! Late summer 2010 roll out - Dooh!

 

If you read Gabe's comments in that article is actually sounds more like MY2011 with late 2010 availability...

 

So that's 4 years after the R56 was released. Isn't that about time for a major overhaul anyway?

 

Real BRG!?

Yes please.

 

Let me get this straight: we should wait for this refresh but, er, uhm, ah, then we'll want to wait for the all new one coming in about a year after that!

Meh, I'm glad that I ordered now.

Hope I'm still glad a year from now...

 

There's always going to be something newer and better. If you're always paralyzed by the idea of your possessions becoming outdated, you'll never enjoy the present.

That being said, I do wish the refresh were for the 2010 MY instead of the 2011 MY.

 

Thats awesome! glad i could help. I was wondering where all the traffic on those photos was coming from.

 

I'm not seeing anything in that article except the obvious...BMW almost always "refreshes" their models sometime during the run of the car. Just like the "05-'06 R53's refined the first generation, the R56 will get similar updates. I don't necessarily see it as a reason to stall on buying now or to get your current car ready for sale.

 

Mini will tumble for ya!