Looking for pics and such of the dash. I swear I saw it at the Detroit auto show, but I'm still trying to get good pictures of it.

 

Sorry, no pics. However, I did spend last Saturday morning in a MCS at our dealer that had that option; very luxe, smooth'ish leather dash top, nice even stitching, then charcoal Alcantara covering the knee bolster and strip above the color dash panel(s). I was impressed enough to spend $$ to get the similar MINI Yrs version on mine that's on order.

 

This the about the best photo I have of it from a tech-session with the R58 coupe:
* http://www.patterndraftimaging.com/p...ee8b#h27c0ee8b

- Erik

 

I don't have pictures but I saw one at the mini dealership. I can't tell you how much nicer it made the mini inside.

It was a dramatic improvement from the plastic crap that Mini normally uses for a dash. I also think it helped to dampen the sound in the interior so that there are not as many reflective surfaces.

It just gave the Mini a more updated and modern feel compared to the somewhat mickey mouse standard interior.

Now if Mini would just include power adjustable seats, power window and door locks on the actual door and not on the center console, Temp controls on the steering wheel, oil pressure and temperature gauges on the dash, along with better floor insulation from road noise, then Mini would almost be caught up on the interior with other auto makers.

 

I wholeheartedly agree with you. One thing friends kept noticing was the amount of cheap hard plastic inside the MINI. Once I traded the MINI and was back in a GTI they were shocked at the difference in quality of the interior surfaces and fit and finish.

 

MINI gives people a massive amount of choice when it comes to customizing the interior. If you dress it up a bit, I find its a really nice change to the "more standard" interiors almost everyone else uses. I would agree, some of the materials could be upgraded, but most of the dash is what makes MINI so unique. Giving people less choices allows car makers like VW to spend more on the one you get. When you order a GTI for example, you get NO choices on interior color, trim inserts, seat colors, anything. Many other car companies, such as Subaru also do this. It keeps costs down. I would guess that the next gen MINI will have less hard plastics, that seems to be the trend, but I hope they dont limit us in our choices like almost every other car company does.

 

The GTI's interior is fantastic, best in its class. More over, the GTI is quite frankly the best hatchback money can buy. Only one problem, in my opinion, you can't buy one used. People hoon the hell out of those cars; the ones in good condition are the ones never sold. I was considering between getting a GTI or a MINI. My personality fit the MINI better, I wish VW would put some character into that car (I like cars with character). Best driving hatchback, best quality hatchback, but man is it a boring looking hatchback. That and it's a VW, so it will inevitability fall apart at some point. Though, it's worth noting, the MINI is equally "reliable".

It should be noted, in terms of hatchbacks, while the GTI is the best, the MINI is easily second best. Go sit inside a Ford, at least MINI uses soft plastics in places instead of that hard cheap stuff. Mazda is the worst; the MazdaSpeed is made of some of the lowest quality plastic imaginable.

The GTI and MINI are leaps and bounds better than American hatchbacks (in interior quality), and make most Asian hatchbacks look pathetic. It's clearly a German/Europe thing. Heck, most of the interior in my Mazda was made of cardboard covered in cheap fabric.

I plan on keeping my 08 MINI for a LOOOOONG time, but if in five years a good MK5 GTI (manual) comes on the market for under $8000 I'll ****** it up in a heartbeat. Awesome, awesome driving car.

 

I saw a leather dash through the window of a dealer's JCW and I might just spend a grand on that option. It looked pretty sweet. I think the Mini's interior is class. My wife had a Mazda 3 and that was horrible. IMO power seats are awful, especially in small cars, they're SUV material. I like the colorline option, and the door trim option and the English Oak fake wood on my car. I never saw a GTI though.

 

Try this link:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ption-4l4.html

I purchased a left-over 'new' Eclipse MY2011 JCW Hatch in 12/'11 that had a very nice Rooster Red interior package, which goes very nicely with the anthracite guages, black headliner, and deviating red stitching on the cloth seats, steering wheel, e-brake and shifter! But if I would have ordered a JCW, this new leather dash & alcantara option would have been my choice and worth the additional $1K cost!

Saludos, z911 in Carmel

 

The reason I like the power seats is for the added adjustability and the memory feature.

Power seats allow you to raise the seat, lower the seat, tilt the seat cushion forward, tilt it backward, move the entire seat forward, and back all independent of the back rest. This allows for perfect adjustment for long trips.

Also when a service tech would alter the seat or my wife drove the car, with one button memory I could restore the seat to my preferred position. I had memory programmed for my wife and for myself.

It really is a convenience that in most cases costs less as an option than Mini charges for the leather option alone.

 

Not sure if this is what you are looking for, considering the 2 tone but I snapped this while at work.

 

I'm going to have to politely disagree with you. you said the GTI is the best, however the MINI has the best handling in its class, also the GTI scored last in its class. IMO the mini has better interior quality with more uniqueness, If I wanted to blend in with every other car I would be driving a GTI, yes they are cheap, but you get what you pay for. I valet for both MINI and Volkswagon among other dealers, I feel like the GTI is really cheaply made.

 

Nice option but, way to baller status for my MINI.

 

 

I have the red leather in mine. Looks awesome. Let met a pic

 

I would like to see this comparo you speak of. As for cheaply built, can you reference something more than just that. The current EA888 2.0T TSI is damn near built proof in reliability. Im hearing talk that some 2011 owners are having the death rattle investigated on their cars... As for cheap in price you can spec out a GTI to just under 30k, thats not cheap for any car that size. As for the Mini being a better car, I think some would beg to differ, MKV GTI Awards

 

Hard plastics. Maybe in the rear of the MINI. Not that its a comparable car but I have a 2011 RAV4. That car has hard plastics everywhere. Its horrible. I have a loaded up Limited version too.

You guys getting the LCI R56s and the R58s count yourself lucky. MINI did a good job with the redesign. The interior is much, much nicer now.

Now if they would only do something about that cheap JCW domed sticker on the secret compartment door.

 

The comparison came from a magazine, car and driver or something like that, might be able to find it on the internet, basically they took a few cars to the track and see which preformed best MINI wasn't first but they weren't last like the GTI. They stated the mini had the best handling around the corners. Ok yes cheaply built, every time I get in a customers GTI I hear weird noises coming from the engine, like its trying really hard, a lot of the interior trim is broken and the leather for the stick is always torn, the materials they use seem to be worn with only a few thousand miles on the clock. A lot of them come with flat surfaces when new, and apparently shortly after they become glossy. Every time I drop a car off there and see the sign on the dealership door that states "cheap performance engineering" or something along those lines I can't help but smirk, because even they admit it. Volkswagen is a cheap entry level foreign car. Every time I drive one of there cars (any model) I can't help but think why would you pay for this? They are so bland and feel cheap, especially the new jettas. I think I would rather walk than own a vw because I think I would fall asleep behind the wheel from being so bored with the car. Don't get me wrong I never use to like a lot of cars until I got my current job but I still don't like them lol. My dad owns a GLI and its pretty fast but, when I drive anywhere all I see is VW... so many.

 

Always iffy telling Polar Beige from Satellite Grey on these online photos, and particularly for me as I'm colorblind a bit in those shades, but that looks like a great shot of the dash I added to my R56 I just ordered! Happy to have another photo for sure.

It's funny, reviewers always b & moan about Mini's dash/interior design, weird ergos, ad nauseum. For me...it's quirky-strong design was a big seller. We cross-shopped a WRX, a blast to drive and it could launch as if carrier-catapaulted with the AWD. But to sit in it? Yawn. Uni-color black everywhere, just generic modern car throughout.

I commute part of three hours total every day...I'm looking forward to having very "interesting" surroundings for that roundtrip coming up in a few weeks!

Oh: and they really gripe about the giant center speedo. Count me as at least one person who chose *not* to get MINI Connected mostly b/c it takes out the look of the giant speedo.

 

Mini > GTI.....the Mini has a soul

 

That would owners not taking care of their cars not a lack of quality. I had my 08 from the day it was delivered to the dealer and three years later when I traded it in for the MINI it looked brand new. No shiny surfaces, no stains no broken panels or worn leather on the shift **** or steering wheel.

 

I agree about the attractiveness of the mini interiors. Big selling point for me and I just have the basic 2012 version pleatherette throughout...

That two-tone leather looks like tan/black to me. That combination would look GREAT in a red mini with a red dash next to the tan leather!

The only interior points I don't like on my basic black pleatherette is the silver dash and silver speedo and vent rings. The steering wheel on the 2012 has a gloss black ring and the tach a flat black ring. I'd like to have the gloss black rings throughout.

 

In the MINI configure it says matching gearshift & handbreak covers. However it doesn't show this. Can you or anyone confirm this?

 

Yeah it had contrast white stitching on the gearshift and E brake gaiter. looks really nice too. should have gotten a pic.