Does anybody find the speedometer in the Mini placed in the middle distracting while driving. the driver has to look to the middle of the dash to find out how fast they are going. Is there a digital speedo on the tachometer in front of the driver?

 

Yes, located in the window in the lower portion of the tach...

...the newest design moves the speedo to in front of the driver

 

altho i can't argue with doing this the traditionalist in me crys out "blasphemy ! that's not as mini !"

 

Which design is this? The 2015 countryman (in the UK at least) is still showing the speedo in the centre of the dash in all the pictures and the mini configurator. They've just changed the dial colours to black.

 

I got this picture from car and driver, this picture of the 2015 CM shows the speedo in the center:

 

The classic mini was built on a rotating jig, the center mounted speedo covering the hole in the dash from the pivot pole that ran the length of the car.

The modern MINI stuck with tradition, a good thing.

That said all modern MINIs have also had a secondary digital speedo on the tach.

The tach is the more important anyway, helps you with shifting, all MINIs are manual, right ;-)

 

I rarely look at the center speedo and rely on the digital readout front and center. Awkward is the word!

 

Here's some more comments on the subject. I notice a huge lack of input from the hard core traditionalists however.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...eedometer.html
The center speedo was very useful back in the day when MINI was winning rallies right and left. The navigator was the primary user of the gauge so it was put there so he could see it and still keep track of his Curta and became as much a hallmark as the overall design.

 

I believe JABowders meant the 2015 Cooper Hardtops have moved the speedo over with the tach. The other models have yet to adopt this design.

 

I can understand that the tach is more important if you have a manual, but for an automatic, the tach is pretty useless. It would make more sense to place the speedo in front of the driver in a automatic.

 

 

Thanks jonnieoh, a picture is worth a thousand words

 

I dont think they are going to build MINI's with the speedo in two different locations depending on whether you have an auto or a manual.

I like the center mounted speedo, dont find it 'awkward' and do use it probably more than the digital readout. Then again i once owned an original Mini.

 

Come to think of it, I never use the center speedometer.
It looks really cool at night but use the digital one on the tach for driving.

The old nostalgic features are nice tho.

 

There's a speedometer in the middle?

Hmm...I've always used the SPEED display on the tach.

 

Just economics, in the middle was the only real instrument in the early days.You don't have to change a lot for LHD and RHD.

 

It seems to me the speed in the middle is form over function. In this day of all the devices that can distract the driver, the center speedo is just another of those device. Its a good thing there is a digital speedo in front.

 

Should stick to your Chevy or Ford then if you are that easily distracted.... as mentioned by a few already, the center speedo pays homage to the original Mini.

 

I personally don't stare at the speedo. I'm usually looking at the road. Plus I hardly use the speedo anyway. More of a drive by feel kind of person. Pretty accurate actually. About the only time I look at it is when I'm on the highway and the speed zone changes. But everyone has their preference I suppose.

 

I think if you know the history of the Mini, you can appreciate the dash layout. It's just one more thing that makes the car just a little different, which to me is its main attraction.

 

I am not the type of person who likes things just because it is different. A bad design is still a bad design even if some people thinks its cool and it is unique.

 

I wouldn't call this a bad design at all. In others cars you have to look down to see your speed. You take your eyes off the road to do so. While you're looking down at your speed you use your peripheral vision to keep you eye on the road. The same can be said about this design. You look to the right and down while keeping your peripheral vision on the road. And actually, while driving this morning I did a check to see how long it took to check my speed and look back up. I used the center speedo, and the digital tach speedo. The speed difference was indiscernible.


So, long story short, not bad design, just not what most people are used to. After driving a MINI for 5 years I can say that in some cars the speedo is so small and in a little cup type of instrument cluster that I think that's hard to read. You adapt or change what you unable to adapt to.

 

I never use the digital speedo in the tach window. Like the big center speedo. The lack of o,e in the news MINIs is a -1 for me.

 

^^ This. ^^

 

Then why would you even consider a MINI or were you simply showing up here just to criticize the car??? You definitely need to buy something other than a MINI.