Anybody know for sure this is true?
Any idea of the weight savings and lastly, the price.

Thanks

 

I read that in MT too....'bespoke control arms'. I don't know about lighter, as the steel ones are spindly, but I'd say stronger for sure.

 

price I dunno... or if they are avilable to non GP owners....

they are cast aluminium... they look nice... also I think they are trailing arms... not control arms... you can see them though the wheels... and knowing the stock steel ones are pretty heavy they prolly saved some good wieght

 

I think the trailing arms are aluminum, not the control arms. I could be wrong. Anyway, #4 in this pic...

 

Exactly. I inspected one up close at LRP last week. The trailing arms looks really sweet! I too wonder if one must provide proof of GP purchase.

 

Loads of pics on my websites ... supposedly, GP parts are only for GP owners

 

Luckily we haven't had to here ....yet.
Some have already ordered the new intercooler with no issues.

Now if they lightened this it'd be nice. #5

 

From Ian's website...

 

I've heard (probably somewhere on NAM) that the GP aluminum trailing arms are production parts from the 2007 MINI. Don't know whether they are direct replacements or require modification.

 

All parts can be ordered from a dealer. I checked on all the parts plus the under body ground effects for Greg "onasled" when I got back from LRP. My dealer didn't think there was any restrictions on ordering.
Arms list for $605.00 each. Sure look nice under my car.
Should be standard equip on 2007 from my understanding.

 

That would make sense, as spending all that money on the tooling for these arms for only 2000 cars, doesn't make sense.

 

Tell Ian to rip his new car apart and weigh that thing

 

it appears to be a cast piece. Casting isn't that expensive and completely appropriate for a run of 4000 pieces + spares (based on what I know from watching it done on a show about Newport News Shipbuilding on the 'Military Channel' ). Still....it does make more sense for iit to be '07 production based.

 

Now that makes sense. Didn't even think of that...for some reason.

 

Unless they use a lost wax/investment casting process.
Looking at the complexity of the shape that is a much better option than the sand cast process.

In a mass prodution run lost wax is still cheaper than machined and welded pieces by quite a bit.

I see it's been menmtioned a couple times this piece will be used in the '07 models but no mention of a retro fit into older production models. ???

 

Nope, it is a lie.

 

 

Were the confusion came in was the fact that brain dead MINI USA keeps refering to the aluminum trailing arm as "Control Arms". When I saw Charlie's GP on his lift, I was actually looking at the control arms, and thinking that no way were those made from aluminum.

I'll tell you some more of the stories this weekend.

 

Thanks Jim

See you at Bass Pro.

You drive mine, I drive yours...right?

 

Just curious - whats the deal with the new intercooler? Comparable to aftermarket offerings?

 

That's kind of an unknown but if it is as efficient as the smaller stock unit it should be a good buy for the money.

Until it's tested we can only speculate.

 

Come to that, what is the price people have paid for it?

 

List price for parts
The IC is decently priced but the cover is robbery.

Looks like ~$500 for all the important bits.

 

Matt (Dr O) and I had the owner of a GP pop the hood at the Monterey Historics. The first thing he noticed was the IC. It looks like a typical MCS IC, just deeper - front to back. It drapes over the spark plugs to give one an idea as to size. I prefer having easy access to the spark plugs...

There was another thread a couple weeks back about these trailing arms, confusing a few of us because they were referred to as control arms. Aftermkt control arms save weight, but not a whole lot (about 3 pounds / pair).

I am interested in these trailing arms, but at 600 each, not at that price though.

 

I was more than a bit set back by the price.
They'd have to operate in another space time continuum and have negative weight to be worth that kind of loot.
$600/pair I could almost live with. Even then not @ 3-4lbs total. Each corner maybe.

Thanks again Tony.