I just saw a story from the Detroit Auto Show that said Mini was going to call it's cabrio the Mini Sidewalk. Any truth to this? Is it a different model from the current one? Is this old news?

 

I think it is just a special edition cabrio kinda like the Checkmate, GP, or MC40 were for the tintops

 

Found this on Motoring File : http://motoringfile.com/2007/01/09/m...-the-sidewalk/

 

just look on the internation mini.com site. i saw the car about 3 or 4 weeks ago.

 

anyone know when these will become available? i didn't see it in the article, but then again it was so long i might have missed it.

 

Ooohhh! Nice lookin'!

 

http://autoshow.autos.msn.com/autosh...mentid=1695627

Big article. I just dont get it ... some fancy paint and its a different model?

 

Calling it "Sidewalk" makes no sense to me.

 

The Rover Mini had a special edition called the Sidewalk introduced in 1995. It wasn't a cabrio, but I guess MINI thought the name fit with the droptop.

It's not a different model, just a variant of the Cabrio (like the MC40 was for the hardtop).

 

But MC40 had a purpose, to commerate something. This seems to have no purpose. Throw some new paint, change the interior colors ... new variant? I guess its MINI marketing doing its thing

 

Well, let's see, the original sidewalk was released in 1995 - so this is the 12th anniversary edition of a limited edition Mini that has no relation to the Cabrio.

Makes perfect sense if you're in marketing I'm sure

 

Well, the color they show it in looks like concrete.

 

Sure it has a purpose, to throw all the higher end parts that dont sell to well in the 02 - 06 MINI in the convertible to deplete their stock pile of parts as they probably wont be using these parts in the R56. And the MC40 might be a bad example, so lets say this is just the same they did with the Checkmate MINI in the hardtop, they decided to run a special edition convertible called the Sidewalk.

 

I like the seats, but they don't seem to match the rest of the bits in the car. I love that baseball glove color, but it clashes with everything else. That steering wheel is butt ugly. I agree with the consensus, it just doesn't make sense to me. YUK!!

 

Other than the nifty wheels, I'm not impressed The new changes are subtle and I think the current tan leather is nicer than what they are showing. It clashes with the gray. Like the leather on the door though. I guess they need something new and different for some pizazz.

 

Beats calling it "curb or gutter", I guess. Maybe somebody from England would know why one would want to call a car Sidewalk.

 

Europe has continuos packages that "bundle" options to the car with the Checkmate, Parklane and Seven. The U.S. got the Checkmate package in '05 and '06 which was mostly aesthetic add ons. This is just one of those limited duration packages to carry on some of the heritage.

I'd rebadge it as the "Ballpark" as the leather has a nice resemlance to a baseball glove. Wouldn't fly in Europe though.

 

The name does have some history with the older Mini.

 

I am very underwhelmed, both with the options and colors. At first I was annoyed -MINI comes out with a limited edition a month after I ordered my Chili Red. But after having looked at it...eh, not bothered.

 

Hey, maybe there's a new movie in the making... Italian Job III?

 

I think the steering wheel insert and shifter are overkill - but I like the colour combo otherwise. Since when do brown leather and dark grey clash?

 

Agreed! I like the "ball glove" color with gray. Audi TT's also have a version of the "ball glove" upholstery, inlcuding an appropriate style of stitching. I love it and I don't even like baseball!

The TT Looks fab and based on the photos of the Mini, I think it will look great, too.

 

I love the colors. I, too, though, would just lose the brown on the steering wheel.

Zip

 

Someone mentioned this on MINI2. The MINI UK site says:Could be an interesting color addition, if it is a metallic pure white or pearlescent white.

 

I'm not so hot on a pearl white, but a metallic white would be really stunning I think - like quartz.