As the title says... I know the Non-S coopers all came with chromed grilles, but was it ever offered on the "S"? Can you put an upper and lower chromed "non-S" grille into a MCS?

 

You mean like this:



I can't remember what option I selected that gave me the chrome grilles, though. I think the grilles might even be interchangeable between the Cooper and the 'S'.

 

They are definitely interchangeable and I believe they were added as an option that was included in the 'chrome line exterior' package. It made the front grill chrome as well as the rear boot handle.

 

I must have ordered the chrome grille a la carte then, because I definitely didn't get the chrome line exterior package.

 

I could be wrong too

 

No, you're right - I know that the chrome line exterior package gets you the chrome grille, because that's how my wife got the chrome grille on her MINI.

I only know that I didn't get the chrome line exterior package on mine because my boot hinges are body-colour, not chrome. (Also, it wouldn't have made sense for me to order the chrome line exterior package, because I ordered the bonnet scoop, mirror backs and boot handle in carbon fiber).

 

In the first gen MINI, S and non-S had 100% interchangeable grilles (same part numbers). As others have said, the S got a chrome grille with the exterior chrome line package.

You couldn't have ordered those carbon fiber pieces from the factory -- they are dealer options.

 

I know they were installed at the dealer, because the dealer gave me the body-coloured takeoffs when I took delivery.

What I meant was that the carbon fiber parts were part of my original order, not something I went back to the dealer for later. I selected them in the MINI configurator, handed the printout to my MA, and he placed the order.

So whether the parts were installed at the factory, the VDC, or the dealership, I still "ordered" them with my car. Where they were actually installed is pretty much transparent to the buyer and not really relevant.

In fact, I think the chrome line exterior package is dealer-installed as well, because we got the body-coloured takeoffs when we took delivery of my wife's MINI.

 

Quentin also had the chrome grill as part of the chrome line exterior. As I remember it was also available as a dealer installed option, for about half the cost of the chome exterior (though that probably didn't include installation). I also wanted the chrome hatch handle, which only seemed to come with the package.

It doesn't seem to be an option with R56s, the chome line exterior only gets you a chrome rim to the grill.