For those who care, no- it doesn't look like they're going to attempt to fix the small ones they have in front of the shifter, but they're going to offer a new auxiliary one. I found this in Mini International Magazine, a publication from BMW. I heard a while back that MINI would be coming out with a new cupholder to replace the ugly and bulky black one they supply now, but this was the first time I'd seen a picture of it...at least it mounts higher and you won't have to remember to move it out of the way when sliding the passenger seat back and forth...



_________________
2003 BRG/W MINI Cooper S

 

I like that one MUCH better...did it say when it would be available?

 

i have a kid who rides in back. Remembering to move the black one out of the way is a pain in the butt.

 

Cool.

The MINI Fini cup holder is defintely a mixed blessing. It's big enough to hold most stuff, but it's a pain when you have a passenger. I find myself knocking it all the time when it's folded in and I'm shifting into 5th.

 

What about just using a bicycle water bottle holder like this one?

 

I like the MINIFINI cupholder. It is very useful to place either your cell or i-pod device. the new one in the picture is only suited to place drinks and that's it.


Since it appears to install higher than the MINIFINI one, when moving the seat up it will not interfere.


MINIFINI has a contract with BMW/MINI to supply the cuplink cupholder and other products that they currently sell only through authorized MINI dealers. If MINIFINI is not behind the new cupholder I wonder if the relationship is not working out as intended between the 2?

 

Why can't they evaluate the cupholders inother sporty cars? My daughters GTI VR6 1.8T has the best one available I think. It's a pop out just above the cd player. It pops out when you need it and the pops back in to a hidden slot when you don't. MUCH better. :smile:

 

how can anyone drink and drive at the same time? have you ever tried to take a drink while taking a corner at 35 MPH? i can not be done.

 

When I bought the car, I was aware of the shortcomings - cupholders, sunvisors, etc. Never really had a complaint there... And the way I drive it makes putting anything loose in the car prone to missile status....

 

Amen agokart! Drive the car first and foremost. I bought a new BMW 5 series while living in Germany. I had a friend (German) who had the same model. We were comparing our cars when he found the cup holders and asked what they were. He seemed perplexed when I told him they were to hold your drinks while you drive.

He wanted to know if I had a steering wheel on my coffee table at home ... good perspective.

Cheers

Geoff

 

>>Why can't they evaluate the cupholders inother sporty cars? My daughters GTI VR6 1.8T has the best one available I think. It's a pop out just above the cd player. It pops out when you need it and the pops back in to a hidden slot when you don't. MUCH better. :smile:

Problem is you can't get to the stereo controls while your Dr. Pepper sits there!

 

>>Amen agokart! Drive the car first and foremost. I bought a new BMW 5 series while living in Germany. I had a friend (German) who had the same model. We were comparing our cars when he found the cup holders and asked what they were. He seemed perplexed when I told him they were to hold your drinks while you drive.
>>
>>He wanted to know if I had a steering wheel on my coffee table at home ... good perspective.
>>
>>Cheers
>>
>>Geoff
E39 was notorious for having bad cupholders too!

 

>>how can anyone drink and drive at the same time? have you ever tried to take a drink while taking a corner at 35 MPH? i can not be done.
i like th elook of the new one

 

>>Amen agokart! Drive the car first and foremost. I bought a new BMW 5 series while living in Germany. I had a friend (German) who had the same model. We were comparing our cars when he found the cup holders and asked what they were. He seemed perplexed when I told him they were to hold your drinks while you drive.
>>
>>He wanted to know if I had a steering wheel on my coffee table at home ... good perspective.
>>
>>Cheers
>>
>>Geoff

Have your friend spend a week in Texas during the summer. Walking from your office to your car in 105 degree heat, you'll lose about a gallon of water! Texans need the cupholders so we don't pass out from dehydration just GETTING to the car!

-Rob

 

This new cup holder looks fantastic......very practical and goes great with the design of the interior. Is it available anywhere yet? If not, does anyone know when? I think I want one.

 

The magazine didn't mention when it would be available- it just treated it as if it were already in stock in dealerships, but being that this magazine is based in Europe, it may have been released there and will probably be here this summer, along with other new accessories which have been rumored to be making their way over here around that time also...I think it will look great with the chrome pieces around the gauges from the Cabrio, which I hope to retrofit to my car.

 

Upon further examination, I wonder if the main portion can be removed from the base easily- that's one complaint I have about the current one- it's too hard to remove when not in use. This new one looks like you can almost pull up on the top and pull it out of the cylinder...at least I hope so...

 

>>how can anyone drink and drive at the same time? have you ever tried to take a drink while taking a corner at 35 MPH? i can not be done.

Seriously...corner at 35 (or 50)...no drinking. That's when I rest the cup on the window, and let gravity do it's thing!

I do like the new cupholder look. I need it anyway, since my current Mini-Fini cupholder has become the base for my Sirius PNP headunit. I'm back to using the rear cupholder for my coffee.

 

>>>>Why can't they evaluate the cupholders inother sporty cars? My daughters GTI VR6 1.8T has the best one available I think. It's a pop out just above the cd player. It pops out when you need it and the pops back in to a hidden slot when you don't. MUCH better. :smile:
>>
>>Problem is you can't get to the stereo controls while your Dr. Pepper sits there!


It's called the MFSW (Multi function steering Wheel)!!

_________________
Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose

 

>>Upon further examination, I wonder if the main portion can be removed from the base easily- that's one complaint I have about the current one- it's too hard to remove when not in use. This new one looks like you can almost pull up on the top and pull it out of the cylinder...at least I hope so...

I installed the MINI-Fini cupholder base upside down on purpose- someone else mentioned doing this. It allows you to swing the cupholder freely and makes it easy to lift it up and remove it. That being said, I love the look of the new one, and will have one when it's available.

 

call me an idealist; but cupholders in performance cars should be ILLEGAL!
Motor-On,
Ryan

 

A sports car should have useless cupholders. That's one of the requirements I think.

 

I think you need to think of to 2 in front of the shifter as coin and key holders
the back seat one works for me I can find, it but I'm not in heavy traffic
that pic looks like it would work

 

>>call me an idealist; but cupholders in performance cars should be ILLEGAL!
>>Motor-On,
>>Ryan

If you want to split hairs then performance cars shouldn't have the following:

1. Power steering
2. A/C
3. Stereos
4. Power windows
5. Power locks
6. Cup holders
7. Clocks
8. Spare tires
9. Sun roof
10. Floor mats
11. Carpet / sound insulation
12. Rear seat

 

I disagree on 1 of those only. True sports cars should have 2 spares, not 0. Otherwise the scrubbed tire and the new one will throw the cornering geometry out at the limit.