Since all my posts on Motoringfile are being mysteriously deleted before anyone can respond to them , thought I'd pose this one here.

What is up with this?



You delete the rear seat for approximately 40 lbs weight savings, then add back at least 10 lbs with a folding cover, storage boxes and "an aluminum finished cargo brace bar." WTF? Is this thing is not even structural? Is it even metal? Why break up the usable cargo space and add weight by installing this "feature?" And why drop the rear seats for such a small weight loss and suffer a huge functionality loss?

What am I missing here? Enlighten me, please.

at least they took out the rear seatbelts. looks pretty good, imho. best ive seen so far.

i really thought of removing mine since they had no function whatsoever, but then decided it is a lot of work and has no cool factor

You mean best "aluminum finished cargo brace bar?"

remove rear seat + install roll bar = cooler than stock

Well I was thinking of taking mine out this week since they spend all their time down anyway, I've had 3 passengers in 8 months that would have taken advantage of them.

also, that rear seat delete will probably be very popular with the MINI guys, it loks alot better than most of the options out there, and it has a nifty storge area under there!

no, they just used a shower curtain rod, u goof.

The bar is there to get in the way of any roll cage which would add weight. C'mon you do think MINI would let one of these actually go on the track do you?

Besides the BLing factor of a line of chrome in the back has to be worth at least 5k

Sounds like you've got it figured out...

There are people who are willing to remove any convenience/luxury/sound deadning part in order to save even a tiny amount of weight. To me, it just ain't worth the trade offs to save a few pounds on a street car.

Rawhyde

I love how they left the handles though...

Looks alright IMO, if the bar does add to structure all is well. One thing does puzzle me though, why keep the rear "oh crap handles"??? . I mean is the co-pilot really gonna get thrown back there to need to grab it? Very puzzling

Got me by two minutes!

Well you sit on this (non structural as best we can tell) bar while you're tailgating at the John Cooper Challenge races and when it gives way you grab the handle to prevent denting the alminum seat delete cover-up.

Have you seen the way some of us drive, its entirely possible Esp when they add 4hp, which may not be reflected in US models.

Personally, I think it is a lap bar like on roller coasters

Ok, so far no good defense of the "aluminum finished cargo brace bar". Anyone?

I already told you BLING BLING

Ok, now I'm really pissed. The Czechs get a rear seat and real front seats.

http://www.autorevue.cz/Automobilka/AR.asp?ARI=6815

That was a joke, people...

Has anyone seen exactly how much weight has been removed from the GP vs. Stock JCW? I think at the price it's a good buy for sure, as an identically optioned out JCW is approx. $38,000 vs. the $31,000 for this bit of kit.

The hard part for me if I bought one is this... with only 400 some GP's coming stateside, would you dare further modify it, thus destroying it's "pedigree" from the factory?

At least you'd be in Stock classes for Autocross I guess eh?

How do you get to $38k? An S with Sport package and factory JCW comes in at about $29k, then add the suspension for another $1500.

So I have not yet heard a credible defense of the rear seat delete on this car. Anyone?

I don't think there IS a credible reason. . .hell, the main reason we bought our MINI in the first place (well, other than it being a MINI) was that we could get the kids in it for the day-to-day, and rip it up on the back roads on the weekends. If I wanted a 2-seat sports car, I'd be getting into a modded Miata or an S2K, etc. Sir Alec would NOT like this. . .

[quote=XAlfa]How do you get to $38k? An S with Sport package and factory JCW comes in at about $29k, then add the suspension for another $1500.[/quote

Reality is... if you build a JCW MSC, you have to add the sports package.

Then I added: Leather: Panther Black (for the custom seats)
Chrome Line interior (for the anthracite gauges)
MFSW
Piano Black interior, to compensate for the specific GP dash
18" JCW star spokes $2334
JCW sport Suspension $945 (and we all know that's for the parts only)
JCW Door Sills
JCW Carbon fiber Mirrors, Scoop, and spoiler

Grand total $36,090.... add in the Aero kit to compensate for extra bit of body kit on a GP, add $1250 plus installation...

So that's how I made a ballpark $38,000. Even if the GP was $1000 less than a built online JCW..still a bargain.

Now for the money would I buy another Mini? Hell no! STI would be in the garage for me... or a nice used Boxster.

As far as a valid reason for deleting the seat... I have no idea. I'd be happy with a design that had easily "removable" seats in the rear. Way cooler!