i got the sport package because i wanted everything in it, and if it havent included the xenons i would have ordered them anyway, i think they look super cool at night, everyone can see you coming (or going) since i got my MCS i love them even more, i would never go back to having a car with just halogen lights

 

I would love to have Xenons however I bought my car used and without them. I have looking into buying an aftermarket kit and put them in but that seems like a huge project and a ton of extra money. If you don't get Xenons due to cost check out a brighter whiter bulb than stock. Not as bright, nor as 'cool' as xenons, but a lot cheaper.

 

hmmmm

edit: No question. Xenons should be mandatory. Soft yellow glow = marginal, comprimised vision = diminished safety

 

The Xenons, I got them as part of the sport package. True the yellow halogens make you look more like a vintage Mini, but Xenons are great!

Self-Leveling
The lights are cool, I love how they follow the pitch of the road, very sweet. We have a lot of uh, 'sport tuner imports' in my area and often see the high-intensity (off road) lights in them, and those are quite annoying from the front. Other drivers appreciate that the BMW and MINI xenon's are designs so they don't blind people as you are passing by (I guess mine are properly adjusted).

Washers..
The robot-arm sprinkler-head washers seem to be overkill, unless you are trying to squirt someone you are driving by in the next lane.. now why would I do that Those things squirt out a good 3-4 feet to each side. Definately don't want to trigger them if you are in a parade!

I think it would be cool if someone was driving in the middle of the freeway with a really really dirty car, and say 10 or 20 MINIs passed by on either side squirting their Xenons.. it would be like a highspeed touchless carwash.. ok maybe not, but it would make for a great commerical

Designer changes
They changed the design of the lights over the years, I have a 2003 and it doesn't have the star-trek looking bullet thing with the holes in it, uh, they added that later.. (did that make sense?) the lights sort of hide away when you turn them off.

OT
I also have driving lamps (ok, rally lights!) when its REALLY dark on a lone country road, for example.. the auto-dimming mirror (which is completely awesome, can't live without one now) and before I get off-topic I unfortunately got the rain-sensing $450 to replace windscreen. My next MINI will not have that one. I think am skilled enough now to drive and flick the wiper arm control on my own