I thought I had read in one of the reviews that the MINI Clubman had an upshift indicator light in the tach to indicate the best time to shift for fuel economy. I couldn't find anything about it in the owner's manual, and I didn't notice a light on the tach. Is this a UK only feature?

 

Probably. Same as the auto engine start/stop feature, brake regeneration, etc that were kept off the north american market.

 

The indicator suggests changes up or down on the latest spec UK cars, which all have stop/start. There's a photo of it here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/18843279@N03/2339605725/

(The up/down arrows change as you drive along - but I'm not offering to photograph that!)

 

thanks, I thought it was a UK only feature.

 

The engine auto start/stop feature is only offered in manual transmission cars. Not available in European spec automatics.

 

I believe that this is an option that can be ordered.. Look under JCW

 

It an upshift light was standard on a Clubman I would never have bought it. I owned a car in the 70's that had one and it was the single most annoying feature I have ever seen. I ended up having to remove the dashboard and smashing the light with a pair of piers to keep it from displaying. Worst idea ever.

 

Couldn't agree more. I had an '86 944 and it had one. It was a total idiot light. Glaring at you regardless of the surroundings and what you were doing with the car. At least the one on the UK Mini isn't that big or noticeable. The 944 was dead center in a black cluster and was bright green. I hated that thing.

 

The change-shift light on a manual Clubman isn't intrusive at all - as it just adds a bit more driver information in the same way as the red-line markings on the rev counter. But I don't follow either religiously on a brisk drive as I think I can predict, from traffic and road conditions, what gear I will want far better than any computer.

I'm not closing my mind to a few more mpg at other times though!