What's the red on top of the tach?
 

On the topmost part of the tach there is a long-ish piece of red plastic running left to right, and I have no idea what it's for. Any ideas? It is usually hidden from view behind the steering wheel so I don't see it much as I drive, but there it is on the top of the tach when I look around. Maybe it has a light in it, somewhere, but it's not mentioned as part of normal instrumentation. Decorative? It'd be cool if it lit up at redline. Pg 24 of the manual mentions LEDs on the tachometer that are related to the alarm function, so maybe it's related to the alarm (which I don't have)??

It's the "heartbeat" alarm indicator. If you have the factory alarm it pulses slowly if the alarm is activated.

I believe Paul Mullett on Mini2 posted a video of this indicator in action. Pretty cool.

Can you make the light blink without the alarm.

im also wondering if this is possible. But I think you really have to get the alarm package for it to work :(