I have every option excpet motorized fold in mirrors and the rally lights. So what is this empty button for normally?

See pic attached

 

Heated front windshield...not available in the US. See here.

I would love to have this option, but it's just not available here...too bad, really.

 

Rocket Launcher!

 

In the US, it's to keep the left/right balance of the car in tact.

 

Passenger ejector seat.

 

I was wondering what I was "missing out on" too. Thanks for starting the thread.

 

how hard would that be to replace? i just mean the switch.

at least it's not like a missing toggle!

 

Thanks!! Yea, that's a bummer, that would be a GREAT option to have here in the Nor'easter!

Why did they leave that out in US?

 

Cloaking device!

The ejection seat is in front of the geardhift. DUH!

 

Apparently you didn't order the Chicken Button option. Bawk!

I'm guessing government regulations are to blame.

 

I'm wondering the same. It kinda disturbs my OCD side...

Agreed though, I'd much rather live with it than a missing toggle. Thank God for my MA encouraging me to get rear fogs!

 

Says something about a visibility package. Anyone know why that would not be available in the US?

 

Heated windshields have been available on Range Rovers here in the states since 1989, I doubt it's due to US regs - very spendy windshields tho. Very spendy.............maybe it was MINI's propensity to break theirs and the factory not wanting to replace them under warranty?

They have very tiny wires embedded vertically in the windshield, you can barely see them if you look for them or catch the light just right.

 

My friend's 2000 Dodge Caravan (base model mind you, not even power windows) has a heated windshield. It is only heated on the bottom where the wipers relax but it is VERY convenient when it's snowing hard and your wipers are freezing.

This would have been a nice feature to have with the cold weather package!

 

Hmmm, never even realized I was missing a button there...


Now it's all I'll ever see when I'm in my MINI. Thanks a lot!

 

Agreed. Although at least with the cold wether package we get heated wiper nozzles. They've managed to get my wipers unfrozen and windshield de-iced every time.

 

My understanding is that like the rear window, the heated windshield has tiny wires running through the glass. And that the wires are considered a safety hazard by U.S. traffic safety officials in the case of a wreck.

 

I don't know if this is correct. It may have been at one time, however, on my '04 Rover - the one I traded in on my Mini, I had this feature. And there were visible lines of wiring in the windscreen...

It's possible that BMW/Mini's design uses different materials techniques that are "unsafe"?

 

That's right! Chicken Button is the new 2007 option. Bawk!

 

According to the former service manager at my dealership, it was left out because American consumers didn't like it. Besides not liking the lines, they thought it implied that normal the defroster didn't work.

 

Put an Ejector Seat label on it.

 

If you stop and consider the number of decisions like this that have probably been made over the years - it's no wonder the rest of the world thinks Americans are stupid - politics notwithstanding.

 

Focus groups need to stop screwing things up for the rest of us.

 

The heated windshield option is available on Canadian spec models ($190). I assume that the people at MINI believe the stereotypes, and thus made it available. Too bad they didn't include all wheel drive! Now here's the BIG question. What's the empty button between the SPORT button and DSC off button?

 

Here's a picture of the automatic climate control unit with the heated front windshield button

http://www.mini.ca/en/Model_Range/MI...n/default.aspx