1. Please tell us about your MINI when it was delivered. Option Packages along with the Year, Model and Color. I ordered the mini in June 2008 and it got delivered in August. It’s a dark silver Cooper S. It has the chili package, navigation, hifi and some other options. [imgR]http://www.motoringalliance.com/gallery/data/547/medium/3585513111_48c22195df_b.jpg[/imgR] 2. Why did you choose a MINI? I went to the BMW dealer to buy a 3 series but they gave me a test drive in a Cooper S. Sold from the start. It tried to kill me in the first corner with it’s torque steer, but I like a car with a little attitude. The combination of power and handling was what got my attention. They where smart enough to give me the option list and a week later I ordered the car. 3. Please tell us about the various phases your MINI has taken as your mods progressed. The first thing a R56 needs is lowering. It just looks ridiculous high on it’s wheels. The initial lowering was with a set of springs but it wasn’t low enough to my taste. Had to get coils somewhere down the line. Shortly after that the Stage 1 tuning got installed. I got really lucky as the HP en torque numbers are way higher than expected. 207hp and 295Nm to be exact. Next where the aero modifications. Front splitter and Challenge diffuser. Initially I got the M7 diffuser, but as the euro spec cars have a different rear bumper carrier it was impossible to fit. I got the Challenge diffuser trough a friend of mine who got it from a German Challenge team. Somewhere in between the JCW Recaro seats where installed. When it was time to go to Mini United the Mini needed something extra to make it stand out from the crowd. The idea of the martini striping came from a 70’s silver Porsche. Normally the martini livery has a white base, but I thought it looked really good on the silver car. The colors that are used are not the original, but slightly turned down to match the darker silver color. At that time the coils got installed as well. The rear seat delete and M7 rear brace got installed just after Mini United resulting in how the car looks today. 4. What has been your modification philosophy? A mix of a visual and performance. I’m trying to create a good looking car with improved performance. I also like to do it slightly different from what the norm is here in Holland. 5. What has been the most difficult mod completed to date? Why? All the mods so far have been fairly easy although the M7 splitter took some work as the lower part of the JCW bumper clicks into place. Once the splitter is attached the part isn’t that flexible any more. [imgL]http://www.motoringalliance.com/gallery/data/547/medium/3143948105_249a9ac256_b.jpg[/imgL] 6. Where do you research and source your modifications; materials, parts, etc? Mostly forums and usually the ones in the states as they are slightly ahead of the scene in the Netherlands. Unfortunately the R56 is still fairly new so compared to for example the R53 there is still so much left to be figured out. 7. Have other Motoring Alliance members assisted you? If so, give them a shout out. Not directly but online communities like this are really valuable so I would like to thank everybody who contributes to MA. 8. How did Motoring Alliance help you as a resource in your modifications? I’m not really a heavy poster, but read as much as I can to come to the right decisions. [imgR]http://www.motoringalliance.com/gallery/data/547/medium/3144858944_6407ccfee3_b.jpg[/imgR] 9. What are you planning next? What remains to be done? What are your goals? The next mod will be new wheels. I’ve been looking at Work Meisters 2pc for some time now. I love the way the wheel looks and you can get them in a custom PCD and offset. After the wheels it’s time to start modding the engine. New IC, bigger turbo etc etc 10. Please list all current mods. - M7 splitter - M7 rear brace - BC-Racing coils [imgR]http://www.motoringalliance.com/gallery/data/547/medium/3135588380_306fc041e2_o.jpg[/imgR] - Front 20mm spacers - Rear 15mm spacers - JCW stage 1 - JCW seats - JCW side scuttles - DS headlight rings - Beltline blackout - Martini stripes - Rear seat delete - Challenge diffuser - JCW aero That’s about it, but I probably forgot a few.[imgR]http://www.motoringalliance.com/gallery/data/547/medium/3134792047_9a6dda6d45_o.jpg[/imgR] [imgR]http://www.motoringalliance.com/gallery/data/547/medium/3796135821_ae7edf9c2f_b.jpg[/imgR]
By far one of my favorite modded MINI's. I absolutely love the contrast b/w the martini stripes and the dark silver paint. Very well deserved.:cornut:
Thanks all!! It came as a surprise to me as I haven't been online all that much lately. And Rally thnx for the campaigning
Just saw that movie of you getting stuck on that ferry on youtube. Hilarious. I didn't know the rules of linking back and forth b/w MA & M/U but seeing the evolution of your car was pretty sweet. The stripes make a world of difference and really set you apart.
This isn't some fuddy duddy stuck up corp owned forum. Link away, it is the World Wide WEB after all.
lol, all over it Nathan. [ame=http://www.motoringunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13525]Ducks DS MCS - motoring|underground[/ame] Additional pictures of the Martini MINI and ferry video via link.
amazing R56 man. my fav mod are those Porsche Martini stripes. really really nice taste to the dark silver color.