We’ve had a number of emails asking about the possibility of retrofitting various parts of the 2011 MINI refresh. Specifically the interior.MF reader Houshmand Moarefi from Denver, CO wrote in earlier this week wanting to know what many of you have asked over the last few days. Is it possible to retrofit some if not all of the refreshed MINI interior? The answer is yes and no. Yes you swap parts but each component comes with a set of different issues. On the steering wheel for instance the updated part is tied to the airbag which is extremely expensive and likely not worth replacing to get the new chrome trim. The radio face can be swapped out but the lower portion (where the buttons are) may be difficult considering that the volume knob has now moved into this module. Yes it is possible to replace various parts of the HVAC interface but again it involves taking apart the entire center stack and the components underneath. With the previous generation car, MINI did not offer upgrades that brought your car up to the same look as the refresh. All that said, where there’s a will, there’s a way. We’d guess that (through trial and error) we’ll soon find out what parts of more easily swappable than others and we’ll post an update once 2011 parts are available. More...
I know how you could do it...... Drive into your favorite MINI dealership, remove the floormats from your current car and install them in your new 2011 MINI - drive out and enjoy! Probably cost less too..... :cornut:
Abridged Q: Can I Retrofit the Refreshed Interior? A: Yah, maybe. The parts might fit, they might not. They might work with the electronics or not. If they do in fact fit and work, it's gonna be really difficult to install them because it will require you to remove a few screws and remove the center stack. We won't be able to actually answer this question until someone tries it.
Don't forget... If you try it please let us know how it goes and you get major brownie points for documenting the process as well.