Most liked posts in thread: MINI Interior: How Would You Improve it?

Functional cup holders would be #1 on my list.

The rest is mostly "quirkyness" that I can live with.

 

Pretty simple

loose the cartunish design paradigm, add a real temp gauge. I was driving a new GTI and it's dash/instruments are much better than the MINIs.

Come to think of it, there is little in the current design that doesn't in some way sacrafice function in the name of style. While I do like branding and style, it should augment function, not undermine it.

Matt

 

Lose the center speedometer, move the vents somewhere where I can blow A/C on my face instead of my knuckles, and have a built-in Scangauge or other multi-gauge option. But keep it funky - I like that my R53's interior isn't as "nice" as my Jetta's interior was.

 

A lot of things got "fixed" in the R56, like the A/C vents and larger (although not large enough) cup holders - at least you can get something bigger than a can of Red Bull in the new ones.

Some stuff got worse, like the lack of gauges - that's just inexcusable to me, so that would be first on my list of interior improvements. The Chrono pak was really good looking as well as functional - if they brought that back I'd be happy (er)......the candy corn gas gauge sucks too, IMHO. Give me real, readable gauges please......

Other than that, most of the "quirks" I can live with, but I would really like adjustable pause on the intermittant wipers..... and a big "no thanks" on the rain sensing wipers. BTDT.

I love the mood lighting, I'd like it even more if there was a greater range of colors and if the lights in the gauges changed too.

The backrest adjustment lever is just almost impossible to use, especially if you have a center armrest, and powered memory seats could be nice. The lumbar adjustment goes from way too much to OMG who stuck the football in my back! The lower squabs are too intrusive, and I'm not that big! Make the side ones bigger and open those on the squab up a bit, please. Or, go over to a VW store and see what seats are supposed to fit like....

Even after learning to live with it, I'd prefer it if my Clubby did not have the big bar in the middle of the rear window, either give it a proper hatch like the coupes and upcoming Countryman, or make it smaller and less intrusive.

The radio controls are an absolute joke, worst I've ever tried to use, so other than turning it on, I use the steering wheel controls as much as I can.

Other than those, I pretty much like my second gen, second MINI, and if they'd upgrade it to a more modern standard, I'd be a happy camper.

But hey, whadya expect for $30K????

 

I'm happy with my R53 interior. The rattles can really infuriate me. I don't mind the big speedo, people comment on it but i think they like it. I think.....

Oh i want to sit lower. Telescoping wheel would be nice too. Cupholders suck and i could use another storage compartment that closes. That's really it.

- drew

 

I like my 03 interior, the Clubman not so much. Lack of any kind of temp gauge is ridicules. Radio controls are silly, and the lumbar feels either full on, or nothing.

Mark

 

I really don't have any complaints with my R56. I do like that the center stack is going to all black, but what I have is fine.

Jim

 

Let me take that back. I would like to see the body color offered for the dash again in all colors.

Jim

 

Here's my (updated) response of what I wrote on the MF site: As a 1st Gen owner, I like my interior as it is; however, adding a little more sound-proofing 2 combat rattles and including a standard armrest (other automakers include them as a stock item–y couldn’t MINI/BMW?) is all I can think of at the moment.

 

I like the interior, but don't use the center speedometer on the R57 except for the radio display at the bottom and the gas gauge. I use the readout on the Tachometer for speed. Speed is a conversion process anyway with the 4 mph high reading it displays. Be that as it may... I can live with the quirky radio controls but the large speedometer area would be better utilized as a multifunction computer display. A display Showing wide angle aft situational awareness (cameras for the Cabrio), Fore and aft radar detectors, GPS display with alternative routes to escape what appeared on the radar. or maybe on the screen a sign that says "if you can read this you are not paying attention to your driving". Oh yeah my cup holders work great. Noise is handled by turning up the radio. A lot of Noise comes with the top being down. Fun car.

 

R52/R53. Never been in any flavor of a Second Gen car, so I would not know. Back rest adjustments suck. So does lumbar support. Power memory seats are the one thing I miss from our old Audi A6. A near must have for anyone who likes to share/swap cars on regular basis.

 

I like the interior on my R53 (1st Gen), but hate the center stack design on the 2nd generation. The speedo has definately gone over the edge from 'a retro style' to 'a farce'. The radio controls are non-intuitive and that one central knob for volume/power? Really? Someone had a degree in design and that's all they could think of? I'd much rather have a standard DIN sized radio so it could be replaced easily.

I wish that BMW in general would use a bette quality leather (It took 1 year of moisturizing monthly before the seats lost the papery feel.

My biggest concern: What's up with the head-rests on the 2nd Generation? I'm 6'4" and the bottom edge hits me in the back of the neck and pushes my head down like I'm looking at the speedo instead of out the window (even when they are adjusted to maximum height). I had a 2nd Gen as a loaner for a week, and within a day I had inverted the head rests so I could at least sit comfortably. It was ugly and was probably not safe in a collision, but I couldn't stand sitting in the car for more than 5 min at a time without doing so. If I bought a 2nd Gen, I'd make my first stop an upholstery shop and have 'em shave at least 1" of foam off of the front side of the head rest.

 

The R53 is automotive interior design perfection.

 

I have an 08 R56 MCS JCW. I want REAL gauges with real senders/sensors not a gauge where the computer makes calculations and then points a needle. Speedo and tach BOTH in front of my face not to my right where I can't monitor the road while I'm looking at them. The pie dish in the middle of the dash should have a gauge cluster of engine temp,oil pressure,voltage or amperage,boost gauge,and fuel gauge. This is my only complaint. Alot of the stuff mentioned above would be nice add on's but I need the proper gauges. Thank God for Scan Gauge II.:cornut: Jason

 

That's what happens when you get automotive interior designers that eat petit four's and sip tea with their little pinky's out (the little finger, not the "other" one), all in the name of creating an "artsy" interior. :cryin:

Shoulda / coulda kept a little of John Coopers' heritage in the mix.:yesnod:

 

Any comments about dash lighting? Does everyone really like the orange?

 

Hey, I hold every cup, can, or mug with my little finger out. Now that I think about it, it's the same for phones, binoculars, flashlights, some cameras, etc... No idea why I do it. Apparently I've done this since I was little.

BMW has been using the same orange and digital displays for years. You don't mess with German perfection.

 

Yeah......... well I bet when your cooper's on the track, that little finger is grabbing the steering wheel for all its worth.

 

Perfection might be a wee bit extreme as a descriptor, but certainly a whole heck of a lot closer to it than its younger brothers.

Sorry, a MINI just wouldn't be a MINI without the center line speedo display independent of whether or not it makes ergonomic sense (yes, I rely on the digital readout on the tach but I wouldn't buy one without a center speedo). That said, it's layout and scale in 1st Gen made much more sense and was much more connected in design heritage than today's obtrusive "pizza pan" with all of its wasted real estate. I hate all of the cheap plastic, the horrid controls with their "mickey mouse" look, and the additional wasted space on the 2nd Gen center stack. (Sadly, these design guys seem to be still cashing paychecks, to wit: the Openometer and the Mission Control.)

I like understated monochrome orange gauge lighting. The alphanumerics on the 1st Gen gauges look much classier. Real gauges ought to be standard.

I'm racking my brain for things that I like better about the R56 interior. Right leg space for the driver is certainly one.

Uhhhh.......

Gosh, come to think of it maybe the R53 interior is closer to perfection than I first thought...