i've had cordoba beige leather for 2 years now & its surprisingly easy to keep clean. it gets less dirty than a cloth interior

Paul - Do you think there is any chance of MINI showing us any pics of Lightning Blue MINI's?

what does look wrong in that show car is how the cream seats & white colour line clash horribly, unless its the lighting

Probably the lighting on the different materials. The part I thought "clashed" was the seat back parts still in black/dark grey, along with the rear speaker housing. Didn't quit fit. It was nice leather though, the seats are much improved.

p.s. Cutting together some more shakey cam footage, this time around and in the MINI Cooper (red) at the show.

Fair post Hat it must be good quality leather! Dad had a Williams 3.0 Baccara Laguna with a pale leather - got very dirty - serves him right for having a Renault I suppose. He had a Silver Spur II that didn't do to well either so perhaps its us?

Paul - Did the Red Cooper half-leather upholstery look ok close up?

The leather (and seats in general) looked and felt nice. It was a shame they've reduced the half leather to maybe quarter leather, but it still looked OK, just a big of a cheap move that one.

The leather (and seats in general) looked and felt nice. It was a shame they've reduced the half leather to maybe quarter leather, but it still looked OK, just a big of a cheap move that one.

Or a way of encouraging more people to take the full leather option ;)

Paul - Do you think there is any chance of MINI showing us any pics of Lightning Blue MINI's?

Go to your dealer mate they are now showing pics of the lightening blue while you spec the car up. It shows the colour on the car which helps.

Go to your dealer mate they are now showing pics of the lightening blue while you spec the car up. It shows the colour on the car which helps.

I was in my dealer yesterday and they never offered that, might just be my dealer though.:mad:

Or a way of encouraging more people to take the full leather option ;)

my thoughts exactly. there are a few things like this that seem to be subtly aimed at moving people down the spec sheet

Go to your dealer mate they are now showing pics of the lightening blue while you spec the car up. It shows the colour on the car which helps.

Thats interesting thanks, I'll pop up at the weekend.

Well, am off to dealers at 4pm and am not leaving unless it's blue !

Red MINI Cooper video, including glovebox operation. It's quite shallow (the glovbox) so I can see a need for a new version of the GoMiniGo glovebox tidy, and the storage pack may be worth it's weight if you don't order the CD changer!

http://www.mini2.com/galleries/showphoto.php/photo/44260/cat/525

Pics and videos so far:

First images: http://www.mini2.com/images/paris_one/slideshow.php
Second images: http://www.mini2.com/images/paris_two/slideshow.php
Third images: http://www.mini2.com/images/paris_three/slideshow.php

Video of colour changing interior ligts:
http://www.mini2.com/galleries/showphoto.php/photo/44251/cat/525
http://www.mini2.com/galleries/data/525/mini2_moodlighting.mov

Video of the "main" Laser Blue Cooper S after the wraps came off:
http://www.mini2.com/galleries/showphoto.php/photo/44259/cat/525
http://www.mini2.com/galleries/data/525/laser_s_paris.mov

Video of the red MINI Cooper, including glovbox operation:
http://www.mini2.com/galleries/showphoto.php/photo/44260/cat/525
http://www.mini2.com/galleries/data/525/red_cooper_paris.mov

I'm focusing on getting the videos and images online (esp videos) first as I think they offer a good feel for the car and event, taking the "picture paints a thousand words" approach.

I will have more to say, reports and answers online by the end of today.

I really need a faster computer for this video editing though! :eek: :(

Pistonheads headline:

New New MINI looks like old new one shocker

PistonHeads Headlines (http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=15177)

Great stuff so far Paul!

Told you to the average hack there seemed little difference. Despite the fact there's actually a LOT of differences. Do they also run "New Porsche looks like the old one shocker" stories for each new 911 they launch? ;)

More video still to come, here are the last batch of images.

http://www.mini2.com/images/paris_four/slideshow.php

You can see some of the new options (hard to photograph a computer screen in a dark room with spotlights).

Union Jack, Checkered and "Black Jack" door handles. Black jack sunroof decal.

http://www.mini2.com/images/paris_four/slideshow.php

Couldn't agree more Paul with the hack remark. I might be new to Mini2, the World of car buying and driving, but I have got more info off here than any mag who churn out stock phrases month after month. Most people would love a Veyron, Aston and the like but to say the R56 is the same car is just daft and reflects a lack of interest in real World cars. I've changed the spec on my car slightly as a result of what i've read and seen on here. As I will very likely have the car a long time I need to get it right for me. The details are the things that matter when you are spending a lot of money and the info from Paris, and general constructive opinions from other users help form a realistic opinion of an interesting new car.

paul, when are the new anthracite wheels available?

also, can you pls take some shots of the lounge seats if there are any there.

thanks!

I'm back in the UK now, so that's your lot as far as pictures go.

interesting to see that despite having to raise the bonnet to meet pedestrian impact regulations, grille mounted spot lights are still an option

paul, when are the new anthracite wheels available?

also, can you pls take some shots of the lounge seats if there are any there.

thanks!
he is already back in the UK, 28th was yesterday;)

Paul,

There was a yellow Mini Cooper S on the stand today with the aero kit, got some pictures if you want them.

Tom @ 4Car

interesting to see that despite having to raise the bonnet to meet pedestrian impact regulations, grille mounted spot lights are still an option

Strange one that isn't it. I think it's because they're dealer fit so production car laws and "aftermarket"/dealer must be different.

Pistonheads headline:

New New MINI looks like old new one shocker

PistonHeads Headlines (http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=15177)

Great stuff so far Paul!

Looking beyond the tongue-in-cheek headline, the Pistonheads report goes on to carefully explain just how much the new car has changed / improved.

Pete.

Strange one that isn't it. I think it's because they're dealer fit so production car laws and "aftermarket"/dealer must be different.

kind of makes it a bit pointless though. that said, they do look more recessed into the grille this time which will make it harder to spec decent quality aftermarket lamps

That's regulations for you. :( ;)

So looking forward to this now!

Hoping the Mellow Yellow MINI that hasn't been seen by Paul yet has the lounge leather seats as these are the ones I'm hoping to see. I'll take a fewpics while I'm there on Sunday.

Video of the MINI Configurator at the show:
http://www.mini2.com/galleries/showphoto.php/photo/44266/limit/recent
http://www.mini2.com/galleries/data/525/paris_configurators.mov

Video of the MINI stand, lounge etc at the show:
http://www.mini2.com/galleries/showphoto.php/photo/44267/limit/recent
http://www.mini2.com/galleries/data/525/motorshow_lounge_etc.mov

Or a way of encouraging more people to take the full leather option ;)

There seems to be a lot of tactical decisions to skimp on design so you stump up for expensive options e.g.

Quarter leather seats - pay more for full leather
Bare looking console / ugly speedo controls - pay more for sat nav
Slightly tacky manual air con control - pay more for auto
Describe lower dash as "hard plastic" on price list - pay more for Colour Line

I think most of this has been done on purpose. And it's worked, because I have upgraded all the items above.