I've been looking at the Roadster's 'arty' preview brochure plus a video for Mini Istanbul, and noticed a chrome circle in the middle of the bootlid top (between the hood and the spoiler). Any idea what this does?

This thing you mean?

http://www.mini2.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=163137&stc=1&d=1326207746

I'm not sure. :confused:

Oooh, err - that one is 'distended'. The publicity shots showed this flat chrome doodah, which I think someone said was a GPS aerial for the nav system, but I've no idea if that's right.

http://s3.motoringfile.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/P90086009_highRes-150x150.jpg (http://www.motoringfile.com/gallery/mini-roadster-updated/)

Where's the comparable doodah on the Coupe though, or the hatch for that matter?

I'm really curious now! :D Comparing the "before and after" shots, I'm not sure I understand exactly how it opens/closes/retracts/works?

Yuck! The black one is a complete carbuncle; let's hope only the chrome oval will be produced.

GPS sounds reasonable. Looking back at the early photos (the white one with gold vipers and grey interior/hood) it wasn't there, and nor was the nav. Whereas the recent silver white with tan interior and black hood has sat nav and the chrome oval. Wierd it's not on the other models; a side-effect of the different placement of the radio aerial?

The heated windscreen is on my essentials list and can't be configured with the nav system. So hopefully no carbuncle.

Went into the dealer last night and had a chat about the boot. Salesman's take on it was that the black protruding aerial was pre-production when they were experimenting with using the BMW sharkfin aerial instead of the wing mounted stubby.

Still unsure about the chrome oval, but GPS sounds likely given that it's currently (as far as I'm aware) in the base of the roof-mounted Hatch aerial. Thinking it's too big to package into the wing mount.

Still unsure about the chrome oval, but GPS sounds likely given that it's currently (as far as I'm aware) in the base of the roof-mounted Hatch aerial. Thinking it's too big to package into the wing mount.

What about on the Coupe though? :confused:

What about on the Coupe though? :confused:
There is something similar on the coupe. It is located at the rear of the roof and is largely hidden by the rear (upper) spoiler.