[rdash]

After a week with 05 CVT I am thoroughly impressed. I traded an 02 MCCVT with 13.5kmiles, which was going really well.Seemed to me engine did not fully free up until the 10kmile point. The new one? In short, very different.Feels more solidly put together. Last one had SS+ suspension and Chili pack wheels. This one has SS and 18"S spoke and the ride is transformed.Still has excellent roadholding, but comfort is now a feature!
CVT behaviour is also better. I had upgraed the last one to v.38 but pogo still noticeable. Now it is only felt when engine is cold and at very slow speeds. Once warm you have to try to find it.Doubtless this is helped by experience of driving CVT and reading tips on forum but it does seem genuinely improved.
The interior I think has better look and feel, not solely down to silly spec. I am not convinced by door bin redesign and laughable driver's side sun blind, but these are niggles. I would really like to see a proper telephone kit.Mini dealer says BMW kit referred to on ICE forum is "on trial" and will take months to arrive.
I have Convertible on order with cvt from same dealer. Dealer link to factory for specifying allows CVT to be specified after i.1.05, although not before.Link will NOT allow MCS to be specified with auto after same date.I hope this will change.
Regards
Rdash

[nonsequitur]

I drove a very new 2004 MINI Cooper CVT for several hundred miles over two days last week. It was an interesting comparison to our 2002 Cooper CVT.

Many interior items have been "tightened up" (sports seats, rear quarter interior panels, front dash). I didn't notice any significant driving dynamic differences in the ZF CVT (with v38.1 in both), but as noted in the first post, the gearbox is very smooth even at low speeds (where, in the '02, we do get some rocking or pogo or whatever it should be called). The electric/hydraulic steering is very quiet compared to our car, so there may be some improvement there too for '05.

The CVT-equipped car presents a very civilized "package" providing all the driving choices one could ask for: commute/errand Drive, sporting CVT SportDrive, and the fixed-ratio manual control of Steptronic.