Official MINI latest news by DPMINI Aaron

[LordNemesis]

More questions than answers now!! But glad to see there are plenty options - I was worried we would be locked into black chequer recarro sports seats and piano black trim.... My slot is booked, I CANNOT WAIT TO SEC MY NEW BABY!!!

[LMB]

Are the Sports seats and 3 Spoke sports wheel, JCW parts?

[rogan200]

Quote: Originally Posted by LMB (original)

Are the Sports seats and 3 Spoke sports wheel, JCW parts?

No they are standard as fitted to the cooper s. You can then have the JCW seats, and wheel (which is the same but trimmed in proper leather and padded out slightly) retrofitted as a dealer option. (Very expensive though!)

[paa100]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul (original)

Looks like it's under attack from the Mysterons.

nice!

[Vhyper]

I'm gutted that the Clubman has been delayed till at least March! I guess it'll be worth the wait tho if the aero kit is included! My main question is when will we get to see what the new Clubman JCW Aero kit's gonna look like?

[ViscountCharles]

My guess - January. So you get to order one now and wait, not knowing what it will look like, not knowing what it will cost, and not knowing whether they will end up cancelling the Clubman JCW through "lack of interest" (which must be a possibility - plenty of other premium "hot hatches" are available in just one body style - it's rare for a manufacturer to offer it's top of the range hatch in both 3- and 5-door arrangements; just how many examples of this fabled JCW aerokit are they going to sell if the rest of the world are getting the JCW Clubman in August without bodykit?).

I won't wait and can't wait - so I'm actively looking at sourcing a "rest of the world" JCW Clubman this summer, having cancelled my UK order once it was clear that I'd have to wait until Q2/2009 for one in the UK.

[Japper]

Apparently you CAN NOT spec the LSD on the factory JCW cars, because of the ediff and the new DTC.

Not a forward step me thinks

[Vhyper]

I agree it's not a step forward i'd have thought they would have included LSD as well...oh well I'm guessing that the Clubman Aero Kit would be more or less the same as the hatch (well the front & side skirts at least!) it's the rear bumper part of the kit i'm wanting to know about!

"not knowing whether they will end up cancelling the Clubman JCW through lack of interest" , don't say that i NEED this car! , i'm willing to wait if the kit comes as standard & after seeing the revised Chili pack it means that the car will cost me a little bit less than i was anticipating it would!

[jon vital]

Quote: Originally Posted by ~Marcus~ (original)

Oh yes now that is tasty!!!!!!! Red calipers with the PW looks awesome.

Worth every penny of the huge amount this exercise is going to cost me!

That's what mine is going to look like too

[ViscountCharles]

Quote: Originally Posted by Vhyper (original)

I'm guessing that the Clubman Aero Kit would be more or less the same as the hatch (well the front & side skirts at least!) it's the rear bumper part of the kit i'm wanting to know about!

I've been lead to believe that you are absolutely right. And you'll get to find out next year what the rear bumper looks like.

Quote:

i'm willing to wait if the kit comes as standard & after seeing the revised Chili pack it means that the car will cost me a little bit less than i was anticipating it would!

I'm miserable right now, because waiting for me isn't an option. It's either buy one from Germany (for about £1,500-£2k more than the UK price, I reckon), buy something else in the meantime and swap next year (not sure what that would cost - but it won't be pretty), or buy a Golf.

You know, sad as it is, that Golf's looking more and more attractive right now

[ViscountCharles]

Added to which, it's bloomin' difficult to spec a car on the German website when my German is limited to "zwei beir bitte" (especially as I'm never too sure whather I'm going to get two beers or three). Of course, the UK site having speccable JCW cars would make life easier, but no - it's still showing just the JCW tuning bits.

I'm thinking that they either want so much of my money they should get nothing, or don't want any of it al all.

[ViscountCharles]

Did I say £1500 to £2k price difference? Ha. It's over £3k if you like your extras, and have added in to the spec thinks that are standard in the UK but optional on the continent.

[rogan200]

Quote: Originally Posted by ViscountCharles (original)

Did I say £1500 to £2k price difference? Ha. It's over £3k if you like your extras, and have added in to the spec thinks that are standard in the UK but optional on the continent.

I don't think a 3k premium is worth it. For the money in th UK you could get a Golf R32, or the highly rated Audi S3. You could even nearly get the New Impreza STi if that sort of thing is your cup of tea. I suppose with any of these though your gonna be stung with large depreciation out of the showroom. Really though, unless you can live with a hatchback JCW it looks like you are going to have to look elsewhere.

It really is beyond belief that a company of Minis size cant manufacture a rear bumper in a couple of months! Its really a complete shambles.

[ViscountCharles]

Yup. Unless something pretty radical comes to mind, it's either get stung for about £3-4k (not going to happen), wait 9 months while struggling with an unsuitable car (that already has a fair few miles on the clock), or buy something else. Gosh darn it, I wish that MINI UK weren't being so narrow-minded, or alternatively I wish that I wasn't so loyal to the brand. I just find it galling to think that I'm almost being *forced* into buying a Golf. By a company with a vested interest in my *not* doing that. When they acknowledge that they will sell Works Clubman cars on the continent this summer, and will also sell Works Clubman cars in the UK with the aerokit being an option that can be deleted (after delaying things for precisely that aerokit). But I fear that I'm going round in circles. No amount of talking to them will get them to change their minds (which frankly makes me even more inclined to go elsewhere, but I really do like MINIs).

R32 won't work BTW. Quite apart from the scary fuel consumption, cost (once stuff like leather, aircon and satnav is specced), and insurance, VW do what almost all other manufacturers do - make their top of the range hot hatch in just 3-door configuration. MINI are somewhat unusual in not sticking to that formula and offering the Works in the larger Clubman body (eventually, of course). I need 5 doors, though the club door on the right hand side will do.

[JDinho]

Quote: Originally Posted by ViscountCharles (original)

R32 won't work BTW. Quite apart from the scary fuel consumption, cost (once stuff like leather, aircon and satnav is specced), and insurance, VW do what almost all other manufacturers do - make their top of the range hot hatch in just 3-door configuration. MINI are somewhat unusual in not sticking to that formula and offering the Works in the larger Clubman body (eventually, of course). I need 5 doors, though the club door on the right hand side will do.

Incorrect, the R32, GTi, GTi Edition 30 are/were all available in 3 and 5 door versions.