No More Paddle shifters: except Cooper S in 2009?

[Derepente]

Just read a post from Gabe on the Motoringfile.com that paddle shifters will be dropped from all the models except the Cooper S versions. Those that order a Cooper (hard or soft) with Automatic Transmission won't get the option for paddles.

Were they just not selling enough auto transmission vehicles with paddles in the Cooper setup? So who's Glad, sad or indifferent on this?

[dr Dunkel]

I asked the dealer about the automatic transmission, just out of curiousity. He told me that at least here in Sweden they sold very very few automatic MINIs. So lack of sales might well be the reason if this is consistent with the sales in the UK.

[Derepente]

Interesting. I wonder if MINI publishes how many MINIs are ordered Automatic vs Manual by country...

I plan on ordering an automatic just so my wife can drive it every now and then. She prefers that even though I tried to explain how it's " much more fun and true to the driving experience" to have a manual transmission. Compromises I have to make.

[Streeters]

I'd guess that the US is the bigets siungle market for Auto's, Auto MINI's are viewed almost as being improper by many over here, I'd love one, but in the UK most people arent prepared to pay the premium over a manual box , MINI's are expensive enough as it is

[Darth Mini]

Our first MCS hatch is an auto as my wife cannot drive a manual car. I was hoping that my Clubman could be a manual but as we do sometimes end up swapping cars for various reasons, I decided it would be easier all round if my Clubbie had an auto gearbox as well. Shame really, as with all the options I wanted, it has ended up costing just as much (if not more) than a factory JCW would have set me back!

Having said that, most of my driving is stuck stop-starting in motorway jams to and from work, so for the most part, I am very happy to be sat in an automatic. For me the paddles are a bit of a gimmick - I have given them a go from time to time but that has always been for a bit of fun and I soon get bored and return normal "Drive" mode. To be honest, I think when it comes to using the manual shift function, I still prefer to push the gear lever forwards or back to change gear as it feels more "natural" to do this than flap at some paddles on the steering wheel. I don't think I would miss the paddles at all.

[85NIXMIN]

The paddles are a bit annoying and hard to reach while turn a bend and wanting to change gear.... I found that out last night when I had a bit of a play around with my auto... I mostly just drive it like that... very rarely to I switch to the manual mode... I'm lazy...