[Paul]

As with the original MINI, the second generation MINI will soon be due a nip and tuck, a mid life facelift and refresh. Rumours suggest that the facelift for the second generation car may be more dra...Read full report

[Matt FT]

an engine which doesn't eat itself on a cold morning?

[vaper]

shrink the speedo. move the radio out of the speedo. add a temp guage, while they're at it redo the entire center stack.

[Morro]

A seat height adjustment thing that will not get stuck up my pants every time I try to get out.

[neilobe]

Get rid of the tractor like noise from the engine, decent sound system upgrade.
Not too much visually with the car as effects residuals too much...

[Washy]

Agree regarding the engine...Although I am not entirely happy with my R56 I was standing in the queue to pay for fuel last night when I glanced outside at my car and to be honest I thought it looked quite cool So not too much with the exterior me thinks, although I have a feeling I may be in the minority on this..

[humph]

The thing that really grates me about the R56 at present is that I don't think some of the standard kit is up to scratch, forcing me to pay for expensive upgrades. I would like to see this rectified. Examples are

1. Standard Boost stereo is poor, both in sound and asthetic quality. A better standard system is required, with hopefully the option to change bits. The latter would do as a compromise.
2. The choice of fabrics for the interior is poor. I hate the white dotted stripe on the standard 1/2 leather sport seats. What's wrong with plain black?
3. Standard aircon controls look really cheap. (As does the entire centre stack)
4. Current collection of OEM wheels is ugly, unless you want to pay a small fortune for Webspokes or JCW. Flame/Bridgeare spokes the only decent ones available.
5. Ride height needs reducing.
6. The chrome strip around the rear lights looks naff.
7. Current colour selection is awful. Who mixed these paints? Where is our none metallic black?
8. The MFSW controls carried over from the 1st Gen look like an after thought on the new 3 spoke steering wheel.

Exterior looks good. Only problem there is being able to see far to much of the underside of the car when behind it, especially on the MCS. Why do the MCS exhausts dangle around so low?

Mostly just niggles that mean the R56s I have specced end up very expensive.

[dlpruk]

Proper all-way adjustable seats with electric operation and position memory.

[I love MINI, Laura]

A slated grille option (not just the honeycombe style) for the Cooper S please! One of the biggest things that put me off getting one.

[KPKalle]

I don't think I would change anything, especially not the exterior. I'm also more than happy with the interior although I can appreciate some people might want other/better aftermarket stereo options. Personally doesn't bother me since I often don't even switch mine on, preferring to listen to the engine noise instead.

[Jordan210]

Quote: Originally Posted by Humph (original)

7. Current colour selection is awful. Who mixed these paints? Where is our none metallic black?
.

Quote:

Say goodbye to Astro Black. 2008 will be the last year for the color that has been in the MINI palette since 2004. In it’s place will a darker metallic black closer to the revered Jet Black available from 2001 through 2005. Expect this new black to be available at the start of the 2009 model year

For those who are waiting for a non-metallic black (which was available from 2002 to 2005) we have one piece of advice… don’t hold your breath.

source MotoringFile | MINI Cooper news, reviews and opinion.

Looks like your not getting it !

For me

New Alloys, Not just the old one from the Special Editions ! So no Sidewalk alloys on the face lift !
New paint colours, Bring back Electric Blue so Coopers and ONE's can have a nice blue!

[cooperSMark]

This could be controversial, but i prefer the looks of the 1st generation Mini. The new one just looks a bit deep at the front. From what i've read, this is to give pedestrians a better chance of survival in an impact, but i think it spoils the look to a certain extent. That said, I don't think there are any other small cars that look so cool

I haven't been lucky enough to live with a 2nd generation money so can't comment on the quality of finish and stuff, but i'd like them to slim the front end down and make the car look a little less heavy around it's mouth.

[Tunster]

I've been hinted the refresh/facelift won't happen for another 3 years or so possibily. I went into conversation with the salesman about the 4x4/SUV varient, and that's where I got the info.

However (regardless knowing I haven't got my new MCS yet ), I don't think a major rehaul of exterior is in need, or you will get a result that isn't like the "original" and may damage the prices of 2nd hand models. What's needed is a mature facelift, but far more serious than between the R50 and R56 minor-facelift. It could have the ability to be a bit long and "fatter" with better grilles and bodykits. Alloys and interior need a rethink also. As much as I like the centre speed dial, maybe move this to the drivers position in a medium size, and create a stylish centre console but keep it with the mini's heritage.

[Paul]

The R50 to R56 was NOT a facelift, that was a full panel update and model change, first to second generation. For more details on what's what with R numbers etc, check here: http://www.mini2.com/forum/faq.php?f...ni_generations

Also, I seriously doubt the facelift is three years away.

[supa-dupa-cooper]

Nooooooooo dont change it yet I only just got mine and i'll only end up wanting another one

[Fin]

I'd like to see a HUD added as an option. That would be cool.

[Washy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Humph (original)

Mostly just niggles that mean the R56s I have specced end up very expensive.

I have the JCW aerokit, R109 wheels and Sat nav mainly to remove parts of the car I dont like....

[Hat]

an early face lifts suggest sales are struggling. From the comments on here so far, & my own opinion, there's little that need changing externally so it'll be interesting to see what sheet metal they're looking at changing. For me the only thing they need to do externally is lower it so that it doesn't look so much like a Landy Defender at the back with all the suspension & diff on show.

the real changes need to happen inside & they need to up build quality significantly. The whole dash was one of the main put-offs for me with the 56, they totally lost the 'function over form' ethos but then thats seems to be the way BMW are going generally with their interiors so i don't see much chance of an improvement. Plus a wholesale dash change would be far too costly for a mid-life refresh.

somehow they need to re-focus the car & i'm not sure how they'd go about this

[humph]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hat (original)

an early face lifts suggest sales are struggling. From the comments on here so far, & my own opinion, there's little that need changing externally so it'll be interesting to see what sheet metal they're looking at changing. For me the only thing they need to do externally is lower it so that it doesn't look so much like a Landy Defender at the back with all the suspension & diff on show.

the real changes need to happen inside & they need to up build quality significantly. The whole dash was one of the main put-offs for me with the 56, they totally lost the 'function over form' ethos but then thats seems to be the way BMW are going generally with their interiors so i don't see much chance of an improvement. Plus a wholesale dash change would be far too costly for a mid-life refresh.

somehow they need to re-focus the car & i'm not sure how they'd go about this

Agree with pretty much every word of this statement

[Stiggy]

The chrome grille doesn't quite work for me, hence swapping it for the JCW version. Other than that, I like the exteriour.

Inside, I find the radio and heating controls are not easy to use.