[Paul]

As time has shown, MINI tend to bring in changes throughout the year, not on one big 'model year' change, although some changes happen in the US and other markets either early or later than elsewhere so they can satisfy the 'model year' trend.

There's been so many 'what changes will come in 2004' posts (Sept build onwards), I decided to try and throw them all together in one new post.

This is a combination of changes for various countries, some might not apply to your locale, some might not even come to pass....

Please feel free to add to this, rumours and facts welcome, but if it's pretty factual, and if you can, please post the source.

Here's your starter(s)....

• The rear fogs are coming, standard fit from December 2003. (USA).
• Retrofit kit should available from MINI in Oct 2003. (USA).
• New key across the range.
• Rear power point (in the boot) coming back.
• Orange (met) Paint. Convertible Only.
• Light Blue (non met) Paint. Convertible Only.
• Choice of roof colours for the convertible.
• Colour coded dash and trim on convertible.
• Pepper white available for the Cooper S.
• Velvet Red gone.
• Cordoba Beige is coming to sport seats.
• Magnesium Door casings dropped for the Cooper S.
• 3-spoke leather sport steering wheel (from December).
• Cooper not coming with leather wheel as standard (from November, USA).
• 'S' steering wheel now available on MINI ONE/Cooper with steptronic switches for gearbox. Also included with cloth/leather combination upholstery in ONE/Cooper. Included with Pepper pack for ONE/Cooper and Chili pack for Cooper (UK).
• MP3 Compatible CD Player.
• Harmon Kardon loses Radio/Cassette.
• Digital Speed readout in tach.
• Tach readout now includes instantaneous fuel consumption function.
• OBC includes instantaneous MPG.
• OBC included with Salt/Pepper/Chili packs (UK).
• Pepper pack available for MINI ONE and ONE D (UK).
• Indicators flash once when MINI unlocked, twice when locked.
• Doors relock after 2 minutes if not physically opened before that time.
• Wipers change from 'slow mode' to 'interval mode' below 2mph.
• New wheel trims for steel wheels.
• Rear spoiler available for ONE D.

--------------------------

MINI UK are first off the mark with the official press information:

MINI gets more for 2004

MINI UK is delighted to announce a number of new changes for model year 2004. These changes will affect all cars built from Monday 1st September 2003.

Standard equipment:
All MINIs will benefit from the following improved functions:

• Follow me home lights (headlights will stay on for 40 seconds once the car has been locked in order to illuminate the path ahead)
• Additional digital speed readout in the rev counter *
• Indicators flash once when MINI is locked
• Indicators flash twice when MINI unlocked
• MINI re-locks after two minutes if unlocked doors are not physically opened during this time, providing additional car security
• Below 2mph windscreen wipers will automatically change from slow mode to interval mode.
• A new hubcap design will be introduced for MINI One and MINI One D.

There is no price increase for any of these enhancements.

• Rev counter is an option for MINI One and is priced at £50.

Paintwork and Upholstery:

• Pepper White will be made available as a paint option for the MINI Cooper S (previously only available on MINI One, MINI One D and MINI Cooper).
• Velvet Red Metallic will be deleted as a paintwork option on all MINIs.
• Cordoba Beige leather will be available for all MINIs with sports seats including MINI Cooper S. Previously Cordoba Beige was only available on standard seats and not at all on MINI Cooper S.

There have also been improvements in the levels of optional equipment offered on MINI:

• MINI Cooper S perforated leather steering wheel
  Previously only available on MINI Cooper S, the perforated leather steering wheel will now be included as standard on all cars specified with cloth/leather and leather upholsteries for MINI One, MINI One D and MINI Cooper. It is also included as standard in the PEPPER pack for MINI One, MINI One D and MINI Cooper and as part of the CHILI pack for the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S.
• Rear spoiler - Just like the MINI One, a rear spoiler will be made available for the MINI One D priced at £100.
• On-board computer - from September, the on-board computer option will have the additional feature of instantaneous fuel consumption readout. The price of £100 remains the same.
• The on–board computer will also be included as standard within the SALT, PEPPER and CHILI Packs for all models.

--------------------------

MINI USA Announces 2004 Model Year Pricing and Changes: 08/01/2003

Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey - August 1, 2003 ... MINI USA is pleased to announce pricing and specification changes for the 2004 model year. Even with strong and consistent demand for both MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S, both models will receive only a modest price increase of $24. This will make the MINI Cooper MSRP $16,999 and the MINI Cooper S MSRP $19,999, inclusive of $550 Destination and Handling.

Several specification changes for 2004 are below:

• Due to popular demand, Pepper White will be available for the MINI Cooper S
• A new style 3-spoke leather sport steering wheel is now available for both models
• A rear power socket will return as a standard item
• Sport seats in Cordoba Beige Leather are also available due to customer demand
• The electronic display under the tachometer now includes a digital speed readout
• The On board computer now includes an instantaneous fuel consumption function

Several options and package prices have also been adjusted for 2004. Sport and Premium packages are up only $50 from 2003 as is the optional leather interior and CVT transmission.

Prices pdf: www.mini2.com/usa04prices.pdf
Options pack pdf: www.mini2.com/usa04packs.pdf

--------------------------

MINI Australia has released this:

MINI production changes add further value
08/04/2003

- Additional equipment for MINI Cooper

- Cruise control, multi-function steering wheel for MINI Cooper S
- Strengthens position as best selling European Prestige market car


Australia's best-selling European Prestige car, as per VFACTS (at June 2003), is already extremely well specified with many features unavailable on would-be competitors.

These include critical items such as six airbags, Tyre Defect Indicator and ABS with Cornering Brake Control and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, as well as comfort items such as air conditioning with micro filter, electric windows, leather steering wheel, trip computer, 6-speaker CD stereo system and remote controlled central locking.

Now MINI injects even more pure excitement to MINI Cooper motoring with additional features at no extra cost, resulting from production specification changes.

Further enhancing their sporty appeal, all MINI Coopers gain larger 16-inch alloy wheels, sports seats, illuminated vanity mirrors and driver and front passenger reading lights as standard, with prices remaining unchanged at $32,650 for the five-speed manual MINI Cooper.

Drivers will appreciate these additional features every time they drive their MINI Coopers. For instance, the sports seats offer extra comfort and support both around town and around racetracks.

MINI drivers selecting the seamless and sporty CVT transmission gain steering wheel-mounted change paddles for switching between the six pre-determined ratios when in manual mode.

The addition of the paddles adds just $100 to the CVT option (now $2300).

The 120 kW supercharged MINI Cooper S, which has accounted for almost half of the approximately 2,400 MINI Coopers sold in Australia since launch in March 2002, also benefits from the feature upgrade.

The $39,900 MINI Cooper S now comes with cruise control and multi-function steering wheel as standard.

Buttons to activate cruise control and the radio/CD are fitted to the multi-function steering wheel for safer operation while exploiting the engine's zesty performance. The leather-wrapped wheel is now perforated and also features thumb rests on the inside of the rim.

The MINI Cooper S standard fitment becomes the alloy wheel now becomes the 16-inch "X-lite" alloy rims, previously available as a no cost option.

The illuminated vanity mirrors and front reading lights added to the MINI Cooper are also included in the upgrade for Cooper S models.

New useful and exciting features are also added to the comprehensive MINI options list, guaranteed to delight customers.

These are an extremely powerful eight-speaker harman kardon Hi-Fi that brings concert hall audio to the MINI's compact yet comfortable interior, and an automatic rain sensor.

The harman kardon Hi-Fi, priced at $930, gives MINI buyers a system that ensures a significantly improved reproduction of bass sounds. The higher output provides a higher maximum sound level free of distortion, and sound is optimised at every seat position. The system includes a digital amplifier, coaxial and two-way loudspeakers. The amplifier uses a digital sound processing (DSP) system that splits up the music into individual signals, ensuring optimal equalisation.

The automatic rain sensor features an optical (infra red) control which checks and assesses the degree of moisture on the windscreen. The sensor then varies wiper frequency, adjusting it to current weather conditions. In addition, a new anti-dazzle function has been incorporated into the interior mirror, which decreases glare from vehicles following behind. The rain sensor and interior mirror with automatic anti-dazzle function is priced from $300.

The MINI Cooper colour range has also recently been expanded with the addition of Solid Gold metallic paint, at a cost of $680.

[stryder]

How about changing the subject to 2004...;-)

[Paul]

Nobody likes a smarty pants.

[Paul]

Prototype of the 3 spoke wheel.

[Paul]

Another..

[Paul]

A pre-production Pepper White MCS...

[Red & White Cooper 2]

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul Mullett

The rear fogs are coming, standard fit from December 2003.

Is this just US - I thought my car had rear fog lamps?

Quote:

Cooper not coming with leather wheel as standard (from November).

When did leather wheel become standard?

Quote:

Digital Speed readout in tach.

Good idea - I can't see the top of the tach.

Quote:

Tach readout now includes instantaneous fuel consumption function.

Is this as standard or as part of trip computer?

[Paul]

I've changed some of the points to reflect country specific.

AFAIK speed will be on all cars with the tach, and the consumption will still require the OBC.

[Manx Bean]

I like the look of the new steering wheel, the centre looks much better IMO. Was never convinced by the shiny black bit in the middle of the current mini.

[Minimum]

Call me crazy, but I'm most interested in seeing what the new key looks like.

[Red & White Cooper 2]

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul Mullett
I've changed some of the points to reflect country specific.

AFAIK speed will be on all cars with the tach, and the consumption will still require the OBC.

Thanks Paul.

I thought the steering wheel was the weakest part of the interior design, but I'm not sure about the new one. I will have to see it in the flesh I suppose.

[MINIAC]

Quote:

Originally posted by Minimum

Call me crazy, but I'm most interested in seeing what the new key looks like.

According to my MINI Motoring advisor, the new key is supposed to be similar to the 2003 Z4 key shown below ... the logo in the center locks the car, the button above unlocks the doors and button below unlocks the trunk.

[MiniMan7]

Ah jeese....

I feel like my Mini is already out-dated...

Adam

[Paul]

They (MINI) wanted to replace the key from before the car was launched, I'm a little surprised it's taken this long....

[MINIMiller]

It's the only thing that will start my MINI

[Minimum]

Quote:

Originally posted by MINIAC
According to my MINI Motoring advisor, the new key is supposed to be similar to the 2003 Z4 key shown below ... the logo in the center locks the car, the button above unlocks the doors and button below unlocks the trunk.

I hope there's an upgrade option for us existing MINI owners. I'd love to be able to have Comfort Opening AND a button to pop open my bootlid with the touch of a separate button. That's the way it works on my BMW and it's very handy having both.

[MINIAC]

If the upgrade option is available, it'll probably cost at least $125

[paulmon]

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul Mullett
AFAIK speed will be on all cars with the tach, and the consumption will still require the OBC.

I wonder if this is something they can just add with a flash of the computer. I'd love to have speed displayed on the LCD.

Paul

[Rob.]

Two new exclusive colours for the cabrio, fair enough.
But, if Velvert Red is being replaced, what colour is going to replace it?
I am sure we will all find out soon enough Could it be Electric blue across the range?

[nickworld]

What is wrong with the current key? I wouldn't mind some more programmable options - Comfort Closing anyone? - but other than that it seems to do very well. No?