[rabbit]

I am getting my S next month. I ordered the brilliant silver interior because I wasn't impressed with the alloy patina.

Anybody else go for an interior other than the alloy ?

[GreenMachine]

I went with Anthracite. Didn't think I would like it until I saw it in one of the cars on the lot. Adds a bit of "understated" flair to the interior IMO.

Alloy Patina was my least favorite as it appeared someone went a bit wild with a belt sander on the dash. I'm sure it appeals to others, but had that "unfinished" feel for me.

[Jimbo_Mini]

I also went with the Anthracite. I'm glad too. The design of the interior is so avant garde to begin with, the darker color helps. In my opinion, of course. It also went more naturally with my all-black car too.

-Jim

[MiniMan7]

Ah you guys are a bunch of wimps!

Nothing's wrong with the Alloy Patina interior, I got it in my S, and I think it really complements the inside of the MINI!



Adam

[David-MCS]

I ended up going for the Anthracite, but for a slightly different reason. My last 4 or 5 cars (and the new MCS due in 4-6 weeks) are all RED. But, usually they had all black (leather) interiors (BMW, Porsche, Golf, Alfa...). I finally got tired of the dark interior AND the hot leather (Summer in Los Angeles). So, for my new (Red) MCS, I ordered the gray/silver Space Cloth for the seats (nice & cool), and with the "Magnesium" (ie, silver/gray) door panels. With all of that gray/silver inside the car, it seemed like it needed a little "Contrast"! The standard Silver trim, or even the Alloy Patina was going to just blend in. Enter Anthracite! What finally decided the issue for me was seeing a Red MCS that had the same options I described above (Silver Space Cloth, Magnesium Door Panels) and with Anthracite trim. It really "set off" the interior of the car. SOLD.

So, if you're considering different trim options... think about how it complements/enhances the other fabrics & colors that you've selected.
(plus... the Anthracite option gets away from one minor irritation with the Alloy Patina... that SOME of the surfaces were still "silver"... like part of the door trim, and some of the trim near the shift lever. Minor, perhaps, but another nice Anthracite touch)

Hope this helps!

-David

[David-MCS]

Quote:

Originally posted by CurtP
It's even worse with the anthracite interior, IMO. The tachometer trim ring, the trim on the steering wheel and the turn signal/wiper stalks are still bright silver which REALLY look out of place.

Interesting; I know what you mean, but for some reason that didn't bother me at all. The one that bothered me was the "pull bar" on the door (the horizontal bit) being different than the elliptical bit with alloy patina. It's funny how specific items affect people differently! By the way, the Alloy Patina was my first choice for my MCS--- the original car I ordered was Indi Blue/White and had the Lapis Blue Leather interior. It was only when I saw an all-red MCS (with the light-colored "Space Gray" interior) that I changed my mind and selected Anthracite. The Anthracite trim in the Indi Blue car was too dark for me. Perhaps I just enjoy the higher degree of "contrast" offered by the "Indi Blue/ Alloy Patina", and "Red with light interior/Anthracite" combinations.

Now, having gone thru all of that, I think your last observation about "living with it" for a while hits home. Plus, if something STILL bothers you, you can replace (or re-color) most of the trim bits & pieces. That's perhaps one of the nicer features of the MINI, overall. Even after 25 years, Golf owners are lucky if they can find the range of aftermarket goodies that the MINI has (after only a little more than a year on the market; here in the US).

And, regardless of the trim color, the car STILL corners like a bat out of hell...

David G

[kenhenry]

Rabbit,

Hope if you ordered the Brilliant Silver you actually get it. Here in Oz, the No Cost Option of Brilliant Silver in the S, instead of the Alloy Patina suddenly disappeared in the May build cars. Even, if it had been specced and ordered 2 months previously, it just became Alloy Patina.

As for the others, we don't get a choice at all any more. It's fake metal or nothing.

Good luck

[Z1GZAG N]

Quote:

Originally posted by rabbit
I am getting my S next month. I ordered the brilliant silver interior because I wasn't impressed with the alloy patina.

Anybody else go for an interior other than the alloy ?

I went with the Anthracite. To me the Alloy Patina looked like an amaturish attempt to portray a machined look. Having never seen a Mini with the Lapis interior let alone with the Anthracite trim, I was concerned. The picks I'd seen showed the blue carpet as being very light which as an everyday driver, I was afraid the carpets would be hard to keep clean. As it is the blue is not near as light as I thought and should be no problem keeping clean. My only thoughts on the Silver trim is that I wish it had a smooth clear coat type finish. Then it would hold up much better.
Although most of the tril on my car has the Anthracite color, for some reason they left the tach and steering wheel trim silver. The tach has the clear coat finish which should hold up fine, but the steering wheel trim is the same flat silver as the Silver Alloy trim uses. Only time will tell as to how it holds up. If it doesn't, I'll either refinish them myself or someone no dought will have aftermarket pcs.

[rabbit]

Thanks for your help guys. I'll let you know next month if I made the right choice !!