First Impressions
I had the opportunity to see the New “NEW-MINI” at the NAIAS Detroit Auto show this week. First, I have to say I like it. This may seem obvious, but it’s important because that was my first thought the moment I saw it from far away. The exterior appeal of the car remains almost the same which we all know is the best decision MINI had made when they decided to update the very successful R53. I was very interested about the interior. In part, because I was not sure I liked it from the different photos I saw in previous articles.
The Exterior
I love how the stance of the car, the increase in size, is not noticeable at first glance. I guess it is what makes the car feel a little stronger or “macho” looking. The higher shoulder line helps the car look a little more sporty and I love that. The JCW Aero Kit looks phenomenal but it does not take away from the very nice job they did on the OEM body kit. The things that caught my eye the most were the larger exhaust tips, the bolder shoulder sweep above the rear lights, the larger front fog lights, and the great looking one-piece mesh grille on the front and back of the car. The things I am not very sure I like yet are: the larger side-markers, the S-lite wheels and the open bonnet with the holes for the lights. The engine bay does not look as good as the R53 and is going to be hard to keep clean.
The Interior
The first thing I have to say here is that it looks much better in real life. As on the previous car, they kept some hues of the classic Minis in the overall design: large Speedometer (really large!!), toggle switches, and simple lines. The materials and finishes are fantastic compared to other cars in the market with similar price tags. The R56 is outstanding with rich textures, beautiful finishes and great color/tone selections. Cabin space was well improved. The car is, in fact, roomier and the seats are much more comfortable than those in the previous model.
Getting into the controversial topic of recent forums, the larger speedometer and center column are not my favorite but they go well with the overall design of the interior. The toy-like buttons have a nice tactile feel to them and don’t look as childish as they seemed in pictures. The radio controls are a little odd at first but I guess we will all get use to them once we start using them. The volume knob being outside of the speedometer and far from the other radio controls is kind of unnatural and makes you tend to try to adjust the volume with the tuning knob on the radio controls.
MINI designers did a great job at finding smart solutions to the interior, however. The front seat backrests now have a hatch that rear seat passengers can use from the back. There is a little cargo net on the bottom left side of the passenger side. The bonnet now opens from the driver’s side. The glove box is better designed but looks cheaper on the inside (no cup holder, pen holder or mini wings logo). There is also an additional top glove box compartment and larger cup holders (and they’re not blocked by the center console anymore).
I also need to mention that the JCW carbon fiber interior is magnificent. The fat Alcantara-wrapped leather steering wheel looks and feels amazing and, for the racing inclined enthusiast, is a must. Regretfully, they did not have any R56 MINIs with the navigation option which I think makes an even better looking interior. If it looks better in real life than in pictures, that may be the way to go to perfect the shortcomings.
To say it all, I love MINI, I love my R53, and I officially can now say that the R56 is taking a big part of my heart too. I just need to drive one to finish this review and very likely get my name on the list for one. I am going to start dreaming and designing in my mind the great future limited editions and aftermarket parts to further enhanced the great job that MINI and the BMW Group did. They did it again!