OK, y’all – I’m sitting here patiently waiting for the lease to run out on my BMW so I can move over to Mini/Maxi. I’ve configured my heart out, I’ve commiserated with MAs, and I’ve traveled far and wide to look at Countrymen colors in person. I’m now ready to declare – loudly and proudly – that I going with Pure Orange.

There’s been some derogatory things said about PO on this board – I know ‘cause I said some of it. Now, it’s time to embrace the Orange Demon and make it mine. I have a red stable here – 3 Mercedes, a Thunderbird roadster, and a Ranger pick-'em-up. All of them in lovely shades of red. My ’64 Rambler American convertible was also red – Rampart Red. If PO is as close to red as I can get, that’s pretty much it. Historically, my people have been fighting Orange since the flap back in 1977. It’s time to let it go.

So, my fellow Orangeophiles, this is your invite to tell us why PO and how it’s working out for you. We’re a small tribe and we need to stick together and support each other. We’re here to help.

Remember – It takes a real set of mini oranges to drive a Mini Pure Orange.

 

If only it were MORE orange. Mine really needs to go into production so I can stop second guessing everything.

 

I didn't see Orange in the online configurator for the Countryman - is it an unlisted color?

Or do you mean Pure Red (where the Red trim inside a car looks rather orange).

 

Apparently, the Austrian words for Orange and Red are quite close. I'f you've seen a "pure red" CM in person, you'll understand that the web site configurator was translated incorrectly and should read Pure Orange.



Remember - Not just inmates wear orange.

 

Mine just got placed in the "paint shop"! Waiting for the orange glow on the eastern horizon!

I can't wait for mine!

 

I had a 1977 BMW 320i that was the Pure Orange color, it was called
"Phoenix"

 

I had a 1998 Ford Ranger that was Autumn Orange. Ford also called it Bright Copper on other vehicles. Magnificent color. Still regret parting with that vehicle.

 

A true orange option woudl be sweet. I'd totally build a Midnight Pumpkin!

 

Love the Pure Red, all the silver and grey colors seemed dull. Yellow was just not our cup of tea and the idea of a brown car was, well brown. That left the multi shades of blue or red, the car this is replacing is a Le Mans Blue 135 so why not change it up a bit. Red/Orange whatever its a bright fun color.

 

Yeah! We got FatBob in our corner! Now we just have to hope that there's room for everyone else.

 

Hey all you Pure Red/Orange lovers - how about some advice?

I'm 99% sold on Pure Red for the body. But I'm flipping out trying to finish out the configuration.

Here's one look I'm considering.



And here's the other.



I'm thinking leatherette seats, so it will be a dark interior.

I like the chrome line exterior, especially since it lightens the plastics around the turn signal (apologies if there's a MINI term for that area), especially with the black roof. Just learned that this weekend, that the chrome line exterior selection is responsible for this change.

While I like these wheels very much, I'm wondering if the top-end, 5 star, double-spoke 18-inch wheels in anthracite or black would work with the white top? I've seen lots of pix of either wheel with a black top and red body, but dark wheels with a white top don't seem to be commonly chosen. Perhaps there's a reason why?

Lastly, the subject of headliners - if I went with a black top, I'm pretty sure I'd go with the anthracite headliner. But with a white top - would a dark headliner look odd?

Look forward to the comments - well, mostly!

 

And for those who don't spend every damn day on the configurator or at the dealership or searching Flickr, these are the wheels I'm talking about.

Black on the left and anthracite on the right

 

Welcome to another potential PO!

I like the look of the red/black, but I know it's not for me. I've settled on PO & white and the white center stripe. Should be enough white accent to tone down the orange. Also going with the very spiffy 18" anthracite wheels. They have a little flash of silver on the edge and the color might help hide the brake dust.

Inside, all dark might be a little too dark for me - but if you like it, go for it. I'm going for black leather lounge and tying it all together with the polar color line and light headliner to go with the piping on the seats. Also the standard anthracite interior surfaces and optional anthracite cockpit surface - which keeps all interior surfaces the same and goes with the wheels.

Good gosh - I've configured my fingers to the bone and I'm done.

Add on - nice red and black with the black spiff wheels . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6aez...eature=related

 

I thought I'd get harassed if I admitted to my not-so-secret hatred of cleaning brake dust from wheels! That is one reason why I'm wanting to like the darker wheels on either of these combinations.

 

LOVE how this PO mini looks with anthracite wheels and black top:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqr6z...eature=related and here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9ZNkKmBqvs&NR=1

And another here, but with jcw 19's...I like the anthracite exterior stock trim personally: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j2Ja...eature=related

Have you sat in one with the anthracite headliner? I don't think it would look odd with either top color on the exterior. Both would be fine.

 

Vids one and two - definately going for anthrcite wheels. Dean y Dan, however, have set the movement back a few years and may have lost a few CM followers, too.

Vid three - that's the bonnet stripe I want, only in white.

We're getting there!

 

A question for my fellow Pure Red/Orange fans.

If you look at the videos referenced by days-like-this, and most of the red-with-black-wheels videos and pictures I've seen is that they don't seem to reflect what you get when you build this combination on the US configurator.

Specifically, I don't understand how these configurations show black mirrors with the chrome turn signal bezels!





As best I understand, the only way to get the white/chrome bezels around the turn signals is to select the Chrome Line Exterior option. (Different from the Chrome Mirror Caps option, which just changes the mirrors, as the name implies.)

The description on the Chrome Line Exterior says "Give your MINI a little extra polish with brake ducts, side direction indicators and rear bumper trim in chrome. (Note: This package includes roof rails in a complementary titanium silver silk matte finish.)

I didn't see a way to order the black mirror caps as a standalone option.

So how do they end up with a car with a black roof, a black mirror, and a chrome side direction indicator? If I build with a chrome turn signal, I get chrome mirrors. If I get black mirrors, I get black turn signals.

Is it just a US configuration thing? Maybe the rest of the world has a different level of granularity?

Inquiring minds...

 

I was talking to a nice MA about the million-and-ten ways you can youify your MINI and had to point out to him that while it was nice, you could only youify in MINI approved combinations. That takes it down to about 500 approved youifications and this is one of them. Price it out in individual parts and figure the cheapest route back. Most likely, get the chrome package and replace the mirror caps. Just like I'm getting the sport package, deleleting the stripes, and buying the alternate stripes.

 

Order a justa CM with a black roof and mirrors. Then you get chrome scuttles and roof rails.

 

You can probably buy the chrome S scuttles from the parts department and install them. I noticed that there are several colors available as accessories and it would stand to reason that they would have these in case of accidents.

 

The pics of the anthracite wheels above look WAAAAAY better than any I've seen so far. I'm not sure I'd run them because they don't match the black roof/mirrors, but they are damned good looking wheels.

 

My thinking, but in reverse. There are several items in the chrome pack that you might want (bumper accents, tail pipes, silver roof rails, light surrounds, scuttle) that would bust you to buy independently. If all you don't want is the mirrors, it may be cheaper just to buy the pack and then recover the mirrors. Depends on what all you want to be shiney.

 

Another reason why my CM All/4nge will have white as a second color.

 

I see what you did there.

 

Well, I have have just come from ordering my CM!

It pretty much looks like this -



All4, manual trans, leatherette, Connected/Nav, Premium, Cold Weather, PDC, Sport Suspension, etc. (Pretty well equipped!) No stripes, for the moment. I'm thinking of adding the checkerboard sunroof vinyl for a little pizzazz.

Given how new it is to the system, I've been told not to expect any info for a few days.

But regardless, the process has begun!