As with the classic Mini, the primary trend in MINI customization has been toward high performance modifications, and the cars lend themselves to these modifications very well. But not all of us want to drive a race-car to work everyday. Don’t get me wrong - I have a fire-breathing ’68 Cooper S for those testosterone charged moments. But I would like to go the other way with my new MINI Cooper S. So who has done luxury and/or creature comfort customization work out there? I would like to hear about it and see pictures.

 

http://www.djkaotix.com/sugar

Not really Luxury it's more for show and looking good

The interior also has a custom painted Dash, downtubes, and other little areas. And the inside pocket on the door has been wrapped with dark green ostrich

 

Ostrich?

 

I don't know if you'd consider it luxury, but the parcel shelf and the glove-box organiser are both very handy as "creature comfort" mods. The CF shift ****, in my opinion, is essential in Las Vegas. The chrome on top of the stock **** would just about sear a circle into my hand every afternoon during the summer. A Whalen, no matter how cool looking, would be even worse.

But for creature comfort, my favorite (installed) mod is GBMINI's "MINI Circuit". Auto-up windows and use of my unlock toggle to open and close my garage door. Way cool!

 

I really like my"elbow landing device"So does Ostrich mean its lined with feathers

 

I don't know why this thread was moved. Since I was not exclusively asking about interior or exterior, I would think that the topic of a luxury MINI is about as "General MINI Discussion" as it gets, but whatever. Anyway, I was hoping to find a modern equivalent of the Radford Minis of the ‘60s, such as this:

http://www.minispecial.com/thems/radford.htm and this: http://www.radfordmini.free-online.co.uk/

These luxury conversions were very popular with the Beatles, all of which owned one:

http://www.minispace.co.uk/beatles/index.htm

 

If you wanted to go luxary... this is what I would do. It's probably alot of work, but worth it if you want that luxary feeling.


I'd first take thw whole interior out, and coat it with Dynamat.... Lots of it. Roof, and every thing. I'd also get the seets redone and have better lumbar (custom to your body) and mabye a bit softer foam, and a better Leather. I'd then get Your choice of wood look put on the front areas. I'd get an aftermarket NAV system and full audio upgrade. Not nessecarily loud, but high quality. That would bake it seem a bit more luxary and quiet.

Good Luck

 

I do plan on using the FatMat or Dynamat at some point. I went crazy and put about 200 square feet (2 hundred-foot rolls) in my classic Mini! http://members18.clubphoto.com/richa...01/guest.phtml

 

If you need more, se can get pretty good prices on it. I can give you a quote depending on how much you need.

 

Good question. In a new MINI you can do BOTH performance and comfort and convenience mods.

Comfort and convenience includes-
-audio and video upgrades- see the audio forum for that
-upholstery upgrades- usually leather is considered luxury but you can do custom seats, race seats, etc.
- storage upgrades like the center console and glove box organizers and euro parcel shelf.
- appearance mods- chrome accents, painted dash
- upgraded floor mats
- upgraded shift ****- Whalen shift machine and MOMO ***** are good
- cupholders and armrest upgrades
- functional upgrades like larger wider rear view mirrors
- steering wheel upgrades- but you might loose the airbag and MFSW controls.
- upgraded dash gauges

And stock upgrades like trip computer, NAV, sunroof, steeringwheel controls, CVT, paddle shifters (soon), HK audio, CD changer, Aux input for MP3 player, and cruise control are all considered luxury items.

Truely performance oriented MINIs for racing don't have many comfort and convenience items and these would just add to the weight of the car which is detrimental. Since our MINIs double as daily drivers there are some of us that want the luxury items and still do autocross on the side. Ride quality isn't that bad but there is a bit of roughness on less than smooth roads.

 

Personally, the very best MINI interiors I have ever seen...the best comprehensive design, and the general direction a luxury MINI should go in are the MINIs at http://www.carrozzeriacastagna.com . Here we don't just have releathered seats and chrome bits, but a complete redesign with a certain vibe in mind...w/o changing the physical styling. Simply brilliant! I've seen nothing else that comes close...........or is more pricey I'll bet. They stop at nothing: seats, dash, trim, steering wheel (!), dash.......they just re-do the whole blasted thing!!!!!

Now one may justifyable argue w/ the exterior trim and maybe the whole stretched MINI thing (I do), but the interior trim is completely awesome and a logical step towards what could be considered luxury!!!!

 

Thanks for the link.Can't afford any of it,but I think I can find a small wicker basket to go between the posts to hold stuff.Love that rattan look

 

Oh, my! That Italian customization site is droooooolarific!!! I like the wicker stuff too, Lotsie! Very nice link!

Clo/Wanda

 

If you call genuine wood luxury, then you may want to have a look at this:

http://forum.mini2ig.de/album_page.php?pic_id=5527

Volker