Eye level???????????? How tall are you? 2'5"?
Radio should have been kept seperate. IMO

 

Yes, here you can clearly see the evolution (the right word) of the headlights to a position similar to R56s. The move from the "full-forward" position seen in the new model is Frank Stevenson's work. I'm not saying it's got to be that way but, especially given initial change from the classic Mini to a slant in R50/53, to the 2005 Traveller, to R56, there ought to be plenty of motivation to understand this styling change.

This change adds to the other small tweaks that helps R56 achieve sizeable reductions in aerodynamic drag....while meeting pedestrian safety mandates...and the car still retains all the MINI looks!! I think they did good!!!

 

It is!! On/off control is right where you need it....changes are on the MFSW!! What, do you want the readout down on the stack like R50/53? The current position is much easier to see, especially with OBC and other info there, too. Perhaps eye-level was an overstatement as only the windshield/glass is really at eye-level, isn't it.

 

No offense, but MANY people, MANY car magazines--too many to count in fact--consider the speedo cheesy, and the center stack cheap. Glad you like it, its your car, but you're going to have to deal with the fact that a bunch of us think the center speedo/console was poorly implemented with cheap materials. I'm done here, this is only going to degenerate, but this is one of the few places I've seen someone gushing over what are arguably the weakest stylistic/functional parts of the R56. You're turning into a BMW apologist...

 

Bigger speedo, no problem, but those radio controls are too damn tiny!!! The design is very clean and compact, but unfortunately, impractical in terms of actual use (the radio that is). That's my only gripe, really...

 

What is this MFSW you mention?

Personally I love the speedo, the read-outs, and the style, but loathe the stereo. I usually motor with the radio off anyway (love that engine) but not being able to upgrade the sound system in a car targeted for customization is, as many have said, stupid.

 

No offense taken....I know the stack has been controversial.

The same comments were being pointed at R50/53 at first...and in many places still are!!! I think the record needs to be set straight here...the enormous majority of the negative comments came from early speculation, initial reactions (most knee-jerk), and very, very little seat time in front of these controls. So much so that I think we were all tainted by our own rather shamefull lack of MINI-enthusiasm or even design saavy (and it was shameful...I hope we learned something). The controls work...they're in the right place, I like using them when I motor.....a lot, and I'm still delighted and amazed to find stuff right where I want it.

Drive the car every day and you'll see. Same for the media.

 

1,000,000 different combinations and they can't afford different center plates?

 

Yeah I get alot of comments at Gas Stations etc. "Wow what a great car, how do you like it?" "Woah Big speedo" Yeah it's cool .

I like getting comments its pretty awesom to be driving it. I also get people pointing who stop next to me and they point to thier husband/wife "Hey look"

 

You watch...folks are going to figure this out. In any case, I like the stock unit so you can imagine it works great for me.

 

Hmm, so you're turning this into an R53/R56 thing again...I'ms trictly looking at the R56. But if you want to bring in the R53, both have problems with the interior, plenty of blame to go around; you'll be hard pressed to make a case for one being better than other, but that appears to be the intent.

There are still many complaints about control locations--windows for example. Neither car is layed out as intuitively as it could/should be. The R56, with toggles on the roof, heck, there are probably even a few outside that no one has yet found, turn signals that confound half the people that use them. I'm sorry, but the interior of both these cars are lacking with functionality.

Many of the journalists which you speak of thought the R53 speedo was too big, and the R56 is just too over the top. I've yet to see any of them change their minds, as you suggest. BMW has made snafus with interior design before--witness idrive--its not necessarily one of their strongpoints, and its one of the weakest points of the R56, or R53 for that matter.

 

Awesome Idea! I would buy those in a heartbeat. You should roll with that idea

 

Have no fear...I also have a R50.

No, I just was thinking how much I have enjoyed the functionality of the R56 interior, and how much more I have enjoyed it over time. I do not think much has been made of this around here (especially given the initial reactions), and I think it's fair to discuss since many of us have now had significant seat-time with the car. It really isn't that bad at all...in fact...I kinda like it. That's all this is about. Maybe the designers didn't get it all wrong afterall. I think it is high time we acknowledge this.

R56ers...many of us who also drove the first gen cars...took quite a beating this past year, but the car is proving itself. At least let us enjoy our MINIs of choice.

PS....In R50 and R53 the radio display was related to that function, so the position was fine in that car. It's different with R56, with additional useful info being now available and so I think the new position is well-motivated.

 

Ok...what is the 2005 Traveller?

 

I like the Big Speedometer. I agree it make it easy for others to see how fast you are going.

 

Multi Function Steering Wheel.... I believe

or Micro Fiber SWeater

 

Clubman concept, hence known as the Clubman R55 as the design concept came out before the New R56 second Gen Mini.

 

ohhhh....I know the 2008 Clubman is based on the old Mini Traveler from the 60's? but did not know that the concept car was out in the public domain in 2005.....so does the original Traveller from the 60's? have a large speedo like the R56...any pictures of that old speedo around??

 

My '58 Morris Minor Traveler has a huge central speedo, and the Mini version came later IIRC and did as well.

I think any complaints people have about the radio controls all come from people who test drove one without the MFSW. With the controls on the wheel and speed displayed on the tach, I almost never even look at the center stack, the controls are all automatic already.

 

This is the concept car from 2005...there were several versions made. Many of the R56 design cues seemed far less foreign (to me anyway) after having seen this two years earlier.

Note the headlights, bonnet profile (although I still prefer the Cooper's), and rounded edges on the chrome grill. Nevermind it looks a lot like a Clubbie!


Here the speedo size stands out, as does the way it is let into the dash (I always did like this), the side AC vent profiles, and the revised door treatment.


I know it's not exactly the same...all I'm saying that we saw this a long time ago and looked right at home (to me) when R56 arrived.

 

Keep working at it. You might figure out what I am saying if you try harder.

 

I was one of those who ordered an early R56 (ordered around Dec 06). I read every review. The general theme at the time was: much better interior materials, way too large a speedo, and clumbsy controls. As the cars started coming in there was a plethora of comments from people about the controls, 'what were they thinking', 'fisher-price', etc.

I got a call about 10 days after delivery from mini usa asking what I thought of the car, likes, dislikes, what I'd like different etc. I talked about the center stack. I told them the controls took some getting used to, but I was getting used to them and the added room in the footwell was well worth the resdesign.

My MA had me once sit in a 06 and then a R56. The center stack was very uncomfortable jamming up against my leg in the 06, but in the R56 it was a vast improvement.

I wish miniusa had called a little later as I quickly got used to the controls and actually like them. I always use my xm roady so I always put the speedo display on OBC to track various things like mpg, average speed etc. The controls are second nature and in fact are quite good. I remember various complaints about the volume control being down low and some actually changing stations with the OBC controller instead of using the volume **** as intended. I did this once I think. I think the volume control is in a great place. In fact I have MFSW and I NEVER use the radio controls on it, just the cruise. The volume control is so intuitively in the right place just above the shifter that I always use it instead of the steering wheel control. I never change stations because I'm always listening to XM on the roady. The one thing I still think is a little clumbsy is the manual ac controls. I still fumble some with the thumb wheel type controls. I'd have preferred a rotary dial, instead of a linear thumb wheel, but that is my only real complaint.

The one thing I told MINI they should do: Have a traditional non-metallic BRG!!!!

 

I like the big speedo with the NAV system. It definately looks cooler than the old nav. That being said, I don't have the NAV system and don't much care for the way the radio is integrated into the speedo, the size doesn't bother me though.

 

I wopuld imagine that most who complain about the center stack controls have only tried them once, or very few times. I find them extremely easy to use and thought so after only a few days of ownership. The only quirk I don't find easy to use is the aforementioned thumb wheel for fan and temperature control. I would prefer a **** rather than a click function.

 

Glangford, you and I both in reference to the non-metallic BRG. I grew up in the 60's and 70's loving the European cars in that color. I traded in my '05 Mini for this Clubman I will get next week. I will have to live with the huge speedo and the metallic paint but at least, it is still a Mini.