Photo: MINI
As far as personalization is concerned, MINI offers a lot of choices. Seriously, take a look through the configurator for the 3-door Hatch, and you’ll understand how many options the automaker offers in a bid to get more money out of your pocket. As if that wasn’t enough leeway, MINI just introduced the Yours Customised service for even more personalization possibilities.
Rolled out in the United States of America, the service allows customers “to design personalized inlays for the side scuttles, trims for the passenger side of the interior, LED door sills, and LED door projectors.” As you can tell from the gallery, the sky is the limit, and the demo pieces are horrible.
For real now, what sort of couple would like the side scuttles to read Lian & Emilie? Here’s a better copy for those pieces: “Couldn’t afford the John Cooper Works, so here we are.” Then there are the puddle lamps, which in an ideal world would read, “Sucks for you for wearing those high heels instead of rubber boots.” As for the trim on the passenger side of the interior, mine would read, “Don’t touch the stereo. My MINI, my rules.”
Jokes aside, the British automaker makes a case of 3D printing and laser etching for these custom parts. Something MINI didn’t mention about the new personalization service is if there’s a list of words or phrases that the company doesn’t get to grips. Something like, “Wanted a proper SUV, but what I could afford was this lousy Countryman.” Thinking about it, MINI wouldn’t allow customers to get away with such claims, which is a bit sad.
These being said, remember the time when the Mini spelled without capital letters was a cheap means of personal transportation that happened to be fun to drive? Whatever happened to that? If the automotive industry was more focused on actual needs and wishes of the public, it goes without saying that MINI would have come up with something a bit more useful than a customization service.
For real now, what sort of couple would like the side scuttles to read Lian & Emilie? Here’s a better copy for those pieces: “Couldn’t afford the John Cooper Works, so here we are.” Then there are the puddle lamps, which in an ideal world would read, “Sucks for you for wearing those high heels instead of rubber boots.” As for the trim on the passenger side of the interior, mine would read, “Don’t touch the stereo. My MINI, my rules.”
Jokes aside, the British automaker makes a case of 3D printing and laser etching for these custom parts. Something MINI didn’t mention about the new personalization service is if there’s a list of words or phrases that the company doesn’t get to grips. Something like, “Wanted a proper SUV, but what I could afford was this lousy Countryman.” Thinking about it, MINI wouldn’t allow customers to get away with such claims, which is a bit sad.
These being said, remember the time when the Mini spelled without capital letters was a cheap means of personal transportation that happened to be fun to drive? Whatever happened to that? If the automotive industry was more focused on actual needs and wishes of the public, it goes without saying that MINI would have come up with something a bit more useful than a customization service.
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