Some spy photos of the next gen all new mini coope

The pictures are all of a camouflaged, but clearly different next gen mini cooper. The grille is smaller, the front is a bit flatter, and the headlights are much larger. The car looks a bit wider and a bit longer with an extended hood. Also, supposedly the interior is quite a bit different too, with the main difference of removing the center speedometer, which I personally thought was great. Side story: I once got pulled over driving somewhere between 70-85 and the officer asked me how fast I was going, and I honestly wasn't sure so I told him I thought I was going around 80 but I wasn't sure and he told me I'd better know how fast I was going with a speedometer that size in my car. I guess now I wouldn't have that problem since the middle speedometer is being removed.
So what do you guys think of the new mini? Personally I'm really excited to see what it looks like without some of that camouflage.

No center speedometer??? Who made that bonehead decision!? 

So how to do you know how fast you are going? 

http://www.motoringfile.com/2012/06/05/the-next-generation-mini-interior-in-detail/#more-24594

More details on the loss of the center speedo:

"What about the speedometer? The center speedo on the MINI has been axed for the F56 due to two reasons. First MINI has taken hit after hit in consumer surveys with the main speedometer being located in the center of the car and wants to listen to that sentiment. Secondly the electronics of this car will be almost identical to the upcoming front wheel drive BMW. And while that doesn’t mean they couldn’t do a center speedo, it meant that there was additional cost this time in making it happen.

The F56 instead will have an analogue speedometer behind the steering wheel where the current rev counter is. The rev counter will be a smaller, semi circle gauge attached to the left hand side of the speedo"

Edited by swpars - June/09/12 at 12:37pm

I never pay any attention to how fast I drive anyway. I probably drive too fast in the MINI!

SMOG wrote: swpars wrote: CORNERS wrote: So how to do you know how fast you are going?  See below: That is the one I use too.  That big dinner plate in the middle of the dash would be a better place for a real gauge cluster.

Pity there wasn't an option for a "gauge package" in the R56 with coolant temperature and oil pressure gauges in the center, along with a turbo boost gauge for R56 S/JCW models. I'd totally have paid $500 extra for such an option from the factory when we got our R56 last year.