Quick update on the New Mini front. Unfortunately, the lease company let us know that white comes at quite a considerable extra cost (the logic behind this is that white cars are generally harder to sell than cars in other colours - hasn't anyone told them normal logic doesn't apply to Mini's? :)). The difference is so much that I am now looking at getting another color. The question is just, which one? There are really very few colors the Mini is available in that really appeal to me. One bright light at the horizon is that supposedly, Hyper Blue becomes available on the Cooper for the 2006 model year, which I think is a really cool colour too. The bad news is that unlike previous years, 2006 production might not start until November (previously, september was the time when production would start). However, according to this post on Motoringfile.com, nothing is certain yet.
Other contenders for the color combo are Chili Red with a black roof or Racing Green with a white roof. I'll have to decide soon, as the car should be ordered early july. Or, maybe, who knows, I can convince the lease company that their usual logic of white cars having a low residual value doesn't apply to Mini's.