How can I disagree with that?
MINI SE Electric: Hood scoop or nah?
- Thread starter Pushmi-Pullyu
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teslarati97
Well-Known Member
The hood scoop isn't doing a very good job at sucking.
Now that @sacharama has deemed the skeuomorphic fake hood scoop "very effective," I'm forced to reconsider my appreciation for the SE's lack of fake exhaust pipes. Here, I fixed that unfortunate omission:
Thank you for asking. I hate to go on-and-on about my Quixotic vanity project, but since you asked...The "3 to 4 day" job is now starting its third week! MINI Connected told me my SE was locked, so I assumed correctly that it was outside. So I walked about a mile to the downtown body shop and was happy to see the hood was in place, but still without the gorgeous MINI wings at the front. One of my problems with the hood scoop is that it overshadows the nearby MINI logo, which I believe should stand proudly alone on the hood. I'll get the complete story about the delay when I retrieve it, hopefully in the next couple of days.
now that the scoop is gone you should update the grill insert to the newer one, I think it would suit the new scoop less bonnet more than the one on the car.
I don't complain about the 2022/23 grille, but I see it as a concession to those who thought my original SE was "too electric looking."
I've actually considered purchasing a spare 2020/21 grille to display in my basement man-cave above my Power Spoke wheels (which I mount only for car shows because I'm terrified of curbing them, even though I've never curbed my daily Loop Spokes).
teslarati97
Well-Known Member
Those power spoke wheels need to be binned along with the fishmouth grill, neither of them are befitting the MINI Cooper SE! I do like your scoopless bonnet, I'm surprised nobody has made a 3d printed plug people can buy paint and fit.
ghost
Well-Known Member
I would buy one and a closed grille, especially if it meant more efficiency.
Puppethead
Well-Known Member
I love my Power Spoke wheels, a significant reason I went with the Iconic trim. I also much prefer the original SE fascia (I don't want to call it a grille since no air flows through it) to the 2022 LSI frontend. In my opinion, the blockiness of the new design isn't as enticing as MINIs previous grille designs.
SameGuy
Well-Known Member
Diff’rent strokes. I’m glad my MINI-looking MINI has a MINI-looking “grille.” I got rid of the plug-blob emblem on the back and I may even change the color of the “S” badges (but maybe not). But I, too, love its Power Spoke summer wheels. And no, @insightman , I won’t be getting a fake twin exhaust tip and valance! 
sacharama
Active Member
I said "effective aesthetically" which involves emotion, feeling and psychology in this case that's associated with visual cues.
Your assertion/suggestion of adding the faux tailpipes is not the same thing unless one would argue that the center dual pipes on the mini Cooper s are so unique and identifiable that it would trigger joyous and satisfying emotion. If that's the case, the faux tail pipes might be a reasonable option for that individual.
One would also argue that If removing anything that doesn't possess an absolute practical function or purpose, then many of the trim pieces and panels inside the car should also be removed as they are there to act as a cohesive aesthetic elements to conceal gaps, holes, uneven surfaces that would otherwise make the interior look and feel "unfinished".
Yes, I can't claim my love for the MINI interior isn't emotional, but the interior is also functional and none of the interior pieces are pretending to have functions like the fake hood scoop.
It appears MINI's designers are removing from the Zhangjiagang SE's interior anything that doesn't possess an absolute practical function or purpose unless it can't be moved to the center screen.
sacharama
Active Member
I don't think the "interior surface aluminum" is actually made of aluminum. So in a way they are pretending to be aluminum in its actual property.
And the property of a matter (e.g. aluminum) possess both function and appearance.
You've got me. It never occured to me to convert any interior materials that look like aluminum to actual aluminum--I'm not sure my 2021 Iconic SE has any fake aluminum interior bits. I doubt such a substitution would give me the same satisfaction I feel every time I see a MINI with a hood scoop.
Now that I have a scoopless hood and a Bimmercode-enabled AM radio, my SE is perfect.
teslarati97
Well-Known Member
I prefer the fake aluminum as the old E90/92 was seatbelt ding galore!
sacharama
Active Member
And I am very glad that you are able to make your SE perfect to you.
Another way to look at the scoop in regards to the Cooper S is that the scoop was there for the supercharger in the original redesigned/reintroduced/re-whatever term that you prefer R50 Cooper S which I owned.
Since about 2007 if I recall correctly, the Cooper S had the turbo instead of the supercharger but the scoop remained.
In a way, it's a visual identity/lineage of the "S" since the SE is a "S" that's electrified.
Again, it's not a physical function in terms of engineering, but it is about emotional function for lack of a better term which is an essential component of aesthetics and design.
Your recollection of the history of the MINI Cooper S hood scoop is correct. There was a time when the hood scoop was functional. The designer of the MINI Electric did not intend for that car to have a hood scoop.
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sacharama
Active Member
Design is a process that involves different iteration, evolution, modification and etc. Just because the designers originally came up with the concept of an electric mini that is scoop-less does not mean that the decision to include the scoop for the final production model is invalid or inappropriate.
This is the same company so it's not like a new company took over and decided to change the design of a vehicle. Instead, it's an evolution and progression of the design process.