Are you sure the UK setting includes Imperial gallons? They've sold gasoline by the liter for years.
Bill Potts Roseville, CA http://metric1.org [SI Navigator--approaching 100,000 hits] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Michael Palumbo Sent: Friday, October 05, 2007 08:16 To: U.S. Metric Association Cc: 'U.S. Metric Association' Subject: [USMA:39520] Re: Metric & the new Mini Cooper Surprisingly not. My 2004 VW R32 has the capability of displaying metric units, but they have no end-user exposed interface for switching the units in your car. You have to use a dealership diagnostic tool (VAS5150) or a home diag tool (VAGCOM, etc.) to change it. They tied all preferences into the car's country code, so if you set your car as being in the US, you get a 12-hour clock, miles, Fahrenheit, and gallons. Only the temperature can be switched with an obscure button key press. Set it to Canada or EU, 24-hour clock, kilometres, Celsius, litres. UK, 24-hour, Celsius, miles, imperial gallons. It's a very weird system and not at all user-friendly. And like I said, my 2002 Mini had a similar system, you could only switch the temperature. -Mike Martin Vlietstra wrote: > I would have thought that every North American car that had a digital > display would have this sort of facility, plus the ability to display > text in English, French or Spanish. Many cars in the European market > have the facility to display text is a dozen or so different languages. > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Michael Palumbo > Sent: 04 October 2007 15:07 > To: U.S. Metric Association > Subject: [USMA:39518] Metric & the new Mini Cooper > > All, > > I traded in my 2002 Mini Cooper this past weekend for a new 2007 Mini > Cooper. The 02 model had a centrally mounted speedometer that was > listed in both miles & kilometres, but was otherwise entirely > customary units. Fuel efficiency was always listed in miles per > gallon, range was listed in miles, and temperature was in Fahrenheit > (at least the latter could be changed to Celsius by holding in a > combination of buttons every time you started the car). > > When I went to the dealership to look at the 07 model, the first thing > I noticed (and commented on to the salesman) was that the speedometer > was only listed in miles, they removed the secondary ring for km/h. I > was apparently the first person to ever mention that. However, I was > quickly appeased when he showed me the new in-car computer. > > Press just one button, and you're taken to the configuration menu. > From there, you can set every single variable in the car to metric standards. > Range in kilos, speed in km/h, temperature in Celsius, fuel > efficiency in L/100 km, and if you prefer, time on a 24-hour clock. > You can even get a secondary digital speed display that works in km/h. > > I've attached a picture of the tachometer that's mounted above the > steering column; this is where the relevant information is shown to > the driver. Note the larger digital speed display at the top, with > temperature, current km, and trip km below that. > > It's so nice to see a car manufacturer make this easy to switch, > without going through hidden menus, obscure button combinations, or > requiring a dealership diagnostic tool. > > I'm very pleased with this, if I could just find out how to get rid of > that accursed MPH ring in the middle, I'd be all set! By the way, it > handles splendidly and so far uses 5.6 L/100 km (or 17.8 km/L if you > prefer distance per volume). Excellent! > > Cheers, > Mike
