How to spec a Mini

As the lucky recipient of CAR's forthcoming long-term Cooper S, I've been spending a lot of time with my snout buried in Mini brochures recently. And, no, I'm not expecting your sympathy. Ordering a brand-new car is one of the real pleasures in any enthusiast's motoring life; your one chance to get every last detail just right.

Especially in a new Mini. There are so many combinations of model and trim, options and accessories, colours and stripes, that you can theoretically order 15,000,000,000,000,000 different combinations of Mini. And that's a scary number indeed. I'm not even sure how to pronounce it.

So I need your help. How would you spec a Mini? We've got a Cooper S on order, and I want the Laser Blue paint job. But what else should I go for? The last Mini on big rims rode atrociously, so I'm tempted to stick with the standard 16in items, and steer clear of the sports suspension. Other than that, I'm open to suggestions.

Or is the personalisation cult espoused by Mini (and parent company BMW) just a money-spinner to be resisted at all costs? Most owners spend at least a couple of grand on extras, apparently. Mini anoraks everywhere, click 'Add comment' and let rip.