The 2005 MINI has an updated head unit which is reported to be able to play MP3 data CDs – allowing as much as 5-10 hours of music on a single CD!
I have not yet tried a new head unit, or seen one out of a MINI, but this recent MINI2 thread suggests that the 2005 head unit is a drop-in replacement for the older one – there is a picture which seems to show the same rear connections.
If this is true it is great news for people wanting to stick with the original looks, but get MP3 playback …
M&I / GBMINI 