Hi all,

Let me provide a bit of background. I'll be coming from a 2014 Ford Fiesta Titanium. The car was amazing, and once I had changed up the suspension and a few other things, it was incredibly fun to drive on the track and Southern California mountain and canyon roads. Unfortunately I came to a point where I did all I could do tho the car for performance and couldn't go further. But I wanted to go further.

For most people, the logical next step was the Fiesta ST. It again is a fantastic vehicle. However it only comes as manual transmission. That for me simply isn't an option. It isn't a matter of learning to drive a manual, but a physical limitation. I spent nearly 9 years in the Navy, and in that time I suffered a significant lower back injury that eventually caused nerve damage to my right foot. I can't lift up on the foot at the ankle, though downward force is just fine. This means I need to use both feet just to operate two pedals. so, I'm stuck with automatic/dual clutch transmissions.

Back to the car. When it came to performance, I love the hot hatch segment. It offers a certain dynamic you can't get in 'pony cars' (e.g Mustang, Camaro, Challenger) or other performance cars (the perfect balance of price, performance, and fuel economy). So when it came to look at the next step in my car decision, it really came down to four options. The Volkswagen GTI, Golf R, Mini Cooper S, or Mini JCW.

After looking at all options, I had to eliminate the VW offerings. I am a tech geek at heart, and the VW has a horribly outdated MMI offering (which is disappointing because the Audis have a really good one) and the styling on the Golf, while still very good quality, was very clinical and boring. The numbers on paper were fantastic, especially for the Golf R, but I just didn't enjoy being IN the car.

The Mini offers a level of tech that I find irresistible, and the cockpit has a level of fun that the VW lacks. It's also one of the reasons I went with the Fiesta initially. So when I optioned everything out, it was a $4k jump to go from the Cooper S to the JCW. That leap is definitely a no-brainer at that point.

So. I've settled on a 2015 or 2016 JCW. It'll be the first time I've ever considered a car anywhere near $40k. Basically, I'm looking to get almost everything but the sunroof. I like the sunroof, and in normal conditions my 6'4" form easily clears it; but if I go to a track, it'll not clear a helmet (my head sits just below the middle crossmember between the panes).

So, onto the questions. I'll forgo reliability questions on the engine, since the B48 is brand new and untested.

The automatic:
Is it a dual clutch manual, or is it a traditional auto with a torque converter?
Is this unit also all-new, or is there any anecdotal reliability history on it?

Exterior:
The tail lights. I'm a fan of a European look on a European car, including amber turn signals. Are the new Mini's turn signals red or amber? I couldn't tell by looking and I didn't think to try them at the dealer. If red, has anyone tried to swap them on the F56 yet?
Are there any other cosmetic differences between the European and North American models?

Performance:
Is it worth the $500 extra for the dynamic suspension control? Does it detract from the standard sport suspension?

I'm sure I'll have more questions. It'll be a few more months of saving, I plan to put $10-15 down on the car when the time comes. Thanks for reading my long post, and I look forward to the input and responding to any other questions myself.

 

Only if ride is more important than handling. Although the Dynamic Damper Control is adjustable, its "Sport Setting" is a +10 where the Standard Sport Suspension is a +30 (all the time).

Sport Suspension is a $500 option on Cooper and Cooper S models (until the 2016 model year when it will no longer be offered), so DDC should really be a no cost option.

Test drive both and judge for yourself

 

The auto is not a dual clutch, but is a retuned version of the Japanese-made AISIN 6-speed auto that was in the 2nd Gen MINIs. The revision shifts MUCH faster though any publication you read will reflect that. The 0-60 times and MPG are actually better than the stick because of it. Haven't heard of any mechanical issues with the tranny.

The tail lights are not Euro spec and have red turn signals. No other cosmetic differences between the Euro models and US models as far as I know.

There's several lengthy threads about the DDC vs the SS in the 3rd gen forums, but the summary is basically what MINIAC posted: DDC does -10% stiffness over the normal Cooper S suspension in MID and GREEN modes and can go +10% in SPORT. The DDC is a $500 option for the JCW. SS will be 30% stiffer all the time and is the standard suspension on the JCW.

 

Thanks for the input. I think I may stick with the DDC mainly because the car will still be my daily driver, and if I learned anything from my Fiesta's stiffened suspension, the repetitive 'ka-thump ka-thump ka-thump' of traveling down California's concrete freeways eventually gets on your nerves

The biggest decision is color - The green is nice, but that $1000 can be put to something else more enjoyable, like the Harmon/Kardon audio. Not to mention my experience on dark colors is that it shows road rash a LOT more. Of course, I could always get a clear bra applied.

Decisions...

 

Welcome, and good luck with your purchase!

 

Yes, comfort is key when driving here. Especially if you do a lot of it. Definitely get a color you will enjoy. I wanted a black car forever, but ended up with silver and am thankful for it. Hides everything! and looks clean for much longer. Good luck!

-Luccia

 

I've also noticed that tech like Pedestrian detection, speed limit warnings, and adaptive cruise are available on the other non-JCW trims using the "Fully Loaded" package - which isn't available on the JCW. I've also read that this is included with the Park Assist option - is this correct?

Also, on the HUD - is the US version only monochrome? The Cooper S I say it just had white text and Icons. The HUD marketing material shows it in color. Is it different, or was I missing something?

 

Driver Assist is available on the the JCW. Instead of the Fully Loaded package, you will need Park Assist as a pre-requisite.

The HUD is indeed full color. The speedo and alerts will be white (or orange, if it's at night), but the navigation instructions, cruise control, audio controls, bluetooth functions, etc. are in color.

 

Awesome, Thanks for the info!