Interesting article. They had all good things to say about the power, delivery, comfort and the clutch.

http://m.motortrend.com/roadtests/se...ro_spec_drive/

 

Sounds pretty positive! I wonder if MINI wants to trade me my ALL4 for one?

 

Autocar UK didn't like the ride.
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/...n-cooper-works

 

MT repeats the misinformation:

" All4 uses an electromagnetic center differential to route power to the front wheels under nominal conditions and up to 50 percent of torque to the rear axle when needed. "

Despite Mini's press release that states:
"In normal driving situations ALL4 diverts 50 per cent of the engine’s power to the rear wheels, rising to as much as 100 per cent in extreme conditions, such as on ice and snow-covered surfaces. This provides a traction-led expression of the handling talents for which MINI is famed, whatever the weather and road conditions."

 

There's no way that press release is right. Somebody forgot to clear it with engineering.

The whole point of AWD is to send power to all 4 wheels when it gets slippery. Sending 100% of power to the rear wheels will just spin the tires on snow and ice.

 

Not if the front wheels are on snow/ice and the rears have traction.

 

The operative words here are "as much as 100%". If the front wheels are on ice and the rear wheels are not, the car can still move.

 

autoblog review http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/12/2...-review-video/

 

This article (http://www.motoringfile.com/2011/12/...tem-clarified/) contains an excellent description of the All4 system.

All4 uses a 50/50 power distribution by default. But 100% is transferred to the FRONT wheels under ideal conditions (e.g. high speeds). And there's no nonsense about 100% power to the rear wheels being ideal for snow and ice.

 

I hope they worked out the kinks in the buggy Valvetronic system. Perhaps we were all Guinea Pigs for the CM JCW.


"BMW-sourced Valvetronic variable valve timing system, which became standard on the Mini S engine in 2011, has been added to the JCW engine for 2013."

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...#ixzz26MKRrKaG