Roadfly.com has a review up on youtube for the r56 mcs.

Now this may just spark a huge war between myself and the manuals, but they found in their test that the automatic beat out the manual in the 0-60 and 1/4 mile runs (14.9 for the manual, 14.77 for the auto).

Yes I agree a manual is more fun to drive, and would beat out the auto in a true track race, but for this specific argument, do you think it has merit? If yes, what is giving the auto this edge if not... rant away.

EDIT: may help to have the video review (the part i am talking about is at the end)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70RFE0_I9tg

 

Can't watch the vid since I'm at work, but I would imagine driver skill (or lack thereof) as the main factor in this test.

Haven't driven an R56 auto, but I thought DSG type autos were the only ones that consistently beat their manual counterparts in shift speeds.

 

well to that argument, and i am sorry to here about the youtube block, is that the test was done with both reporters and pro drivers.

 

There have been many side by side timings; the auto has consistantly won the 1/4 mile.
Having owned both versions of the R56, I find the auto quicker through Deals Gap and Wolfpen Gap as well.
I haven't tracked the auto yet but I hope to.

 

Hmmm... interesting. Good job on the auto then, Aisin !

 

well the second question then is how... Its no DSG, I mean its a quick shift, but still no dsg, and i fell i could shift faster, but thats just a feeling as I have an auto.

 

The auto may be quicker (up for debate) but is sure as heck isn't as fun to drive (not up for debate).

 

Agreed....credit where credit's due!!!

 

@jhayd11:

Dunno, gearing could be set up more optimally for 1/4 mi in the auto than the stick.

I'm no auto-trans aficianado though, so I should just shut up and leave it to the informed peeps here to answer .

 

There's no way that an automatic could beat a 6-sp in 0-60 or 1/4 mile runs unless the person driving the stick didnt' want to win, or doesn't know how to drive. Any slushbox auto is going to have 5-10% higher drivetrain losses, not to mention it weighs more, and shifts sooner.

They either seriously messed up on the gearing on the Getrag or someone doesn't know what they're doing.

On the track, hand's down, given equal driver skill a stick shift should win.

 

I love the flexibility of the manual, but given how sloppy it is, I'm not surprised that the computer optimized auto would be quicker.

 

You seemed to have missed this part of the video. They had a number of MCSs, both auto and manual, and ran them each multiple times over the span of an afternoon. The time comparison they make is between the best times of the afternoon for each transmission. They also mention that the auto was faster on "nearly every pass".

 

My retort:
well for one you speak of the the manual "6-sp" as if the auto wasn't one. yeah its heavier, but I have to admit where it may be useless in the manual, the "sport" button seems to make the auto shift ALOT more aggressively. And for the driver aspect there were pro drivers there as well as auto writers that test drive autos and manuals on a daily basis. They have never reported this on another vehicle, from what I have experienced.

And as for any "slushbox" the vw DSG spanks the manual everytime, thank you.

On track.... agreed

 

my ma said that auto was quicker on the 1/4 mile... and i honestly wasnt really all that surprised...

doesnt bother me at all cuz like lynnel said, its more flexiable and when you drive manual, you are in control.
this is going to be my first manual car and i have very little/no experience driving in manual... but i was given the choice between the two and i chose manual.

 

Pit the two against one another on a REAL road, one that twists and turns and requires smart shifting...then see who has the faster time. And ask the drivers who had more fun.

 

Now now, we are all mini owners here, and all know and realize the import things in life...

But this was just a question on drag times. I completely agree with you and I am sure everyone else here does. I was just hoping for a technical explanation on how mini is breaking the rules of driving law on this one matter.

I do own an auto, but I dive rt. 50 in to D.C. and at 7am with gridlock and traffic lights I just don't really have the want to play with a clutch every morning that much, so tiptronics are a necessary replacement. If I was still in college, or out away from grid lock for 80% of my drive I would soooooo go back.


Second Part I wonder if they used the tiptronics or just let the auto do all the work for their test runs?

 

DSG is truly a miracle of modern engineering IMO. From what I've read about it though, it seems to be closer to a manual transmission (w/ dual shafts and automatic clutches) than a traditional automatic transmission.

 

Last I checked the DSG wasn't a slushbox. Slushbox refers to a car with a power zapping torque converter. Both BMW's SMG/DCT Transmissions and VWAG's DSG transmissions are clutchless manual designs with either single or in the DSG's case dual clutches controlled by a computer. Forgetting completely the .07 second faster shifts on the clutchless manual designs, it's boring as **** (I've driven all of them), and I'd rather let someone else drive that sit there with my foot on the floor and watch the car shift itself.

Pushing the clutch in and raking through the gears is the point of a manual transmission to me, not the fact that it has a faster 0-60. In most cases unless you actually have racing experience you won't be able to notice any difference in 0-60 times or anything with a stick vs auto (Except for torque converter auto's that "Gear Search" and have sluggish lockup's).

I rode in an 08 MCS just yesterday and watched as the transmission tried to figure out when to lock the torque converter and when to slip it. This makes for abrupt lockup's and sloppy gear changes, and often times creates "Voids" after the shifts before the transmission actually locks and starts moving power to the wheels.

Both the driver and myself have racing experience, and I can assure you, I never slip my clutch for a second after each shift , and if we were on the track in that car, not only would the transmission be toast in 20-30 sessions, but it wouldn't be at all competitive.

On a tangent, if you're looking at the MCS and trying to decide what transmission to buy based on which gives better 1/4 mile drag times, you're stuck on the wrong decision. It doesn't matter which transmission you have, a front wheel drive, short wheelbase economy car ISN'T a drag car!!!

I've spent tens of thousands of dollars on my engine, and a stock mustang GT could still kick my *** in a 1/4 mile. The second you hit the gas 50% of your traction is shifted to the rear wheels (Whoops!).

These aren't drag cars. They'll run circles around faster, more expensive cars on tight tracks, but they don't excel in straight line racing.

 

I live in Los Angeles, trust me, you have nothing on our traffic (All day, every day, at any hour). If I had to drive an automatic in traffic every day i'd shoot myself. Back and forth from gas to brake every 2 seconds, it's a LOT easier to just leave the car in a gear and let it coast along, while feathering the clutch.

If you truly know how to drive in traffic with a stick its easier, or about equal to driving an auto. I've been driving only stick shifts for the last 3 years and wouldn't go back if someone held a gun to my head.

 

well the traffic preference is debatable, but if you ever get to use the gas, your not on my level in traffic.

As for the bmw smg comment, what exactly is the MINI's auto transmission. I thought it was just a basic 6ps tipronic.are they running the DCT? I thought DCT was Dual Clutch Transmission

 

it is if you have a cabrio

 

Hello... Tiptronic shifting into 1st in traffic..problem solved and didn't even need to waste time moving my left foot.

 

The DCT at this point is only in the E90 & E92 M3 to my knowledge.

The MINI Auto is an Aisen F-21 Automatic transmission with tiptronic, and a torque converter.

Reading on what exactly a torque converter is and why it cannot be as efficient as a clutch.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque_converter

 

not a convertible fan, but

well put

 

Unless you've somehow figured out a way to feather the clutch in your automatic I don't see how .