Wow...handled like your old corolla? Must have had a pretty good handling corolla. I think the others are right and you would probably never be happy with a mini. I too come from a long, long line of mustangs before purchasing my mini. I have had a 1965 GT, 1992 5.0, 1993 5.0, 2001 GT, 2001 Bullitt, 2003 Mach 1 and a 2003 Cobra. None of these other than my 1965 GT were stock, they were all pretty well modded. Is my mini faster in a straight line than these cars NO. Did I buy the mini to be faster in a straight line NO. Can my mini hand any of my previous mustangs their ***** on a auto x or road course YES, is the build quality 100x better in the mini than any of my previous mustangs YES. Is the resale value on my mini 100x better than any of my mustangs (except my '65 GT) YES. I would suggest finding a JCW or other slightly modded (engine, suspension) Mini Cooper to test drive, I think you would be quite surprised. After going to my local track to watch an organization called pro autosports run I know of one 2007 Stage 3 Roush, 350Z and a track duty E36 M3 that have a new found respect for a lightly modded MCS's.

 

Even given your inability to pass up a crack at the R56, you have no credibility suggesting any Mini drives like a corolla. All I can say is someone who has such aneed to go out of the way to trash another vehicle must surely feel it's the only way to justify his own.

A 2002??? Oh, no! Of course, your's is an 05, the only decent one ever made.....

 

Enjoy that 'Stang son - sounds like that is where your heart lies anyway.

 

No jokes alowed on this site! Everything is serious, and every comment must be dissected!

Lighten up

 

 

OMG he called the R53 a corolla!!! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH I CAN'T LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now I know what it feels like to get all hot and bothered over nothing. Hmph. Not bad.

mb

 

Oddly enough, I recently drove an 04 Corolla S and it felt a lot like the last Mustang I'd driven, to each their own I guess. From the sounds of it, no FWD car will suit your needs. The MINI does great on the track, but FWD driving dynamics with high HP are very different than a RWD car. The Mustang will be much easier to bring to it's limits and control with the throttle, a highly boosted small displacement motor running it's power through the front wheels will be much more difficult. I've driven 300whp FWD cars, totally useless on the streets as the traction really isn't there and at the limits coming on boost is a great way to instantly dial in a lot more understeer than you want.

 

I'm questioning more and more your abilities as a driver, if you are unable to differentiate between the handling of a Toyota Corolla and a 1st Gen Cooper S.

And no, a done out Mustang will not hang with GT3's on the track, not unless the driver of the Mustang (which must have dropped a couple hundred pounds) is the Stig, and the driver with the GT3 weighs 400 lbs and learned stick that day.

Decent power in the S2000? Only in excess of 6500-7k. Odd you should bring that car up...The S2000 and JCW Cooper S will both run Nurburgring (a power course) within a couple seconds of each other...on an eight+ minute lap, I would call that near negligible for any guy on the street, in this country. That's also taking into account the S2000's better top end due to aerodynamics...for the gap to be so narrow, it must be getting its *** kicked in the corners.

Oh, and on the 0-60 time again...10.5in wheels can fit 275's or so max. Sorry again: unless they're drag radials or R-comps, I would like to see proof on the 3.2 0-60 claim. The 911 Turbo needs the engine over the drive wheels, AWD, 355-375's in the rear, and a fast shifting automatic to hit that time.

Definitely agree, but to a certain extent it forces you to judge the corner a little better...lift-off oversteer is not fun.

- Matt

 

Player01, just read the name....sounds legit.....those mustangs do hold with gt3's but the minis hold with the veyron....


Jack

 

 

Oh come now. I used to be an S2k owner before coming to the Mini, and the S2k is definitly a slightly faster car in almost all areas. You are comparing a JCW Mini to a completely stock AP2? Well, don't bother with power in the S2k, but can it have it's suspension tuned a bit as well?

And as for the "only in excess of 6500-7k" again...not true. Especially not in the AP2. The 04+ S2000 is making about 130-140 ft/lbs at wheels below 4k and mid 150's above 6k. That is similar torque to a stock Mini...it just revs a lot more to actually make power. Driving the car above 5k rpm also does not feel unnatural...the car actually likes it.

So I wouldn't dis the S2000, as it is very capable car in a similar market as the MCS. Its made for drivers who love to drive.

 

Oh, I'm not dissing it at all (except for my "*** kicked in corners" point...a slight over-exaggeration ) . Personally I don't like the exterior "shark nose" look, but I was merely drawing the point that a car he considers acceptably fast is little different in many ways from a Mini. RWD is nice, I would prefer it on the Mini. AWD w/ big numbers would be even better.

Additionally, I was referencing the JCW because that's a stock (from factory) vehicle, and it brings it closer to the S2k's price point.

- Matt

 

Ok right on...I get what your saying now I agree with you. A car that he considers "fast" really isn't much faster then the Mini in the twisty's. I agree 100% A Mini with AWD or RWD would be cool, and to tell you the truth. After I bought my S2000 and leaving a 300+ whp 99' Eclipse GST I swore never to buy FWD again unless it was just to get the groceries

The Mini is by far the best FWD car I have ever driven! I will miss the S2k, but I will not look back after buying my MCS

 

I think the fun per dollar ratio is a lot higher with a Mini than with a zillion hp. Mustang. I've had the Mustang and Camaro. I can get more fun just cruising around town and hitting a few turns fast with the Mini than the stoplight grandprix with the muscle car.

But the street driven MINI will never accelerate like the pumped up muscle car. They are just different types of car. And to get the excitement out of the muscle car, you have to get up to speed in a very noisy and visible way, which tends to land you in traffic court.

To me the razor sharp handling and reasonably good acceleration my Mini provides (239 hp, 190 ft lb tq here with RMW's help) make driving around town and at the track a lot of fun for not much money.

When the 'stang driver said he test drove an 02 Mini and thought it drove like a Corolla, I thought he was speaking about the R56. I did drive one and its suspension was very soft and ordinary. It seemed to have the mini handling "refined" the hell out of it. My 03, before the cross coilover install, drove like a truck as the shocks were very stiff. I really liked it like that. Now it drives even more like a truck.

"stang driver has to figure out what he wants, or maybe read up on GRMotorsports $2007 challenge cars and make what he wants.