245 HP 0-60 in 5.9 sec. This is from the lastest Motor Trend testing an MCS with Mini Mania's Stage III Kit. The Neon SRT is quicker to 60 with less HP, same with the S2000 and many other competing cars. Another example is the JCW's Car with 197 HP skipping to 60 in 6.5 sec. approx. This was said to be because of the "Tall Gearing" of the MCS. So why did BMW make our cars that way? It's a small car so i would think quickness would be a priority. Now I can't really complain too much because when I autocross with my car I am in second gear the whole way which is very nice. But the question still arrises. Now before you jump down my throat about "if you wanted a car that was that fast....why didn't you get..." I am just curious that is all, as to what advantages are there to the gearing we were given?

I´d say torque plays an even major role on 0-60 times. The other cars have bigger displacement engines and probably more torque than the Mini Mania stage kit cooper (I´m not certain about this, but a 1.6 liter engine vs a 2.2 and a 2.4 makes me guess this could be the "real" difference)

Yes, correct, torque is a huge factor.

All the more reason to question the gearing decision.

The SRT-4 has WAY more torque than the MCS will ever have. Turbo's are good for that. 6.5s 0-60 is in no way "slow", in my book!

In any case, the close ratio box with tall 1st and short 6th of the MCS is suited perfectly for actual road driving. I'm sure you've noticed that BMW historically couldn't care less what kind of numberrs their vehicles "pull" in the magazines, and the MINI is no exception. Driving pleasure versus magazing numbers? I'll take driving pleasure any time!

I agree wholeheartedly, Ryan. Most of us are using these as daily drivers, and we're only occasionally pulling up to a light, looking over at the hideous 2F2F Civic next to us and revving the engine.

For all the other occasions when I'm behind the wheel on city streets, I would prefer to NOT have to shift at 5 mph for "normal" driving. You know?

I suppose that I shouldn't really wonder why 6th isn't taller (considering that there's probably nowhere in the US with highway speed limits higher than 70)...but I would think that for Europeans, 6th is very short...

I agree with Ryan and Coop. And for those considering the 19% pulley, believe me, first gear is short enough! Between excessive wheel spin and torque gear, without an LSD you don't want a shorter first gear. You can't floor it in first gear anyway! :eek:

B/c of the tall first gear and the subsequent short gears, the MINI is great at passing. At mid speeds and high speeds on the highway. And that's a heck of a lot of fun. So we'd give some of that up with a short first gear also.

Its all about overall driving enjoyment for me. If I was interested in 0-60 I would get me a big, American V-8 and soup it up. But then all you can do for fun is speed from one red light to the next. Not much fun in my book...I like the twisties in between

I agree with everyone. I also feel that without a LSD, the gearing appears to be a good compromise when you take into consideration that driver skill is a variable that MINI can't control.
They wanted to make the gears close and give a good highway cruising rpm. Also with only wheel pulling, especially on days like today,(snow storm), a lower first gear would only mean a quicker short shift to second.

I felt that first gear was way too tall when I got the car. After the pulley and the stumble free v36, it feels about right.

The SRT-4 was originally shipping without a LSD I believe. They quickly saw this as a problem I think and all the ones shipping now have a LSD, or so I have been told.

1st gear is good for city driving, point well said Chitown. If you go the heavy mods on top of it will feel like it's shorter anyhow.

I'm thinking that the 19% pulley will by Artoo's when the Warrantee is over. :grin:

>>The SRT-4 was originally shipping without a LSD I believe. They quickly saw this as a problem I think and all the ones shipping now have a LSD, or so I have been told.
>>

Yes, the 03 SRT-4 has no LSD and for 04 they added an LSD.

gmack:
>>I agree with everyone.
>>

that's a great quote :smile:

Well it is still on my mind so I figured I would bump this back up to get more opinions. It is just annoying to me that a lot of cars with less hp or the same hp get better acceleration numbers. what are the advantages with this gear ratio? Are we faster from 30-50mph than other cars? Or other areas? What would be the point of our ratio if it wasn't more beneficial in some other areas? Or is it just made that way for comfort? And not about performance at all?

Yes, with a chip raising the rev limiter, we can do it in first. :grin:

you know thats probably the only reason why they had bad numbers cause they couldent get traction after mashing the gas, im close to 180 horses i think and even with a roling start i hit full throttle and all i do is an excesive burn out so with 240 hp i can onley think that they had hookup problems, as the bbr mini at 275 hp jeez when im on the highway im shure that would pull like a &%*#$


im shure with an lsd it will be better but as i said with 180 under the hood and sticky tires i have to feather the gas to get traction at the auto cross or road or i just wast rubber!!!:lol: :smile: :wink:

Well, the new '05- gearing will be lower....this should help.I wonder if a transplant is do-able???

From regular driving, I would've like a shorter 2nd gear. After making a
left turn from a stop, I will have to keep the car in 1st while I rev to redline to
pass someone next to me... where as on my other car, I just floor it in 2nd.

I think gearing is actually a small factor here.

The SRT is actually listed as having 230 HP, but it is believed that that is still a very conservative figure - plus it has more torqe as mentioned above. The MM Stage III kit's power is probably over estimated like most of the other power claims for MINI tuners.

The S2000 is RWD, so it (as well as AWD cars) will naturally have better times because they can launch better due to weight transfer & grip.

i think its halarious!!! i have a 1971 dodge charger and i remember how we would talk about 30 or 40 or even 100 hp claims from doing a mod now im getting all excited over 5 hp and 10 hp intervels what a world what a world!!!

________________
All things considered. And a good compromise.

I think the gearing is just fine in the MCS. I drive 56 mi. r/t to work and back. All the driving is suburban meaning 50 mph. tops (mostly 30 to 40). Very enjoyable...

There's drag racing, then there's rally racing.

Gearing is amazing for the canyons.. Enough said. :grin:

hello all, My brother in law got a s2000 and they come with 240hp, BUT only 150 lbs of torque, so in that cars case, I think its the hp and high rpm capability thats getting the lower 0-60 times. Considering the difference in engine size, the mini does well.

Actually, the most fun I've ever had autocrossing a street car was a Z28. They handle way better than most people would realize, and they're fast as all get out. Definately more fun to autocross than my mini, by a factor of like 10.

However, insurance, tires, repairs, stigma, the wife, etc, all conspire to make pony car ownership a bit difficult for me. So my Mini does nicely, no regrets there.

But anyhow, don't discount the pony car in twisties!

every camaro i see has its ass all over the place in autocrosses. looks like fun though.

I know this is tangential, but

If you look at the skid pad g-loading figures in Car and Driver, the MCS JCW comes in way below lots of really pedestrian cars. It does not feel like that day-to-day, but lots of cars that you would not imagine pull better numbers. Some times much better numbers.

I am glad I like the driving experience, because my magazine reading experience is the pits.