Just thought I'd put a thread out there to see if anyone has heard anymore about an AWD MCS? Sure would like to see a retrofit kit, or some such. My dream is to have an AWD, 300hp MCS. For now, I guess I can dream, but some day...
Cheers!
MinMax

 

If there's any news on this front, be sure to subscribe to the RSS feed from www.motoringfile.com. He has plenty of articles on the subject, but nothing so far this year. But, if there's anything the leaks thru, for sure, it will be posted to his site first.

 

If there was an AWD MINI, it would be awesome! Unfortunately, I just don't see it happening. I would love to be proven wrong, however.

 

Who knows... In a couple years we may see a retrofit kit. It will probably be prohibitivley expensive, but still very cool.

 

Here's a roadtest of the only one: http://www.opinion.telegraph.co.uk/m.../26/ixmot.html
The 2007+ may have this introduced as an option, probably after interest in the model starts to wane. The danger of creating a retro-styled car is you can't dramatically restyle it every four years, so you have to keep adding features and power to maintain interest. I'm surprised there's not already a factory AWD New Beetle.

Whether it fits the old car is the question, since it may only fit the new Peugeot engine. The Audi TT gearbox is pretty much already the same inside as ours, only with completely different mounting flanges... and AWD. The major improvement of the Twinster system over Haldex is likely software programming. Good luck with that.

There are a lot of crazy people who would do a swap, but personally I would not attempt one in any OBD-II vehicle unless it's for a race car.

 

I think that I would consider puting a V6 in the rear seat for RWD first...... but if the kit was available at a time when I had the cash...... I might pull the trigger.

 

I think this could be a very good competitor with the R32 if this was made, especially with the MINI being lighter.

 

The mini would be alot heavier if it was AWD.

You could do it for 15k or so.
I do like the motor in the rear idea, you could throw another mini 4 banger in the rear and do awd that way. There is a two motor TT that has that setup... may be a little loud on the inside though.

"Not a bad way to spend 20 thousand dollars"

 

I highly doubt a retrofit kit will make it to market - too many engineering challenges for what is not a terribly large market potential. An AWD implementation is best left to the factory.

 

let me say this....after sleeping on it.... if at some time the new car has available AWD and a turbo, my 02 is for sale

 

Same with my 05. But the car would have to be like a WRX with speed and AWD . Not a tiny car with SUV speed.

 

I saw an article a few years ago about a shop that was doing Beetle and Jetta/Golf AWD conversions. Ofcourse they were just using the VAG parts that already fit into the system, and adding the TT/R32 floor pan. It was all VW/Audi parts, and was mostly bolt on. I can't remember what it cost.

I am suprised that VW didn't make an AWD option for all of those sister cars. Now we've got the A3 as well for the new Mark V cars. Maybe they'll pull the trigger on the New Jetta, and Golf lines when they hit the states.

 

Nope! Read up on the twinster. One of the major benefits was very low weight gain.

 

If MINI wanted to be able to beat a WRX STi, it would. How is this for dreaming: 350 hp, SMG and AWD in a 3,000 lb package.... The only problem is that such a MINI might cannibalize buyers away from BMWs....

 

I'd take a rear-engined MINI before I took an AWD one

 

With the additional drive train loss ( avg 30% verses 12% ) and the additional weight you would have to have at least 300 RELIABLE HP at the crank to have any fun

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

the AWD Getrag made was only 200 additional pounds...that's not too bad considering it took a half second off the 0 - 60...

I talked to MINI USA about this back in NOV. as to whether they will do it or not...the answer I recived was "it's not off the table"

they have alot of other things going on right now...and AWD that was built has since been crushed...sigh...oh well

 

Come on...I said WRX. Not WRX STi. I said WRX meaning I want good power to go with that AWD not crazy power.