Drivetrain What is keeping such a brilliant engine(S) at 175 hp?
Depends on the manufacturer...
could new cars be sooo difficult to tune so that owners (not you gearheads, but less experienced people) have to take their cars in to get fixed--helping increase dealer maintenance fees?
or could it be that the average car buyer won't work on their own car, so manufacturers are designing cars without regard to owner-based "fixability"?
it just seems so many new cars out there are built so we can't even look at the engine--like it's a work of pure art instead of machinery.
dan
or could it be that the average car buyer won't work on their own car, so manufacturers are designing cars without regard to owner-based "fixability"?
it just seems so many new cars out there are built so we can't even look at the engine--like it's a work of pure art instead of machinery.
dan
Guess what camp BMW seems to be in?
Matt
Coordinator :: PDX MINI
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 377
Likes: 0
From: Beautiful Vancouver, WA
I would say BMW has already been building cars with the mindset that their design is the highest possible form for its function. So, we have a clash of cultures: one who thinks their car is 99.8% perfect, one who wants to accentuate its abilities.
There are plenty of people out there who do not know or care what is beneath the surface, as long as their car "looks" different. Others, like those on these forums, want functional adaptability in design. They mod. At some point, the tuner/modder crowd will turn their collective backs on those manufacturers who design-out customization of their cars.
But like anything else in the world, if they can build it, someone else can unbuild it--by whatever means.
dan
There are plenty of people out there who do not know or care what is beneath the surface, as long as their car "looks" different. Others, like those on these forums, want functional adaptability in design. They mod. At some point, the tuner/modder crowd will turn their collective backs on those manufacturers who design-out customization of their cars.
But like anything else in the world, if they can build it, someone else can unbuild it--by whatever means.
dan
There is also an online road test of the R56 Cooper S and a brief conversation with the BMW/Mini engineer who designed the engine and he admitted it would be hard to modify but that the intercooler would be a place to start.
http://motoringfile.com/2007/02/07/m...ini/#more-5558
"But what about tuning the new MINI? I asked Mr. Sonntag what he thought might be an obvious area to start with. With a smile and a twinkle in his eye, he said that getting much more power out of these engines would be difficult without truly knowing every detail of their inner workings. It seems they are already very well optimized. However, he did mention that the first place to start (that wouldn’t be too expensive) would be a larger intercooler on the Cooper S."
http://motoringfile.com/2007/02/07/m...ini/#more-5558
"But what about tuning the new MINI? I asked Mr. Sonntag what he thought might be an obvious area to start with. With a smile and a twinkle in his eye, he said that getting much more power out of these engines would be difficult without truly knowing every detail of their inner workings. It seems they are already very well optimized. However, he did mention that the first place to start (that wouldn’t be too expensive) would be a larger intercooler on the Cooper S."
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,178
Likes: 0
From: Outside of Phila, PA
I would say BMW has already been building cars with the mindset that their design is the highest possible form for its function. So, we have a clash of cultures: one who thinks their car is 99.8% perfect, one who wants to accentuate its abilities.
There are plenty of people out there who do not know or care what is beneath the surface, as long as their car "looks" different. Others, like those on these forums, want functional adaptability in design. They mod. At some point, the tuner/modder crowd will turn their collective backs on those manufacturers who design-out customization of their cars.
But like anything else in the world, if they can build it, someone else can unbuild it--by whatever means.
dan
There are plenty of people out there who do not know or care what is beneath the surface, as long as their car "looks" different. Others, like those on these forums, want functional adaptability in design. They mod. At some point, the tuner/modder crowd will turn their collective backs on those manufacturers who design-out customization of their cars.
But like anything else in the world, if they can build it, someone else can unbuild it--by whatever means.
dan
I'd venture to say that a boost controller is the best route in terms of cheaper ponies, and fixing the funky tq curve around 3K.
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