Anyone go with it? Didn't know it was a a option extra I thought it was included in the sports package. It's $500, was it a option on the R56? so wondering if I'd miss it on the F56.

 

It is an option on the F56 but I'm sure it WAS in the Sport Package. I went with it over the dynamic damper option after reading stuff on this forum. Haven't got the car yet so can't comment on operation, etc. There are a bunch of folks here who've driven the F56 maybe with the Sport Sus and will probably give you the real skinny.

 

I had a loaner without the sports suspension, and I really didn't like how it handled around corners. All 4 MINIs I've owned have had the sports suspension.

 

I went with it, but have yet to drive my F56 with it. The test drive I had didn't have it.

 

Actually according to my MA and MINI.com the Sport Package does not include Sport Suspension. Sport Suspension is an extra cost ($500.) option. I think some of the confusion lies with the description of the Sport Package. It makes reference to "ultimate control and aggressive handling". But no sport suspension. So my question for MINI is how does a package with stripes, white turn signals, choice of wheels and (optional) LED headlights with cornering provide aggressive handling? That's a huge stretch if it implies that the LED lights provide better visibility at night for night-time driving.

I went with the Sports Package but my configuration does not show the sport suspension. Even without the Sport Suspension, I thought my MINI S handled just fine. I'm not doing any racing so IMO the factory suspension is just fine. I didn't want to have a stiffer ride anyway.

 

I went back and checked my configuration and CobraBob is correct. The Sport Suspension is not part of the Sport Package. The Sport Package does get you the 17" wheels as a contribution to possible "sport" handling, but all the rest is strictly cosmetic. I did order the Sport Suspension along with the Sport Package and it was a $500 addition to the price. However if you like to drive the twisties this is money well spent. According to the Mini configurator the Sport Suspension gets you stiffer springs and shocks and heavy duty sway bars.

 

If you drive the twisties, you'll definitely like the Sport Suspension. Good choice. I only went with the regular suspension because I didn't want a stiffer ride and while I occasional like to push the corners, I won't be doing twisties on a regular bases.

 

The Sports Suspension Debate has played out in many R56 threads, here's the Readers Digest version: you get slightly thicker (1-2mm) front AND rear antisway bars. Some claim you get stiffer springs and different dampers, but people who have installed aftermarket suspensions and remove these OEM parts say the are the same. A thicker rear sway bar reduces understeer (which the car has a lot of), but a thicker front far increases understeer, so they can counter each other. A lot of people just buy an even thicker (than the SS) rear bar and call it good. That's what I did for the same price, 19mm vs the SS is either 17 or 18mm. I'm getting the adjustable dampers, and maybe later a thicker rear bar if they become available/compatable with the new car.

 

This is one of my concerns! I want my next car to handle like my R50. Should I go with the Sports Suspension?

Anyone driving the F56 who had an R50?

I bought that car in 2007 and chose it over the R56, partly due to the R56 having so much body roll.

I tried a 2013 last month and I think they have tightened it up a bit, but because of icy conditions I didn't get a chance to take the cloverleaf the way I wanted to.

MINI Canada has some pretty ridiculous packaging, so it may be a monumental task to get the car I want.

 

TheBigNewt, the F56 (at least with Dynamic suspension) does NOT have a lot of understeer...it in fact rotates very nicely (unless you own a FR-S and drifting is considered "neutral").

 

There is an interesting article on the F56 suspension and options on Motoringfile.com today.

 

link?

 

It was never part of the sport package on the R56. We got two Coopers with the sport package and had to add the sport suspension. We also got two Cooper-S/JCW with the sport suspension and without the sport package.

Totally different options, independent of each other.

 

With the R56, we wanted our Cooper to handle like our R50. The R50 had "sport" suspension as standard and sport plus as an option. The R56 had standard suspension and "sport" as an option. So we got "sport" suspension.

I didn't notice much difference between the R50 sport and R56 sport suspension. The R56 was marginally better.

 

Just to totally confuse this conversation, in '08 the sports package included the "sports" suspension upgrade. I know because I had one.

 

Go aftermarket... Springs, shocks/struts, RSB, Powerflex bushings... More ducats but better overall.

 

I agree, if you want a track-like suspension get the standard suspension and go aftermarket or JCW when/if it comes available. The factory sport suspension is probably not a tremendous difference from stock. I'm more interested in making the ride a bit smoother at times rather than rougher, so I'll get the adjustable.

 

Are you speaking from experience after riding in it or hypothesizing from the legacy R53/R56 models?

 

Maybe I am remembering wrong, but didn't I read in one of the road tests that the Sport Suspension option stiffened things by 30%?

 

I put it on my fantasy build. $500 gets you better springs, dampers, anti-roll bars...it's good value.

 

I got mine with the dynamic suspension. I like it a lot as it increases a noticeable 10% of compression and rebound preload under 'sport' setting. Today i had a chance to 'tear it up' and the suspension worked flawlessly. The increased stiffness reduced the understeer but i think a slightly stiffer rear sway bar will make it perfect... may be to the point where the car can be predictably throttle steered.

The runflats, however, can be way improved.

 

Maybe, but maybe he was driving by the seat of his pants too.

As I posted above, with the R56 sports suspension the only documented difference were the slightly thicker front/rear sway bars. The dampers and springs had different part numbers, but the aftermarket suspension people said the parts were identical to the stock dampers/springs. Which makes sense: why pay $1300 for the JCW suspension if you can pay $500 for the sport suspension and get all 3 parts upgraded too?Whatever you want to believe I guess.

 

From motoringfile's road test: "Each level of that tuning has been rethought. MINI engineers explained it to me like this: Consider the base Cooper S suspension at the “0’ point — the neutral — between performance and comfort. When equipped with variable dampers, the suspension has a range of -10 in Normal / Green modes, and +10 in Sport mode. Then there’s the optional stand-alone Sport Suspension, which is at a +30 to the performance side of the scale. Reportedly, the updated Sports Suspension is more aggressive than today — equivalent to the R56 JCW factory sports suspension setting (not the dealer installed kit)."

 

Are you sure about that? I have the sport suspension on my R55S and it has different dampers, springs, and swaybars than the default R55S suspension. How would the aftermarket suspension people know what MINI is using, and why would they have different parts and markings if they're the same?

--Matt

 

I recently swapped my rear sway on mr R55s with factory ordered SS... I can mic it in the am if there is any interest. There is a blue paint mark on it.. Similar to the paint color of the car. Not sure if it means anything.

I do know my struts are marked "SPORT" on the parts tags.