A few months ago I got to test drive a new F56 Cooper S with a manual transmission. While the new motor is definitely different and more punchy right off the line, I was still less than blown away by it. Not sure why, but my impression was more 'meh' than 'wow'.

Last week, my Paceman All4 went in for windshield replacement, scheduled servicing, and a new clutch, during which time I got a '15 Cooper S with an auto trans for a loaner. Curiously, my impression this time was a solid 'wow' -- it was an absolute blast to drive -- and I'm still scratching my head as to how that can be.

I've been driving manuals off and on for as long as I've been driving, now over 40 years. Without exception, I had always preferred a manual to an automagic, mainly for what has always been the fun factor. That is, right up until my 2013 Paceman when compared to my wife's 2012 Countryman. I don't know how they've done it, but they've managed to make the manual trans less fun to drive (to me, anyway) than the auto in basically the same car, and this impression was just now corroborated with the new Cooper S.

I had heard that back with the 2nd gen MINI that they limit the boost in 1st gear (and maybe 2nd, too) on cars with manuals to keep people from planking it and dumping the clutch and tearing the transmission apart, a 'feature' that could be at least at least partially defeated with a tune on earlier models. That would certainly explain the lack of 'wow' I sense in these last two comparisons, but I'm still wondering if that's the whole story.

I'm curious to hear other opinions or thoughts on the matter.

 

I had a manual trans for 7 years on my 2007 MCS and an AT on my 2014 JCW Coupe. I love the AT in the sport mode. Smooth, and the thing revs up bigtime when you put your foot down. It's a more powerful car I know, but the AT is just fine for me.

 

Even if the power is limited in the first gear or two, mine still has more than enough power to overwhelm the front tires in first and second and give some serious torque steer in 3 and 4.

The automatics in the F56 cars are rather enjoyable though since it feels like the torque converter locks up early to eliminate the typical slush box feel.

I will say the clutch in mine is almost too light. Which is nice in traffic but there isn't much feel to it. I have no idea how I haven't stalled it yet since I can't feel anything.

 

Clutch is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to light. Also, the shift gates so no seem as distinctive as they should. That being said, I really enjoy shifting and like the control over the car it allows. Is there a way to "stiffin" up the clutch?

 

Pretty much any new automatic isn't as "autotragic" as it used to be.

I've driven both and we opted for the proper manual. The F56 feels a lot more like a BMW compared to a MINI in terms of shifting feel. I really like BMW gearboxes so it was an easy choice for me.

Strangely enough, my wife (who drives the F56 every day) was adamant about getting the 6-speed. She didn't like the automatic at all.

 

I still haven't decided which way to go. I have driven both manual and automatic F56 models and keep coming away impressed with the automatic. I have almost always driven manuals - my current VW TDI is a 6-speed manual, but my BMW Z4 (lease expiring soon) has the 8-speed ZF automatic, which, by the way, is definitely one of the best transmissions on the planet!

I really really really want a manual F56, but after driving the automatic over and over and living with Los Angeles area traffic, I may be swayed to get the auto. I need to spend some time in a manual F56 ...

 

There were some comments about the manual shifter jumping out of 1st gear, and some people were getting the whole transmission replaced. Just and FYI... maybe automatic is the way to go?

I have an automatic by the way. I hate that sometimes from stop to start, it's a little jumpy, but this might be because it's still not broken in (still on first gas tank). My last manual was before I got married. Now since my wife has to drive too, and with better automatics, I'll probably never buy a manual.

 

I have testdriven both manual and automatic S.
The automatic is fun, but the manual is much much more fun. The manual feels responsive and lag-free in comparison.

 

I have the manual and experienced the gearbox jump out of 1st MANY TIMES.

I noticed that if i shift it harder it will go in / stay in 1st gear, the timess when it pop out was that i was shifting light.

But anyways when i am downshifting @ 10mph to 2nd gear, the car JERSK ALOT!!
And if i put it in 1st, it feels like i have to really step on it if not it would stall.

Thats my only complaint on the Manual

 

I had mine pop out once. Every so often when you put it in first it hits a stop and only goes halfway. If you feel that, put it in neutral and try it again. Don't try pulling out if it's only halfway in gear!!
As for downshifting into 2nd, i suggest working on your rev matching skills

 

But i thought this F56 was suppose to rev match by itself?
Rev match just means, reving up the gas before throwing into a diferent gear right?

 

Bringing the revs up high enough between gears that it is smooth.

The '15s do not have the automatic rev matching for 2nd gear. At least for the S. There's another thread just about that and someone says there should be a software update in the spring that will bring it back. Until then, give it some gas!

 

Oh, i guess i will try that reving it before downshifting lol

 

interesting thought about the ECU specifically weakening the responsiveness and power in 1st. Car manufacturers do seem to be doing more and more to limit customers ability to destroy their vehicles through stupidity, which may be a good thing... but It sure takes the fun out of things when it means that a competent driver cannot get the car to do what he wants, especially with a manual when you should really be in full control. One of the reasons I will never buy an auto on a car like a MINI. I want to be able to pick my gear and time its engagement in a turn or downshift or whatever. I know what I am ABOUT to do. A computer, at least for the present, really only knows what you already ARE doing, and it tries to extrapolate out your future intent.

Makes an Auto a smidge faster on a straight run perhaps, but it really tumbles its gyros when you start deviating from straight, predictable, maneuvers.

A note on the rev matching:

Rev matching is essentially what we, as the driver, used to do manually with a little heel-toe magic right? All this talk of automatic rev matching reminds me of a comment made by a mechanic friend of mine years ago saying that you don't actually need the clutch pedal on these new matching transmissions. I am not saying I would ever trust the computer enough to try and throw it into a gear without the clutch (see above reasoning) but it does make me wonder. Do you guys think we may be at that point? Are even the manuals getting to the point of automation where we are basically just paddle-shifting with a stick?

 

The rev matching in the F56 is VERY good in my experience. I'm a track junkie and have executed hundreds (or thousands?) of heel-toe downshifts.

Our 2015 base model rev matches in every gear except first and I've gotten totally accustomed to it. It makes me lazy since it does a great job at rev matching so I just start rowing down before getting to the corner now... I really like this feature but you can turn it off if you don't like it so it's all good in my opinion

 

I'm with gtmotor, love the gear matching..it actually makes for faster down shifts.

 

My previous MINI's had manuals and both were S's. My '12, when in sport mode, the engine was slow to lower the revs when upshifting. It was fun heel-toeing when downshifting, but I can upshift and downshift much faster in my '15S with the sport transmission.
My wife wanted a MINI with an auto and I was hesitant, but after I drove an S with the sport auto, I was convinced that I would like the auto. After a month and a half of ownership, I like the auto even more.

 

Manuals are much more fun for me to drive. I would not buy anything else.

 

+1,000,000,000

 

No. Rev matching and heel n' toe are not the same thing. When down shifting you don't just 'blip' the throttle. You anticipate ahead of time where the engine revs will want to be when you let out the clutch in the lower gear you are shifting into. That will depend a lot on how fast the car is going. The closer you bring the revs to that 'sweet spot' the smoother the transition to a lower gear will be.

Heel and toe is what you do when you are wanting to down shift (rev match) and brake at the same time.

 

I had a '14 hardtop automatic and now have a '15 manual. I MUCH prefer the manual. As others mentioned, the auto had times where it was very jumpy and could be laggy. Both drove me crazy! I have no complaints with the manual. Its been 20 years since I've owned one. I forgot how much fun it is.

 

I used to feel this way too. Steadfastly. But the last two manuals I've owned (both MINI's btw) have seriously lost that edge. Wasn't the case with my first MINI ('07 Cooper S), but it sure is with the '10 Cooper S and now my '13 Paceman. If this is the trend with manual transes, and considering how much better autos have become, I may have to concede defeat here for myself and that third pedal.

 

Bingo. My thoughts exactly. Except... they seem to have taken so much fun out of the manual shifting experience (to me, anyway) that it now outweighs any advantages. Keep in mind, though, that I do say this with the mindset that my next car will likely be a midsized pickup anyway. But we're I looking for my next MINI, I'd really be on the fence about which way to go for the tranny.

 

At first, I thought it was really hard to find reverse. Now, it's too easy, and I've occasionally missed first. The gearbox overall, is not horrible, but it's FAR from brilliant! I think my 2005MC's was superior (Getrag, also). Gears are not distinctive enough. However, the rev-matching is brilliant, so it's actually hard to f-up, especially from a passenger's perspective. Still glad I went manual again, but it's not a high-point of the F56, for sure.

 

I have the manual and overall think it's a good one. Shifter is smoother than my Audi, about the same as my Infiniti. I do agree that reverse should require a push inward of the stick to prevent accidental engagement when hunting for first.

When I got my 535i with the auto and sport packages I thought I would never have need to get a manual again - it was just so fast to shift. I test drove the F56 auto and thought it was very good but not quite at the level where I'd dismiss the thought of getting a manual tranny. Close but not quite. When relying on the auto to pick gears I didn't feel it was choosing the right gear many times and that turned me off.