I haven't noticed anyone talk about this yet so have any of you tried using the launch control? If so how well did it work?

 

This function is not supposed to be used until after the break in period is over so I imagine many have not played with it just yet. I was in a demo car where the MA used it and it was impressive.

As noted in the manual, this function should not be used excessively either. I asked my MA about this and he said he was told that Mini suggests it not be used more than 99 times in total. As he explained it works quite well but it does put most of the critical components under a significant amount of strain.

 

"Do not use the Launch Control too often" is very vague. It would be interesting to see if there is something in the warranty that describes when they would deny warranty based on usage of the Launch Control. The ECU probably records every time it is used.

99 times over the entire lifetime of the vehicle? If you use it once week, you can never use it again after 2 years. Or you'll use up the quota quickly if you engage in some streetlight-to-streetlight challenges.

 

You can be certain the ECU records data on every time you use the launch control function along with a running total of how many times. I would agree that number of 99 times "seems" very low and it is certainly a bit dodgy that they list this feature as if it could be used as much as you want in their marketing materials.

However I am sure their thinking is that it would be used more for a track scenario rather than simply random races from light to light. Also many car manufacturers (not just Mini) that offer a launch control function will warn owners to use it sparingly due to the high amount of stress and wear it puts on the car.

I would think if its something you use every now and then (when the situation really calls for it) it will be fine. If you use it every time someone rolls up on you at a line; you can expect to be in the shop and likely in a difficult conversation with the service department.

Plus, there is the fact that the car performs exceptionally well just "punching it" without using the launch control at all.

 

While I have no dog in the fight so to speak, 6 speed manual equipped, personally other than for the fun of it, this feature wouldn't be useful if I had it. Much easier and more fun to out run others on the twisties.

I believe the guideline is vague by nature. Specific restrictions can easily be circumvented, vague allows for more individual responses. All legal stuff to protect the company without seeming draconian, but reserving the right to be, if required. As such raw numbers like "99 times" are more likely someone's opinion rather than the policy. Just as this is my opinion, who knows maybe after "99 times", the drivetrain falls out or just blows up.

 

I wouldn't recommend using at every stop light either but I would not be afraid to use it. If it was so detrimental MINI would never have included it to begin with. My 2004 GTO had this as well and worked really well and never had a single issue with that car. I think "punching" it and using the launch control have more in common than one thinks, but you're just adding a little pressure to your brakes.

 

My puppy has the 6MT and this is one of those features I just don't get at all. Especially since this car has the e-brake lever right in the center console. If I'm on an incline (and we have plenty here around the Tennessee River Valley) I just use the e-brake for hill hold until I've got enough power to move off. This sounds good on the market literature but really, if you can't negotiate a take off on a hill - buy the automatic!

 

The MINI has hill assist, it's actually very helpful at times just kinda freaked me out the first time cause I didn't know they had it.

 

I didn't think this feature was available on 6MT's... Not sure how you would implement something like this for a manual transmission anyway?

 

Wow. I didn't think this feature was available on the automatics! What the heck you need it for there? Left foot on the brake right foot on the gas. Right foot goes down as left foot goes up and you're on your way.

 

Ahh but not as fast as if the tires are loaded at the right RPM. Launch control totally makes sense on an Auto, if you are really trying to get the perfect launch.

 

Well this is getting interesting. I'm looking at this to (as Bill Cosby used to say) "keep you from rolling backwards down the hill and into the bay." You seem to be looking at it like the old Hurst Line-Lock that would hold the front brakes on while releasing the rears to get the tires spinning. Of course I'm not sure if they now hold off the rears to let the fronts spin, but I guess we need to see if one or both trannys actually have this feature and how it really works.

 

Ok, now you did it, mentioning Hurst. So I have to ask then, I have an old Hurst Brushed Aluminum T-Handle Shifter ****, if I mount it in my MINI what will happen?

 

You find yourself back in the 60's.

 

When the marketing materials show the automatic is a tenth of a second quicker to 60 than the MT, I wonder if they used Launch Control. Probably.

Also, wouldn't LC be similar to revving the engine on a MT to 3 or 4k and then dumping the clutch?

 

Interesting thought, our F56 in the 60's. Really off topic.

 

Yup, the launch control feature is why the Auto trans is a tenth of a second quicker than the manual.

Also another interesting note on line lock tech is that the new mustang coming out this year will include it as a factory option. There was an article about a week ago though that Ford is reportedly going to void the warranty or portions of it if the feature is used. It will be interesting to see if they do in fact do this.

 

Here's the full text. It's only for sport automatic. I like the part where it says, "Before using Launch Control, allow the transmission to cool down for approx. 5 minutes."

 

That would be insane if they were to void the warranty if people used a feature that the factory included in the car. Curious to see how true that is.

 

Maybe not. The Justa automatic is also 1/10 faster and it doesn't have the Sport Automatic that is supposedly required for Launch Control.

 

That is a good point. The information seems a bit vague however on the actual differences between the auto transmissions in the Justa vs the S models. Going by the Mini USA configurator, there appears to be no difference between them at all when choosing the "options". You can get the same transmission with the paddle-shifters in the Justa if you spec for it.

However on the "features" breakdown under "performance"; it states that launch control is standard on S models with the Sport automatic trans. This makes it kinda hard to tell. It doesn't say it is not available on the Justa, simply not standard.

According to one of the marketing videos put out by Mini they simply reference it is the new Auto trans which allows both models to be a tenth of second faster without referencing Launch control. For this I rescind my earlier statement.

IMO though I still do believe it is being factored in to those 0-60 numbers. Otherwise this would mean achieving faster than 6.4 seconds for 0-60 is possible with launch control involved.

Anyone out there with a Justa F56 happen to know if the feature is in yours or not?

 

Since the Configurator doesn't show the Sport automatic available for the Justa, it doesn't seem like they would use acceleration figures for the Justa that include Launch Control that requires the Sport automatic.

 

Yes, you essentially just repeated yourself from earlier; technically the congifurator doesn't show the "sport" auto trans for the MCS either as I said. Looking at the option alone, the transmissions are exactly the same. They have the same description and the same price to add them as an option. The only "difference" is that on the MCS configurator you can add the JCW steering wheel with paddle shifters on the performance page whereas on the Justa configurator you have to go over to the Interior section to add the JCW wheel with paddle shifters.

The question I am posing is what are the actual differences between the two iterations of the Aisin trans being used in both?

According to the white-sheet on the F56 (for the US at least), they do reference two different identifications. The MCS has a "G259 r7 mod" and the Justa has a "G258 r5 mod" in it. So according to this there is clearly a difference between the two. Are the differences simply related to settings such as gear ratios or is it more than that?

 

Repeating myself to emphasize the point. Maybe I'm missing something, but either automatic is available for the MCS, while only the one is listed for the Justa. Even if you can specify options not listed in the Configurators, it would seem to be false advertising to make the .1 second difference claim, if the Sport transmission is not readily available.

 

Where in the configurator do you see two auto trans options for the MCS? You state "but either automatic is available for the MCS, while only the one is listed for the Justa." I do not see that when I look. The configurator only has one option each for the auto trans regardless of the trim (S v Justa). As I mentioned before the only difference on the configurator between the two trims appears to be that they make it easier to select the auto trans with paddle shifters on the S than they do on the Justa. You can still get that exact same set up on the Justa. My MA actually just called me to see how I was enjoying my new F56 so I posed this question to him. He is going to check with location's head engineer/mecanic tomorrow to see if they have any info on the differences between the Justa and the S auto trans.

And I totally agree with you on the statement that the advertising here is kinda in question. That's what I am hoping we will get to the bottom of.