Anybody know if 2nd gen MCS auto trans were improved or changed in any way from the 1st gen MCS, or the 3rd gen MCS for that matter, thanks in advance

 

Early 1st-gen auto boxes were the CVT. The less said about that, the better. After a while they went with a conventional torque-converter auto, and that seems to be pretty robust. As does the one used on the 2nd-gen cars.

Don't know what the actual changes were, but I'd be surprised if the gear ratios weren't changed at the very least.

 

This only applies to all 1st Gen Cooper models. The automatic transmission in the 1st Gen Cooper S (first available with January 2005 builds) was an Aisin unit.