I'm dead serious. I wouldn't change the feel of my R53 for the R56. Would I own both? Absolutely... but if I had to choose, I'll keep what I've got.

 

Look man, I can be quite...aggressive in my opinions sometimes. I love the R53 too. But you're right, the R56 is better for me. And that's what owning a MINI is all about...making you happy when you're on the road.

I swear, MINI owners are the most passionate people on the road.

 

We are... and that's why I suggest you keep that in mind with your posts on the subject. As passionate about your R56 as you may be... so are most of us R53 owners. And that passion hasn't changed simply because there is a newer model out there! Critique the cars, not the owners and their preferences, or their reasoning behind it.

 

Cars are not consumer electronics, and to compare the two just makes you look foolish. Auto makers ruin good designs all the time when the redisgin a car. I'm not weighing in here to say anything about the R56, but your agrument is just plane dumb. I could complie a list a mile long of cars whos classic versions are far supirior and much more disreable than their current version.

 

Granted. But the R53 is hardly a classic car...at least not yet.

 

Regarding the 3 options of this thread, if one sticks to factory build and performance, opinion plays little part, objective comparitive information already exists. One of the first things one notices on a full JCW R53 is how smooth it feels- Gabe of MotoringFile's review (and many others) mentions this extensively- the power is on tap across the spectrum. Reviews of the R56 sound like it's close to a JCW in torque and acceleration. MINI says that 0-60, the '06 GP beats the JCW by a tenth: 6.4 to 6.5 sec., both quicker than the numbers on a factory R56. Regarding suspensions- the JCW folks did their homework making a car that is more agile and yet not as stiff as a stock R53 S. No smoother riding option- the suspension isn't adjustable. Edge to the R56 if you want the choice. Reviews makes it clear that the GP ride is quite stiff and isn't for everyone. Mileage wise, the R56 does better than either of the others. I look forward to driving an R56, and I'd dearly love to take a GP for a spin. The Works options for the R56 is a couple of years out, and if it's an M-type screamer, I might just have to sell my '06 JCW. For now, as far as which is better head to head in the twistys or at the track, one thing's for sure, they're all MINI's, and even Porsches have to fight to keep ahead of an S in the curves.

 

+1

+1 Guess I agree with both of you to some extent.

 

Sure, but my point was the the R56 is not superior based soley on being the newest mini in production, which was the basis for your argument of it being better and for everyone to accept it.

 

Trust me the R56 is faster than a JCW R53 or the GP for that matter.

 

And you can qualify that how?

Sheesh.

 

Who fricken' fruken' pukin' cares?

Folks, GROW UP!

Time to close the door on this thread.

 

Rear around and if you find GrassRootsMotorsports' post, you will see that the R56 can do 0-60 in 5.4 seconds.
and oh... what did you put into your 04 MC40 to make 236whp??
The R56 has broken the 15 seconds wall for 1/4 mile too... just go search around, I am too lazy to look...

Ok here, even the crapanddriver ppl got these figures:
0-60: 6.2 seconds
1/4mile: 15seconds @ 95MPH
fuel consumption is about 20% better than the R53

Stock vs stock, the R56 wins hands down in terms of performance on paper (I am not basing any of these on "feel", because I agree the R53's "feel" is better).
But if you compare a heavily modded R53 to a stock R56, of which the R56's modding potential has yet to be discovered... I have nothing more to say.

When the R53 came out, people kept saying how the tritec is a bomb that's gonna blow up soon, it won't handle extra boost, blahblahblah. Now look at the R53... and its 100 million different mods... lol

 

How do I know. I own both, raced them driven them etc. Its not that hard to tell the diffence. Just look in your rear view mirrow.

You ask who cares? I care ,thats why I bought a R56 and not another R53.

 

You own a GP? If so, you already replaced it with an R56? (or kept the GP and added the R56 to your stable?)

Or did you own a JCW? Or a regular R53? What year?

Specifics please!

 

With my R53 in for service, I'm driving an R56 loaner right now. It's...well...it's been said: different. So what!

I'll keep my R53 and be happy. I'll wave at any R56 that comes along. Who cares who's faster if we're both having fun?

Motor on...

 

Come on. I know you have driven the new R56. I know some of you dont like the looks or the ride of the car but it is hard to deny that the R56 is more powerful and quicker. I have driven all 3 the R53, JCW and GP. I love them all! However the R56 is just quicker and faster. I have only owned the JCW and the R56 I do not or have not owned a GP. I will get some video from the Track. I know there were a couple of people who wanted to see what the R56 does on the drag strip. I will post real numbers with video to prove it, then you guys can compare those to your own cars.

Thanks!

 

I have driven all 3 as well (although I've only owned the R53 JCW). The reason I asked about the model year is of course due to the dramatic differences in the gear ratios between 2002-2004 models vs 2005/2006.

The R56 definitely has more low-end punch, but my initial feelings (again, I don't own one) is that the power fades at the high end, whereas the R53 builds power up there. It's a completely different feel...

I am still skeptical that a stock R56 is faster than a (05/06) JCW R53 (with the same specs otherwise), and I definitely don't think a stock R56 is faster than a GP.

If I'm proven wrong, I'll admit it... but I don't believe I'm wrong!

 

Fair enough I will post some info as soon as I have something valid I can prove.

 

Well I had my first R56 MCS experience today..

I think the rear end of the R56 looks more agressive then the R53....thats about the only thing I liked. The interior was a bit of let down..I'll leave it at that.

 

Just give it time. It will grow on you...

 

It wasn't bad. I liked it. It just wasnt the big improvement I expected it to be.

The only two things that bothered me were the higher front end and the HUGE, and I mean HUUUUUGE speedometer.

Those are minor, and I still love the car. I just expected to be like "wow, I need to trade now." Instead I walked away thinking "yeah, BMW 3 coupe is looking better and better."

 

I second this. Unless the folks at MINI are just making stuff up, the hierarchy is, from quickest down, '06 GP, '06 JCW, R56. I'm guessing that pure horsepower has a bit to do w/ the 0-60 rankings: GP=218 bhp- 0-60 in 6.4 sec.; JCW=210 bhp- 0-60 in 6.5 sec., R56, 177 bhp- 0-60 in 6.7 sec. Individual driver against individual driver might end up differently, based on skill, but until there are lots of objective head-to-head track day results to look at which prove otherwise, I like MINI's numbers.

 

Yup. I'll call BS too. Having driven both cars, it's not that fast. It may feel faster around town from 5 mph to 35-40, from 0-60 the difference is hardly noticable. You forget. As of right now I haven't seen a dyno of an R56 above 200 WHP. There are 500+ whp R53's out there.

I'll take my go kart stiff suspension, characteristic MINI SC whine, and "Uncomfortable Seats" any day. Not to mention the upgraded stereo option in the R56 blows! And I don't mean in a good way! I couldn't believe how bad the UPGRADED stereo was in that car. I'll take my HK any day of the week over that .

Looks may not be that important to some people, but it's a big deal for me. I have no interest in horizontal headlights, 4x4 suspensions, weird looking shortened windows, and an elongated overall appearance. If you like it, all power to you, that's what opinions are all about.

Like others have said, comparing a car that's barely a year old to a processor on a computer that was originally conceved in the late 1990's is just retarded. Just because it's a new engine doesn't mean it's better. New isn't always better.

I can think of dozens of cars off the top of my head that major car companies dropped the ball on after the redesign. The new 5 series? Pretty much any bangalized BMW? Most of the new Benz's? (Yea i'm going to buy a half a million dollar supercar with an automatic tranny ). Most of the VW Models out there, etc etc.

By the way, who buys pentium 4's anymore? You can buy a dual core proc for close to nothing...

 

You mean something like Webb Motorsports' tests?

 

You know what I meant... No need to get technical