Noticed a couple of things and I’m wondering if they are mechanical problems or idiosyncrasies inherent with a Mini.
1.Valve noise (maybe wastegate?) at idle and acceleration. The car clacks and ticks away like an old school diesel tractor. This noise does not go away after the engine warms up.
2.1-2 second delay in acceleration after shifting. When I’m winding out a gear, the acceleration is hard and smooth, then I up-shift and there is a 1-2 second lag before I feel the same type of pull. (also does this after a power shift so I’m not granny shifting and letting the turbo spool down; well, at least I don't think I am, lol)
3. No pop and burble. Don’t get P&B regardless of what mode the car is in. Normal, Sport, GP, Sport+GP. Nothing.
4. Satellite radio presets often wrong. I have Faction on preset #1. Sometimes when I push the first preset a random station comes on, then I have to press the preset again before Faction gets tuned in. Weird.

 

What are you trying to say?

 

The first sentence in my post: Noticed a couple of things and I’m wondering if they are mechanical problems or idiosyncrasies inherent with a Mini. Then I made a list of things I thought may be problems.

I don't really know how to ask any differently.

 

The GP does make a bit of noise at idle. But I've never heard anything I would confuse with the wastegate. I do hear fans clicking on and off, but I think the relative small displacement of the motor and its quiet operation at idle may present sounds normally muted by a larger engine.

Your second point about a 1-2 second lag is all about turbocharging. It is not perfect in this setup. The GP isn't running a sequential gearbox, so yes, you're experiencing turbo lag.

Pop and burble is only on decceleration when the engine is warm in sport mode. Traction on/off or GP Mode is not tied in any way to engine management. I only hear pop and burble with the windows down or the music off.

Presets have 12 entries. Are you confusing #1 with #6? Tap the "Sat" button to go between 1-6 and 7-12. This might clear things up.

Hopefully, some, all or most of this resolves your issues. If not, .

 

Pop n' Burble is much, much quieter than it was my 2011 MCS. That MINI sounded like it was shooting off rounds at times!

 

But how many miles are on the GP. the P&B takes some miles to mature and the exhaust has to "break-in".

 

1500. What would be "breaking in" within the exhaust?

On a separate note, I wish I could have sport mode minus the heavier weighted steering.

 

The muffler and resonator have fiberglass packing which wears down. Over time the exhaust will get louder.

I test drove both the GP and regular JCW and heard the valve noise at idle in both. It was very loud and didn't seem normal to me. I asked a question about this in another section of this forum but didn't get an answer.

I didn't hear any pops or burbles in either. They were very tame.

 

Clicking noise is the direct fuel injection.

Agree w Tim, delay is the turbo, run up the revs to keep the boost up and you get good kick in the next gear.

I can hear the popping, but only coming off high revs and with the windows down. My previous JCW was louder, but the GP has a better sound.