JCW JCW Kit for auto trans MCS announced
We'll have official news on this tomorrow on MotoringFile.
I emailed the "accessories manager" at my dealer yesterday regarding the MCSa JCW upgrade. He answered: "we have been told not to put the package on the automatics yet" and the price with my BMWCCA discount will be $2250 (normally $2500). Hmmm. Does anyone know the MSRP for the package? And, has it been released on not?
I always had a brief delay in automatic mode when applying throttle from a stop. I drive in auto mode most of the time since I drive allot of highway. Did the kit help with surging RPMs when coming to a stop? I also have an issue when coming to a stop the car surges when applying the brakes at first. If your not aware of it you can rear-end someone.
If you are not in 'sport' mode you are in 2nd gear when you start from a dead stop, so yes, it is a bit sluggish off the line when sport mode isn't engaged.
The JCW kit starts the car in 1st when auto is on.
Appears to start in 1st gear in auto mode ( if you sit at a light and click UP one gear, it shows M2) after JCW upgrade. No display in auto mode to prove this, but it is my suspicion. None of the throttle delay you are describing after the JCW kit upgrade. May be a change in throttle response remap.
Normal mode appears to have alot of sport mode PARAMATERS dropped down to auto mode, too.
The auto mode on non JCW cars starts in second gear in auto mode and I think that gear choice is the same in sport unless you request a first gear start via the paddles or shift lever.
Normal mode appears to have alot of sport mode PARAMATERS dropped down to auto mode, too.
The auto mode on non JCW cars starts in second gear in auto mode and I think that gear choice is the same in sport unless you request a first gear start via the paddles or shift lever.
On my non-JCW MSCa the transmission behaves as follows:
Auto mode: Starts in 2nd gear, early upshifts, late downshifts, 6th gear is used
Sport mode: Starts in 1st gear, late upshifts, early downshifts (RPMs never drop below 2K except at a standstill) and 6th gear is not used
Auto mode: Starts in 2nd gear, early upshifts, late downshifts, 6th gear is used
Sport mode: Starts in 1st gear, late upshifts, early downshifts (RPMs never drop below 2K except at a standstill) and 6th gear is not used
Appears to start in 1st gear in auto mode ( if you sit at a light and click UP one gear, it shows M2) after JCW upgrade. No display in auto mode to prove this, but it is my suspicion. None of the throttle delay you are describing after the JCW kit upgrade. May be a change in throttle response remap.
Normal mode appears to have alot of sport mode PARAMATERS dropped down to auto mode, too.
The auto mode on non JCW cars starts in second gear in auto mode and I think that gear choice is the same in sport unless you request a first gear start via the paddles or shift lever.
Normal mode appears to have alot of sport mode PARAMATERS dropped down to auto mode, too.
The auto mode on non JCW cars starts in second gear in auto mode and I think that gear choice is the same in sport unless you request a first gear start via the paddles or shift lever.
Very very interesting....I'm hoping this is the answer to my problem.
I never drove my car much in sport mode w/o paddle shifting so I can not confirm Msteadmans comments BUT they do make sense.
His comments also tie in to my feelings that the JCW upgrade moves alot of the sport mode responses to the regular auto mode.
I am sure alot of this info will be cleared up when the kit is fully released.
I don't feel your car has a problem. That is just how the stock auto trans shifts in auto mode. MINI probably sets up the second gear start in auto mode for gas mileage savings. Gas mileage does suffer with JCW but its worth it.
Bottom line. IMHO, the JCW auto R56 MCS is a much different and
better performing car. Get the kit ---problem solved.
His comments also tie in to my feelings that the JCW upgrade moves alot of the sport mode responses to the regular auto mode.
I am sure alot of this info will be cleared up when the kit is fully released.
I don't feel your car has a problem. That is just how the stock auto trans shifts in auto mode. MINI probably sets up the second gear start in auto mode for gas mileage savings. Gas mileage does suffer with JCW but its worth it.
Bottom line. IMHO, the JCW auto R56 MCS is a much different and
better performing car. Get the kit ---problem solved.
on hold awaiting approval for emissions of some other mapping problems.
I sure hope they come out with this for all you guys and I don't want to be worried they will take mine away if I ever bring the car in for service. I am used to it now and I LIKE IT.
I sure hope they come out with this for all you guys and I don't want to be worried they will take mine away if I ever bring the car in for service. I am used to it now and I LIKE IT.
I've spent hours on the phone the last week with 11 different dealerships, and they have all pretty much verified that there is pretty much no hope of this being released due to emissions restrictions. I know that several people here have this and that it IS possible to install it on an auto. However the bottom line is basically that if you don't already have it, you have no hope of getting it. Not one person I spoke to was even slightly optimistic about it. Disappointing because it's the one thing that's kept me from ordering my car.
I'm considering ordering an auto with JCW aero kit and JCW suspension, but some dealers are quoting the suspension kit install at 4 hours, others 11 hours. I can't even get a callback or return email from either Dallas dealership to find out what it will cost. It seems that I know more about Minis than most MA's that I've spoken with. So far, my Mini experience rates fairly poor and I haven't even driven one yet....
I'm considering ordering an auto with JCW aero kit and JCW suspension, but some dealers are quoting the suspension kit install at 4 hours, others 11 hours. I can't even get a callback or return email from either Dallas dealership to find out what it will cost. It seems that I know more about Minis than most MA's that I've spoken with. So far, my Mini experience rates fairly poor and I haven't even driven one yet....
Last edited by Subzero; Feb 13, 2008 at 06:25 PM.
With as much torque steer as there is in a stock MCSa, I'm not sure adding a JCW upgrade package makes much sense.
That is until they figure out how to put LSD in the auto-equipped cars, then - oh yeah...
That is until they figure out how to put LSD in the auto-equipped cars, then - oh yeah...
from motoringfile----
A few weeks back we reported that some US owners of the automatic R56s were getting the new 192bhp JCW kit installed at some dealers. At the time we recommended against the install as the auto kit was not officially released and the manual version of the kit had different ECU software. However several commenters reported having the kit installed by dealers who somehow would successful in ordering the auto kit from MINI. In fact we’ve verified one of these cases and will be featuring a short reader review in the days ahead.
But we wanted to get the official word so we decided to do some research ourselves. Instead of going to the dealers we thought we’d go straight to the top and chat with people in the know at MINI corporate. We were once again assured that MINI USA has not officially released the JCW Tuning Kit for the automatic as of January 2008. Our source went onto say that, while has been released in other markets, MINI USA still hasn’t received approval from environmental engineering for the US market.”
Furthermore, we’ve obtained a bulletin from MINI USA just went out to dealers this morning reminding that the JCW Tuning kit can only be installed on the manual:
A few weeks back we reported that some US owners of the automatic R56s were getting the new 192bhp JCW kit installed at some dealers. At the time we recommended against the install as the auto kit was not officially released and the manual version of the kit had different ECU software. However several commenters reported having the kit installed by dealers who somehow would successful in ordering the auto kit from MINI. In fact we’ve verified one of these cases and will be featuring a short reader review in the days ahead.
But we wanted to get the official word so we decided to do some research ourselves. Instead of going to the dealers we thought we’d go straight to the top and chat with people in the know at MINI corporate. We were once again assured that MINI USA has not officially released the JCW Tuning Kit for the automatic as of January 2008. Our source went onto say that, while has been released in other markets, MINI USA still hasn’t received approval from environmental engineering for the US market.”
Furthermore, we’ve obtained a bulletin from MINI USA just went out to dealers this morning reminding that the JCW Tuning kit can only be installed on the manual:
Reminder: As per bulletin M 11 01 07 the John Cooper Works Tuning Kit can only be installed on MINI Cooper S with manual transmission. Even if the parts do fit MINI Cooper S with automatic transmission, the kit is not released for these cars. We still need to obtain approval from our environmental engineering before we can release the kit for MINI Cooper S with automatic transmission in the US market. We are trying to get this approval as soon as possible.
And for those who may have missed our earlier report on the factory 210+ bhp JCW kit and it’s compatibility with the automatic option, here’s the short answer; not going to happen.
Crevier Mini Says It is Still Coming
Crevier mini in OC's Mini GM Peter Maldonado states the kit will be available by June 1. They said it is possible that it would come out in May but they have been told no later than June 1
I contacted mini corporate a week ago and they said the kit will be released for sure but they don't have an exact date. They said it should be within a couple of months
Call corporate and ask for Amber Wood. Keep the pressure on so we can get a commitment of an exact date.
I contacted mini corporate a week ago and they said the kit will be released for sure but they don't have an exact date. They said it should be within a couple of months
Call corporate and ask for Amber Wood. Keep the pressure on so we can get a commitment of an exact date.
congrats.. I was staring to wonder.
I know you are NOT happy having to wait this long BUT its well worth it.
You'll get 2-3 less mpg just in time for $4.00 premium..LOL
PS..to answer the post above, I think the torque might actually be less obvious in the JCW--or maybe I am just used to it.
I know you are NOT happy having to wait this long BUT its well worth it.
You'll get 2-3 less mpg just in time for $4.00 premium..LOL
PS..to answer the post above, I think the torque might actually be less obvious in the JCW--or maybe I am just used to it.



