I'm specing out a JCW Hardtop for my wife and she is not enamored of the buckboard ride I get from my gen 1 JCW suspension.

I'm trying to decide between the Sport suspension and the JCW suspension for the buildout. Is the JCW suspension on the Gen 2 as harsh as on the Gen 1? I personally like it that stiff, but she's a bit more delicate.

Why don't you go with the standard suspension, save a few hundred, take her out on a night on the town and make her happy with the car "she's" going to be driving?

I hear what you are saying, but she felt the standard suspension was too "floaty", so at the very least we'll be doing the sport suspension with the upgraded sway bars.

Hold on to that one, a woman that feels and understands suspension/cornering

As often as she let's me!

Stiff Ride?
You bet.
Wifey says the suspension is way too stiff. Claims it's even worse than our 2008 M5 set on sport mode -- I actually have to agree with her here.

Can't have a decent conversation in the MINI with anyone while we're driving over the bumpy part of a freeway.

My 09 JCW came with the sport suspension. I just had the JCW suspension installed this past week. I am still trying to decide if it was worth the money. Its hard to tell with rock hard summer run flats.

I think its harsher but I think it needs time to settle in. On my way back home this evening it "seems" like its softening up a bit. I have driven about 200 miles since the install. But its still harsh.

I am definitely getting rid of the Dunlop run flats in the spring/summer. Driving around with rock hard summer tires in the North East during the winter time makes no sense and does not help with the bone jarring ride.

I've had mine on for over a month now...It's harsh. I wouldn't have done it except for the fact I'm going to do quite a few track events. I had the base suspension of for a month before installing it, I thought the base suspension on the gen 2 cars whats a lot better then the gen 1 cars (I had an '06 cooper before this one), seemed to be a little stiffer and less roll, although too much understeer, For the street I would think a base car with a larger rear anti-roll bar would be perfect...

Mine came with the Sport suspension. Terrible ride - crashed and banged over every imperfection in the road. I tossed them for KW Coilovers as soon as I could and haven't looked back.

I think it depends on your perspective. Some people think the standard stock suspension is too harsh. It also depends on what kind of tires and wheels you have as well. I think the run flats don't do you in favors in this department.

I went from the standard stock (non-sport) suspension and I am very happy with the JCW suspension. It might be a bit harsher but in my opinion the handling improvements made it very worthwhile. Actually, in some areas I think the ride is actually better now....