Does the exhaust pop and cackle increase after the car has some miles on it? I have a 2020 JCW auto 2 door hardtop model and this thing does not do the pop's and cackles I remember my 4 door sport auto Carbon edition doing. My wife's 2019 Cooper S convertible with the 6 speed sport auto is louder than this JCW is with the 8 speed. I only have 250 miles on it but I test drove a 2019 manual JCW with almost 300 miles on it and it was popping and cackling way more than this thing does. I can't really get on it just yet as it is still in the break in period and the exhaust sounds good in sport mode when I do have some fun, just none of the popping cause I do keep it under the 4K RPMs like the manual says.

 

I thought I read mini did away with the pops and bangs again but I could be wrong

 

There's no popping on European Minis due to the requirement to add a particulate filter on the exhaust.

I find that the pops happen on sport mode and in higher RPMs. Try putting it in sport mode and while traveling down hill, downshift and let go of the gas, it should start popping.

 

2020 doesn’t pop anymore

 

Could it be an Auto transmission thing "lack of/reduced decompression" ? When I tap the gas during decompression (i.e. motor braking) my cars sounds like a giant pop corn maker.

 

The car has started to get some more pops as I have put miles on it but you really have to get the revs up there and the motor gets noisy when you do. Sounds too wound up in my opinion but the JCW pro exhaust will fix that I'm sure.

 

I thought the same when I test drove a 20 jcw recently. No noise. I wonder if Mini did something with the tuning or exhaust for 2020. Maybe related to the European GPF fiasco. I know my 2019 C63S sounds much different from the pre-facelift and it is not making facelift C63S owners happy. Theory is the sound change has to do with GPF and European noise regulations or both.

I have 20 jcw on order but am now thinking maybe the MY 19 is a better bet. I tried to add the mini pro exhaust to my 20 order and was told the exhaust system is not yet available for the car. Was told the pre-20 exhaust does not work on a MY20. I hope they don’t stop offering it...

 

man.... no more popping and no more manual transmission .......

Mini is the new Prius

 

It could also be the fuel. I have always used Shell 91 (highest I can get at this altitude) and it always sounded great, all of the time. Used other brands, not so much, sometimes nothing. Shell just came out with a new "formula." Much less pops and bangs.

 

I observed that pops and burbles decrease with age. I mostly have none anymore in sport mode. Curiously, the exhaust note is now loud, deep and throaty at cold start for a few minutes.

 

Pops and Gurgles are a byproduct of the turbo anti lag system, that keeps fuel flowing during deceleration.
That had to stop, due to those particulate filters, and emission standards.

 

DCT is the NEW manual transmission!!!

 

I am not sure where the no manual rumor has come from. The manual has been removed as an option on a select few models where that transmission had small take up.

The no pop on 2020 models could be true. New emission rules in Europe have impacted several manufacturers e.g the Golf R now has less HP than previous years. That said, I read the R would no longer be sold with a manual but I see it is still an option on thr website.

 

Pops and burbles, not gurgles. These are direct injection engines. When in sport mode, the engine overfuels to cool the cylinders. The burning off of this extra fuel is what causes the pops and burbles.

 

I think not!!
Read up on ALS, teach!!

 

I thought the pops were created by igniters in the tail pipe that ignited exhaust gases.

 

Wow!! Nostalgia!!!

 

Yah a little blast from the past for sure.

 

I have a friend who is a service advisor and two who are techs. Pretty sure I know what I’m talking about, but thanks.

 

There's lots of thermodynamics involved in internal combustion engines that I wouldn't understand, but on the surface, this seems like a highly inefficient way to cool cylinder walls. I'd love to read about it.

or to word it more concisely: This seems nuts.

 

This is the reason 4 sure

 

Ah, all is now explained. My MINI has ALS -- Lou Gehrig's disease. Evidently caused when a small amount of unburnt fuel, mixed with air, arrives on the exhaust side of the turbo and explodes, which helps reduce turbo lag. It is also possible that the excess fueling helps those hard working pistons chill out. So, nobody's wrong but, without a doubt, it is timing and fueling adjustment designed to combat turbo lag that is the primary motivation for the over-fueling. Or, as some have hypothesized, MINI tuned these beasts to pop because, though the neighbors hate it, some MINI drivers just love that sound. And hate turbo lag, or burnt pistons.

Glad that's settled.

 

Love that pop.

 

Oh, and BTW, for those concerned that the new electric MINI won't pop. There's a rumor that MINI hired a bunch of retired Lucas engineers to design the battery packs so, not to worry, there will be explosions, with pops and, most likely, flames.

 

I don't believe the Mini has an ALS, Anti-lag System. ALS is primarily for race applications as they are detrimental to turbos, and exhaust systems in general. Turbo-lag is combatted in our cars with TwinScroll or TwinPower turbochargers. As I understand it pops and gurgles, burbles, serve no purpose, performance or other, than to put a smile on some of our faces.