I good friend came up here for the weekend with their newly acquired 2005 Porsche Carrera (no turbo) and we drove each others' cars around here in tandom and independantly. Boy, the Porsche seats were low and firm. The accereration was about like my Mini but kept up a little stronger through the powerband (not much), and he thought the Mini's acceleration was similar to his car. Ride was much harsher in the Porsche (without the Sport button). I thought the steering was more precise in the Mini, with more input and so did he. We could both tell the weight difference easily, and that was probably the reason. The Porsche clutch was heavier and the shifter was harder to engage. I was pleased with my choice after the 2 days, and they both were very impressed with the Mini, as well as with the colors of the interior (Porsche was grey, exterior silver). I think he paid a lot more for it used than I did for mine new. I'm sure on a track I could turn a faster time, and he thought differently, but hey, he's biased too! And I can get 2 sets of golf clubs in mine and he had to leave his clubs in Phoenix, no room for that!

 

Try cornering both on rough surface. I think the Porsche will handle it much better than the MINI. At least that is my impression of a friend's Porsche.

Otherwise, the MINI provides a lot of bang for the buck.

 

It's easier to pick up strippers with a Porsche...
I'll stick with the affordable car until my Lotto numbers come in.

 

On the track if it's not a gocart track with equal drivers the Carrera will drive away from the MINI everytime.

 

I own both though mine is a 997S.

Seat is low and firm on P car but incredibly comfortable. Clutch is heavier ( controlling 153 more hp) but gearbox is better. Turn in is similar but I find he Porsche steers better--may be tire dependent.

Porsche brakes---much better. Ride similar but reg Carreras do not have PASM as standard and my MINI is off runflats so can not elaborate further on a more exact comparo.

As far as acceleration. Not even close at any point. Mid range punch on the Porsche brings up triple digits faster than you can say---bye MINI. Even by published specs for regular Carreras (S =4.6 and 13.0) of 0-60 5.0 and 1/4 mi 13.5 vs 6.7 and 15.1 for MINI, the Porsche should feel faster. I am surprised at your butt dyno results.

As far as on track---the MINI would get an excellent view of the Porsche tail lights for awhile but then they would be long gone.

Come on--the MINI is an awesome performance value but its not even fair to either car to try to compare them. The Porsche kills the MINI in every category ( incl the nose bleed sticker price) except storage space for golf clubs or golf socks for that matter ( I don't play golf). Don't get me wrong-the MINI S is a little killer and I love driving it BUT to me its performance envelope only makes the Carrera S seem all that more impressive. The Porsche is a beast even if you don't use it to pick up strippers.

 

 

When did 997 come out? Is 2005 model a 997 or 996?

 

I can attest to that; was recently in a 997 and the power seats are soooo comfortable

Got a ride along in the back (yes those jump seats are truly handy!) and was impressed with the incredibly solid, precise and powerful feel of the car (the SO got to drive and was also impressed). I think it is another case that reveals how numbers on paper do not really tell anything about the feel of the car or how effective the hp really is.

The car we were in also had the all grey interior which is never my fav color wise, but the quality seemed very good (as it should be). There are other options and lots and lots you can customize though - maybe your friend should have some colored seat belts and interior bits added to spice it up a bit

 

05 is the first year of 997 in the C2, C4 went 997 in 06.

 

The 997 (05 Carrera 2S) was no comparison to my MINI. Then again, my MINI is an 05, and the Carrera, was the S, so, perhaps my opinion is useless...

 

I wouldn't mind a 911 in my garage next to my MINI but my wife will frown everyday because she will have to park outside and the insurance and she doens't have a X5 she wants .

 

nm

 

emtrey, +1

 

Emtrey - I too have an 05 997S and the 07 Mini S is my daily driver, and I agree with all - The Porsche is the standard for comparison in the world. That said, the Mini S is an incredible value for what it can do, and that is why I choose to own both. BTW, the Porsche and my son's very-well done MBZ have the garages, the Mini and the wife's CRV park outside....

 

The MINI-S and the Carrera S share my garage WHILE my wife's A-6 2.7T is the family beater so it stays outside ( I have a wonderful, understanding wife who has put up with my car nonsense for a long time ).

I always loved 911 Porsches but never had the guts to pull the trigger. I had not driven a 911 in over 20 years ( my son has a Boxster S and I once owned a 944) till the test drive/purchase. The 997S was amazing ( never tried the non-S Carrera). I expected the performance but the comfort/confidence level w/the vast perfomance envelope shocked me.

The MINI S is a fantastic daily driver. Fast, nimble, fun, economical, good in snow w/ proper tires and efficiently packaged. The Porsche is not practical or justifiable and is way too much car for the street BUT it does stand the hairs on my neck on end and I LIKE THAT FEELING.

BUT YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT...DON'T YA?????

 

I have a 2005 non-S 997, and what I really like about the MCS is how much of the performance is usable on the street. As wonderful as a 997 is, aside from the aforementioned seats and steering which can be appreciated all the time, you have to drive at unsafe speeds (or on a racetrack) to understand what the latest 911 is capable of. It's easy to drive daily, but not as much 'fun' at low speeds as the Mini, IMO.

 

Agreed 100% except add the BRAKES as something to appreciate at any speed.

We are both very lucky to have both.

 

I just sold an M3 to switch to a mini for this very same reason

 

As someone who wants to own a Porsche one day (for more than one day) I can only appreciate emtrey's comments about the comparison. When the MCS came out, it was the darling of the auto press for quite some time (longer than most people would have expected, I guess). The R56 continues the tradition, and you can rest assured that anyone on NAM is pretty much a FAN! Remember that the vast majority of Mini owners think NAM is short for Vietnam. I am so used to my Mini that I take it's driving prowess for granted, but let's be honest here. There are very few dimensions in which the MCS is superior to a 996/997 or any of the modern Porsches. What's most impressive is that a stock MCS is such an impressive car. I have a $40k MCS and probably wasted a lot of that on unnecessary mods, and it's still a MCS. It'll never be a Porsche, an Audi, an Evo, or an Ariel Atom for that matter. Oh well. I'm happy with what I have. btw, my Sparcos are low and firm...

 

Nice!

 

Funny this came up - at one point I was very much convinced that there was no point having high performance cars as they could not be fully utilized on the street (we sold the sports cars) and, although I still agree with that idea in the extremes, now that we've had the Mini for some time I can't say I buy into that school of though as much as I did.

It really depends on the type of performance car in question, obviously something that needs to be revved all the way up is a different animal then something with grunt lower down, but going back to even test driving some bigger displacement cars and sports cars reminded me of the surefooted feel they have and how, even around a city, that added hp and lower center of gravity (along with all of the other elements that make the cars handle/perform as they do, including rear wheel drive) really imparts a confidence I do not always get from driving the Mini, and I find I miss that solidness and expansiveness of the motor at times.

Truly it can be very fun to drive a fast car slow

 

nm again

 

EVAL---you are right on the point. I can not argue that the MINI is more street friendly and is a great go kart for the street. However, there is room for driving a car TOO CAPABLE for the street at street speeds. The great ultra high performance cars are not just big engined beasts--they are fully designed from the ground up to be more capable than normal situations will require of them.
That's what makes them such a joy to drive SLOW AS WELL AS FAST.

I have driven the C2S to work the last 2 days through all kinds of traffic--good and bad. Its a great road car even driven moderately and if room and sanity permits, you can just give a bit of loud pedal to justify owning it. That engine will kick you in the pants at any speed.

Not sure I would appreciate the PORSCHE as much if I drove it daily BUT when I do drive it, I am fully confident of its ablity and respectful of its power.

BTW---I would not be on my second MINI if I did not think they are the greatest everyday
car in the world. I love my R56 big time.

All of this is rhetoric---if the time ever comes to test drive any great sports car, by all means do.

 

I'll take the new Widowmaker but they are all sold out.

 

Emtrey - you are my long lost twin. In the attached pic, mine is in front....