Probably blasphemy to the true die hard's, and certainly of no interest to the Northerners with weather issues.

but,

The torque steer and FWD pull, somewhat diminish the capacity of this car. I recognize the packaging issues, weight savings, balance etc, but this car with 200 hp and RWD would be a blast. !

Nomex on and ready

 

HELL NO.

 

Are you off your meds?

 

It would be quite entertaining to have a RWD MINI, but adding weight and cost would diminish the experience, IMO.

 

How about the upcoming BMW 135I ..a bit more hp and more weight but RWD.

I think it best left alone. Its "true" to the orig MINIs I fell for in 60s.

I also live in snow belt so I am prejudice.

Love the 360 (former F car owner, now P car for summer) Did you get the Alta exhaust yet?

 

The Alta is on, but waiting for the break-in period to be finished 4,500 rpm is far too restrictive. I think I should be allowed to park in a handicapped space until I hit 1,201 mi. Full report then but so far it is mellow and no resonance up to 80 mph. Just a bit of growl, but no back burble, and no bark on down shifts. I think the cat would need to be changed to give it more growl, but I think I would then be too loud on the highway.

 

you could always take the 360 for a spin if you are in need of ear candy/feeling handicapped.
Nothing sounds like a Ferrari

 

Nicely summarized!!!

 

Rear wheel drive was "in vogue" when Morris broke onto the scene in 1959 with its front wheel drive Morris Mini Minor 850. My point is, if rear wheel drive is so great, why did front wheel drive become such an immediate success? With rear wheel drive, you have that damned hump going thru the car to the rear wheels, and, ya sure don't get great traction in foul weather unless that figures into the "blast to drive" factor.

Just my 2c.

 

Yeah...WHEN THEY RUN. $$$
Nothing sounds like a Ferrari [/quote]

And as to a RWD Mini...

Moe the bartender says, "Whaaaaaaa?"

 

Front wheel drive became popular because the car companies could make them cheaper. Truly high performance cars are all rear wheel drive. F1, Indy and NASCAR are all rear wheel drive. Front wheel drive cars can handle very well and for day to day driving are more than most of us will ever need and offer definite advantages in traction on snow but if they truly handled better than rear wheel drive vehicles we'd see them on the top racing circuits.

 

I've never wished it was RWD - that blasphemy thing, you know. I agree though that it would be a blast, especially with LSD.

 

+1. Front wheel drive is all about packaging and cost savings. Those are the very reasons the original Mini was FWD.

And for what it's worth, check the floor of your MINI. It still has a hump running down the center of the floor. It strengthens the floor and provides a handy place to route the exhaust.

 

The Mini was never meant to be a high performance car. It was made to be a "people car", because gas in Europe is so expensive. It was made to be a family car. What was done back at Monte Carlo back in the '60s defined it as an agile mountain car that could get thru snow and curves and provide enthusiasts with a nice, cheap thrill alternative to high end sports cars. Look at the Monte Carlo stats to see all the rear wheel cars it DOMINATED for consecutive years.

Today's MINI keeps the spirit alive with its agility and spunkiness. The MINI, as we know it today, is easy to modify, and for not a lot of money, either. Try that on one of the "super sports" models and see just how long it takes to go into debt. Sure, it's not the fastest beastie out there, but the fun factor...the go-kart on wheels thing, cannot be duplicated by ANY rear wheel drive car.

 

I'd rather it be awd before rwd..then it'd be so awesome a beast in the Street stock 4wd rallycross class.

 

I think I heard some rumblings about BMW doing that in the future.

 

I really wish there was a RWD option, the torque steer irritates me

 

there are some funny responses to this thread!

the MINI is front heavy. RWD would be ludicrous!

Here's a good simulation: 'Borrow' a few plastic trays you get at fast food restaurants, get them under your rear wheels, set the parking brake, and gas it!
:impatient

 

I'd go for AWD if the rest of the car stayed the same, and didn't have a profund effect on mpg. Otherwise I like FWD just fine. Brings up memories when I got my Honda Accord in the 70's, and drove through a blizzard when everyone was stuck at the side of the road.

 

 

Never wished it was anything but what it is.

Wait... I wish Mini had a soda fountain tucked behind the secret compartment, maybe a money press in the boot area and maybe.....

It's fine as is. If it wasn't, why buy the damn thing?

 

+1

 

I agree that I would be tempted if there was a AWD option for $2000 extra.
If it was RWD, the DSC would have to be standard and the car overall would cost several grand more. With such a short wheelbase the rear end will be very easy to kick out making it dangerous for some and very fun for the others. The DSC will kick in every time you come out hard out of a turn. But there won't be any torque steer. I wouldn't mind that.

 

Some good thoughts, The AWD musing would be especially interesting but some serious weight savings items would be needed. I would not want to change the design, the ergonomics, or any other of the wonderful things about the Mini. But simply put, the fun factor when the power and grip increases beyond a certain point, make me long for a "push, not a "pull". The high-powered Mini is not a new phenomenon, but at some point is is hard to manage the disciplined application of traction from FWD. It's not a problem in the econobox mode, and only rears it's head at the extremes of the performance envelope.

I've tried driving in reverse, but it doesn't quite get it.

 

You need to belong to a RWD car forum - like I did for a year - the 350Z forum - Every day one of them was talking about how they crashed and the rear had spun around on them to cause it - I owned a 1959 850 Mini (36 hp) but had a 1098 CC engine in it from a Austin America that had all of 55 HP (Modified) the Mini had 2" cut off of the Cones (Classic Mini owners with out the Hydroelastic suspension know what that is , lowered the car about 1") I used to autocross this car when I owned it from about 1973 to 76 or so. The Vetts could not hold a candle to us in the Minis. All the rear wheel drive cars spun out trying to keep up - why ? The rear wheels push you around a curve - front wheel drive pulls you through the curve - The sign you were really driving a classic to it's limits was , on a dry suspension , if it lifted it's inside rear wheel totally off the ground in a curve or turn. For pete's sake keep em FWD !!!! Not just for the past - there is still a reason to be front wheel drive.