Steering is artificially weighted with less feel than the earlier models...thought this might be different than my previous experience since it is an S with a better wheel and tire package - 16".

The brakes are extremely touchy and non-linear in a way that says we didn't try very much to get this right.

Auto slush boxes are hard to mate to a torquy motor but this one hunts in normal mode and is down right obscene in sport mode.

Fast sweepers seem to be more accurate and more confidence inspiring, but the front end is not at all happy in tight turns. I was actually shocked by my effortless speed thru one of my daily sweepers.

I didn't find torque steer a big problem...most of the magazine articles pointed this out as a huge problem...but perhaps I wasn't trying hard enough - it is a loaner after all.

 

Yeah... I haven't seen/felt any torque steer in my own 2008 Convertible S.
The auto is always in manual mode for me... I agree the Drive mode is a pain in the behind, and SD is ok, but still shifting when I don't want it to.
Thank god for the paddles!

Can't comment on the steering feel... the only other Mini I've driven for an extended period of time was an 06 Convertible CVT non-S...

Front end/suspension was "fixed" for me with some different springs, camber plates, and a rear sway bar. Again, haven't had any other Minis to compare mine to first hand... but the only big complaint I had was how easily it'd spin the inside front tire in really tight corners.

Changing out the runflats helped immensely with that!

 

I'm sure the run flats do not help...

I actually like the car, it's just different...in some way it feels a little more japanese and in some ways not...but you are right, tires do change the character of a car in a hurry.

I took another familiar sweeper this morning and was again comfortably faster...my tires are near dead however.