Hey all well since I'm getting out of the military in one year and have a guaranteed job I have come to the conclusion that purchasing another Mini is the only way to go.

My only question is how the R55 handles? I do realize nothing handles like the shorter wheelbase brother r56 & r53 but does the r55 compare whatsoever?

Anyone had experience driving both side by side? I love the looks of the Clubman it's so easy on the eyes and has more room etc.

Also do any of you guys track the r55? If so does lag play into your experience? Iv'e never owned a turbo'ed car but have driven plenty that are improperly tuned..not to say you guys improperly tune it would just seem like the turbo option is good for making more power easier but would play into the response time coming out of apex etc.? Also what packages come with a limited slip and paddle shifters? I know I said it paddle shifters..what has compelled me to want paddles is the fact that I recently drove an r53 with paddles and it had the same mods I have and was amazing to drive. I hit a lengthy 12 mile stint of switchbacks and there is nothing like the effortless downshifts to second through one and being able to blast through without even thinking..no brainer right? Pardon the pun.

Well anyways I don't want to get off topic. It's either an r56 with paddles or a r55 with paddles. Either way both must have an lsd. The whole turbo thing I'm assuming can be tweaked so there is minimal lag I guess because its a twin-scroll. Well thanks for any of your advice people it would be much appreciated. ALso there is one hot chocolate r55 on here that I can't seem to find but its slammed to the ground and has crazy poke etc. that just makes me want an r55 even more.

Thanks!

Christopher W.

 

I can only compare my Club.S with sport pack to non-S non-sport loaners I get every time from my dealer, but I haven't noticed any difference in handling that I'd attribute to wheelbase difference. IMHO wheel size/tires play much bigger role.

 

I own a JCW and have driven an S, auto and manual. The turbo lag, while always present is MINIMAL. BMW has done a VERY good job of reducing lag. They run small turbos, short plumbing and relatively high boost. There are some other things that they do with the fuel injection and valve timing also that are aimed at minimizing lag. The question in my mind is if you are concerned with turbo lag, why would you buy an automatic? Paddle shifters don't make any difference. You are still shifting an automatic. I believe the shifting quality does tighten up somewhat if you use the SPORT button, but I didn't try that combination when I did test an S automatic.

Without a doubt, the Clubman does handle a bit differently. But, is it enough to make a noticable difference? For most people, no would be my guess.

 

The limited slip differential isn't available with the automatic, but there is an electronic limited slip, it works through the ABS system. It can be loaded on earlier series 2 cars.

Anyone who says that they can shift a manual faster than an automatic is fooling themselves.

Dave

 

That's funny.

 

I drove the R56 and R55 back to back when I was looking at what MINI I wanted to buy.

Yeah, there's a difference, but not one I'd be concerned about - even on a track. The R56 has a shorter turning radius, and tends to seem more over-eager to turn in. The R55 feels a little more...planted?

I mean, it's not a perfect description, but each has it's ups and downs. I'd say the R55 feels more "refined" and the R56 feels more "raw", but I don't want to say at all that I mean the R55 should come off looking bad because of that.

Oh, and no worries about turbo lag. If you're on a track and you let the RPM get low enough that it's REALLY an issue, it's not a problem with the car - you were in the wrong gear! Great boost from the low 2000 rpm range up through 5000 or so, and it comes back on quickly within that range.

 

I'm gonna agree with most on here, but I went from an 03 r53 which I LOVED, and I always loved the look and IDEA of the Clubman, so when I sold my r53 I went to the Clubman S immediately. I couldn't be happier with the choice I made and as much as I miss my first MINI, I'm definitely 100% satisfied with the change!

 

The mechanical LSD is no longer an option on any MINI. The only option is the e-diff, which comes when you get the DTC option or sport package.

The clubman is actually a great handling car. It rides better on rough pavement due to the slightly longer wheelbase, but is corners great. It's not quite the roller skate that the r56 is, but it's very, very close. I've seen many at the track and there seems to be no appreciable difference to the r56.

 

Well I'm glad you guys chimed in as it will definitely make an influence with my purchase. Now this E-diff is it actually a locking diff? What options do you guys consider irrelevant? What kind of power can you put on the ground before you need internal work? Are the normal turbo bolt ons common? Does the pano roof make a pretty big difference with the placement of weight it does on the r56 and r53? I like the concept but I don't imagine it would benefit the handling. So in the end I can't go to a parking lot and tear it up between concrete islands and curbs? By the way what turbo does the Clubman S use?

 

From what I've seen here, most people seem to do mods other than mounting a different turbocharger. I would have to think that a larger turbo would hurt the response as it would take longer to spin up.

The vast majority of mods are outside of the engine: Cold Air Intake, ECU reprogramming, free flow exhaust, etc. It seems that very few people actually go inside the engine and do things like head porting or hotter cams.

 

The e-diff doesn't lock. It's an ecu controlled item that will lightly brake the opposite wheel to mimic the effect of a limited slip allowing the outside wheel to turn at a different speed than the inside wheel. If you purchase a used MINI, prior to '10, it may have the mechanical slip as on it as it used to be a stand-alone option.

I'm not sure of what kind of power you can put down prior to internal mods and I wonder what others have been able to achieve with the auto transmission. According to MINI, the reason there is no JCW auto is that the tranny can't take the power. I'd be interested to hear about others' experience with longevity as the auto Aisin transmission is supposed to be pretty hearty. As for simple mods to get the car going faster, you can always go with a ECU tune, lighter wheels and tires, cold air intake and an exhaust. MINI's tend to be underrated power-wise, and many dynoed from stock are putting out significantly more power than advertised. You can certainly still go to a parking lot/ auto-x and have a ton of fun with the car.

 

First of all, Death to flappy padels. But, to each is own I suppose I have had my car in for a loaner and got a Flappy paddel and it seemed so incredibly slow and..."cheap" for lack of a better term, needless to say i ran back to mine with arms wide open.

I had an 06R53 and its not fair to even compare them to the R56 because they are a completely different car. And i mean Completely. I had one style/look I was going for and the clubman was the only thing that fit it. I did drive a 2011R56 back to back and honestly, I really didnt feel a difference in handling or acceleration. I was going with the clubman regardless but i just wanted to satisfy my curiosity. I drove both cars very hard around the same roads.

I love and miss my R53 but i am totally satisfied and am in love with myR55. Besides, you dont see as many of them on the road as you do regular mini's so you get a feel of "exclusivity" Not to mention, in my honest **Opinion** that come 2012/2013 mini is going to put the clubman to "bed"

Get a Manual R55 and you wont be disapointed

 

And reading between the lines, JCWs are not mainstream MINIs. They are a very specific niche car. There wouldn't be enough of them to warrant the additional development and testing monies to be able to have an automatic.