Just watched an episode of Fifth Gear on SpeedChannel that had a big feature of a MINI. Seems this lady had a Mercedes and was planning on trading for a 911 Turbo. However she saw the MINI and decided to have a go at that and race one. The film showed her competing in a hill climb and being instructed by one of the commentators. Was a very good episode.

The only question I have is the red line on her Cooper. I have a Cooper that red lines at 6,000. From the film it showed hers at almost 7,000. This was not an S.

Anyway, good episode.

 

ECU Software version makes the difference.

 

Never knew there were different red line levels. Looks like my '05 Cooper is set at 6750. This was taken on a chilly morning earlier this year.

Motor on.

 

Her car was a John Cooper Challenge Clubsport MINI Cooper, described at the botton of this page. One of the things mentioned is "Engine management ECU 'flashed'" so, yeah, I bet the rev limiter is changed. Good catch! I've seen that show three times now and hadn't noticed that.

Mark

 

That was a cool episode, but I wish they had something like that mini rally in the U.S.

 

I have seen a variety of different rpm limits on coopers. One an 03 set at 6750, an 05 CVT at 6000, and an 03 CVT at 5500. I thought only one d's were set at 5500.

 

I'd just like to have a one-on-one drivers instruction from Tiff myself..


Cheers

 

My wife says I drive differently after watching Tiff on Fifth Gear (especially that episode). I say, "There's a little bit of Tiff in all of us".

 

Judging by this thread alone, it seems that automatics have a lower redline than manual trannys. Works for me.

 

 

Does anyone have the original air date in the UK for that episode.

I need me that episode!

 

Which episode was it? What else was in the episode. I don't have Speed Channel, but I doo have an archive of almost all the Fifth Gear episodes.

Thanks,
Steve

 

There was other stuff in that episode?

I can't remember anything else, but I'll try to dig it up.

 

That explains it. I have an 06 CVT. Thanks for solving that puzzle.

 

I've got a stupid question. Last night, while enjoying a "spirited" charge up the interstate on-ramp, I slotted 4th gear instead of 6th. I'm not a bad driver, I've just got stubby arms. Could use some yoga, too.

Anyway, although I don't know how close to the red line I was shifting, the effect of my error was immediate: a sudden but very definite feeling of deceleration . . . I can recall no drastic change in the pitch of the engine as I was supposed to be shifting UP!, although there must've been some frightening result . . . no matter how brief!

My foot was back on the clutch in milliseconds and I know that excessive concern for my relatively very new MCS insures that my right foot did indeed immediately "lift"

My question: Was the sudden braking or deceleration that I noticed a result of the rev limiter? Does the MCS indeed have a rev limiter to protect the engine from my errant habits . . . and finally, any chance that I did any damage? The car drove home seemingly fine from that point.

 

Yes there is a Rev Limiter, almost all newer cars have one, you either hit that, or else the sudden deceleration was due to the fact that you down-shifted into a lower gear. If the revs were close to redline, you probably kissed the limiter.

Give it a try, 2nd or 3rd gear, rev till it bounces. Don't do it often! Then you can feel what it's like.

Steve