I am thinking of buying a new mini Cooper S. What performance options should I get on it? Thanks for your help

 

It's a matter of personal preference, but I'd get xenons, limited slip differential, sport package, 17" wheels, 6 speed manual trans. and cloth leather upholstery (because it comes with lumbar adjustment and cloth holds you in place better). Of course, there are also those who claim hood stripes make it go faster.

 

If cost is no object, the JCW Sport Suspension, brake kit and engine kit (may all be coming as one package now?) is your best bet. I would not get 17 inch wheels, after going through three sets of wheels and about four sets of tires on my MINI Cooper, I can say the 17inch and larger wheels are mostly cosmetic on the MINIs. The wheels are just too heavy. For example, I was running 15 inch wheels and took my old MINI Cooper on the track, though I am not a great driver by any means, I was out corning people in Cooper S cars with 16, and 17 inch wheels and 50 more hp! If you are on a budget, I think a nice aftermarket exhaust for either the Cooper or the S will be a good bet. And on the S, limited Slip differential.

 

A key to the ignition should suffice.

 

These are purely personal choices, however for performance options I got;
1. LSD
2. Sport Package

For other options;
1. MFSW
2. Hi-Fi sound

 

They do!!!

If I were building a performance only Cooper S I would get just the LSD and Sport Suspension. Possibly some of the JCW parts.

 

JCW STAGE ONE when it becomes available.

 

The Limited Slip Differential seems to be a must-have. The S engine puts out a lot of torque. Need to get it to the ground in the most effective way.

I'd also go for the DSC for safety sake and ultimate handling.

It seems that the Sport Suspension is not yet available. It may be soon. Hard to know whether it is something you would want without test driving it. Have to evaluate the harshness of ride vs. the improvement in cornering.

There seems to be two JCW engine upgrades in the works. The first one we are likely to see is supposed to be a combination of three elements:
1. A better breathing exhaust.
2. Better breathing intake.
3. A modified Engine Control Unit.

Rumor is that this is a stop-gap upgrade until a more intensive JCW upgrade is available, possibly in 2008.

 

Huh?

Then how am I driving on it?

 

My mistake. It is the Hyper Sport Package (sport suspension and body kit) that is not available. The suspension is available.

I'd love to hear a comparison between the sport suspension and regular suspension in terms of cornering and comfort. I've got possibly two days to switch mine.

 

"I'd love to hear a comparison between the sport suspension and regular suspension in terms of cornering and comfort. I've got possibly two days to switch mine."

Did you read this?
http://motoringfile.com/2007/03/19/a...n-for-the-r56/

 

No worries...just wanted to tease you about it!

 

I think my illuminated sills do that.

Honestly, if you're performance oriented, get the sport package, LSD, 6-speed. That gets you the 17" performance runflats, too.

Skip Hyper Sport, as that appears to be a just a factory aero kit on top of the sport package.

The JCW brakes MIGHT be something to consider, but they are way expensive, and aftermarket will be cheaper.

Or break out a can of orange Krylon and the DeWalt to get the orange calipers and holes in the rotor.

 

everyhthing

 

My MA told me that the stock brakes on the R56 S are the JCW brakes from 2006, and the only thing you get with the JCW brakes in 2007 is drilled rotors and caliper paint -- pretty much a cosmetic mod.

 

You do not provide nearly enough information for anyone to provide you with a helpful answer--hence the several jocular comments. I ordered my car with LSD, sport suspension, cloth seats, cold weather package, auto dimming mirror, 16" wheels, strut bar, no sun roof, xenons, and no dsc. I enjoy autocrossing and sport driving, so this should work for me. Other folk might want a more luxerious package, leather, etc. So, it's to each his or her own.

Happy motoring,

Joe

 

If you are performance oriented get the sports suspension and lsd for sure!

Sport suspension deletes body roll and isn't an uncomfortable ride. The normal suspension is cushy and the MINI has a good bit of roll with it.

The MINI S comes stock with last years JCW brakes.

Dealer installed JCW performance kit soon to arrive at your dealer. You may find you don't need it. It only adds about 7lbs of torque.