My GF bought a used 01 Miata and last night we took it to my favorite twisties course in the N. GA. mts...... I did not drive hard just a nice cruise with the top down......what pleasure..... since she bought the car a few months ago when we go out we take the Miata most of the time (she also has a 330 convertible) my question is.... what is the better performer... a highly modded Mini or a highly modded Miata and why..... this would be for track/dragon style driving not for drag strip

 

I can only say that I often run my MC on track days with a bunch of older Miata's, and they actually out pull me on the straights, but I worry the stuffings out of them in the corners. I would pick a modded MCS over a modded Miata on tight tracks or the Dragon.

 

if it was on a closed course and it was a car i am allowed to beat the
crap out of, i'd like to try the miata.... FR is not something an amature
would want to take to the limit while on the streets especially on
mountain side...

so, i think i'll take the MCS for canyon carving.

 

FR ?

 

You can actually put 4 people ( adults ) in a MINI ( convertible or not )

Better car balance on the Miata... there are some Wild tricked out Miatas at our Auto-X - One little Turbo, 13" 225 tires sticks like glue.

 

FR = Front engine Rear wheel drive : Miata
FF = Front engine Front wheel drive : MINI
MR = Mid engine Rear wheel drive : MR2

 

I'd pick a Miata at the track by a slim margin, but if you combine that with practical daily driving (passengers/groceries/assorted stuff) the MINI wins hands down.

 

This has nothing to do with practicality.....this is ballls to the walls go for it......just the driver...no passengers, luggage, dogs, groceries etc...in the equation....one caveat...the car must be street legal and have its interior in tact.....(Mini can remove back seat)

 

I have a Miata & have a MCS. Different horses for different courses. The MINI has more power, but on a track like Mid-Ohio I'd give the edge to the Miata, by a grey whisker. For a daily driver bad weather car the MINI by a long shot.

 

Check the bottom of this page for the overall standings from the local autocross I run in...

http://sccv.org/results/autox/2006/V...2006_Final.htm

The 4th place miata has coilovers and R-compounds, but is an older 1/6 litre car with minimal power mods.

The 10th place car is me - Cooper (not S) with suspension work and Falken Azenis tires.

Those results are for a very tight autocross course.

On a road course, my Cooper is about even with a Miata that has not been worked over, but gets toasted by Spec Miatae or one with engine work (turbo, supercharged, etc). I've passed a few Miata out there, closed very very slowly on some others, and been passed by a few. And that's with my 115hp Cooper. I don't think I've been on track with any of the super / turbo / monster Miata, though.

I'd guess that they're darned close to even in reality. But the Miata is cheaper (used)

 

 

MFR = Midship Front engine Rear wheel drive : My G35C

POS = Piece of Sh*t : Hyundai jk

 

for track work alone, then miata.... although in bolts on alone, you wont gain much from the miata without serious engine mods (as in fully blueprinted head etc)

in an typical autox course... the top Miatas (turbo or supercharged )often finish about 10 seconds ahead of me(mildly modded MCS with everything before head work) in a relatively tight course (not extremely tight, but tight enough)

if it was a pure track car taking all practicality out of the equation... do the Miata... 2nd gen cars are great to work with, although first gen is lighter...

finally... when i brought the MCS... the ONLY reasons why i didnt go with the Miata (and i had it all ready to buy) was practicality.... if you drove one, you'd probably never look back

 

I know this will probably get a rise out of some but the Elise I drove was very much like a really great Miata......small car FR (I learned) I am very impressed with the low end and the cars can be had cheap and he turbos and SC are cheap as well... for $10K you can have one hell of a Miata for rack etc..... not very sophisticated for going out to dinner....

 

I would take a Miata just so you could take it to either AutoX or Drifiting compettitions.

 

what no
TAWD
RAWD
AWD
4WD
2x4
RR
examples??

will check back later to see what yall come up with.. the earlier example was relavent to the thread and with the exception of the MINI of course aren't my Favorites for each class

 

I've had our Mini for almost a year and just picked up a Miata a few weeks ago. I found a 1990 locally in excellent condition. A friend of mine picked up a 1991 Miata over the winter and I'd driven it a few times and really liked it, so I had to get one for myself.

At an autocross test and tune a couple of months ago my friend with the Miata and I swapped cars for a few runs, and at the end of the day we swapped my 15" Holey wheels with Kumho 710 race tires onto his Miata. Both cars were completely stock (except for the tires), and I was surprised that I was actually .2 second faster in the Miata with my race tires on it than I was in my Mini with the same tires, especially considering I have been autocrossing my Mini for about a year, and it was my first day in the Miata. My MC felt more composed and a little easier to drive, but the Miata was faster.

-Keith