Why are Minis so fast? I keep hearing everyone say Minis are so fast. I've heard several people say there Minis were dusting cars with twice the HP. I know everything is not all about HP but it's still a reference point. Minis have some of the lowest HP. Coopers at 115 and S only at 163 or 168. So my question is.... How can Minis be considered a fast car with these low specs on HP. I don’t think Torque is much better. Now please don’t everyone flame me at once . This is a sincere question from a new fellow Mini owner 05 MCS. I love Minis but I sometimes feel a little disappointed with the speed I get. Ever since I’ve had Mini there been someone coming over and trying to rev-up. But I’m afraid to "have a go" with anyone because I feel my Mini won’t have the get up and go to get up and win.

Truth is compared to all the cars I’ve ever owned Mini seems to be the slowest, yet it’s the newest. Am I just missing something.... Are Minis only fast after you mod them out? Because I don’t feel my Mini is fast at all

 

Its all about power to weight.....

I dont condiser the mini to be a "fast" car. It is a well balanced machine that handles great and has descent power for its weight/size.

 

The more corners you have to take, the greater your advantage will be. You won't win too many drag races.

I'm sure someone will tell you to get a pulley, etc., so I'll suggest it first. If you're accustomed to driving a more powerful car, you might want to go the "mod" route.

 

The MINI is fast on the Track, No doubt about it !!!

Once you build up speed, you can carry it through corners with LESS braking (Great handling, wide wheel base) and you can ease on the throttle through the entire turn and punch it coming out of it (Rear wheel drive cars can't "get on it" till they are nearly out of the entire turn, since they will induce oversteer (tail out)

0-60 stock times are 6.something seconds and that is GOOD

Pulley reduction, CatBack Exhaust and ECU DO help ...hehe

I had 3 Cobras in my track run group at Putnam Park, I passed them ALL, and some other cars too, in one 20 minute session --with an instructor in my car

 

It's also "all about" handling! It's not a fast car on the straights, but when you get into the twisties, then you'll see fast...and its tremendous stability and awesome performance capabilities!

Wanda feels fast to me after driving my Isuzu Trooper for 14 years!

And I drove hubby's Corvette the past two days (to keep Wanda's miles low...she has a check-up today, her last one under warranty), and it felt heavy and sluggish compared to my MINI! Go figure!


Clover

 

I tell folks the car is quick--not real fast. After 15 yrs of modded "muscle cars" I sold my 01 Vette and got my MINI. I Love this car. It is just fun to drive. When I had 400RWP I rarely could use it. Getting to 50 in a MINI is fun. The CAI and Magnaflows are a symphony after yrs of straight pipe V8's. 0-60 in 4.2 seconds is fast. 0-60 in 6.8 seconds is fun. Enjoy the journey. Nick

 

Even with the relative low weight, in stock trim the Mini is not quick. It is nimble, but not quick. There is a difference. It does look real fast at a stop sign. I'll give you that .

 

Oh, yes, MINIs are nice and fast on the track! :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile:

But on the street? No, they are slow, slow, slow! :smile:

 

Why is my MINI so fast?

one word - Zaino

 

It's all relative. What other cars are you comparing the MINI to?? If you compare it to cars like A4, BMW 3 series, Mercedes C Class, then the MINI is fast... compare it to the STI or 350Z and the MINI is slow.

I can tell you right now though, with 200bhp, this is one quick *** car. Even on streets you can smoke over 80% of the cars out there. On track you can smoke 95% of the cars out there.

If you dont have a pulley or intake in your car, you are missing out. You NEED these. The only reason the car does not have these from factory is because it would have got low points in the engine noise category (from wannabe vehicle critics). The real motorers know where it's at. 200bhp should have been the stock hp for these little cars.

 

btw... My MINI is faster than my girls 3.0 V6 Dodge Stealth (Mitsubishi 3000GT). Smoke her *** on any street, on any track.

 

When you've modded your Mini beyond 220hp, it's pretty fast. Get it to around 280hp and it's freekn fast:smile:

 

You need to define fast

Fast can be acceleration OR velocity (i.e. speed)

accelration the MINI will not out accelerate a car with 2x hp

The MINI WILL out run many cars with twice the hp, its just distance/time and the MINI can maintain its speed better than almost any car on the road.

To me it does not matter how quickly you can accelerate it is whether you can out pace someone on a track and or the clover leaf on-ramp

 

If the MINI looks fast it is FAST…………..
Just don't go straight..........

 

so what is a 400 HP mini...LOL

 

Insane

 

Well if I pull up on the red light next to SPI MCS. I would say to myself this. “How's my MCS with only 180 hp bet this monster SPI MCS………… When the light turn Green SPI go forward and my MCS will be on reverse. Ehehheeheheeh Just kidding but man this MINI looks can kill……..

 

as was stated previously this is a pure power to weight ration thing. My current car 03 sunfire has 140HP and 150lbs of torque, but can beat many a car with more power due to it's weight.

The mini weighs less than a sunfire and has more power, score mini.

and why not try, worst that happens is that you lose, then pull into the nearest coffee shop like you were slowing down

"Still dreaming of the day I can buy my mini"

 

A bunch of things go through my head when I read your post: were you expecting a drag racer type of car? Did you test drive? What sort of driving are you doing?

I've had/have cars with much more grunt and hp, yet I still think my little stock MCS is quite quick - yes, 'fast', even. Aside from your expectations and definition of 'fast', it is how you drive. I drive my Mini through traffic, around obstacles (which is often the traffic itself and other driver's who are distracted and/or bad drivers), and enjoy the curves and I can attest to the fact that this car is fast compared to many cars in responding and navigating through those things. Even on straight aways the Mini does not disappoint as I go through the gears (and you really need to have it in the right gear, even in the auto), it may not have the power of its stablemate but it can come through most stuff in a pinch. However, if you expected a RWD drag racer off the line you set yourself up to be unhappy; the very things that are the Mini's strengths once you are driving -its nimbleness and light weight - are the reasons its not a stop light brute.

The fastness you see many people post about is circumstancial I think, the ability to be and act quickly in scenarios where many other cars are often cumbersome and unresponsive in comparison. Its all about context, I don't think anyone here is saying that their stock MCS is blowing the doors off an M5 or anything.

I am sorry to hear you are not satisfied with your car - perhaps a track lesson, autox, or drive along with another enthusiast would teach you how to utilize the MCS's strengths better.

 

Yeah baby!

GT3 owners seem rather unhappy when you pass them or make it tough for them to pass you on the track.

 

If the car NEEDs those, why is it I easily beat an '05 MCS JCW unit on the track with my near stock '03 MCS? What the car does need is someone unafraid to really drive the little beast!

Man, this car does NOT need a pulley. What does make it even more fun than stock is simply a better rear sway bar, cold air intake, and a free flow exhaust (Borla street is superb.) It does not need a pulley, which may void your engine warranty.

 

Monkey Boy, trust me man, put a 15 on yours. You will thank me. It doesnt damage anything except the other cars reputation.

 

agree - CAI, Rear Sway Bar, exhaust, excellent additions.

Doesn't need a pulley - totally disagree, I think the 15 PULLEY IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST.

the ideal base mod is all of the above combo'ed together.

 

I love my 15% pulley! I have the K&N Typhoon CAI and the Unichip, too. Varooooooom....all that has made Wanda VERY fast and I love the sound effects, too!


Clover

 

I get the impression that for a lot of Mini owners, their Mini is the first "cool" or "enthusiast" type car they have ever owned, and are probably just in to it a little bit "much"

I have never ridden in any Mini that I would consider "fast". Hop in an LS1 Z28 or a Porsche 993 911 and then tell me about 'fast'

Mini's ARE a very fun car, and they handle really well. I really like mine a lot, but it's not "fast" - and that's okay with me.

Get in to autocrossing, your Mini will feel a lot "faster" then