I got some "inside" news from a dealer this past week. I don't know if this has been posted or not, couldn't find anything during a search, but the MINI RS is scheduled to be unveiled at the 2003 New York Auto Show in March. From what I've been told, it's going to be a 200hp version of the MCS. No AWD. But 200hp in this little car, should really give the SRT-4 and Beetle Turbo a run.

 

It needs 250.

 

>>I got some "inside" news from a dealer this past week. I don't know if this has been posted or not, couldn't find anything during a search, but the MINI RS is scheduled to be unveiled at the 2003 New York Auto Show in March. From what I've been told, it's going to be a 200hp version of the MCS. No AWD. But 200hp in this little car, should really give the SRT-4 and Beetle Turbo a run.

MINI of Sterling is expecting the RS to be presented to the dealers during the April Sales Managers Meeting.....

 

Well good my wife wants my MCS now I can get the RS. COOL!!!!!!

 

Does anyone know if this RS model will be stick only? If so, that's a shame. As I'll be using my MINI as a daily driver in stop and go traffic and my wife's inability to drive manual, a CVT's the only option for me.

 

>>Does anyone know if this RS model will be stick only? If so, that's a shame. As I'll be using my MINI as a daily driver in stop and go traffic and my wife's inability to drive manual, a CVT's the only option for me.
>>

Not to be critical, but I just want to know... Why would you want a 200HP MINI as a daily commuter for lots of stop and go traffic? Also, I'll bet that the RS will have an even more aggressive suspension than the current S. Seems like the current MC with CVT or even the "regular" MCS (if you can get your wife to learn to manually shift) would be more appropriate.

 

I just had to ask.
Does any body know if they are still running the same engine in there?

 

Is this a remarketing of te John Cooper Works MINI? It was suppose to be sold through MINI dealerships and have 200hp?

 

See the RS is more or less a badge name to pump more sales.... they will be getting a lot of trade in's from past customers!

You'll see used MC's and MCS's on every lot!

The Values will depreciate.

Great

 

I'll call my dealer today to put a deposit down on the 04!

 

jsun,

It would be nice to have an automatic version for the weekends. Must all cars with 200+ hp be stick?

 

All of you guys that are bitiing at this should be ashamed of yourselves. We have something great, and greed maked us want something that is only a little better. Well I say to hell with your RS. My S will do just fine. If I want the 200hp, there are plenty of websites out there that would give me MORE than 200hp. One more thing, you people are putting deposits down already!?!? What if Mini decides to throw a whack body thing on this sucker, then what? You know what, car companies do this all the time. The come out with a model that is better then the next, but then they proceed to sell it only in Europe due to emissions. It wouldn't surprise me if that happened either. Long live the S!

jsun - whats the fun in automatic???
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CooperSpeed>

If they put down a deposit and they don't like the car, the deposits are refundable. Just because they put down a deposit doesn't mean they are stuck buying it, it is giving them the option of buying it and not having to wait. I put money down on my S 18+ months before they were even in the states.

Plus to some people they really value the warrenty and 200hp from factory would be worth the markup to them to keep the warrenty. A pulley, chip, header, cam, head, etc would throw the warrenty on the engine out the door and to some it isn't worth the risk.

Myself, sure I'll stick with my S and just do aftermarket stuff, the warrenty isn't that big of a deal to me...but I'm not everyone.

 

I know there's lots of tastes out there and I have lots of great friends who are tuners, but I'll keep my Cooper thanks. I mean, unless you're racing (a big exception) how much HP do many of us really need? I don't go for the bigger is better thing...that's one reason there's so many SUVs out there...but that's MHO. I'd love to see MINIs in the forefront of no-emmission technology, too. I want to have my cake (low emmissions, fuel economy) and eat it too (masterfully designed, a blast to drive.) That's why I bought the car. :smile:

 

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>>jsun - whats the fun in automatic???
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I'm not going to bite that bait...but I was simply asking a question of wgb113 who was indicating that he WANTED an automatic version. I have an S and am quite happy with it.

 

>>I know there's lots of tastes out there and I have lots of great friends who are tuners, but I'll keep my Cooper thanks. I mean, unless you're racing (a big exception) how much HP do many of us really need? I don't go for the bigger is better thing...that's one reason there's so many SUVs out there...but that's MHO. I'd love to see MINIs in the forefront of no-emmission technology, too. I want to have my cake (low emmissions, fuel economy) and eat it too (masterfully designed, a blast to drive.) That's why I bought the car. :smile:


True True....This is the reason I always give myself when I start lusting after the "S". But my cooper moves just like I need it to.

 

There will always be something "more" - an RS, then probably an RS Special Edition, then an XRS, then an XRS-type Z, etc, etc. It's the 'grass is always greener' syndrome. The same thing often happens with computers. It's easy to remedy... just ask yourself if you're content and satisfied with what you have. If you're not, then you might want to think if you ever would be.

It's nice (and probably necessary from a business standpoint) that MINI is stretching the platform, but that's not going to change the enjoyment I get from the driving the car I have right now.

 

It sure sounds nice, but I think I'll stick with my S. If i were starting from scratch, I might consider the RS, depending on how much it is. I'd rather get a loaded S than an RS without some of the creature comforts my S has. Sure I would like my S to have a little more oomph, but isn't that always the case? Don't get me wrong, the RS will probably be amazing, and I'm sure I'll go nuts the first time I see one, but I'm not ready to trade in anytime soon. We'll see what happens 4 years from now.

 

I ordered my Cooper S knowing full well the RS was on its' way next year. I'm not a horsepower *****, so I don't need another 40+ Hp over the MCS, I don't really want AWD or the weight that comes with it., and lastly, the price of the MCS is just right for me (don't forget the higher insurance for the RS too!)

Cheers,
Ryan

 

I want to have my cake (low emmissions, fuel economy) and eat it too (masterfully designed, a blast to drive.) That's why I bought the car. :smile:



I'm with you on this one!

I wanted a car that had it ALL. Great fuel economy, exceptional looks, decent sticker price, fun to drive, dependabality, personality. I would never even personally want an MCS because of the drop in fuel economy. A hard-driven S gets about the same mpg as my Dodge Dakota truck! What's up with that?? I don't need to go 0-60 in whatever seconds. But the bigger is better thing is so very American.

People can have fun with their RS, but at some point it becomes sort of ridiculous, unless of course, you're into serious racing.

 

>>It needs 250.

We want all wheel drive

 

Has anyone even verified the production of this "RS". I find nothing on the net and my dealer knows nothing about it. Besides, my MCS already beats Beetle Turbos without even hitting the corners. I'm sure we'll see a more powerful model to come someday, but in the meantime I'm having plenty of fun.

 

As Meenee Coopah and I have found out, Motor City MINI has know about it from MINIUSA for quite some time (even before I found out). I also have automotive journalist friends that have talked about it to MINIUSA, and have a consulting engineer friend that has intimate knowledge of the RS. I would say it's coming to a store near you (according to my sources) at the beginning of '04.

postives thus far:
over 200Hp
All-wheel-drive
designed as a basis for the WRC


Cheers,
Ryan

 

>It needs 250.


You're scaring me!

I think the MINI Rally Sport is a new urban legend! Created to generate threads on forums and add fuel to wild fire imaginations!

 

Like it or not, true today or not, it's just a matter of time. BMW does this over and over. 3 series became M3's, then M3 Lightweights, then faster M3's. Life goes on. I'd suggest having your fun today, and if you need more, it will be there. Why panic, fret about resale values and dealer waiting lists. Most of us just got off those lists. Go have some fun. Drive your MINI.