According to this website it is...

http://fastestfinishes.com/index.php...=72&Itemid=107

Maybe its the aerodynamic canvas...

 

Or perhaps the extra 200 lbs of the convertible establishes some sort of tidal gravity force when the moon is right....

Bill

 

clearly it's the gearing . . . the 05's and onwards have a lower 1st and 2nd gear, which would definitely help in 0-60 runs . . .

(and that tidal gravity force thing that jersey is talking about)

 

That chart means nothing in that it doesn't talk about the gearing. Its just the low end gearing of the 05 vice 03. Note that by the 1/4 the difference has shrunk. At the top end, the convertable would be slower ... convertables are always slower than hardtops and with the higher gearing, the 03 will have a faster top end.

 

Comparing those different years is misleading. I believe the later years have more HP to playwith anyway.

 

maybe the comparison test driver was still in driver's ed...

 

I think the comparison will be valid between a '03 MCS hardtop and a '06 MCS hardtop 6MT similary equipped.

As much as I like the MINI convertibles, you do give up a lot of performance/practicality and perhaps a bit of safety in the name of open top motoring. The convertibles are not only heavier (Interestingly, the heaviest production MINI is the Cooper CVT Convertible at 2,900+ pounds) but inherently, convertibles have less structural rigidity. MINI did a fantastic job with the convertible but if you are going after performance, practicality and solid body integrity, you are much better off with the hardtops.

 

05 and beyond have a different gear stack. The 05 would be faster.

 

Yes the '05 has different gearing. 1st gear is 11% shorter than in the original 6-speed MCS tranny from '02-'04.

I used to own a '04 MCS and now have a '05 MCS and I am well aware of the difference in terms of feel.

The gearing change was one of the main reasons that motivated me to sell the '04 and get the '05. Haven't looked back.