Just went out and tested that...

Damn it, now I need a new block

 

As a follow-up to earlier posts, I've been recently and regularly making the trek between St. Paul and Rochester on US 52 and (particularly on Friday afternoons) the average speed of the southbound traffic is high enough that I'm able to run at 3800-4000 rpm continuously with occasional passing lane time at 4400 rpm.

I've noticed no adverse effects; the engine still purrs along and, in fact, for some reason the car almost seems to run more smoothly at the higher rpm. I absolutely love the looks I get from the other drivers as I go whizzing by them.

The most amazing thing is that my gas mileage doesn't seem to be suffering nearly as much as I thought it might...I'm still getting in the neighborhood of 35 mpg even with the sustained periods of high rpm. Someday, I'm going to run through a whole highway tank driving like Grandpa Jones, keeping it at 55 and steady just to see how far I can break 40 mpg...

...and then again, maybe not ).

 

mine fell off...

 

Well, I do my 55 after getting pulled over..... and well with my few mods... i get 45mpg @ 55mph. then I see every one passing me.... and all mpg goes to hell

 

more like it exploded due to abuse!!

 

I'm going to resist testing the jcw, it might be tempting but harsh

 

I have 18" on my R53 and it handles better and not as harsh as when I had my stock 17" with runflats. The 18" rims and tires are lighter than the stockers . So not only I get a better ride, it looks awesome!

On a R53, at 70-80 mph is about 3500-3800 rpms. I get about 26 mpg city and 32-34 mpg highway. I drove it from central TX to Northern CA and it gave me about 36 mpg average at 70 mph. The best I got was 44 mpg on a flat road, good tailwind at 60 mph. But for best fuel economy, carpool with another friend that has a MINI!

 

Motorcycle engines are vastly different from our engines. I'm not sure this analogy works here.

That said, I'm sure you're fine in your top gear on the highway for extended time driving. When I first got my Miata (before it was delegated to race only use) it bothered me the first time I got on the interstate and was around 4k rpm. I then realized the engineers very likely ran the numbers and decided that runing it that high (or higher) for an extended time was okay. Otherwise they'd have to worry about reliability and warrenty issues.

The same applies to the MINI. The non-s's pretty much have to rev high on the highway (just like my old Miata) because of the power levels they have. I have a MC but I suspect (hope) the MCS's run around 3k or so on the highway because of the extra gear and the vastly different power band.

 

now now.... there's no abuse... just proper usage.. LOL... I call abuse people who baby and dont drive.. use the upper RPMs! enough of this I want power from 3k to 5k... then get a mustang! this is a little motor.. like a motor cycle.... rev'em out!

highest I hit was 9400.... I don't reccomend that on a regular basis.. but daaaaang.. it sounded so nice!