I generally know what I'm doing, but I wanted to get some others' advice on driving the MINI S.

This thing is so powerful, yet so light, that the front end and its wheels like to dance around much more than I'm used to during hard acceleration; sometimes it feels like I'm riding a wild stallion or something! It's exhilarating but easy to feel a touch out of control at times (and this is just the S -- how the hell does the JCW even handle such a more powerful engine!?). By comparison, the BMW 335i I recently had as a loaner from the dealer is faster than the MINI but much heavier so that it's easier to deal with when accelerating really quickly, especially from a standstill.

However, the 335i is nowhere near as fun to drive as the MINI, so the work it takes to make the MINI go fast is more than worth it, but I'd like to hear some opinions on techniques of how you handle rapid acceleration in this powerful but extremely light car.

Thanks!

Noah

 

Well I think you're referring a lot to torque steer, which I find becomes less and less of a problem once you know the car better. You can lean onto the gas better and combat the torque steer a good bit. I feel like I'm a lot better at controlling it, but could just be me thinking that.

 

+1

Yes there is Torque Steer.

It takes a little getting used to and will really depend a lot on the road surface as well the more uneven the surface the worse it will be. Also of note is that other things such as sand, ice patches, snow, and other debris on the road surface will also cause the torque steer to show up more.

When on very good sticky surfaces such as a takeoff pad at a drag strip i have found there is very little (almost none) torque steer. Yet on bumpy road outside my house it can be very bad as a tire losses the slightest bit of traction.

The best way to drive the car IMHO is to get into it slowly, not high revs and dump the clutch (and i am not saying that is what you are doing) but if you let off on the power just a little and let the tires start moving some and the get on it the effect is much less.

 

Headlands, since you have the Sport package then you have the DTC, use it, as I've noticed a big improvement in torque steer control when I activate it. I do agree with Schatzy62 completely as another way to control it.

 

I will put all of your advice into action. Thanks, fellow torque-steerers!

 

Have you tried it with Sport on and off to see if there's any difference?

You also might check your tire pressures, they can affect it too. Try a few lbs more and then a few lbs less from your base line.....

 

Will experiment with that, too, MINIdave - thanks.

Does DTC need to be reactivated every time the car is turned on, like Sport mode? I haven't found a big difference as far as torque steer with Sport mode on, and I keep forgetting that I have DTC.

 

DTC is auto on even if turned off before car was turned off.

There is a module available that will keep it at the same state as when the car was turned off but that is a aftermarket item that would need to be installed.

EDIT: there is also a module that will turn the Sport Mode on every time you start the car. But again it is aftermarket. Check in teh Mods >Electrical section for more details on these and other modules such as "auto dip side mirrors". Or check out FES Auto at http://www.fes-auto.com/ or KP Technologies at http://www.kptechnologies.com/

 

Front-wheel drive versus Rear-wheel drive!

 

Don't mean to disagree with schatzy but whenever I shut my car off I have to re-engage Sport and/or DTC every time I restart the car. You will definitely notice more torque steer with Sport mode but like I said, the DTC really helps my car, very manageable.

 

You guys are right -- the DTC makes quite a positive difference with the torque steer. I might order that mod so that it's always on, though really it's not that big of a deal to simply turn it on when I start the car. Torque steer is still a big issue with the MINI, though, so I just need to learn when and when not to pound it.

Were the original MINIs front-wheel drive, too?