I just got a '07 MCS, and find that different sources are not agreeing on whether the turbo motor has the Valvetronic system. I know the non-turbo has it, but does the turbo as well?

 

Cooper = Valvetronic

Cooper S = Drive-by-wire Throttle Body [aka not Valvetronic]

This can be confirmed via the pictures on RealOEM.com, and taking a very close look underhood. Shortcut: here is the link for the MCS's TB.

I'm not sure BMW knows how to do Valvetronic with forced induction, but that's just a guess. Valvetronic may be too expensive and not gain that much for forced induction; whereas a traditional throttle body is good enough.

$0.02,
Ryan

 

That'd be my guess. Some of the performance tweaks needed to maximize the efficiency on an NA engine are not helpful when you've got pressure on your team.

 

Yep - that's why the supercharged Top-Fuel dragsters have eight individual short "zoomie" exhaust pipes, rather than some tuned-length exhaust system. You don't have to care about exhaust-gas scavenging or other tricks to coax the air/fuel mixture into the engine when you've got 45 psig of boost from the supercharger!