In the Car & Driver article the R56 came in 3rd behind the Mazdaspeed 3 and GTI.

 

I was out for a drive today in my '07 Cooper and for all the little refinements that I appreciate, I must say that (especially for Coopers) the engine/gearbox is a real high point. The additional low-end torque is extremely welcome as launches in my '03 Cooper took a bit more finesse. Coming from a Midlands tranny, the notchy R56 gearbox is also really great!! That 6th gear is a superb addition for highway cruising in a Cooper.

 

***!!!LONG POST ALERT!!!***

In May '03, while waiting to deploy to Iraq, I stopped by and looked at/test drove an MCS. Admittedly, I only spent about 20 minutes in the car but I distinctly remember the initial impression.

-the signal and wiper stalks seeming very fragile/flimsy.
-the whine of the supercharger was great (I'm old skool )
-the seats (non-sport) sucked
-the car (17" and SS) rode like it had no suspension at all
-it was too twitchy and wouldn't track straight. I couldn't cruise without constantly making minor corrections.
-I found myself flogging my elbows around, looking for a place to rest an arm

When I returned, I think the salesman expected me to write a check right then, based on the look on his face when I told him I wasn't really interested and why. He called me the next day and offered to let me have the car for the weekend, and noted that the armrest would be an option the next model year.

I took the car for the weekend, and it confirmed my previous impression(s). It was a blast to drive on the back roads, but overall wasn't feasable. The 2-year european warranty (I had 3 more years in Europe to go) and no home shipment program (like Volvo has) were the deal breakers.

I did go look at them again in late 04, to check out the armrest and sport seats. I figured 16" wheels, non-runflats, and/or standard suspension would make the horrible ride in an otherwise nice car tolerable. I was told there would be a 12 month wait (since the allocations were full because of the 'vert coming out). No thanks, and I bought an '05 Volvo S40T5 for an autobahn cruiser; and loved it.

Last January, the wife and I were shopping for a bigger SUV (Volvo XC90 or LandRover LR3), but ultimately decided we didn't want to spend the money. On a lark, I stopped in at the BMW/Mini dealer, and asked how long it would take to get a new Mini built/delivered. 6 weeks peaked my interest, and ultimately I bought one. I did consider (and test drove again) a previous-gen S (but a 'vert), and got the same impression as before, sans roof. The ride was marginally better, with normal suspension on 17's. It also had the sport seats which were an improvement over the standard ones.

I prefer the looks of the R53 in general, although I don't understand most of the exterior criticisms of the R56. I'll give you the headlights, but that's about it. People whine about the fuel cap, ferchrissakes. That's grasping. I also like the shorter windows / higher beltline. It makes the car look a little more agressive, and a somewhat "chopped" appearance.

The interior is a whole other ballgame. On the whole, materials seem to me to be much better than the previous generation. The speedo is ridiculous, and the R53's is awesome in comparison. The layout of the radio is haphazard, unnecessarily complicated, and practically impossible to upgrade. Some compromise involving narrowing the lower part of the R53 centerstack would have been a much better choice, IMHO. Other than those two notes, the R53 doesn't have a leg to stand on when it comes to the rest of the interior. The overhead toggles are cool, and so are the "mood lights" (however gimmicky). The seats are an overwhelming improvement in both fit and finish. While they could be even better, they're an exponential leap from the previous model.

There's really no comparison in drivetrains. The R56 is again leaps and bounds ahead of the R53. There's practically no searching for the proper gear, and it responds regardless. I do still prefer the supercharger - for the same reason I prefer air cooled, 2-valve Ducatis (DesmoDue) or old airhead BMW bikes, or carburators - I'm old skool. It doesn't necessarily matter to me that one lacks in performance to its newer iteration.

Jeremy Clarkson wrote a book called "I know you got soul". It's a very entertaining read, and the premise is about man's mechanical inventions that somehow have soul. The AC Cobra. a Ford 390 with dual exhaust. The Concorde. Some boat he (Clarkson) raved about. Anyway, I think that's the "disappointment" the R56 naysayers have. It seems to them (and to some extent - me) that the R56 is lacking the "soul" that the previous generation had. I can't say that they're completely wrong. But I do wish the nit-picking trolls would go home Gas cap??? gimme a break.

 

i bought my r56 purely because i didn't need a big car anymore, and there was only the mini or the bmw 1-series that i would even consider. i bought the mini as i just fell in love with it, and who can rationalise that?

i'm delighted with my purchase. other than the confusion between the track/station select and volume *****, there's little to criticise about the r56. the designers got it right in my opinion - i actually love the huge speedo. as an everyday car, capable of being both easy to drive yet still serious fun on the open road i think it's unbeatable.

i guess i'm just waiting for the engine to loosen up a bit before i can be entirely objective about her. with only 400 miles on the clock i know i've not got the true picture of fuel economy or performance yet!

 

Well written, Dneal. Thanks.

 

I stand corrected! It was Road & Track article where the R56 finished 4th of 5, behind Mazda, GTI, and Honda. It did finish above the 5th place Sentra...

 

Yes. So, as I said, the press is noting the improvement of the R56.

 

I personally don't consider the R56 4th place finish out of a field of 5... besting only the Sentra... as an improvement. When compared to the solicited excitement and enthusiasm of the R53 MINI intro, it's a down right failure. However, others may see trouncing a Sentra as an improvement... it's all perspective.

 

The R56 came in 3rd. It was the R53 that came in 4th. You just said you recognized your error. And, if you read the article objectively, you will see that the reasons for the R56 not finishing higher are part and parcel to the MINI since it was a Mini. Those issues would always keep a Mini or MINI out of the "top."

Now that you know it was the R53 that came in 4th, how are you going to keep trashing the R56 compared to it. Your premise at the start was wrong, and it remains wrong.

Just for the record, I love both the R53 and R56, but this post is about getting your facts right if you want to bash one versus the other.

 

See I'm certain I've left objectivity in the dust...and at this point I have no need for it. Coming from an '03 and sitting in this car, I feel right at home.....and so much more. Motoring in an R56 is way cool....just as cool as doing so in the previous models.

We tend to forget that along with the substantial buzz surrounding the R50 and R53 introduction (it was a brand new Mini after all), there was also a ton of criticism from the press....and real questions as to whether our car was a true Mini or not!!! I think a lot of that venom was spent on R50 as the MCS came out a bit later.

In the end, the enthusiasts decided with their wallets and I think the same thing is happening here....it's just that this time the abysmal supply issues (leading to dealer markups, rediculous waits, empty lots, and lost sales) have been sorted out.

So we overlooked the plastics, and cheap silver paint, and conspicuously large speedo (some got a chrono pack or nav, such was their loathing), and the overly designed interior, and the rattles, and the stumbles, and the yo-yos and all the rest. Why? Because overall the car was great.....and so is R56. Seriously, the press may express their high points and low points but we (MINI enthusiasts with narrow views) risk being our marque's own worse enemy here!!!

Folks that motor in R56 each day have praises to sing...best done w/o dinging our venerable predecessors (although some comparos are probably inevitable). If R50/53 provides any lesson, naysaying is irrelevant as the car itself speaks louder than words!!

 

Sure, but for those 'newbies', the R56 is all that they really know. So while people who have had older versions of the car compare it to, well, the older versions of the car, the newbies compare it to whatever they owned in the past.

So from my perspective, the R56 is more of a true Mini than, say, a 1999 VW Jetta. How it is in comparison to a older Mini isn't something that matters all that much to me (since getting an older one isn't an option, unless I want to lose the ability to fully customize the car when I buy it).

 

Dude.... relax. The R56 finished 4th of 5, soundly thrashing the mighty Sentra... in last months Road & Track. There was no R53 in the comparsion...

And it is not a bash to point out that the R56 is not being embraced by the motoring press, it is just a fact. But as I said, the newbies seem happy with the R56... more than likely comparing them to Sentra's and Camry's and such...

 

Quote from Road and Track: "But when it comes to driving dynamics, it's very difficult to find fault."

The only cited problems, speedo and turn signal???

The article call all 'an impressive lot'.

 

Now slagster, have you not been paying attention? There are tons of R50/53 owners who are also getting R56s and comparing them to the same. These are highly experienced MINI motorers we're talking about. Your comment it bogus and I'm callin' it!!!

Okay, another comment...and note, not pointed at anyone here (who I've found to be great folks and even better for dialogue) but a general comment for the record. For every type of enthusiast (you name it), there are those who are just too tightly wound-up, way into every little detail and bit of minutia to the point of........(here it comes)......becoming total nerds. You know what I'm talking about.

I think this has happened with some regarding R56 and I suggest they open just a little tiny crack in their vivid imagination (or lack thereof) to find something(s) nice to say about the next iteration of our beloved MINIs. There is much to praise, I say, and an overall glum attitude toward R56 will be marginalizing if embraced as a lifestyle, risking even deeper immersion it total, bleak nerd-dom...and being a MINI-nerd is not cool (although a frequent trap for other automitive types...I pity them).

There, I said my piece. Fair warning.

And this does not mean one must gush endlessly over R56 like I do, either. (yes, and I have an R50).

 

And I LOVE the turn signals and SPEEDO in my R56.

So lets stay on topic - Post your story about why you love your R56. Even if one of the reasons is because it makes Trolls squirm. That counts.

But no need to answer them directly. They can start their own thread about camrys and such if that is what they are into.

 

An excellent suggestion!!!

 

What do I like? Power--torquey power!

 

I hearby dub you Torquodildeb!

 

 

The bottom line is, if pre-R56 owners were secure in their choices, they would have no need to bash the R56. Note things they like or don't like about it, yes. But make pointless, uninformative, jabs.... Sounds like sour grapes. I have had an R53 and have the R56. There are things I liked better in each. But, overall, I find the R56 a much improved car. But for previous model owners to suggest, or state, that R56 owners don't understand what the MINI is about is BS. I would think classic Mini owners may have some argument there, but anyone who has an R53 and thinks they are part of the MINI heritage, but that R56 owners aren't has no credibility.

 

Which does sound better than daffatorque

 

I LOVE that they have no credibility!

I'm trying, and trying to get this back on track!

 

Okay. I love my R56 because my multiple outlet adapter and scangauge fit perfectly into that "storage" space under the toggles. The ride's pretty good, too. Is that better, lava?

 

Things I like about the R56:

• The new engine is fine, I prefer a SC, but turbos are cool
• The diesel... bring it here to the USA please!
• The seats and seating combos
• New colors and color combos
• The neat compartment in the dash...
• The JCW brakes... very cool

Things about the R56 I would like BMW to change:

• Make the hood scoop functional or get rid of it
• Lower the ride height... geez, its a sports compact car not a 4wd
• Redo the dash... that head sized speedo/radio is over the top
• Less gizmos and gadgets please... like the turn signals and radio controls

 

But what do you LOVE about it - come on, it won't kill you.