Hello, I am on the verge of ordering an R56 cooper, but not yet decided on getting the MC or MCS. I did not want a harsh ride, but want the extra horse power the MCS have over the MC. I was wondering if I get the MCS w/o the sport suspension, how would it compare to the MC with stock suspension. The same or a little bit stiffer?

 

I have stock suspension and it is not harsh. I want less bodyroll. I already have aftermarket swaybar but I will need stiffer springs. The car handles nicely on the street but for the few track days in summer I would like to improve the handling even further.

 

Its a well balanced german suspension. Just test drive them, make sure if you compare go 16" wheels to 16". If you care about comfort you at all you are going to want to stick with 16" wheels. Tires can play a role in the comfort too. Really the ride quality is better than most other sporty compacts that actually handle well. Id say ride quality is not a problem and personally body movement has only bugged me when running the slalom in autox. Even then the body role is only hampering performance a tiny bit. It really is a well balanced car, but you should test drive both with the same size wheels and be the judge.

 

I cannot compare MC+SS vs MCS w/o SS. All I can say is that my 2007 MCS with SS and 17" runflats has a great ride.

 

When I was doing my test drive comparison I didn't really notice much of a difference, but I was pretty distracted by the 'go factor' when I was in the MCS. The handling was basically the same - awesome, and also awesome.

It's definitely a personal preference kind of thing though, so unless it's totally unpossible I'd recommend comparing them in person.

 

Even with the regular suspension, your MINI will handle incredibly. Especially if you have mostly driven "ordinary" cars.

Although I can only comment about the first generation cars, my wife's Cooper with standard suspension has a much smoother ride than my MCS with sport suspension. But she also has 15" wheels and I have 17".

If you want smooth ride, get the smallest wheels and non-runflat tires.

 

I'd like to add that I have the 2007 MCS with SS and 16" runflats and feel it has a great ride that is not harsh by my personal standard. I just can't imagine someone thinking this particular configuration unliveable for all types of driving. Even the lady of the house likes it whether we're on backroads or the freeway. (she rides shotgun, refuses to drive it for fear of never wanting to return it to me). The car HANDLES great...a real wolf in sheep's clothing...six speed box, LSD, DSC, not much else beyond a little interior chrome/black headliner/stereo upgrade. See my gallery.
I read somewhere online when I was studying for my Mini build that the designers/builders of the 07 MCS felt the SS with 16" was the best all around driving combo for that portion of the car, and that was a strong influence on how I built my rather basic Mini. I'd like to find an owner whose car is setup pretty much like mine except with 17" wheels so we could compare notes on the road.