Sorry if this has been asked a million times....but does the automatic in the S rev match or throttle blip on downshifts?
I had an M3 with the SMG trans....it was pretty cool. I understand the mini is not a clutchless manual, it's an automatic.
Thanks

 

Welcome to NAM TeddyL, I dont think it rms and blips. Y're right it's an Aisin 6 speed auto with BMW Steptronic controls, not like the VW/Audis and their dsg setups. However, go over to the 2nd gen JCW subforum and pm one of those guys to see if their (recently) tuned JCW automatics can do this. I'll let U know when I get my JCW auto in 25 days.

btw: the auto MCS is an absolute hoot to drive. and Im a die hard stick guy!

 

Nope. Doesn't do any kind of blipping. The auto tranny isn't as advanced as the SMG.

 

You can do that with a standard.

 

Probably a dumb question, but can you manually throttle blip while downshifting in a steptronic?

EDIT: Yeah, that was a dumb question. You can't.

 

.... seems to me that the combination of the torque converter and the computer-controlled electronically actuated tranny makes some of the manual concepts like downshift throttle blips moot...

Also, I don't know that anyone (other than the silent types at BMW) actually know what black magic takes place when you push the upshift or downshift button... e.g. whether they suppress ignition for an instant, or ??? to better facilitate shifts.....

All I know is that it works well... and I've beaten the crap outta mine for 43,000 miles with no issues.

 

I'd think it just tells the tranny to shift up or down, just as when you approach a certain RPM, it shifts automatically. I suppose pressing the button just tells the tranny, "It's time to shift," just as if you were at its regular shift points.

Same signal, different activations? Now DSG... it is a mystery to me.

 

Yeah - I get that part... but many electronically controlled auto transmission systems also integrate with engine management to control ignition, etc. at the point of shift. The unknown is, to what extent (if any) the MINI automatic does stuff like this...

 

I really doubt it suppresses the throttle between shifts on the auto, the mini uses a traditional torque converter automatic. With a torque converter there is really no need to do that, fortunately it seems they offer a more direct transfer of torque than the things where autos got the nickname slush box for. For a while now automatics have moved to computer managed shifts based on several conditions, with your throttle position being the major input. You have the option to have some control over this, but it is just controlling the transmission and your throttle will stay on. This is why you will still get jerky shifts when pushing it hard. The dual clutch automatics that are popping up have to let of the throttle just a bit because they are actually disengaging the engine from a clutch. Although when the shifts get fast enough like F1 there is no need to let off.

 

With the Aisin Automatic (or a Model 'T' Ford) the Transmission is strictly a Planetary Gear System and gears are always in constant mesh.

Synchronising is not necessary for changing ratio of drive, it's all done with clutches and bands and more abruptly when Sport Button is engaged.

 

My wife's MCS is the auto and I haven't driven the car REALLY hard. I have a different car for track work.

But in driving it in "manual" mode, it seems like it will still automatically downshift if I floor it all the way. I drove a friends AUDI on track that did that and it made it tough to drive, because sometimes I just wanted full throttle in the gear selected.

When you are really hammering the MINI, does it know you are and then not downshift automatically? I know some cars have sensors that can tell when you are really boogieing.

 

The MINI auto has a "kick down" mode... there's a "detent" in the throttle about 90% of the way down. If you push past that, it will downshift when in auto mode... I actually don't remember if it does it in full manual mode also... I've gotten so accustomed to however it works, it just seems natural to me now... FYI, I spend a LOT of time at full throttle...

 

Maybe it's just my car, but the "kickdown" detent in the throttle pedal is inconsistent in manual shift mode. Sometimes it triggers a downshift, other times it doesn't - but this may have to do with where in the RPM range you are. I haven't experimented that much. Biggest problem for me is that it seems to sometimes override me in 1st gear when I get close to redline so that when I manually upshift (while still in 1st) it grabs third.

 

I have the JCW kit on my 09 MCSa and I dont need no steenkin blippy-ing nonsense when I downshift--although sometimes I swear it's doing it when manually going say from 3rd to 2nd, and with the nice little exhaust bark

as far as kickdown, with the kit everything is remapped for performance, and I really have to floor it hard for the tranny to abruptly d/s on its own. So I like keeping right at near that limit, but no more, and shift on my own.

it's no dsg, but it's awfully damned good kick O fun, and silly-sick fast!