Do you miss the additional hp?

 

Sometimes, but not often.

 

My previous car was a 2008 128i (230HP). more HP than an S. I do not miss the extra horsepower.

 

I have a 240 hp car, and a 300 hp car. What I need is a 100 hp car so I can drive the stink out of it on the streets without anyone noticing that I'm racing.

 

I had. 2011 R55 S. Big differance in straight line acceleration. At the dragon with proper gear selection and keeping the rpm's right, it is as fast in the tristies.

 

It must be rare to go down in horsepower, so few might reply to this thread.
Here's a side topic
- wouldn't a straight Cooper have a steadier power output over the years compared to an S, as it gets carbon in the valves (barring regular Seafoam etc), so maybe after 5 years the S wouldn't have such a power advantage?

 

I went the other way with an R56-- from a Justa 6-speed to a S automatic. They are like 2 different cars -- each with its own virtues. The Justa can be driven hard without developing crazy speed and unwanted LEO attention. It will cruise at 40+mpg. It also rides a little softer on choppy roads on its 15" wheels and base suspension. Compared to the S, it has sluggish throttle response and requires rowing through the gears to make acceleration (not necessarily a bad thing.) The S of course shines with its available at a touch throttle response. The biggest advantage of the S IMHO, is that the steering is more precise and responsive and the suspension less "floaty". It seems to track better on the interstate, too, with less need for steering correction. That said, compared to every other small car in the market, I would much rather have either model. The small touches such as the interior lighting, solid feel and overall versatility with the hatchback are far superior.

 

I couldn't imagine owning a Cooper classic.

I am coming from a 2011 Mazdaspeed3 and I do miss the power. It's a good thing lots of mods are available for the R56 S.

 

After a few months of having made the switch, I'd say I do miss the HP, but I realize I'm getting a lot back in return for having done so -- more reliability, more $$ in my pocket overall due to lower price/better fuel economy. And I get to keep the fun in the twisties

On top of that, the regular Cooper is still pretty lively in the 3.5k+ RPM range.

 

I try not think of the test drive in the S and try to focus on long reliability. I feel like I have a car that is all show but doesn't have ***** to back it up. But I still love it as long as people think its fast! Lol

 

I don't fit your post specifically, but my last "sports car" was a Porsche Boxster S. I went into this Mini adventure with the expectations of buying a "S" model. After all my research was done and road testing the MCS, MCSa, MC & MCa I bought a MCa. Love the car so far. Zero problems after 8K and enjoying completing simple asthetic mods. May go into mechanical mods such as lowering springs soon, but mainly for the look (low spring rate progressives such as the Eibachs).

Other drivers still stare at my "BOOT" (lol) and the "WARNING: Fast In Corners" badge they're staring at holds true to the words stated.

It's a daily driver for me that delivers more bang for the buck than any car I have owned to date!

 

I'm trying to make that decision myself. The s or the justa for long term I think I'm better with the justa also thinking of the $ I'll save too.

 

IMO the Cooper is comparable to drive 90% of the time as long as you keep revs up and shift quick. It lacks the lower end passing power on the highway, but if you're like me and drive in the city or on empty back roads almost exclusively, you probably won't miss the power MOST of the time. If you find yourself on the interstate/freeways on a regular basis, you may sing a different tune.

 

I went from a 2007 MCS to a 2011 MC because of the problems I had with the MCS. Since my 2007 MCS was the first of a new series, I hope most of the problems have been resolved. The MCS was a wonderful car that more than met my needs. My only major objection (other than the reliability) was the run flat tires combined with the sport suspension. Many of the back roads I like to drive are very rough and the run flats seemed way too harsh to me. My MC has base suspension and the standard 15" wheels to soften the ride. Even with the base suspension and the 15" tires the handling is great. I think my MC is more fun to drive than my MCS was because I have to keep the motor in its optimum speed range. I love working the gear box and getting the most out of the engine. I rarely miss the extra power the MCS had since the handling is more important to me. If you want or need the extra power I would suggest go all the way to a JCW. If you don't need the extra power I think the MC is great.

 

I own both...

 

...and.... ?? When driving the Justa, do you miss the S ? Vice versa ?


I'll echo those who say the Justa is as fun (sometimes more) to drive than the "S". With a skilled driver behind the wheel and on the right course, the Justa will keep up just fine with the "S". But I do love the torque generated by the supercharged/turbocharged engine. The Justa can't pin you to the back of your seat like the "S" can.

 

We also own both, or we used to own an S, now we have a Justa and a JCW. If we could only have one, I'd probably go for the Justa.

When driving the Justa, I don't miss the S. It can be more fun driving the Justa on the street, you have to put more into it. On the track, the Justa does run out of go a little early, and the S is more fun. Though I am faster in the Justa than my wife is in the S. (I'm encouraging her to be faster.)

Now we have the JCW, I've started to notice the difference when swapping from the Justa to the JCW, it feels much faster. I never had that feeling in the S.

 

I'll chime in here because I'm a North American living in Europe and I have access to the diesel engined Minis. I've driven S versions, normal Coopers and I own a 2009 Clubman with a diesel engine.

Between all models, this car is fantastic. I has 110hp and the same torque output as the S. It's a great little car with decent performance and it pulls like a train! It delivers power through all the gears. I can accelerate up steep inclines in 6th gear no problem.

Fuel consumption doesn't even begin to compare to the petrol engines. I get 52 MPG (US gallons) or 61 MPG (UK gallones) or in metric about 4.5-4.6L/100km. I have had very little trouble with the car except that the dealership damanged and then replaced the turbocharger which caused a few issues for a time until all was finally sorted.

I think I'd had difficulty going back to a petrol engine after owning this car. It's a real shame they don't sell these diesels in North America.

 

I must say the suspension is the same for s and non s if you don't order the sport up grade. Dumping the run flats and installing a bigger sway bar works great for handling on both cars. Just compare 17" on both. I have them on the cooper. I added a front strut brace also. I do like the scoop though.