I'd go so far as to say that if you've got torque steer in a Mini ,you've got a fault happenning somewhere. The drive shafts are the same length and they come from the same drive ...... result NO TORQUE STEER.

 

For you demo haters....easy boys, easy. Let's stay on topic. I would suggest to those potential buyers like myself take a test drive to determine if there is torque steer. Punch the car in 2nd gear and report back.

 

No, it has not. I was expecting a quiet car, but in reality the noise remains quite high. The problem, to me, is that it's all tire roar (+ some wind). What is missing is the old engine noise, which I liked in the R53 -- at least one knows how fast one is going, and it's a pleasantly mechanical noise. What remains on the R56 is too much noise to my taste, and altogether not very pleasant. I wonder how much of the noise is due to the specific tires on the car I tested (16-in tires on S-Winders, but did not check the brand).

I drive a 2005 C230k coupe, and on the way back from the dealer I was again impressed at how quiet it is despite having wide, low-profile performance tires. I know, it's not the same type of car, it is more expensive, and the Mini is way more fun to drive in the twisties (the latter is why I am seriously thinking of getting one). Bottom line, I'd like to know how much lower the road noise would be on an S with different tires (vs. how much is due to less-than-perfect sound insulation).

 

you've got 1 tire pulling on one side of the car.. and it happens to be one of two tirea that steer the car..

understand now why it's impossible to completely remove torque steer froma front wheel drive car?

 

I've got an R53 with LSD and tons of torque steer when I have my winter tires on. Think about what I just said and you'll 'get it'

 

I think people are missing the big picture. Sure, the r56 has more torque steer than the r53. What is the root cause of TS? TORQUE. What does the R56 have more of? TORQUE.

simple equation:

More torque = more torque steer

 

If I am remembering correctly the MotoringFile review did not report any problem with torque-steer.

But go ahead, and blow this up into another big deal like the hood scoop, and the panel gap, and the side marker, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...

 

yup! some people will..

yet, I predict the r56 is going to dominate stock classes in autocross.

 

Even though I havent gotten my car up to the 6-7K ( ) range the closest thing to torque steer I have experienced is going around a fairly sharp corner and the pavement was heavily ridged; it tossed me partially into the other lane. Id have to say that the high RPM's have the most to do with it. How can you expect a car like the Mini not to have at least some torque steer under those RPM's?

 

Actually after driving an S model again today, I'll agree there is some pretty good bit of torque steer starting about 2500 rpm under full throttle in first gear. Remember though there is also 192ft/lbs of torque at that point.

You are also accelerating like a banshee at that point.

 

Rather than discussing the issue some people seemed to almost take it personal concerning the test drive. It's the cost of doing business and only a machine. I'm more concerned if someone's teenager or wife needs to pass a car by flooring it and ends up halfway into the next lane because NO ONE cautioned them about it because we're babying the DEMO. Apprarently more than a few people were unaware of the amount of torque.

What was your contribution to the forum?

 

who is that directed towards? I don't think it was me but it's been a couple days since anyone else posted.

 

motor,

Not you or anyone.

Just in general. I don't have any interest or time for personal attacks. Would like forums to be positive.

 

Ill go ahead and assume that it was me since I was the only one who mentioned being tossed partially into the other lane as I rounded a corner. Ill admit, I do like to drive my car but I dont do things like I mentioned when other cars are around especially when I am learning the limits of my new car. Which was why I was in the country when that incident occured.

As to the comment about the car, I only have 1 word, RESPECT.

 

you're new here aren't you? forums are hardly 100% positive. hope you brought a box of salt, you'll be needing lots of grains

 

I'm a little confused, one post mentioned torque steer off to the right and another mentioned torque steer into oncoming traffic (the left). Would anyone like to try to enlighten me here?

My '94 Saab S Coupe could do 0 - 60 in 6.4 seconds. It was a blast to drive. It had significant turbo lag, meaning that when the turbo did cut in it was always kind of an exciting surprise. But it also had significant torque steer, a not so nice surprise. Its inclination was to torque steer into oncoming traffic. You had to stay on your toes.

Let me use that Saab as my reference. On test driving this turbo R56 I detected no torque steer. But then I didn't take it up to 7000 RPM. But even if it's there when you drive hard, without the turbo lag, at least one can expect the torque steer to be predictable. I don't see it as a problem. When driving you just compensate accordingly.

 

The car definitely has torque steer, but it's not as bad as it might be on a V6 car for instance. It can occur in either direction, depending how the wheel is tilted when you mash the gas. If you didn't feel it on your test drive, you just didn't mash the throttle hard enough. I mean let's be serious--they have demo cars so you can drive the **** out of them and decide if you want to own one. You don't have to rev it very high to feel it, just floor it from a stop.

 

That would be called "excessive wheel spin"

 

No... it's more like a 1-series... or, maybe a 2/3 series, perhaps?

 

On a car having equal length driveshafts and no unusual wear, the lone cause of torque steer is when your engine is steering the car, not you. Pounding on the accelerator causes the car to twist the direction of the tire getting more torque. But again, even if it's there when you drive hard, without the turbo lag, one can expect the torque steer to be predictable. I don't see it as a problem. When driving you just proactively compensate accordingly for the nature of the beast.

And no, I don't agree, abusing the dealer's demos (e.g. stomping on the accelerator and bringing the revs to 7000 rpm), or "driving the **** out of them", just doesn't seem right to me.

 

not being able to put all the power down, when you want to is a problem. perhaps for those who've always owned FWD cars, it's normal, but I for one had to relearn how to drive aggressively after coming from an AWD turbo car where this was never an issue

 

OH

 

agreed Would you test drive it like that if you knew that it was the one you were going to buy?

or would you drive your own like that as soon as you left the lot for the first time?

Of course some people are going do a test drive like that. If they plan on driving that way (i.e. they do plan on tracking it) I can't say I'd blame for wanting to know how it performs near the limits. I just hope I don't buy the car they test drove.

So a word of advice when you buy a car off the lot:

LOOK at the front tires for excessive wear at the outer edges!

 

Excessive torque steer at low rpm and turbo lag has never dominated any kind of autocross that I can remember.

 

I like the way Jason Cammisa put it in his "Automobile" review of the R56 S:

. "With all that torque, the optional limited-slip differential seems like a good idea – especially if you want to be sure to leave two dark skid marks wherever you go. (Spinning just one wheel is embarrassing, don’t you know.)"

I can't imagine anyone buying one of these cars for racing not including LSD in their purchase.