does the mini cooper with the auto trans. feel that much more under powered compared to the 5 speed?

 

Yes.

 

Yeah especially off the line when you just start off. 0-60mph time is about a second slower with the CVT. However, once you get up to speed, say from 40mph on, in manual mode flipping the paddles, it's not bad at all.

Still, I could get a tire chirping or spinning start in the 5spd any time I want, and it revs through 1st gear pretty quickly, but in the CVT it just feels like I stepped on a big marshmellow or rubber band and it takes a while to "wind up". Personally I wouldn't buy a CVT unless I cannot drive a manual, or get stuck in traffic more than 15 minutes a day, or have "manual phobia".

 

I have an 05 JCW. I have driven a modded 03 Cooper S, a stock 04 MCS, a stock 06 MCSa, and a stock MCcvt. It felt pretty sluggish to me, but worse than that was the WAY it felt. Mash the gas and the engine revs up, but nothing happens for half a beat. Eventually, it starts to gain speed. The transmission works like the one in a gas powered golf cart. It feels like it's slipping all the time.

I think my buddy's diesel Beetle (5 speed) would outrun a MCcvt. I prefer the MINI over the Beetle generally, but I'd take a diesel bug over a cvt.

Rawhyde