I came off an 05 350Z and my 07 Mini S is everything I always wanted. Everything!

 

We have an R50, R53, and R56.

In terms of looks, the R50 wins hands down, the R53 and R56 are tied for second

In terms of performance, comfort, legroom, build quality, and mod potential, the R56 dominates.

I'm not sure about suspension comparisons yet. The R56 rides smoothly, but much too high. It's going to be on coilovers before it hits the track, so I don't have much seat time to compare the R56 OEM sport suspension setup to the R50 and R53.

 

[sarcasm]yeah the R53 & R56 are shockingly similar. I can see how they would be so similar that they would be in a tie[/sarcasm]

 

Well, you're certainly free to rank them in any order you see fit

The R50 bonnet lines are great, the R53 and R56 both look bulbous to me in comparison.

The R50 side repeaters are nice, the R53 are garish, and the R56 ones are comical.

What I can't figure out is how someone in the U.S. took a test drive in a 2008 R56 at a dealership? Aren't they still 2 months away from delivery of the '08 R56's to the US ?

 

Wow, I guess I do need to stop by my dealer on the way home next week and, like my SA's suggested, drive an R56 already. For the record, I love my R53 on many, many levels.

TJM

 

I agree - you do need to drive it. Drive the S if you've already got the S. The power of the car is impressive.

mb

 

Yea, I know...I probably should have just kept my thoughts to myself. I meant no disrespect to the car or to anyone who purchased the R56. My comparison was probably as unfair as they come.

 

Doesn't that suck when you're made to feel bad about your honest impressions/feelings?

I say keep them coming - we all respect your opinions (or at least we should).

mb

 

...well perhaps I should make an apples to apples comparison at some point soon. LynnEl's comments, as well as those of others who own the R56, are as valid as my impressions of the car...I should have compared two like setups, however.

Okay, onward! The mini R53 and R56, despite their imperfections, still handle better than anyother front driver avaiable today.

 

I'm going to refrain from giving my opinion here, lest it hurt the delicate feelings of those who cannot tolerate criticism of their cars..........

However, Meb, there is no way in hell you should apologize for giving your impressions of driving the car. Especially when they were done in a polite and respectful manner.

To the people who can't stomach someone else's differing opinion - how about staying out of the thread?

 

Good point - I tried to do that in a few threads, and I'm either really bad at it or there's just no pleasing anyone.

mb

 

I hope meb isn't apologizing for giving an opinion! This has been one of the better behaved threads about the different models.

We tested the R56 MCS and MCSa, but didn't try either the MC or MCa. We sold the R50 MCa so we'd both have MCS's for the track. I'm sure I'll get the chance to try one of the new MC's when we get a loner during service

 

I drove an 05 and 07 MCS back to back last weekend. It was my first time in the R53, second time in the R56.
I prefer the looks of the R53 every day of the week.

I drive a 4,000 pound S4 Wagon so both cars feel similar to in their smallness and driver involvement in a short test drive.
I thought the R56 steering wheel felt too heavy on center. I like weighted but it felt dead.
I liked the shifting action of the R56 better. The motors--I liked both and would be happy with either.
I found the R53 to really want to spin its front wheels when making a right turn from a stop. It wasn't as pronounced in the R56. It's strange coming from AWD where I can bludgeon the throttle and turn without any drama.

In the end, I'll most likely end up with a new R56 because the used R53s don't make much sense financially (yet) for how I want to spec the car. If the right R53 comes around, I'd be thrilled to get one because they are so fun to look at whereas the R56 looks like the ugly overweight sibling.

 

I had to relearn throttle application, even with the LSD....I came from a turbo Subaru

 

For those of us who have been here a long while modding cars, mebs opinions matter, apples to apples or not. Thanks for your insights. Keep them coming. Screw those that don't want to go there (here?). they don't have to read or to post (yet they still do...) oh well.

Matt

 

Thnx Doc!

wolfgang80...I felt the steering was super light! But, I was driving a non-S. And tires make a big difference as well as offset.

I drove an RS6 back from Lime Rock a few months ago. What a beast. I loved the car right up until I gave it too much throttle in the middle of a wide, four lane country hairpin...the car four wheel drifted across both lanes and into the on-coming lane where we found an unmarked state police car pointing at us. He never gave chase??? Big things take more to get going, but when they do, they keep going But what a beast!!!

 

I test drove an '05 and found it very uncomfortable...much the same as a low end Toyota. Definitely prefer the comfort of the '07, but I did prefer the curvy dash of the older models.

 

See now you call the R53 a low end Toyota, and nothing...but if I were to call the R56 a couch on wheels pretending to be a Mini even though it's much the same as a late 80s Buick, I bet people would get angry!

Joking aside, I think your assessment of the "uncomfortable" R53 is one that many people will have.

mb

 

Not so much. I've driven one and aside from a spongier ride and a cheap looking interior I thought it had a lot of extra machine noise under the hood. I'm sticking with my R52 until it dies.

 

Both the R53 and R56 are great cars but it is like comparing apples to oranges. The R53 is a MINI (aka as a legal go-kart). The R56 is an inexpensive BMW, not that there is anything wrong with that!

 

Now I really want to drive an R56...
The interior is on the ghastly side, however.

IN MY OPINION!!!!!!

 

It does grow on ya, I think. Thing is, there are so many little differences that initially look crazy, but over time you get to process all the little benefits here and there. In light of that, it all starts to make sense...and then you actually start to love the whole thing!!! That's how I see it.

Let's face it, lots of folks used to (and many still do) criticize the earlier MINI interior, but we who motor in MINIs every day love it. Same w/ R56...it gets to where the interior is a delight...that coming from my '03 R50.

In a way it's been harder for the next generation MINI as so many folks had firmly fixed in their minds (as MINI owners tend to do) every nuance of what was known to be a proper MINI interior. R56 really redefined that to some extent, and while it weirded many of us out...in the end it's simply another version of a proper MINI interior. If you motor in one every day this becomes very clear as the functional pluses present themselves.

 

Well there are two sides to everything...

I have a R56 MCS. The other day I went to the dealers and they gave me a loner 2006 R53 MC. I was unimpressed myself. The interior I thought was not as thought out and there are lots of little things that I didn't like. The car still handled decent but was a dog and grossly underpowered. I never would have considered a MINI if that was the first one I drove... Soooo I like the phrase "to each his own" because that is really the case when it comes to our MINI's.


motor on

 

Did you drive a Cooper (R50) or Cooper S (r53)? BIG Difference!

Go and drive a 2006 R53 S and then go back and talk to me. Compare Apples to Apples, not oranges to mangos

 

LOL