North American Motoring

Mini Cooper 2001-2006: Top 5 Performance Modifications

The modifications below are guaranteed to increase your Mini Cooper's horsepower. Read on to learn how to make your Mini faster.

By Bassem Girgis - May 25, 2016

This article applies to the 1st Gen Mini Cooper (2001-2006).

The Mini Cooper is designed to race around the corner, but some people can't help but feel it needs some more sport in it. Performance modifications are the best, especially the ones that you install and immediately feel an increase in power from. If you feel like your car needs a few extra horses under its hood, then this guide is for you. Read on to learn about the performance modifications you can upgrade your Mini Cooper with.

Performance Modifications

Cold Air Intake

DIY Cost – $180-300

Professional Cost – $300-600

Skill Level – Moderate; This job requires the removal of the old air box.

The cold air intake kits are designed to pull the cold air from the outside of the engine compartment and take it right into your warm engine, which increases performance. Most of the cold air intake kits don't have a cover on them, which works to be as least restrictive as possible. These kits are considered the most popular performance modification in any car, and the best part is that you can install one yourself. All cold air intake kits come with detailed how-to instructions so that you can have the kit installed within ninety minutes. There are more benefits to such a modification; not only do you get five or more extra horsepower when you install these kits, you'll also save some money on fuel, as it decreases your fuel consumption due to it being less restrictive. If you think this is all you get, think again; with a modification like this, you will add a nice new tone to the exhaust sound. Pairing this mod with a new exhaust system will result in a sound that will scream "aftermarket" whenever you step on the accelerator. This is the very first step in making your Mini Cooper faster. Recommended for those who desire the best bang for their buck and a new sound as a bonus.

Supercharger Pulleys

DIY Cost – $117

Professional Cost – $300-700

Skill Level – Moderate; This job requires removing the belt and pulleys to install the new ones.

Replacing your factory pulleys with supercharger ones can add up to twenty horsepower to your Mini Cooper. These aftermarket pulleys are designed from light weight aluminum and decrease the rotational inertia, which allows your engine to respond quickly to your throttle. There are different sizes to the pulleys you can upgrade to; the 15% reduction pulleys and the 17% reduction pulleys. The 15% reduction pulleys can add up to twenty horsepower to your engine which is considered smooth and safe. However, the 17% offers an aggressive upgrade, which gives you power without having to raise the RPM too high. You do need a special tool to remove and install the pulleys, so keep that in mind when purchasing the supercharger pulleys. If you want to add some boost to your Mini, consider the supercharger pulley upgrade. Recommended for those who have some automotive repair prior knowledge and know that this mod is just part of a bigger performance plan.

Exhaust Headers

DIY Cost – $200-400

Professional Cost – $600-1,000

Skill Level – Difficult; This job requires working in an extremely tight area.

Just like the air intake works to be less restrictive for the air going into the engine, the exhaust headers work to be less restrictive for the air going out of your engine. Your engine produces harmful gases that need to be pushed out of it quickly for operation. The faster the gases exit the engine, the faster the new air can enter. The aftermarket exhaust headers are designed to be less restrictive than the factory ones. This allows the gases to exit freely so that the gases don't get trapped, creating back pressure. This modification can improve your gas consumption, because freeing the gases exiting your engine makes your engine work less. The less your engine works, the less fuel it uses. The removal and installation of exhaust headers is not the easiest; however, doing some research and learning how to properly do it can save you a lot of money on labor. Recommended for the same crowd who will purchase the supercharger pulley as headers are part of a larger mod plan for bigger gains.

Cat-Back Exhaust

DIY Cost – $600-1,150

Pro Cost – $800-1,500

Skill Level – Moderate; This job requires working from under the car.

Cat-back exhausts are designed to free the engine's gases as smoothly as possible. This is considered an upgrade that you do after the headers, which allows the gases to continue flowing smoothly. These exhausts are designed from light weight stainless steel material, which takes some weight off of your car. The installation process is a breeze because these come specifically designed for your Mini Cooper. A lot of cat-back exhausts come with wider diameter tips than your stock exhaust, which allow the air and gases to flow out a lot easier. These exhausts will make your Mini Cooper sound vicious and add around twenty horsepower to the car. Another bonus is that once you add the exhaust with all your other intake-related mods, you'll save some serious money on fuel, since the engine is working a lot less. Recommended for those who not only want some extra power but also a throaty growl from their mighty Mini.

Turbo

DIY Cost – $1,300+

Pro Cost – $2,000+

Skill Level – Difficult; This job requires the replacement of various components.

Adding a turbo to your Mini Cooper is the ultimate performance modification. The turbo uses the exhaust gases to turn its air compressor, which force pushes extra air into the engine creating a boost. We can't say this modification can save you gas, but it doesn't necessarily cost you more. The turbo is loved by many; some love the intense boost this gives your engine while others love the hissing sound it produces when you step on the accelerator. Most just love the amount of horsepower it adds to your engine, which could be close to 100 hp! The big downfall is the cost of such a modification and the related work you will need to do to make sure the engine can handle all the new power. Recommended for those willing to spend over a thousand dollars to make their Mini perform head and shoulders above the rest.

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