Top Gear Magazine Drive the 2007 MCS

Sections: In the Press | R56 (Hatch) Nov 20th, 2006 17 Comments

What sets this review apart from all the others we’ve read recently is the fact that they were able to directly compare the R56 to a late model R53 during the test. It makes for a fascinating read for those of us who own the previous generation MINI. Here are a couple excerpts:

Both cars rack through the gears with bouncy efficiency, the new Mini feeling so strong right the way to the 7,500rpm redline that the old engine starts to feel a bit grumpy by comparison.

In fact, the new car feels like it has a good 20bhp over the old because it’s sweeter to rev and is capable of a short-term ‘overboost’ when you really stand on the throttle, bumping the 177lb ft of torque on offer to 192lb ft. It makes a big difference on a tight and twisty road.

Luckily, the noise of the new car changes when you’re on the move. You lose the ‘charger whine from the old car, but that allows you to listen more keenly to the woofling of the exhaust and the pops and grumbles that it produces on the overrun. The old car’s engine feels just as characterful as it ever did, and produces great results (as well as the same pops and bangs), but again, it just feels half a generation behind in terms of technology and driveability.

…The new Mini rides and handles superbly, soaking up both small and long amplitude bumps and lumps like a car with twice the wheelbase, even with the sports suspension fitted to our test car. The engineers have lengthened the suspension travel to help mitigate the harsh excesses of the run-flat tyres, and, by God, it’s worked.

You can read the entire article (including the interesting conclusion) below:

[ Tail of two Minis ] Top Gear

Written By: Gabe

Johnny T

Wow…my MA told me this morning that the new miniusa site would be up this week…I cannot wait to drive this car!
MINI Fireman

But there’s a part of me that drives the old Cooper S and thinks that a little bit of the old-school attitude has been sacrificed on the altar of empirical improvement.

I plan on keeping my rough around the edges 2006 for a long time. Long live the R53. A new “classic” MINI in the tradition of the original.
MINI Fireman

Gabe,

How about asking Frank Stephenson for a design analysis of the R56? Unlikely, I realize. But I had to ask.
http://vinreddy.blogspot.com vin.

This month’s US copy of EVO has a nice comparison test of the R56 and the Renaultsport Clio 197.

vin.
GZ

Top Gear is great. I saw an 2005 MCS review on their TV show and they gave it the highest possible “cool” rating (Aston Martin got a “sub-zero” cool rating).
http://www.motoringfile.com/ Gabe

This monthÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s US copy of EVO has a nice comparison test of the R56 and the Renaultsport Clio 197.

Yeah that was going to be posted for tomorrow but we’ve had to push it back a bit.
nervous

I’d love to see a side by side of a R53 w/JCW suspension vs. a R56. From personal experience, the ride quality of my ’06 w/JCW suspension is night & day different from my ’03 w/o JCW suspension
Jim

That is a very good artical. I am glad to see that someone else likes the 205′s on the wheels. I am waiting until the Dealer here in CO. gets one of the R56′s for a demo, so that I can do my own side by side runs.
O(=^=)O Capn

Nervous, do you like it better with or without the JCW suspension? why?
AlwaysOpenCharlie05

By “highest possible” do you mean above or below zero on the number line??

Just for clarification… :o)
GZ

They meant best level of cool. The A.M. was so cool it received it’s own catagory. They were big on the MCS though.
Andrew

But there’s a part of me that drives the old Cooper S and thinks that a little bit of the old-school attitude has been sacrificed on the altar of empirical improvement.

Dare I say it but perhaps this is one of the bad things to come out of BMW having full control over the engineering this time around – it’s lost some of its British character in favour of ruthless German efficiency.

They meant best level of cool. The A.M. was so cool it received itÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s own catagory. They were big on the MCS though.

Actually, the MINI Cooper S shares the sub zero category with the Aston and a couple of other cars ;)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/coolwall.shtml
nervous

O(=^=)O Capn, the JCW suspension on my ’06 S is phenomenal. I was a little hesitant to get it, fearing for an even harsher ride, but given MF review I went ahead with it. Surprisingly, the ride is actually a lot smoother (familiar rough roads are no longer as jarring) – not to mention the fact that handling response is even better than my ’03 sport suspension (roundabouts are laughable). Given the info acquired from this site, I wouldn’t be surprised if the R56 Sport suspension is on par with the R53 JCW suspension.
nervous

O(=^=)O Capn, the JCW suspension on my ’06 S is phenomenal. I was a little hesitant to get it, fearing for an even harsher ride, but given MF review I went ahead with it. Surprisingly, the ride is actually a lot smoother (familiar rough roads are no longer as jarring) – not to mention the fact that handling response is even better than my ’03 sport suspension (roundabouts are laughable). Given the info acquired from this site, I wouldn’t be surprised if the R56 Sport suspension is on par with the R53 JCW suspension.
Ian F

Interesting… Their conclusion reads a lot like a comparison between the E30 & E36 M3s or the E36 vs E46… and to this day there are loyal fans of each that dislike the newer more capable, but “less soulful” version(s)…

Looks like the MINI will follow in these footsteps.
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