Ask MF: Which Suspension for the R56?

Sections: Ask MotoringFile | R56 (Hatch) Mar 19th, 2007 29 Comments

This question comes from Dave:

I’m ordering my R56 MCS this week and have the car completely finalized except for one thing: which suspension should I get?. I’ll be driving the car mostly in an urban environment with (hopefully) a track day at some point. I want a car that is aggressive but I don’t want something completely teeth rattling.

We’ve had this question asked quite a bit in the last few months. But until recently I hadn’t had a chance to drive both the Sport Suspension and regular suspension back to back. The short answer: get the Sport Suspension. Don’t even think about it. Don’t question it. Don’t ask other owners. Don’t even worry about the $500. It’ll be the best money you spend on the car next to the LSD (which I hope you’re getting as well).

The Sport Suspension does what the SS+ on the R53 could never do – create an aggressive handling MINI without completely sacrificing comfort. It eggs you on in corners, constantly persuading you to push harder. Yet on the highway or over rough roads it’s not as tiring as the standard SS+ from the previous MINI.

It may have a hint of more body roll in corners than the old SS+ but it’s much more composed over broken pavement. Where the SS+ gets easily flustered on rough roads, the R56′s Sport Suspension seems confident and allows power down much more effeciently. And perhaps most importantly I never once found myself cringing as I was going over a pothole. That’s a 100% reduction in cringe factor over the R53′s SS+.

Written By: Gabe

mike c.

Follow-up question. I’ve ordered my R56 with LSD, but didn’t get the SS+ due to the past MINIs rougher ride with the Sport Suspension. Now that there is such an improvement, what are the items I’ll have to add aftermarket to achieve the SS+, and what will it cost.
scott

What’s the size of the standard rear sway bar on the r56 S ?(17mm?)
Tom

Hey, the answer is yes to getting the Sport Suspension. I drove to Hot Springs, AR this weekend in a 2007 MCS 6-speed with Sport Suspension and not only were the local streets not perfect but the highways are not good as well and the suspension was great. This 07 MCS also had the upgraded 17″ Web-Spoke Run-Flat Tires and it still gave good “ease” over potholes and bumps. Still keeping excellent turning when needed.
http://www.myminiparts.com Pete

The standard rear bar on the R56 MCS is 17mm. The Sport is 18mm.
http://blog.kurtcollins.com Kurt Collins

I have the sports suspension… love it.. combined with the LSD it’s an unbeatable compromise for the city dweller that wants a tighter suspension but doesn’t want to be beat up by an aftermarket suspension.
Mr. Miagawi

Sure, I read this AFTER I decided against it based on my MA and others’ advice. Darn it. Now it’s well past too late.

By way of self-comfort, I’m sure the standard won’t be BAD, especially since I’m not planning to be the most aggressive of drivers. Gotta be better than my Honda Civic, right? Right?!?
rkw

One reason to not get sports suspension is if you already plan to install aftermarket suspension mods. If you get a larger sway bar and lower the car, or optimize for track/autocross, you’d only end up replacing the components that you get with the sports suspension.
gabriel

So just to clarify, the R56 Cooper and Cooper S have the same standard suspension and the Sport Suspension upgrade is identical as well, right?

-G
Bilbo Baggins

Thanks, Gabe. Great review as always. Well done!

This is the sort of review that I had been looking for about the new Sport Suspension.

I just hope that people will continue to dodge those potholes or we will start to see more bent rims. Even if it doesn’t shake out their fillings.
http://inomis.com iNomis

Gabe’s review makes me wish test driving was an option I had before ordering my car, sounds like I may have wanted this option.

But I recommend: If you want maximum comfort, get the standard suspension and the smallest standard wheel size. If you want all out performance, get the standard suspension and buy some aftermarket parts. Anything else, test drive both the standard and Sport Suspension options with as many size wheels as are available.

Gabe, you also recommend the 17″ wheels/tires without reservations?
Brendan

I’ve driven cars with both. Now my personal preference is to get the sport suspension definitely. I still think suspension is a very subjective personal preference type of thing. I recommend doing whatever it takes to drive both before ordering. The reviewer may not have the same mind set you do, or demands more from his car.
mini vanilli

my R56 MCS is on order now. ill have it in april. i actually never even thought of getting the sport suspension on any car, especially one that handles and corners like the MINI (this will be my 3rd MINI). is it really THAT good??!! seriously, i can take corners (city, freeway) at almost full speed already. and the MINI has hardly any body roll stock. is this option really that good that someone who doesnt track their car would consider it a must have?
GZ

This is a great idea to have Q&A for people ordering the R56. I drove MCSs with and w/o the sport suspension. I agree it’s the first and best option to get followed by 17″/18″ wheels and interior chrome.

What I need to know is how different color combinations look in person as the configurator doesn’t quite cut it. I want the black LL seats and white color line/piano and black headliner. Other than black or white what exterior would that look good in?

Any JCW news??
robble

my R56 MCS is on order now. ill have it in april.seriously, i can take corners (city, freeway) at almost full speed already. and the MINI has hardly any body roll stock.

you have an r53 right now. The new suspension is considerably softer and there is some body roll. It still handles great.

It depends on what you want – max comfort or best cornering (from factory).
scott

Wouldn’t the Alta 19mm adjustable rear sway bar(for only $190) upgrade be as good, if not better??
robble

scott Mar 20th, 2007 Link WouldnÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t the Alta 19mm adjustable rear sway bar(for only $190) upgrade be as good, if not better??

Depends on what you are looking for. the SS+ upgrade also give you stiffer springs.
http://www.motoringfile.com/ Gabe

But I recommend: If you want maximum comfort, get the standard suspension and the smallest standard wheel size. If you want all out performance, get the standard suspension and buy some aftermarket parts. Anything else, test drive both the standard and Sport Suspension options with as many size wheels as are available.

Couldn’t agree more.

Gabe, you also recommend the 17ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â³ wheels/tires without reservations?

Yes. I’d definitely recommend 17″ or 18″ wheels on the R56 if you like the look. My personal preference would be towards lightweight aftermarket 18″s :)
Rob Livesey

I’ve read that the choice of suspension, wheel size and even brand and compound of the tyre can have a profound impact on the feel of the steering, which some say lacks the feel of the previous generation.
LL

I ordered mine with both of those options (LSD & SS+). I wasn’t sure about the SS+ until I drove my car when it finally came. For the cornering performance it provides, I think it is well worth the slightly rougher ride.

I traded in my Honda Civic Si for the R56 — in my opinion, the ride on the R56 with SS+ is surprisingly good. Yes, you’ll feel the potholes and the rough edges of the road, but it’s very much controlled and not at all unpleasant. I bet much of the rough edges of the road will be smoothed out once I move to non-runflat tires (not to mention even better cornering performance!)
scott

Gabe, just ordered an R56 S, but without that $500 sport suspension option(just 1mm bigger sway bars?), would you recommend the 19mm Alta rear bar? And if so, how much of an effect does it really have?
http://www.motoringfile.com/ Gabe

Gabe, just ordered an R56 S, but without that $500 sport suspension option(just 1mm bigger sway bars?), would you recommend the 19mm Alta rear bar? And if so, how much of an effect does it really have?

Actually the sport suspension gives you both a thicker rear sway bar and more aggressive springs The effect (as written about above) is well worth the $500 if you’re not going aftermarket.
http://www.motoringfile.com/ Gabe
For semantics sake here are MINI’s available suspensions over the years:

The R50/R53 had three factory suspensions:
- standard (n/a in the US market)
- sport
- sport plus (standard on the MCS)
JCW suspension is a dealer accessory available for both the R50/R53

The R56 has two factory suspensions:
- standard (standard across the R56 range)
- sport (optional across the R56 range)
JCW suspension is a dealer accessory available for the R56

The Sport Suspension on the R50/R53 roughly translates as the Standard Suspension on the R56. The Sport Suspension Plus on the R50/R53 roughly translates as the the Sports Suspension on the R56.
scott

When the JCW suspension for the R56 S comes out, most likely gonna get it. But just to get an idea on the affect it will have, can anyone explain the effects of the JCW suspension on the R53 S as compared to stock.
GZ

Gabe. Are you saying there is a JCW suspension availabe NOW for R56? How much? How does it compare to SS+?
http://www.motoringfile.com/ Gabe

Gabe. Are you saying there is a JCW suspension availabe NOW for R56?

Yes – later this spring.

How much?

Talk to your dealer in a few months – they’ll have info then.

How does it compare to SS+?

SS+ was only available on the R50/R53 (previous Cooper/Cooper S. The current R56 has an optional SS or sport suspension. How does it compare? JCW isn’t out yet so I have no idea unfortunately.
nate

wooo cant wait to get my r56… laser blue cooper s w/ premium package, hi fi soundsystem + white stripes… but its most likely going to be auto =S..
Mark

All this talk promoting the SS+ makes the standard suspension sound inadequate. The standard suspension is an awesome combination of a bit more comfort with a bit less sport (this coming from a guy that has owned a 2002 MCS and a 2005 MCS, currently driving a 2006 MC with the JCW Sound Kit). If most people are like me, they plan to do most of their driving on regular roads (not on a closed-corse racetrack). That is where the standard suspension would be a benefit. Keep in mind that you will be driving the car behind a Honda Accord more often than behind a pace car (although the Accord can feel like your pace car at times)
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Soner

I would not get the SS since I think it is too harsh for daily driving. I never track or abuse my cars. However, I am definitly a big fan of 17″ alloys. So my combo would be Standard Suspension with 17″ alloys.

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