2007 MINI Drops Weight
We don’t have the English version of the official R56 specifications yet but with the help of Google translation services we were able to figure out this little nugget of information from the German release:
R56 MC: 2508lbs (EU Unladen Weight)
R56 MCS: 2651lbs (EU Unladen Weight)
Now compare that to the current generation MINI:
R50 MC: 1150kg/2530lbs (EU Unladen Weight)
R53 MCS: 1215kg/2672lbs (EU Unladen Weight)
That means there is 10kg/22lbs lost on both models.
You can download the entire spec sheet (in German) here.
We were right that there was going to be some weight savings, we just were incorrect on the final number. Of course we were also basing our information on US sources with US based information so we may yet see these numbers change slightly for the North American market.
Related:
[ Scoop: 2007 MCS to Drop over 180lbs ] MotoringFile
advantage: motoringfile. ; )
R56 Cooper (manual) <strong>181 lbs lighter</strong>
R56 Cooper (auto) <strong>49 lbs lighter</strong>
R56 Cooper S(manual) <strong>192 lbs lighter</strong>
R56 Cooper S (auto) <strong>72 lbs lighter </strong>
For me, the weight reduction of the R56 has been the most exciting change in the car. I’ve said before that it seems cars get heavier from generation to generation: compare the weights of the Honda Civic models over the years. For MINI to prove that a car doesn’t have to get heavier to be “safer” is truly astounding!!!! Well done, MINI!!!
Bring on the R55 (manual) that even with the extended wheel base weighs about as much as an R50/R53 (manual), and maybe even a little less (please MINI you can do it).
192 is a recurring number! 192 lbs. lighter and 192 ft lbs of torque in boost mode. Maybe $192 less MSRP?
I never doubted you for a second, Gabe. Well…No, not even for a second.
New owners will have to hire someone to sit on the car to keep it from floating away.
BMW should really consider a 4WD version of the MINI.
Sorry, but as far as I understand the German spec sheet ;-), the two weights are for “DIN” an “EU” and not for “manual” or “auto”-(matic).
The EU standard stands for the weight of the car plus 75kg for the driver.
The DIN weight rates without the driver´s weight.
The difference is in both cases (cooper and cooper S) 75 kg for the added driver´s weight. (In my case I have to get rid of 10kg to reach the EU laws 😉
To compare the right weight differences you first have to make shure that you compare the right standards…
I hope everyone understands what I tried to explain in my bloody english, but here´s so much “weight differences” EU laws, DIN laws, wich i hardly understand in german! 😉
Congrats on the scoop previously Gabe.. bad arse all around! The ’07 becomes more and more tempting… despite some design objections I have.
wonder where the savings came in?
i have three guesses:
1. engine may be lighter
2. runflats become an option therefore lowering the standard weight
3. standard wheels are lighter
anyone else have guesses? i bet you do.
oh yeah, one more thing… i’m not a fan of the center console but i will reserve judgement until i see the car in person. i wasn’t a fan of the “bangle’d” bmw until i saw them in person either.
What’s that sound coming from across the pond… wait, I think I can make it out… yes, that’s definitely the sound of crickets chirping. : )
Sorry. Couldn’t resist. All in love, mates. All in love.
Wait, you mean my GP is actually heavier. Damn!
Hey, me again,
update for my former post.
The EU weight includes a 90% filled up petrol tank, a driver with 68kg and luggage of 7kg.
summed up 75kg for driver and luggage.
the R53 cooper S weights in EU standard 1215kg
the R56 cooper S weights in EU standard 1205kg
So we have a loss of 10kg.
I don´t feel very good when disagreeing Gabe´s posts and would feel much better when Gabe is right.
But I don’t care how much gas is in the tank. I care about the empty weight plus the same amount of gas. What if the tank is 3 gallons bigger etc.?
I am glad BMW was able to shave my weight down to 75kg though.
Seems like the cars will all have to hit a scale to settle this in the end…
<em>Error at miniusa?</em>
It would appear that someone at MINIUSA made the same initial translation error comparing the bare weight (not the EU unladen weight) to the US unladen wieght. That seems to be the source of the original confusion.
Now that we have an apples to apples comparison (R56 EU unladen weight to R50/R53 EU unladen weight) there still seems to be good news here that there is weight savings at all. In today’s market where new models are expected to be bigger and heavier, losing any weight is still significant.
So does the EU standard for 68kg for a driver include the bratwurst and beers Hans and Franz wolfed down at lunch time?
Additionally, the petrol… do we know the specific weight per gallon as additives and the molecular makeup of the gas would vary between grades and age of fuel.
Cheekily yours
J
I agree, not gaining weight is a major accomplishment these days.
If the 2007 has about a 25 gallon tank we can still get the weight savings via the 90% full EU standard. Of course US regulations could have 100lbs more also.
Whoops, actually at 6.35 lbs gallon we will need almost 27 “additional” gallons to get back the 170lbs difference we just lost…
Is this without ANY options, IE: Sunroof, Nav, HID etc that add weight?
What’s an order of magnitude difference in weight reduction between friends? 😉 I suppose it is good news that it’s any lighter at all since cars have such a tendency to gain weight between generations.
Mark
to make the confusion about unladen weight perfect.
have a look at:
<a href="http://www.mini.de/de/de/new_mini_cooper_s/index.jsp?content=special.jsp" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.mini.de/de/de/new_mini_cooper_s/index.jsp?content=special.jsp</a> for the Cooper S
in the datasheet you can find there, the EU weight ist listed with 1130kg…..
now I´m totally confused and hope I´m not alone with that feeling.
Most important: the 07 MINI loses weight! But how much is another question! 😉
Sorry Gabe for all that confusion…. 😉
How much of the weight savings came from all the plastic on the dash and center console??
I predict Richard Simmons will be hosting a Dial-a-MINI weigh-in at a rally near you.
Alright, based on the spec sheet on today’s official New Mini page, the 22lb weight loss is confirmed (from 1215kg on current mini to 1205kg on new mini)
-Drew
At least others are making the same mistake. WIndingroad.com says 192lbs also, look here:
<a href="http://news.windingroad.com/?p=1071" rel="nofollow ugc">http://news.windingroad.com/?p=1071</a>
They probably just read it here at MotoringFile!
I was at the dealer tonight and he had a MINI letter from his regional rep that showed the weight of the US R56 at 2491lbs. He said he just got…
ive heard there is a 12 pound differnce…
The weight reduction doesn’t make up for the horrible styling of the redesign.