Canadian Driver reviews the R56
Our neighbours to the north got some wheel time behind the R56 in Spain.
>After a few days behind the wheel of the Competition Edition, I’m at a loss to suggest ways to improve the way the current Mini drives, save for its brittle, almost punishing ride on the standard run-flat tires. Nevertheless, there are changes afoot. Mini project manager Uwe Gaediecke told Car magazine in the UK that the goal was to mature the car, make it “better educated”. “You don’t have to drive it in an active way all the time,” he said.
>Thanks to a slightly more grown-up chassis set-up and larger standard tires, the overall effect adds up to a lot more comfort and stability in both the base Cooper and the Cooper S – all seemingly without much of a reduction in driving pleasure when you’re really booting along. The front McPherson struts and lightweight rear suspension – it’s simpler than the old Z-axle set-up, but not the rumoured torsion bar – has also brought about a major improvement in ride quality and body control at high speed, two shortcomings of the current car that will remain on sale until next spring.
The reviewer recently spent some time with the Canadian Competition Edition MINI and this review refects that.
Thanks for MF Reader Ken for sending this in
[ First Drive – 2007 MINI Cooper/MINI Cooper S ] Canadiandriver.com
Related
[ Canadian only JCW Competition Package Debuts ] Motoringfile
John Cooper Works Competition Edition? 208 HP? 2007 MCS review? Is this guy ill informed or did I miss something
Everytime the author uses the term “Competition Edition”, substitute ” ’06 JCW GP “.
Did he actually sit in the back seat? I did and it’s very tight.
>John Cooper Works Competition Edition? 208 HP? 2007 MCS review? Is this guy ill informed or did I miss something
That’s what the Canadian market got instead of the GP, whose bumpers weren’t tested to comply with Canadian standards.
Seems ill informed overall. the car was lengthed for a bigger backseat and bigger boot- not true. the front seats are slimmer to allow more rear leg room.
boot storage is the same
The R56 sounds more and more like a VW Rabbit. Too bad MINI has decided to water down the overall demeanor of the car.
<blockquote>The R56 sounds more and more like a VW Rabbit. Too bad MINI has decided to water down the overall demeanor of the car.</blockquote>
I think that lack of “education” is what gives the 1st Gen MINI its character. It sounds like BMW is trying to make the MINI just another part of the BMW product line. All the signs are there.
Pretty good review. Saying Valvetronic is on the S was a more serious mistake. R56 does have more trunk space.
Gabe, DB… Do you know when MINI USA configurator debuts in December? Dec. 1st? Mid? End?… I can’t wait to wast hours creating my future Mini
Did this guy actually drive an R56… or just read and repeat what someone else passed along?
It gives the impression the author wrote the article with the BMW press release in front of him and a handfult of press shots.
Hardly a “first drive”.
FrankinMiami(nice place for a MCSC). Way do you feel the MCS has been “watered down”? Everything I’ve read says faster and better handling. I even like the interior now that we seen some decent photos.
Horsepower up to 175 from 163…
Why does it seem most reviews have false info in them somewhere?