MINI to Drop Mechanical Limited Slip for 2010
With the introduction of Electronic Differential Lock Control standard on all JCW cars and optional on the Cooper S, MINI has decided it’s now time to drop the old fashioned mechanical limited slip differential as as option for the 2010 model year (commencing in early September). LSD was first introduced on the car at the start of 2005 and has continued on as a must have option for the enthusiast oriented MINI owner. However with ELDC MINI claims to do more and weigh less than the LSD unit that comes attached to the manual transmission of a Cooper S.
Beyond weight, cost and mechnical complexity, MINI engineers found issues with LSD on the high torque engines of the JCW and JCW engine kit. Specifically due to the high amount of torque, LSD causes the car to engage too quickly causing what’s been referred to as “anti-torque steerâ€. Torque steer is something that usually causes the steering to pull to one side under hard acceleration.
With DSC fully deactivated and the car’s Electronic Differential Lock Control (EDLC) engaged, the system also has an impressive poise in putting this power down to the pavement. While a mechanical limited slip may have more feel, EDLC proved in testing to be incredibly capable in very aggressive driving (unfortunately we didn’t have a chance to test our press car on the track) and its ability to do its job almost transparently was impressive.
In our tests we found the ELDC to perform surprisingly well in most cases. The system electronically slows the spinning inside wheel to enhance grip and ensure that all available power is transferred to the road through the wheel with greatest traction. In contrast to the way DSC and DTC manage power delivery to the wheels, EDLC does not intervene with the loss of engine power, meaning the driver has more control.
However the EDLC is different enough from the feel of a traditional LSD that some might miss the mechanical quality of the latter. Limited Slip always had a feel of pulling and shooting you out of corners in a satisfying way. Think of EDLC as an F1 style traction control (before it was banned) in the way it manages power back and forth between the front wheels with such speed and intelligence that its almost mind boggling. Combined with the new DTC (an exclusive Dynamic Traction Control system) a MINI equipped with the system (especially a JCW) manages its power as effectively as possible considering its stock suspension set-up.
While it’s sad to see the option go, it’s not entirely unexpected. One less option, less weight, less cost, and less mechanical complexity certainly made the decision ultimately an easy one for the powers that be at MINI.
<p>Only two words come to mind: mother f#@&er.</p>
<p>Gabe, what is the source for this story? (Not that I don’t beleive you.)</p>
<p>I don’t know that I’ll be ready to order before the model year changeover, but I guess that makes the decision to step up to a JCW waaaaay easier. I would actually bypass the JCW specifically for the LSD. (Am I nuts?)</p>
<p>Off the the MINI USA JCW configurator….</p>
<p>I’m curious to hear what owners of the new EDLC have to say about it. I can’t stand the way my ’07 pulls so severely from side to side under heavy accelleration. I love my Limited Slip, but if this new system is as good as claimed, and add that to the new, re-vamped interior, I might consider trading up to the mid-cycle refresh.</p>
<p>Hmph. Technology marches on.</p>
<p>“One less option, less weight, less cost, and less mechanical complexity certainly made the decision ultimately an easy one for the powers that be at MINI.”</p>
<p>is it really less cost and less complexity when the electronics are factored in…?</p>
<p>Automobiles will drive themselves soon and make cars like the MINI obsolete. Some of us still enjoy driving! While I do not doubt that electronics can undoubtedly sense and make changes faster than the combination of the human brain and a mechanical device, I have to wonder if we are truly making “progress” in terms of improving the driving experience…</p>
<p>From what I know, current BMW owners with the EDLC are less happy with it.</p>
<p>The MINI might be evolving according to the marketing department, but not from the driver’s perspective.
Bring back the good ol’ days.</p>
<p>I wonder if ELDC will be a $500 option like the LSD was. If MINI touts the change as reduced cost, hopefully that cost will be passed to the customer.</p>
<p>So when do we start the “bring back proper LSD” campaign???</p>
<p>I’ll stay with my Quaife, thank you very much. This reminds me of when they decided to add an auto transmission option for the S. Brand dilution marches on… Not much MINI left in there anymore.</p>
<blockquote> If MINI touts the change as reduced cost, hopefully that cost will be passed to the customer.</blockquote>
<p>Ha, haa, haaa, haaaa, haaaaaaaa. That’s too funny.</p>
<p>I have had my JCW Factory Car since 7/24/09 and track it often at seven different tracks. The ELDC is effective in transfering power to the ground with little noticeable torque steer, but with serious brake fade caused by the ELSD working the brakes hard on technical tracks. Brake wear is severe and the track pads become wedge shaped. I may have to switch to some after market brake calipers that are up to the task of handling both braking and traction management. I think that the factory brakes should be able to handle these jobs since this is the high performance version of the MINI!</p>
<p>Excellent point Spokane Mini.</p>
p>@eto</p
<p>Yes, EDLC is a $500 option. It is included as part of the DTC option, which you can get for $500 or as part of the Sport Package on a Cooper S.</p>
<p>if you do so and sell your JCW brakes i’ll buy them from u :P</p>
<p>Spokane mini, why are the track pads becoming wedge shaped? Pads should wear parallel to the backing plate even with hard wear or am I missing something?</p>
<p>This system should come with brake ducts standard. Also, the make or break of these systems is the programming. There are great traction control systems, but as we all know that one in the Mini is far from the best. If the programming in this system is good, it will be faster and more controllable than a mechanical system. If the programming is poor, then it will suck for all involved.</p>
<p>Matt</p>
<p>I like the LSD in my GP, I’ll stick to that thanks.</p>
<p>Bummer. I was hoping that with the revised interior for 2010, the MINI would be perfected. I’d rather have the old interior and a proper LSD for the reason explained above. Braking a spinning wheel for the sake of traction is fine for, say, driving on a wet road. It is not for sporting intentions regardless of how the marketing department spins it, and bigger, heavier brakes are certainly not the solution. There is nothing new about traction control using braking to slow a spinning wheel; BMW touted it at the X5 introduction a decade ago.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Gabe, what is the source for this story? (Not that I don’t beleive you.)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Ha – people have been asking that for years. No chance.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>is it really less cost and less complexity when the electronics are factored in…?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Yes, it’s basically just programming and some small modules when it comes down to it.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I wonder if ELDC will be a $500 option like the LSD was. If MINI touts the change as reduced cost, hopefully that cost will be passed to the customer.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It’s an option now.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The ELDC is effective in transfering power to the ground with little noticeable torque steer, but with serious brake fade caused by the ELSD working the brakes hard on technical tracks.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Yes – a serious issue for track days. BTW my pads have always worn like that.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This system should come with brake ducts standard.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>At least the JCW (with the JCW aerokit)</p>
<p>Call me old or old school but I will take the mechanical system more times than not when given a choice.</p>
<p>I am a bit naive and frankly do not know when the EDLC is functioning in my R55 S. All I know is the other night at 3am I accelerated a bit too abruptly while in sport mode and went flying to the right across four lanes of traffic. White knucks indeed. The torque steer on these turbos is insane compared to my old R52 S.</p>
<p>So if the ELDC is an option, you could still go with an aftermarket LSD right?</p>
<p>My R53 has only 16,000 miles, most of those are on the track, so I’m in no hurry to get rid of it, but one of these days I’d like to get another MINI. I’ve seen the ELDC on the track on both the MINI and the 1 series, and that’s a route I definitely don’t want to go for the reasons mentioned above. It’s great for everyday driving though.</p>
<p>Spokane, did you have R-comps on your car? If you really want to see the ELDC light up the brake pads, throw some racing tires on….</p>
<blockquote>
<p>So if the ELDC is an option, you could still go with an aftermarket LSD right?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Yes but I wonder how that would screw with the programming of the ELDC?</p>
<p>I have had MINI engineers (who have tracked the car thoroughly at the ‘Ring) vehemently tell me that the ELDC is vastly superior. Personally I don’t have enough track time to give a real opinion but the brake wear issue would be hard to overcome.</p>
<p>too bad the ‘anti-torque steer’ just doesn’t cancel out the torque steer.</p>
<p>my ’06 jcw can act quirky under hard accel, but i chalked that up to being a FWD car.</p>
<p>@<a href="#comment-264111" rel="nofollow">Fillip Saraiva</a>: To be clear, the DTC/ELDC is part of the Sport Package on S AND non-S Coopers.</p>
<p>It is my understanding that F1 traction control systems worked primarily by retarding the spark or cutting fuel (thus the staccato “misfire” sound of such systems), not by applying the brakes to the inside wheel to reduce wheelspin as MINI’s EDLC system does, similar to VW’s new electronic limited slip. Therefore it seems somewhat of a hard sell to me to call MINI’s EDLC F1 like.</p>
<p>In this regard, the adjustable TC availble in Lotus Elise / Exige / 2Eleven’s is much more F1 like.</p>
<p>So I guess for those of you who plan to take your 2010+ MINIs to the track, explicitly do not spec EDLC and install a $2000+ (with installation) mechanical LSD like a Quaife instead. Impressive cost savings indeed.</p>
<p>What additional weight are they talking about? LSD is instead of the stock open differential. I guess weight difference between the two is miserable.</p>
<p>EDLC is way better than the mechanical LSD. For a start, it’s infinitely variable from 0% to 50%, whereas the mechanical one was a fixed 30%. Secondly, is actually reduces torque steer to much less noticeable levels, while the mechanical one did next to nothing. Thirdly, it can be ordered on any model or version of MINI, as it is part of the optional DTC system, costing a mere €162 here in Europe. Now that DSC comes as standard on all versions, adding an LSD has never been cheaper. Not that you need it on a 75 bhp MINI One, but at least the option’s there.</p>
<p>A good thing, IMHO.</p>
<p>K, for everyday driving, which is admittedly what the majority of MINI’s see, you’re absolutely correct. For the track, not so much….</p>
<p>@cct1: I agree entirely. You want a decent LSD, get a Quaife, but MINI will never fit anything that drastic from factory. At the end of the day it’s a road car – even the JCW suspension is set up for everday use, and gets nowhere near the Challenge setup.</p>
<p>The EDLC is also fine for the odd trackday. Anyone who wants to spend 50-odd grand on a MINI track car should just get a Challenge and be done with it!</p>
<p>@<a href="#comment-264123" rel="nofollow">Leigh</a>: The Motoersports Company that does the work on my JCW Factory Car says that caliper deflection is causing the wedge shape wear on the pads. I run Toyo 888 235/40/17 R compound tires on the track.</p>
<p>Can some one tell me how to get more bite out of the LSD in a JCW.
Cheers</p>
<p>I’m just so sad. I had a dream: an R56, no sun roof, LSD, anthracite headliner, suede steering wheel, etc, etc…now i just feel like there’s no reason to live. the absence of the LSD just makes it all seem a little less exciting.</p>