Opinion: Bring on the Automatic MINI
We’re huge fans of the manual transmission here at MF. So much so that your author has only ever had one automatic MINI out of eight owned (and that one wasn’t even an intentional choice. And now comes news that MINI is reducing the amount of automatics offered in the US and making the JCW Clubman, Countryman and GP all automatic only. We should be leading the charge with the pitchforks but there’s something about this news that seems genuinely exciting to us.
If you’ve driven the current JCW Clubman or Countryman in 8 speed sport auto form you’ll know what we’re hinting at. They’re genuinely good cars. We know, we had one for an automatic JCW Clubman for a year and loved it. While we might like our current manual JCW Countryman a fraction more, the auto was effortlessly quick and surprisingly responsive in manual mode. And it turns out that was just the start.
Beginning with 2020 models (which begin production in July), MINI will be adding 73 hp to the JCW Clubman and Countryman and offering them only with a further revised 8 speed Aisin automatic. Performance is dramatically improved with the JCW Clubman now doing 0-60 in 4.9 seconds (over a second faster than before). And then there’s the JCW GP coming next year with that same 301 hp engine with one major change – all that power is going through the front wheels. A quick, paddle shifting race car for the street sounds interesting to us and likely to a few of you.
While manuals will still be the standard transmission on most MINIs (including the iconic hatch), a DCT semi-automatic transmission is now optional. While we at MF would all likely opt for the Getrag manual on an F56 (which coincidentally is noticeably better than the old Aisin manual in the 2019 JCW Clubman and Countryman) replacing the adequate six speed automatic with a new dual clutch semi-automatic seems like a great step forward.
Gone is the time that manuals represented the logical choice for performance and efficiency. Now it’s the emotional choice. Given that MINI’s are an emotional choice themselves in a sea of crossovers, it’s not a coincidence that they have industry leading manual take-rates. But economic pressures are catching up to the brand – especially in the US. While manuals aren’t going away any time soon for the brand (especially in the hatch), we as MINI enthusiasts might be served well by embracing this new breed of automatic MINIs. It’s hard to hear for some (and I can’t believe I’m saying it myself), but this new breed of performance oriented automatic MINIs might be more interesting (and fun) than most of us expect.
<p>Even a great automatic with paddle shifting does not emulate the concentration, skill, and joy that a manual transmission brings. I still think that this is a terrible mistake for MINI to make. Kill the manual on the vehicles with the lowest take rate, don’t alienate the faithful fans by killing the manual in the vehicles that had the highest take rate. I feel like many auto manufacturers are still confused by the fact the the manual transmission hasn’t been the “economical” choice for consumers for a long time. They are helping with the death of the manual by only offering it on low-spec trim levels and the most basic body styles.</p>
<p>Whole heartedly agree. I test drove an auto Clubman JCW and felt disconnected from the car, it was no longer as much fun. Ordered a manual and love it!</p>
<p>I bet an automatic box afficionado would hate the manual transmission after a short test drive, so what…</p>
<p>Regarding all the negativity around an the auto box, you would have a point if it was say, 6 years ago in a lower powered car. Technology has moved on a great deal in a short period of time. I find even the 6 speed auto in the F56 JCW Mini, fast, smooth and responsive and fun. What really disconnects me from the car and the daily experience of driving it, is not the transmission, but traffic on most times of the day, poor road surfaces and speed cameras and speed calming measures such as the humps in the road!</p>
<p>Choice is the issue here. Yes, different buyers will have different preferences. MINI is taking away that choice from the buyer.</p>
<p>That’s unfortunate. VW has a manual take rate of 44% on the Golf R, which is a direct competitor on the updated JCW Clubman. So if VW figured it out, maybe BMW / MINI can do the same.</p>
<p>Unfortunately VW also has a scale that allows them to invest more money in options. BMW is a small manufacturer and is caught in a tough spot. They want to (and usually do) have a superior product but often don’t have the resources to offer a broad range of drivetrain options.</p>
<p>Don’t get me wrong if MINI offered a Getrag in the JCW Clubman is would be my pick of the entire line-up. Unfortunately they offer the inferior Aisin manual and the experience is less than satisfying as it should be. Sort of a side note but having had a KCW Clubman auto and now a JCW Countryman manual I’m really interested in how the new auto will feel and perform.</p>
<p>I’m with you on the virtues of the automatic on the heavier UKL2 models, but offering a choice was never an issue until now.</p>
<p>Well actually from 2002-2004 there was only one transmission option on the Cooper S. They were 100% manual. My how times have changed.</p>
<p>On May 29, I traded in my manual 2016 base model 2-door for a 2019 Cooper S with a manual. After owning nothing but automatics up until 2015, I can say that as long as the manual remains available for a Mini I’ll be buying. Every loaner Mini I’ve had was an automatic–one of them I had for 4 days. Maybe not a full scientific survey, but I can say that an automatic Mini, to me, is…fine. I have nothing bad to say about them, only that it’s personal preference for me to stick with a manual. I feel lucky to have found a 2019 manual–reading all the news about delays had me more than a little worried.</p>
<p>Just built a base Cooper 2-door hatchback on the new configurator and the only transmission they show is a 7-speed auto; no manual option shows. If this is the case going forward I have bought my last new Mini.</p>