I'm back. Mini Cooper S JCW Rag Top.

jon109 · I'm back. Mini Cooper S JCW Rag Top.

Hello

A while away from here! Now driving a Civic Type-R (FN2) which is a bit rubbish but surprisingly fast (more of which in a bit).

After a run of great cars at work, thought i'd return to share some findings.

We have the flagship Mini convertible at the moment. 24k without options.

It's expensive, has no room in the back. And i mean no room for even an isofix base behind a 5ft 9er. The boot is small, it rattles with the roof up or down, has loads of road noise with the roof up. The controls for aircon etc are small, cheap and fiddly.

It torque steers quite badly in the dry, so bad in the wet you have to get out the throttle sometimes to avoid oncoming traffic.

In the wet turn the DTC off (which gets in the way) and i couldn't believe it had an lsd as it struggles to put the power down in 2nd and 3rd in a straight line. Power Understeer anyone? It has lots of understeer followed by snap oversteer if you get out the throttle in a sudden.

If this all sounds like the car is crap you're probably right.

Except i loved it.

The fundamentals are all just right. Great driving position, very adjustable seat and wheel. Good if not great support from the seats, perfect placing of pedals. Superb control weights of the gearbox, pedals and steering.

The car just darts into corners at the flick of the wrist. The steering is sharp, responsive with good feel. The ride is not too firm, but can struggle with ridges and crash occasionally.

The engine is just awesome. It bangs pops whistles crackles on the overrun, and on gear change.It pulls from 1500rpm and doesn't tail off at 5500 like the standard 's' going to the limiter.

For me it was the best part of the car. It felt so fast.

Until i followed our motoring editor home in my fat heavy 'understeery' civic. Dry roads as long as it was kept on song it kept up in a straight line, on the brakes and in the bends. I was disappointed. Thought from reports it would be faster.

Unless i have a 'good Civic' it's now matched (in a straight line maximum attack) the Scirocco, S2000 final edition, Leon Cupra, Focus ST and Mini JCW.

My verdict. Maybe some of the big press mags get 'special' cars to record the figures they do. Also Alfa are still sending the Mito out with the wrong settings. (Last weeks car) and disgusting of them. (review to come).

So to some up the Mini. Big price, big torque steer big fun. Bags full of character. Loved every minute of it.

Following in my Civic the Mini wriggled on the brakes, rolled in the corners, then wriggled on the power. He was working so much harder than me, but was
more involved, and despite the flaws having more fun. With the Civic you get no movement or adjustability at all.

For me a better bet is the standard Cooper S with a naughty exhaust. It wold be just a quick, if not quicker in the wet and just as fun.

Matt

Welcome back, Jon. Interesting to get the perspective from a motoring journalist's PoV.

The Mini does sound a bit of a handful and that seems fun enough in a rudimentary way!

TimR

scamper

The Old Dear has a Mark 1 S convertible and much of what you say i can relate too. I was in charge of speccing her car, but did not think the works package was worth it - a bit more `top end' but with no real increase in fun factor ie it still gets all the pops, bangs and whistles, and the `whiney' noise which i love.

Martin

I was tempted by the Works Kit, but a friend of mine has driven the S and Works S back to back and says the standard car is better (and quicker) 90% of the time.

£24k is nothing in MINI world, that's pretty much the list price of our car! I specced up a Clubman JCW (simila spec to ours) and it came to £26.5k..... That's without Sat Nav, sun roof and a number of other things that would be quite nice to have!!

That's just crazy.