[Bayliner]

Today something very disapointing happend.
I discoverd my Mini Cooper is actually very slow.
I was heading towards the highway, an ordinarry Renault Clio '96 - '98 model stood next to me. When the lights turned green I floord my Cooper and I had trouble even keeping up with it.
I could bearly overtake it

The engine seems to run with a lot of resistance. At highway speed (>120km/h) it makes a lot of noice, like your flooring it constantly. It also uses a lot of fuel in my opinion. My dad has a BMW 116i which is much more fuel efficient and if you ask me, a lot faster. Last week I tested its topspeed and it went with ease over 200km/h. I have to say it has been fitted with a very large Pipercross filter. I could'nt get my Cooper over 185km/h, it doesn't pull at all almost like it's limmited. Plus when I rev it the engine reacts pretty slow and stays on the revs pretty long. The rev's drop very slow when it's running out of gear.

Its a pretty new car, it has only done 30.000km.

Has anyone got the same problem? Or maybe even a solution????

A Pipercross filter has been fitted, no other mods.

[jamesbeaumont]

Could have been a clio 1.6 16v with 110 bhp...in which case thats fine and you did quite well to beat him. Try timing you cars acceleration from 0-60. Does it actually seem slower to you?

[OneDriver]

Yeah I got wasted by an older standard looking clio a while ago... V V V embaressing! Check for discreet "Sport" badges on the back and if spotted stay well away.. well... unless you are in an MCS... and then take back the wins for us One/Cooper owners!

[Root Ginger]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bayliner (original)

Today something very disapointing happend.
I discoverd my Mini Cooper is actually very slow.
I was heading towards the highway, an ordinarry Renault Clio '96 - '98 model stood next to me. When the lights turned green I floord my Cooper and I had trouble even keeping up with it.
I could bearly overtake it

The engine seems to run with a lot of resistance. At highway speed (>120km/h) it makes a lot of noice, like your flooring it constantly. It also uses a lot of fuel in my opinion. My dad has a BMW 116i which is much more fuel efficient and if you ask me, a lot faster. Last week I tested its topspeed and it went with ease over 200km/h. I have to say it has been fitted with a very large Pipercross filter. I could'nt get my Cooper over 185km/h, it doesn't pull at all almost like it's limmited. Plus when I rev it the engine reacts pretty slow and stays on the revs pretty long. The rev's drop very slow when it's running out of gear.

Its a pretty new car, it has only done 30.000km.

Has anyone got the same problem? Or maybe even a solution????

A Pipercross filter has been fitted, no other mods.

The MINI has a lot of wind resitance due to the upright screen compared with a 1 series. This would be one of the reasons it seems slow at highway speeds.

[Ant FR]

i would hazard a guess at the mini having a Chrysler engine and the Beemer 1 series having a beemer engine too.

Also you assume it was a standard Clio. But just for info, the very early 172 sports look like average clios. my mate has one and it really is the ulitmate Q car, nobody susses what it is. Also there is a guy round here in a clio that is badged up as a 1.2 be bop and its actually a 300bhp 1.8T TT engine in it.

End of day who looked the coolest. The guy sitting in his Clio or you in the Mini. Job done.

[Bayliner]

I'm pretty sure it was not special Clio, it did not look sporty at all. Besides an older fat bloke drove it, who did not look like a sporty driver.

I am amazed about the BMW 116i, it's amazing how fast it climbs to 200km/h.
I doubt it is just down to aerodynamics. Even on a very cold evening minus 10 degrees centigrade I struggeld to pas 180km/h.

I'll try timing the 0-60 sprint.

[minisoopercooper]

would be worth bearing in mind that if you had the air con on it uses a lot more power than you would think - always switch it off if you want a quicker get away

[deggles]

Couple of things - when you say 'a very large Pipercross filter' I assume you mean a cone filter of some description, in place of the standard airbox? Unless you have a decent cold air feed this might actually be reducing your engine power rather than increasing it (although no doubt giving you a lot more noise )

Also, I'm not sure how easy you are expecting it to be to reach 200kph! You'd need a pretty long, flat and straight stretch of tarmac and probably have to red line it in fourth, not sure if you could do it in fifth.

[Avantone]

You didn't leave the handbrake on?

I'll get me coat .......

[adamsmini]

i have beaten clio and corsa`s when i am at traffic lights my car just keeps on revving and keeps going to about 5500 rpm but the most embaring one who did beat me was the old skool mini but did have a v8 in the back of it , not even cooper S works beat him and if you want to have look welcome to minis on the run

[Mini4000]

first get a CAI
second get your headwork done ( f.ex gtt , thumper,...)
third get an new exhaust system , fe.x Supersprint with the metalic cat
fourth get it remapped specifically ,
and get it dynod before these mods, and after

u will get a better smoother and more fuel efficient car wich revs are not limited anymore and which sounds great .

i have got all these mods except for the headwork... and i must say i am dissapointed for the marginal 5-10 hp gain ,
but my car gained lot more torque, which makes it more agile...

if i had the money i would buy an fully specced S....

[DaFlake]

Quote: Originally Posted by Root Ginger (original)

The MINI has a lot of wind resitance due to the upright screen compared with a 1 series. This would be one of the reasons it seems slow at highway speeds.

The benefit to this is a faster approach to corners.

You can drop the speed on a MINI pretty quickly, especially on the track.

[Blusox]

I had a similar problem, car felt like it was missing about 55bhp. Sorted it out thought, the S had fallen off the back of the car!

On a serious note, turn off the AC, empty the boot, and check your tyre pressures. Also helps to only half fill your tank if you're really that bothered about it!

[Root Ginger]

Quote: Originally Posted by adamsmini (original)

i have beaten clio and corsa`s when i am at traffic lights my car just keeps on revving and keeps going to about 5500 rpm but the most embaring one who did beat me was the old skool mini but did have a v8 in the back of it , not even cooper S works beat him and if you want to have look welcome to minis on the run

Direct link to his gallery:

[Bayliner]

AC was off.
Tire pressure just checked.
Windows were up.
Shell V-power fuel (make a lot of difference).

Could it be down to the rimsize? Mine has the S-spoke 17" wheels.
I know a lot of honda civic V-tec drivers often choose 16" which seems to improve acceleration. Yesterday I heard from a friend who has a VW golf 3 TDI whith 18" rims that he could now only reach 200km/h and with the stock rimsize and tire width he was able to reach 230km/h.

With a large cone filter I mean a 150mm diameter one. Which is pretty large for a 116i. I tested the beamer on the same strech of road as the mini. And I easily reached 200, no doubt it would keep on going uptill the redline. The beamer has smaller tires b.t.w. 195/55 r16.

[MiniPetrolHead]

your friends golf may not seem to reach 200 on the speedo, but that could be down to the over all tyre diameter, when in actual fact you have already reached 200 or just over.

Alex

[jamesbeaumont]

My friend has the 04 clio 1.6 16v which looks identical to the 1.4 16v. The only way you can tell is by the small 1.6 before the 16v on the door. I had him behind me on my way home tonight and I couldnt shake him on small straights, it took a firm hold on the throttle to build any lead. Fair enough he was in my slip stream but thats an R56 cooper so a bit more power. A job for bluefin I think...

[russyellocoops]

No 1

Mini Vs Clio at the lights???

Answer

Who cares if you get beat,

ask the guy in the clio which car he'd rather drive all day!

No 2

Mini Vs Clio in the style stakes

Mini wins hands down in the style stakes - end of story and argument!

It's not just about how fast your going, you ahve to do it in style!
And it's better looking stylish and going slow than fast in a sh***y french rattle box that breaks down every few hundred miles!

[dsakko]

The 17" S Spokes will slow down your accelleration as they are one of the heavier wheels (I weighed my 15" S Spokes at 15kg for a complete wheel, and 17" S Spokes at 20kg), but I don't know if it affects top end speed.

Tyres will affect fuel consumption. I run an economical tyre and consumption has dropped from 8.6 l/100km to 7.4 l/100km.

Lastly, on the Ford test track (totally legally on a closed road) in Vic, Australia, my Mini reached 185km/h pretty easily but ran out of road to see how far it would go. Sounds like something is going on with yours, whether it is environmental (air pressure, winds etc), wheel/tyre combo, fuel, underpowered engine etc.

Just remember it's an awesomely fun road car, not a drag car. See some of the other forums on how to make a Mini do that!