[Dom]

Just found this thread, all be it, a bit late. Anyway, the magic roundabout:



It's a great laugh at 3:00 in the morning!

http://www.swindonweb.com/life/lifemagi0.htm - if anyone wants to know more...

Dom

[Damo]

Quote:

Originally posted by rich
Thanks Bruce - Cool little gadget & cheap enough too, given it's a bit of fun. I will try and track down a local supplier

Maybe 'max g' should be included in comparative tests of vehicles as an assessment of "chuckability" - e.g. put car on a (large!) controlled tarmac surface & drive car at limit of adhesion of tyres in an increasing arc/spiral from 0mph up to max speed (if you have the nuts). On survival, simply read off maximum g pulled and speed

...Just a thought

I've seen the road and track of the mini and they said the mini Cooper (on standard 15's) was better than most ferrari's and in porsche Terrotary at the lateral g level. I'm almost sure thay said it had a 0.96/1.00g level, i'll try and find it. Although it wasn't done on a circel but a slalom... i'll find a lijk anyway and a quote

[Damo]

...the link to this page has not been found bare with me, i'll find it!

[Damo]

Here's the link to the full article

http://www.roadandtrack.com/RoadAndT...cooper_p1.html

And the quote from the 3rd page:

"Our slalom test revealed that the Mini can thread through the cones with moderate understeer and keep a blistering average speed of 67.6 mph, besting any current BMW, any Ferrari, and most Porsches. The skidpad test showed the modest steady-state grip of the Cooper’s winter tires, with the car exhibiting heavy understeer and barely holding on at 0.79g. Just imagine what lower-profile higher-performance standard 15-in. dry-weather tires would do to improve the Mini’s cornering grip."

Ok I was wrong about the 1g thing, but as they said, imagine it on propwer tyres! Imagine it on 16's or 17's!!

[rich]

Quote:

Originally posted by Damo
Here's the link to the full article

http://www.roadandtrack.com/RoadAndT...cooper_p1.html

And the quote from the 3rd page:

"Our slalom test revealed that the Mini can thread through the cones with moderate understeer and keep a blistering average speed of 67.6 mph, besting any current BMW, any Ferrari, and most Porsches. The skidpad test showed the modest steady-state grip of the Cooper’s winter tires, with the car exhibiting heavy understeer and barely holding on at 0.79g. Just imagine what lower-profile higher-performance standard 15-in. dry-weather tires would do to improve the Mini’s cornering grip."

Ok I was wrong about the 1g thing, but as they said, imagine it on propwer tyres! Imagine it on 16's or 17's!!

I am so looking forward to R&T testing the Cooper S...

Will it break the 68mph barrier on slalom?

[SemiImbecille]

Quote:

Originally posted by rich


I am so looking forward to R&T testing the Cooper S...

Will it break the 68mph barrier on slalom?

It has the same chassi as the cooper with SS+, don´t think there well be any diffrence

[rich]

Quote:

Originally posted by SemiImbecille


It has the same chassi as the cooper with SS+, don´t think there well be any diffrence

I would expect the SS+ & bigger wheels & tyres to have an effect, otherwise why bother?

[gromit]

Quote:

Originally posted by rich


I am so looking forward to R&T testing the Cooper S...

Will it break the 68mph barrier on slalom?

I may be overenthusiastic but I'm guessing it will be the fastest car in the Road Test Summary at *69* MPH. Faster than the Porsche 911 GT2 at 68.7 MPH.

[Damo]

Quote:

Originally posted by rich

I would expect the SS+ & bigger wheels & tyres to have an effect, otherwise why bother?

Yeah I thinki with the 16's or 17's wider track it'll be higher. As they tested it on the 15's and they commented on the tire width being thin. I think That they should put wider 15's on the Mini, it would look Cool. After market wider 15's would be an idea, but I'm having the 17's because of how cool they look. I'd say if your after serious preformance and handling a nice set of wide 15's would do the trick

[rich]

I'm starting to wonder if the extra weight is going to negate (much of) the extra 3rd gear torque, stiffer suspension & grippier tyres... So, my guess is 67.9mph on std 16" wheels & tyres

Bear in mind I don't really have a clue, though

[Casey]

200mph!!!!!!!! Thats my guess....okay so maybe I shouldn't have had that last beer :P

Cheers All

[mike58]

All the standard Coopers on 15s have non performance tyres as standard eg. Pirelli 3000 which are a low rolling resistance economy tyre.
The 15 shod car sits significantly lower so the simple swap of a performance tyre should increase grip and G quite a bit.
I plan when budget allows to fit Yokohama A032 tyres on 15s and report back.
Why are 16 wheeled cars fitted with 195/55s???
If you fit 195/50s on 16s they are within 3% of the rolling radius of 15s with 175/65s and don't raise the car 10-12mm There is a far wider choice of tyre in 50 profile also.I cannot believe how well a standard Cooper on economy tyres handles please please please will some mag or tyre company sponsor a test to see the limits of this remarkable car's suspension.
Dr Mike
PS Give me a budget and I'd gladly do the testing

[PghArch]

First of all, I have to say that I love the roundabout photos! My wife nearly went into shock just looking at it though.

As BruceK pointed out, they don't post speeds on the skidpad test. If you know the radius you can figure that out though. As was also mentioned somewhere, this is more a measure of the tires than the car. In any case, based on the previously mentioned .79 g and a skidpad diameter of 300 feet you would get a speed of just a hair under 42 mph (if I did my math right). For comparison, the 1 g speed would be 47.2 mph.

[DaveNagy]

Here's a link to the "G-TECH" homepage. I believe it's the most popular performance meter here in the States:

The Clicky Spot

I'm sorely tempted to buy one now, even before I get my MINI. That way I'll be able to precisely quantify how much better it is than my current, ratty, 1987 Nissan pick-up. "Quite a bit", I'm thinking.

-Dave

PS. That whole roundabout concept is weird and frightening.

[Dom]

Quote:

Originally posted by DaveNagy
PS. That whole roundabout concept is weird and frightening.

Ain't nothing wrong with the Magic Roundabout... when you're in a MINI

Dom

[MiNiGuY]

My girlfriend is a good G force meter.
a large frown is about 1G and as the scale rises there is also an audible G force warning!!
Upside down or crash is the only way to set off the airbags.