Turbo or Supercharged S??

[brassd]

I'll be looking to change my S in 2006, probably around the time the model year changes in Sept. I am unsure whether to get the new turbo'd S or an end of the line Supercharged S.

Advantages of Turbo S - Latest look, should be better MPG
Advantages of Supercharged S - the lovely supercharger noise!, bonnet scoop!

I just don't know, can you help me decide? The turbo is rumoured to give no BHP increase. I bet a few people will have to make this decision. At least we've got a while!

[wylie_eyed]

Quote: Originally Posted by brassd

I'll be looking to change my S in 2006, probably around the time the model year changes in Sept. I am unsure whether to get the new turbo'd S or an end of the line Supercharged S.

Advantages of Turbo S - Latest look, should be better MPG
Advantages of Supercharged S - the lovely supercharger noice!, bonnet scoop!

I just don't know, can you help me decide? The turbo is rumoured to give no BHP increase. I bet a few people will have to make this decision. At least we've got a while!

I would like to see the performance figures before making the decision but if they are pretty much the same then it has to be supercharged purely for the noise, couple that with a decent aftermarket filter kit and exhaust and then the noise is just accentuated.

[Bilbo Baggins]

Love the sound of the supercharger. Hate the sound of the turbo blow-off valve.

But I will consider trading up if they offer an All Wheel Drive, even if it has a turbo. Would rather a supercharger, but would consider something else.

[Martin L]

I'm in this dilema too

I'm sure MINI2 will have all the details too help us decide well before the "official" news

[Rakey]

Just a case of waiting and seeing, but I think the new car will be better engineered and more reliable, also more options to mod it too

So many choices, but at least I know I will hear them first here on MINI2

[Z1GZAG N]

With a Supercharger, you have the extra power of the supercharger from right off idle.

With a Turbo, there's going to be lag. It may not be as bad as it used to be, but it'll be there.

So, for those of you who complain the current MCS doesn't have enough torque taking off, the turbo will be worse.

So, unless the turbo has more power, horsepower and torque, you're going to have to run that motor harder to go the same speed in the same distance as the supercharged motor is running now.

We tune Ford Powerstrokes for more power. A truck with an automatic can be punched from a dead stop and the torque convertor will allow the motor to rev up under load to where the turbo boost comes in. On a truck with a manual trans, you rev the motor and slip the clutch to get the loaded truck moving under boost. If you take off normally the revs will start out low and you have to wait for the turbo to come in. So you have a choice with the manual trans. Slip the clutch to get up on the boost, all the time killing the clutch or take off normally and wait.

The Mini of course is much lighter so it's not as extreme, but it's still a factor. Just check out any turbo charged race car as it leaves the starting line or pits. You'll have the same choice at every light. Let the clutch out smoothly and wait for the boost or rev that motor while slipping the clutch.

[kapps]

I too like the supercharger but from what I've heard, the turbo might not be as bad as some make it out to be. It's supposed to be a twinscroll turbo which means it can vary the exhaust outlet geomotry in order to mantain a high velocity exhaust flow even at low rpm's. Also, it might allow the new MCS to have an even flatter torque curve than the current supercharger (from only 2500 rpm).

[matfrost]

Got to be the supercharger purely for the sound!!

[Marky Mark2]

Ive read that the turbo charged s will be the same brake as the current s, however the new engines are being produced by Peugeot and Citroen and the works s will push out 230 bhp, its also easier to get better power gains from a turbo than a supercharger.
Alot of modern tubo cars are'nt that bad with regards to turbo lag,alot of the tubos use lightweight internals ect to get the turbo spinning earlier hence less lag. i would suspect the turbo on the new s to start blowing at about 2,500 no later,if anything prob a bit sooner. But its a question with no set answer,only personal preference will swing you either way.

[brassd]

I see the Supercharger is winning by some margin :-) One strategy might be to replace it early 06 and then if the turbo one is much much better, swap after 18 months, thereby not getting one of the first builds.

[roland2003]

I would guess the turbo if only 170bhp will only need say 8psi to achieve it (against 10.5psi
required on the current Cooper 'S'.) Couple that to the fact that the turbo with the actuator pipe off, (ie no overspill of exhaust gas going through the wastegate bypass) would be able to deliver I would guess around 30psi +, possibly dropping off to say 23 at the top end.
30 psi kicking in at 2800 rpm (as it does on our 1.8T Audi) achieves far more torque than you will ever get with a supercharger on a Mini. Im not saying its safe to run that much,but couple the fact that you CAN achieve more boost, AND that for a given boost pressure a turbo car makes more power, and you can see this thing will have much more potential.
Dont get me wrong I love the SC (We should do ,as we've spent around £200,000 in the last 18mths developing performance parts & conversions for it) but I still think turbocharging is better. (IMHO) Best Regards Roland GT Tuning.

[neil cooper]

Quote: Originally Posted by matfrost

Got to be the supercharger purely for the sound!!

Got to be the turbocharger, purely for the Gooooooooooooo...........

[JCampos]

Id say supercharger, but if its power you are after you may want to go the Turbo route.... it will undoubtedly be easier to tune the car and more companies will make an aftermarket for it.

[brassd]

170BHP is fine, i'm not looking for an increase.

[pifiu]

My opinion might be biased towards a turbo, just because I currently drive a VW Jetta 1.8T. I personally would take the turbo over the supercharger just for the tremendous amount of power you can achieve from them. Currently I just have an APR ECU upgrade, and it makes PLENTY of power, and thats just with a chip (which boosts more). If you combine it with a better exhaust and downpipe, you are bound to get some insane power. Lets not forget you can even go bigger turbo for even way more power. Yes the turbo lag is still there, but its not nearly as bad as people make it seem, once you are chipped!


Overall I would pick the turbo, but I cant speak from personal experience too much, but I know a couple of people who supercharged their VR6's, and they are going for a turbo setup for the same exact reason I just mentioned above. Its truely where the power is easily achieved.