Your first G_P driving impressions - do tell

[mGP]

Quote: Originally Posted by minisoopercooper (original)

few more pics of Goonerys car - taken yesterday

OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH It's propa Gourggggggeeeeee!!

(apologies to non- Little Britain Fans)

[rodinleeds]

Love the pics, should have mine up in a couple of weeks

[salocin]

Great pics.......more driving impressions please.....I've left mine at the garage!!!

[salocin]

errrrrr....noise, handling, comparasons with wks cars that sorta thing

[Goonery]

The little skid plates on the bottom of the front bumper are a pain, speed humps and steep kerbs have to be taken so you don't get the suspension working at all unless you like the Grrraghhhh noises as it scrapes over the tarmac. Luckily they are only screwed on and probably cost a £1 or so each. I'm thinking of removing them completely so I can forget about the grounding graunch noises. Otherwise it rides bumps better then my old 'S'

[LMB]

Quote: Originally Posted by Goonery (original)

The little skid plates on the bottom of the front bumper are a pain, speed humps and steep kerbs have to be taken so you don't get the suspension working at all unless you like the Grrraghhhh noises as it scrapes over the tarmac. Luckily they are only screwed on and probably cost a £1 or so each. I'm thinking of removing them completely so I can forget about the grounding graunch noises. Otherwise it rides bumps better then my old 'S'

I have the same problem. Scrapes every time I go on and off my drive. It just touches mind. But as you say they're screwed on, so they can easily be replaced. I also considered removing them but I thought they must be there for a reason.

[Goonery]

Noise ? Well yes its a great noise, Tyres hum a bit on rough concrete road surfaces, but otherwise its not so different at cruising speed to an S with the parcel shelf and back seats out of the way. However, when you decide to go for a bit of speed the exhaust and supercharger combine into a symphonic howling noise. It seems to spin up faster than other JCW's I've driven. Popping on overrun is not as loud as the Milltek, but still pleasing.
Handling, the corner off the nearby dual carriage way was taken at max 35 in my old S (it felt on the limit as its almost a hairpin), Yesterday I managed 40 and I think it might be good for a few more MPH yet. Feels very planted even in the wet

[LMB]

Very planted.

[Saad]

Quote: Originally Posted by minisoopercooper (original)

few more pics of Goonerys car - taken yesterday

too sexy

[salocin]

Quote: Originally Posted by Goonery (original)

The little skid plates on the bottom of the front bumper are a pain, speed humps and steep kerbs have to be taken so you don't get the suspension working at all unless you like the Grrraghhhh noises as it scrapes over the tarmac. Luckily they are only screwed on and probably cost a £1 or so each. I'm thinking of removing them completely so I can forget about the grounding graunch noises. Otherwise it rides bumps better then my old 'S'

Just keep away from speed bumps then? ........ thanks

[salocin]

Quote: Originally Posted by Goonery (original)

Noise ? Well yes its a great noise, Tyres hum a bit on rough concrete road surfaces, but otherwise its not so different at cruising speed to an S with the parcel shelf and back seats out of the way. However, when you decide to go for a bit of speed the exhaust and supercharger combine into a symphonic howling noise. It seems to spin up faster than other JCW's I've driven. Popping on overrun is not as loud as the Milltek, but still pleasing.
Handling, the corner off the nearby dual carriage way was taken at max 35 in my old S (it felt on the limit as its almost a hairpin), Yesterday I managed 40 and I think it might be good for a few more MPH yet. Feels very planted even in the wet

Now that's more like it!

[The Red Baron]

Speed bumps taken slowly have been fine so far but as for 'sleeping policemen' no matter how slow i roll over them, they just catch those little skid plates.

And I have to go over one to get in and out of my work car park.

[ASTON]

Quote: Originally Posted by chrisandjax (original)

Speed bumps taken slowly have been fine so far but as for 'sleeping policemen' no matter how slow i roll over them, they just catch those little skid plates.

And I have to go over one to get in and out of my work car park.

your lucky,there is a school at the bottom of our road with sleeping policeman 20mph zone . my aero front bumper scrap's these,so the GP will not stand a chance

[WildRover]

I know nowt about MINI's let alone the GP.

Just ordered one - get it Sep 4th.

What's the spec over and above a Cooper S, as the dealership had no brochures?

Anyone going to MINI in the PARK with one?

[Jim Ray]

Ok Stuart, you were right. Thank you for your encouragement, the GP is worth every penny and every sleepless night.

Picked up 0019 today at 1200, and took it to COSTCO for the first test. It passed the MegaPack of Diet Pepsi loading test with flying colors, and handled the curves of CA Highway 1 with no problems. I was impressed with the low end torque, and immediate power response. No high RPM trials, lots of time to get it up in revs after running in. No squeaks, no rattles, and MINI USA did a bangup job of prepairing the car.

A small item, but a nice touch are the GP floor mats. They will get replaced with black rubber for daily use, very sharp. I liked the black boot handle, and had not noticed before that the inside of the scoop is black. The MINI USA rep called it carbon fiber, but I would not place money on that. Carbon black would be more my guess.

I did scrape the front air dam a couple of times, I am just going to consider them consumables. It is a real car, and we are going to drive it like one.

John Cooper was gracious enough to autograph the Dash panel over the glove box, and that was worth the trip to California.

The first item placed on GP0019 was the MINI2.COM sticker on the rear window under the center brake light. Sneaked that on before the presentation ceremony.