14.08.06?

[Paul]

We need to get some clarification on the weight issue clearly! No mention of it at all in the GB press information, the head of project management tells everyone it's up 10kg for the S (but the Cooper lighter), and now all these strange figures!

When I can get solid, confirmed figures from somewhere I'll post them (but don't hold your breath).

[Tonyt3]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett (original)

We need to get some clarification on the weight issue clearly! No mention of it at all in the GB press information, the head of project management tells everyone it's up 10kg for the S (but the Cooper lighter), and now all these strange figures!

When I can get solid, confirmed figures from somewhere I'll post them (but don't hold your breath).

Well, I for one will only believe these figures from Motoringfile when Paul quotes them on here directly from the manufacturer. - I just cant get my head around potential weight loss - the car is bigger, there are more features, usually when they make cars these days they have to 'beef up' crash protection etc, and this all adds weight. BMW even quote the engine as heavier than Tritecs figures.

SO, unless the car is made from a substantially lighter material, like aluminium, I cant see how a bigger car can weigh less. It will be verging on a miracle. There has been no mention of using aluminium extensivly...

Renault have even given up on this, the new Clio Cup 197 is bigger and weighs several hundred kilos more than the old model!!!

Dont get me wrong, I'd love to see more BHP linked to a weight loss, but the norm is for BHP to increase because the weight of the car has increased, not decreased.

But who knows, maybe BMW can reduce the cars weight substantially. However, if this were true, I would have expected to see headline press release articles on it, from BMW.

The GP only managed a 50 odd kilo weight loss, and that with ditching stuff that really is needed.... how can the standard S be 90 odd kilos lighter, but actually a bigger car...? Perhaps its filled with helium...?

[mad brummie]

i thought the new engines were alot lighter because of the alu block?

[Paul]

Details have been posted in the Cooper and S forums. The cars have actually gone down 10kg (both of them), maximum weight is up 10kg. This is from the MINI.com information and confirmed by data on the press website. It's all in the 2nd Gen S and Cooper forums now (stickies at the top of each).

[Robboc]

I dont want to like the new Cooper S as I have only just joined the S club myself. I do love a turbo with their aggresive kicks, so I worry that I will start to like my little supercharged Mini less

I am not really sure if i like the exterior styling much yet. a bit too modern. that orange indicator in the headlight looks nasty. the rad grille looks to wide. It reminds me of a gaping open mouthed face with eye snot.

[Tonyt3]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett (original)

Details have been posted in the Cooper and S forums. The cars have actually gone down 10kg (both of them), maximum weight is up 10kg. This is from the MINI.com information and confirmed by data on the press website. It's all in the 2nd Gen S and Cooper forums now (stickies at the top of each).

A 10kilo saving is a great result in a bigger car, that undoubtly has more standard equipment than the previous model.

But its hardly the 180lbs promised on Motoringfile.com

Much more realistic.

[Tonyt3]

OK, weight issue cleared up.

Motoringfile (and some of the poster on there) has previously been comparing EU laden weight of the new car (with a 65kg driver and a 3/4 full fuel tank) against the quoted US unladen weight of the old car (without a driver and fuel) therefore they have inaccurstly compared one cars weight with another....

Yes, if we dont include fuel (35litres of fuel weighs approx 35kilos) and driver at 75 kilos, we have a big weight saving.

Unfortunatly, without a driver and fuel, the car is pretty useless, whatever it weighs....

So, the car is 10kgs lighter, not 90 odd kilos lighter....

Then you put the typical American in it, and you immidiatly increase the cars laden weight by around 120kilos/ 250lbs... Sorry guys.

[Paul]

Exactly, you must compare like for like figures.

[S33BBY]

Thanks for the great write-ups, Paul.

I've got to say that overall I quite like what's been done, though I'm not upset I got a new Cooper in May and didn't wait as there's a lot of growing to be done on me. I'm really not crazy about the orange indicator lens in the headlight cluster - it sticks out like a sore thumb. The side indicator bits are a little crazy, but I'm sure they look better in the flesh and will grow on me. My biggest problem is the interior; mainly the centre console. I'm a little taken back by it. I just don't think it looks very good at all.

But as I say, overall I like the new car, and there's no denying it's an improvement in many ways over the first generation. Still, I'm extremely content with mine for the foreseeable future.

[S33BBY]

I've just been checking out the new MINI preview site and I've got to say that I like it a lot more now, even the centre console. But, the reason I like the centre console is because it is slightly different on that site compared with the press pictures. Underneath the slot for the CD, there is something else, and it just looks better. Take a look!

[Paul]

Maybe it's the version with Navigation (which has stereo controls moved lower)? Look at the information on the MINI.com international site too.

[rainbowjulia]

Does anyone know when the dealers will get hold of a R56 so we can see one in the flesh/metal? Apparently the specs come out in Bradford on the 18th Sept but my local dealer says 28th Sept. Has anyone heard of any other dates?

[S33BBY]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett (original)

Maybe it's the version with Navigation (which has stereo controls moved lower)? Look at the information on the MINI.com international site too.

Ah, that's what it is. Yep, I like the version with navigation much more. That's just as well as I'd get navigation again on my next MINI!

[gabe]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tonyt3 (original)

OK, weight issue cleared up.

Motoringfile (and some of the poster on there) has previously been comparing EU laden weight of the new car (with a 65kg driver and a 3/4 full fuel tank) against the quoted US unladen weight of the old car (without a driver and fuel) therefore they have inaccurstly compared one cars weight with another....

Yes, if we dont include fuel (35litres of fuel weighs approx 35kilos) and driver at 75 kilos, we have a big weight saving.

Then you put the typical American in it, and you immidiatly increase the cars laden weight by around 120kilos/ 250lbs... Sorry guys.

Just to clear a few things up.... it was very high ranking MINI exec who spread the weight info. I can't go into more details but this information seemed to be incorrect at a rather broad level throughout the organization so there was some major communcation break-downs going on. So basically don't shoot the messenger - this wasn't just some information heard from a friend of a friend.

At least we (MF) were correct in saying that there was a weight decrease rather than increase with the R56 In fact we were told that the information given to people at the MINI preview event was intended to mask the final weight figures. Why that was done I'll leave that up to others to speculate.

One more thing... Tony it may surprise you to know that most Americans don't resemble those found on the Jerry Spring show As someone who runs and goes to the gym daily, I can say that there are many of us that don't quite match your 250lbs stereotype

[Paul]

Well, we were told of a weight reduction early on (which we reported) which was more like those figures you represented. Then the head of MINI Project Management told all the press it was a 10kg weight gain at the preview drive (and as all other information we were given was correct, I think that was a blunder, not a deliberate lie to the assembled media), in the end it's a 10kg weight loss with a 10kg max possible weight increase. Doesn't matter, in the end it's lighter, and faster, and more efficient. Which is all good.