Mini in Philly

[helix13]

If any of you philly area guys would like to see a MINI Cooper (2002) immediately, you can come to the Philly region autocross on Saturday, January 26th. It is held on the Camden Waterfront, directly south of the Ben Franklin Bridge.

My company, Helix Motorsports, has imported a MINI from Sweden to do performance upgrade r&d. As it sits now, it is bone stock, but by Saturday is should have auto-x tires, a proper alignment and some dynomometer base runs. Some of the quickest autocrossers around (I'm not one of them) will be shaking it down. I an extremely encouraged by the car's bone stock handling. This car has not been over-hyped: we have a go-kart coming our way this spring!

If you need directions, please don't hesitate to email me at eric@helix13.com.

[Garfield]

I'll try to make it. I run up there every once in awhile (normally WDCR), but I have surgery tomorrow, which puts me out of commision for a little bit (better now than during the season). I'm no.1 on our list at Sterling and will have an S before summer so I'm VERY interested in just seeing a Cooper. I just missed the rep that stopped by a few days ago in a Silver one.

[rdcrdc3]

How do i get there from Center City Philadelphia? What time will you be there?


Can't Wait

[sdmidget]

Speaking of MINIs in the Philly area

Just got a call from Don Rosen (Bala Cynwyd). There's going to be a Cooper in their BMW showroom on Bala Avenue on Thurday (1/24) between 2-3:30.

[Spoolin']

Quote:

Originally posted by sdmidget
Speaking of MINIs in the Philly area

Just got a call from Don Rosen (Bala Cynwyd). There's going to be a Cooper in their BMW showroom on Bala Avenue on Thurday (1/24) between 2-3:30.

I just got the same call! Woo-hoo! Don't know if I can get off of work, though.

[rdcrdc3]

Im SOOOOOOOOOOOOO there

[jailed]

First Otto's then Bala Cynwyd... Who rates the Philly area better then all the rest. Come on BMW spead the wealth around

[jodathmorr]

Maybe ill meet some of you guys there . If my midterm dosn't run too long.

[jlivingood]

Quote:

Originally posted by helix13
If any of you philly area guys would like to see a MINI Cooper (2002) immediately, you can come to the Philly region autocross on Saturday, January 26th. It is held on the Camden Waterfront, directly south of the Ben Franklin Bridge.

Can't wait! I'll be the goofball in the MINI cap! Weather should be clear and the road free of salt by then so maybe I'll roll out in the Corrado...

Jason

[rdcrdc3]

Well I had fun at Don Rosen. The gift of the die-cast model was very nice. My red and white Mini die-cast model now sits happily next to my silver and black one.I realy liked the car that was there. What dose every one else who attended think about the event?

[sdmidget]

rdcrdc3

I had to work on Thursday and missed a "freebie" from Don Rosen???

Darn!!

Details please (of the experience, that is).

[Kelley Nelson]

The Cooper was very impressive for a car with so little autocross development in it!

I'm an instructor in Philadelphia region and rode along for one run in the mini and watched a few runs.

First, it accelerates strongly for a car with ~118hp.

I was told this car didn't have the sport plus suspension and it still cornered with less body roll and with better transitional control than I expected.

The car was on Kumho V700 racing tires, so we were giving the suspension a good workout. The Helix guys had also dialed the toe settings out a bit to make the car more responsive and less understeery.

I didn't notice any heavy understeer. I like a little lift-throttle oversteer. This particular setup didn't have it, but I think it could be tuned in. The steering ratio didn't seem slow, but didn't look what I would call quick either. Average for a sporty car.

There was a four cone slalom with about 22 paces between each cone. I'd call it a medium slalom - The Cooper burned through it faster than I think a Miata could have.

My only concern is the 2nd gear ratio. It seems too tall for the ~118hp engine. First launches the car nicely, but in some corners the engine would drop down out of the power band. The person I rode with was very adept at the rapid 1st gear downshift, but it still costs time - anybody know what speed the cooper redlines at in 2nd?

Overall, I was very impressed! With the Sport+ suspension, and the typical SCCA stock class modifications it should be a very quick car. I'd look into smaller than stock diameter tires to try compensating for that tall 2nd gear.

Here are some pics:

http://www.awdriven.net/i-club/images/mini1.jpg

http://www.awdriven.net/i-club/images/mini2.jpg

http://www.awdriven.net/i-club/images/mini3.jpg

http://www.awdriven.net/i-club/images/mini4.jpg

[coopercrazy]

What did you think of the Indi Blue?

[S2000&CooperS]

Quote:

Originally posted by coopercrazy
What did you think of the Indi Blue?

I wasn't there, but from the pictures it looks great! I definately want this color now.

[Kelley Nelson]

I really didn't pay much attention to anything but how it drove.

The color was nice. It was a fun color but not so flashy that it would attract a lot of attention.