Article Comments: 2007 Mini Cooper S First Drive

14 messages, Last post on Jul 27, 2008 at 5:00 AM

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Article comments for First Drive: 2007 Mini Cooper S - Basic dimensions like the wheelbase and track widths are unchanged, while height and overall width deviate by a pencil width or less. (more)

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#1 of 14 Article Comments: 2007 Mini Cooper S First Drive by KarenS HOST Oct 10, 2006 (8:33 am)
Check out our MINI Cooper first drive and post your comments here. First Drive: 2007 Mini Cooper S Replies to this message: 06james (Oct 10, 2006 6:48 pm) jakopz (Oct 13, 2006 9:37 am) billymay (Feb 18, 2007 10:56 am)
#2 of 14 I've seriously considered a Mini S twice... by 06james Oct 10, 2006 (6:48 pm)
Replying to: KarenS (Oct 10, 2006 8:33 am) most recently a couple months ago. I just never went for it because of the lack of power and reports of small chronic problems drivers just learn to put up with. This intelligent redesign should take care of those quality issues but the power is still down from where I'd like it to be. A Mini S can get to 28k pretty fast and they only give you 170 hp. A JCW package adds over $6k to the price. It sounds like this is a great redesign but also a subtle one. With the likes of the Mazdaspeed 3 changing the small hatch game with great performance and 260 hp for $23k, a Mini just has the great design to fall back on. When they get above 200 hp for $25k then maybe I'll check again. Replies to this message: jakopz (Oct 13, 2006 9:37 am) billymay (Feb 18, 2007 10:56 am)
#3 of 14 Re: I've seriously considered a Mini S twice... [06james] by jakopz Oct 13, 2006 (9:37 am)
Replying to: 06james (Oct 10, 2006 6:48 pm) I think you're too stuck on the HP number. The Mazdaspeed3 is a great car but is about 700 pounds heavier, looks like a teenybopper car and suffers from a not so greatly designed interior. The new mini comes with 175HP and it's easily modded so I wouldn't be concerned with the HP. Drive the new one at the end of the year and my bet is that you won't be able to stop grinning. BTW, never had any chronic problems on my -04. There's nothing the mini service peeps wouldn't do to fix them either (Mini Towson). Replies to this message: billymay (Feb 18, 2007 10:56 am)
#4 of 14 Hmm... by slicksix Oct 19, 2006 (2:05 pm)
I can appreciate the appeal of the Mini, and especially the Mini S, but I have not for the life of me been able to convince myself that this is a serious car. I enjoyed taking an S for a spin (yes, it was fun), but I wouldn't buy one. The base model is overpriced for what you get, and the S is not a real performer in its price range either (front wheel drive being the biggest factor here). If you load up an S with all the options, you're a handful of banknotes away from a 350Z. And if you just have to have front wheel drive, the Civic Si takes the S for more than a handful of banknotes less. So what's the big deal people? Must be the "cute" appeal. Replies to this message: cct1 (Oct 19, 2006 6:15 pm) actualsize (Oct 20, 2006 5:41 pm) slicksix (Oct 26, 2006 12:40 pm) cct1 (Oct 27, 2006 7:42 am)
#5 of 14 Re: Hmm... [slicksix] by cct1 Oct 19, 2006 (6:15 pm)
Replying to: slicksix (Oct 19, 2006 2:05 pm) A JCW Mini won the Canadian Targa--the unlimited division mind you, cars with up to 600 HP--two years running. That's a fairly big deal... It's not about just horsepower, it's also about handling. If you're talking straight line speed, yeah, an MCS isn't going to win a drag race. A road course, it can more than hold it's own. It was recently reviewed against the 350Z you mentioned in another reputable auto mag, and came out on top....
#6 of 14 Re: Hmm... [slicksix] by actualsize Oct 20, 2006 (5:41 pm)
Replying to: slicksix (Oct 19, 2006 2:05 pm) I drove an "old" 2006 Cooper S and a 2006 Civic Si back to back on the racetrack at Willow Springs - the so-called "Streets" course. The Civic Si was about a second faster per lap, but it was shod with the optional high performance "summer" tires, while the Mini had 16" all-seasons - the 17" summer tire option not installed on the car I drove. 17" summer tires on the Mini probably would have made up most of the difference. Add in the extra power and torque of the new Mini turbo and the results might flip-flop, but that's a guess we won't get to confirm until the '07s are here. Beyond that, I like the low-end pull of the Mini engine, the steering, and the slip-on feel of the thing. The Civic Si is very good, but the brakes are weak and I dislike spinning the snot out of an engine to get thrust - especially on the road. Replies to this message: slicksix (Oct 26, 2006 12:40 pm) cct1 (Oct 27, 2006 7:42 am)
#7 of 14 Re: Hmm... [actualsize] by slicksix Oct 26, 2006 (12:40 pm)
Replying to: actualsize (Oct 20, 2006 5:41 pm) Both actualsize and cct1 make very good points: yes, the Mini is a "fun" car that is comparable to the Si (although the Si is cheaper and more reliable, as is the WRX, which by the way has AWD, and the Mazda 3, and the Miata, and the RSX, and the Celica, and the Eclipse, and the GTI, and... take your pick in the LOWER end of the Mini's price range) However, my point still stands: what's the big deal? There is a difference between "fun" and "performance," and it just rubs me the wrong way when people talk about the Mini like it's the 2nd coming of the RX7 or something. Bottom line, if you want performance (which is what every Mini fan drones on about), for a few grand more than what you pay for a loaded Mini S, you can get a real sport car, like a 350Z (and I don't care what one magazine out of hundreds says), or an EVO, or an STi, or an S2000. But, to each his own. Replies to this message: cct1 (Oct 27, 2006 7:42 am)
#8 of 14 Re: Hmm... [slicksix] by cct1 Oct 27, 2006 (7:42 am)
Replying to: slicksix (Oct 26, 2006 12:40 pm) All I can say is you need to see how a Mini stacks up against the cars you mentioned at an autocross... From a price standpoint, an WRX is a great car, and performs fantastically for the money--you can argue the Mini is overrpriced, but an MCS WILL perform in an autocross quite well against all of those cars you mentioned--with a slight edge going to the WRX. Course it depends on the driver too. And in the Mag I quoted, the Mini S beat the 350 Z on the road course, same driver. And again, it won the Targa (twice) against cars with significantly more horsepower. If you're beating cars in autocross and the Targa that have significantly more power, it stands to reason that the car is pretty good from a performance standpoint. I'll give you the Mini is not a true sports car, it doesn't hit that definition on several criteria, but it performs quite well against these type of cars. It's why mag after mag, and professional driver love the car (Several professional drivers own them or have owned them, Dale Earnhardt Junior comes immediately to mind).
#9 of 14 2007 MINI Cooper S by jjohnw Jan 28, 2007 (12:27 pm)
I ordered a 2007 S model 6-speed manual Pepper White/ Black for Motoring commencing in mid-February 2007. I view this as our "fun" car, our 3rd car - sporty, fun, quick performance, good gas mileage, BMW complete redesign for upscale refinement, useful with fold-down seats for 4, hatchback carrying capacity, and fairly exclusive for a $25k car. Our Car #1 for all-around purposes is a 2005 BMW X3 which we took Euro Delivery and had a ball in Munich, Bavaria, Austria, and mountain climbing in Switzerland. Our Car #2 is a 1993 RX-7 twin-turbo I bought new 14 years ago and it's modified to 335 hp, and 2,639 lb curb weight. You've seen a red 1993 RX-7 of Vin Diesel's in the original Fast and The Furious, and in the latest Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift the Yellow/Orange and Black car with both having wild Hollywood body kits. So I feel qualified to discuss the Forum's concern that the 2007 MINI S doesn't have enough power and performance. The MINI S is "quick" while there are other cars "fast" or "ultrafast" that'll outrun the MINI S in one or more ieminsions - 0 to 60, 1/4 mi., top speed, shortest stopping, lateral "G's" etc. The mature view, in my opinion is :so what?" On the street, even the most performance oriented driver uses the "fast"/ "ultrafast" capability 1%, 2%, or 5% of the time - you pick your own number. The point is, the MINI S for 95%-99% of the time delivers all that a "fast" or "ultrafast" can. 100% of the time a MINI S is a blast to drive and surprisingly useful with 4-passenger capability, and with the hatch and fold-down rear seats you can tour in the car and even haul some stuff from Lowe's. I think the 2007 MINI Cooper S is terrific! JJohnW
#10 of 14 2007 MINI Cooper S by jjohnw Jan 28, 2007 (12:42 pm)
I ordered a 2007 S model 6-speed manual Pepper White/ Black for mid-February 2007 Motoring. I view this as our "fun" car, our 3rd car - sporty, fun, quick performance, good gas mileage, BMW complete redesign for upscale refinement, useful with fold-down seats for 4, hatchback carrying capacity, and fairly exclusive for a $25k car. It has features and interior/ exterior design no other car has. Our Car #1 for all-around purposes is a 2005 BMW X3 which we took Euro Delivery and had a ball in Munich, Bavaria, Austria, and mountain climbing in Switzerland. Our Car #2 is a 1993 RX-7 twin-turbo I bought new 14 years ago and it's modified to 335 hp, and 2,639 pounds curb weight. You've seen a red 1993 RX-7 of Vin Diesel's in the original Fast and The Furious, and in the latest Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift the Yellow/Orange and Black RX-7 with both having wild Hollywood body kits. So I feel qualified to discuss the Forum's concern whether the 2007 MINI S has enough power and performance. The MINI S is "quick" while there are other cars "fast" or "ultrafast" that'll outrun the MINI S in one or more dimensions - 0 to 60, 1/4 mi., top speed, shortest stopping, lateral "G's" etc. The mature view, in my opinion is "So what?" On the street, even the most performance oriented driver uses the "fast"/ "ultrafast" full capability beyond the "quick" MINI S capability 1%, 2%, or 5% of the time - you pick your own number. The point is, the MINI S for 95%-99% of the time delivers all that a "fast" or "ultrafast" car does. 100% of the time a MINI S is a blast to drive and surprisingly useful with 4-passenger capability; with the hatch and fold-down rear seats you can tour in the car and even haul some stuff from Lowe's. I think the 2007 MINI Cooper S is terrific! JJohnW Replies to this message: pharmd718 (Jul 27, 2008 5:00 am)