It’s strange that we owe it to Germans to revive a British brand given the history between the nations. BMW getting the rights to MINI & Rolls Royce is the best thing they ever did like how they gave the world angel lights and carbon fibre roofs. BMW carried on to build the classic Mini for a while when they took ownership of the brand from Rover, so there were manufacturing the car from 1994 to 2000. A year later we were given the BMW MINI or modern MINI we have been living with since to which is much loved by Mini/MINI owners across the world, so there is vast fan base too after and sell more cars to.

The answer simple and the MINI brand should have brought out the MINI Sport Group instantly giving them access to Classic & New MINI customer base and thriving business. This would allow them to understand the customer base of the classic Mini owners allowing them to gain access to the Mini show events. In turn, this would allow great market research and talk to real owners who own both a classic and new MINI giving a business case for more profits and allow cross-selling of the New MINI.

MINI over the years has lost its way but not understanding it’s customer base and the F-Series is the product of the disconnect and they need to back to the drawing board and understand owners and their desire. They should have not listened to a customer focus group who they want to sell to who are not die-hard MINI owners as the best way is shown in the F-Series with the window switches moving to the conventional place on doors.

This lead to the question of why you can’t buy certain parts for New MINI anymore as models have finished production??

I personally received a lot of messages on IG, Facebook and requests at shows – Can you get or know someone that can get this part as I can’t seem to find it anywhere?

I have seen countless people asking for specific parts for the MINI but finding out they are no longer available to buy ranging from classic Mini to the 2nd Gen MINIs. There isn’t a lack of cars being sold as 10 million Mini/MINIs have been sold since 1959 which is significant amount even if you take 40% out for being wrecked that still leaves 6 million cars on the road worldwide.

Obviously, over time, these cars will be kept and cherished with some MINI parts added to add that extra touch or retrofit items later. Others will be sold on to new owners so they will have the modding bug to make their new MINI personal to them. All the above follows the reason why you buy a MINI in the first instance to customise it to your taste and liking.

A lot of the MINI parts that people are looking for are the carbon fibre variety. Weirdly, MINI doesn’t just reproduce them given BMW now has it’s own carbon fibre manufacturing facilities. It would be just the case reusing mods, and they have all the rights and blueprints of all the parts so matter for pressing a few points.

I understand there has to be a business case, so another thing has missed MINI’s mind is they have a database of MINI owners, so a simple newsletter to get the info following to them that Classic MINI Parts are coming. Along with the fact, the world has changed, and social media would allow fast uptake an interest to see what fan would like to be reproduced with requests or putting up a survey to forecast sales. This, in turn, would help the dealer network, service departments and bring in extra revenue for long term as the dreaded 2030 cut off point for no more petrol/diesel engine being sold within the UK.

You might be thinking I am mad, but I am not as Porsche as do they classic parts for the legacy models so they can be updated to have Apple Carplay or navigation for example which makes life easy instead of ripping out the stock stereo for something non-OEM looking.

The OEM look comes at a price which is near on make no difference of 3 times the price of normal double din unit but making something like it should be is something else.

I have personally toyed with the idea of adding a double din unit to my R56. The fact I have to look down to see the nav is off-putting, but the want for Apple Carplay is massive given the mileage I do, and I am apple fanboy here as well.

Well, that’s one price point, and we can move to JDM life as Nissan has started reproducing R32 & R34 parts. The Skyline GTR was never a volume car, but it adored across the world with its cult following from the Playstation generation. This genuinely made me happy as dream car alongside my Zonda Cinque is the R34 Skyline with the Z Tune bodykit and Nismo parts. Something about the R34 that is magical and sits within my heart as they got everything right with styling and performance and it wasn’t trying to Euro copy but flew the Japan flag with pride.

If inline 6 Godzilla isn’t your poison, then Mazda is making the triangle goodness parts again with the RX-7 with its rotary engine. No JDM part is complete without VTEC gang coming through as Honda is making legacy parts for the Civic as well.

We know the money and desire is there from multiple parts of the market, so MINI has fighting chance to make it commercially viable.

What parts would you want MINI to produce??

Here is a list of what I would love to see come back:

1. All JCW Carbon fibre parts
2. JCW Recaro Buckets
3. JCW Shift Lights
4. MINI Mission Control
5. Wireless Apple Carplay
6. Digital Gauges

I choose those parts as they often on the most wanted list from owners and it would nice to MINI to update the R56 for the future digital world as over 10 years have passed since the first one rolled out from Plant Oxford.

The carbon steering bits, handbrake and gear knob have all been discounted but often go for silly money now online. Wow doesn’t like a bit of Carbon???

The number of looks my JCW does get when they have seen the Recaros is countless and forever on everyone’s wishlist. They are still the best seats for any car as they fit your snuggle, hours of driving and you won’t be fatigued plus they have the heating elements in them all ready for the winter months.

Another on the most wanted list is the JCW shift lights for the race vibes.

MINI Mission Control was an underrated feature which highlighted MINI’s fun, humour and lightheartedness inside your car. For those who don’t know your MINI turned into KITT from Nightrider so it would talk to you depending on what mode you were in e.g. so if you switched from sport mode to normal it would say ‘Oh that’s no fun back to granny mode’. Yes, it had humour but it had useful information telling you the car reached optimum temperature but announcing it. Other features were inbuilt such as if you took your MINI back to the factory you would get points and tick of list of achievements as top speed, 0 to 60 times and fuel economy.

Apple Carplay would bring the car up to date so you can get to where ever your going and have support from Siri wherever you go. Apple has always done things great and innovated with its ecosystem hence why MINI has always supported the brand. You do it your R56 now with installing an aftermarket Apple Carplay module.

I said digital gauges as analogue dials are a dying breed as most new cars have digital dashes now to relay all kinds of information from water temperature, tyre pressure, sat-nav directions and etc. Lotus did something similar to all their existing and previous models buy making digital dash retrofit kit which costs – £1470 and comes with a 2-year warranty.

It’s all good and well-saying let’s get this stuff made by MINI but what would it cost at the dealers?

JCW Carbon Parts Price Examples – £799 – R56 Carbon Wing, £65 – Carbon Gear Knob and Carbon Door Pulls – £80

JCW Recaros Alcantara/Leather – £1500 each or £3500 for a pair fitted & coded

JCW Shift Lights – £250

MINI Mission Control – £200 – Module & Software

Wireless Apple Carplay – £300

Digital Gauges – £350

All the above are possible to do with no so much work and the coding being the only major issues as it would have work with all the current system software correctly to which MINI own all themselves. Carbon manufacturing is now easy for them as BMW has all it’s own carbon manufacture facilities and will own all the moulds and copyright. Re-establishing the brand partnership with Recaro is a simple step as they have collaborated in years gone with both MINI & BMW.

If you want to modify it? – Here is my Ultimate R56 MINI Modding Bible – Click here for my guide

Hopefully, this guide will give you a stepping stone to find the perfect MINI and look forward to the MINI Adventures.

Here are my recommendations for MINI UK & Overseas specialist to visit for repairs, upgrades or parts:

Lohen – lohen.co.uk

1320 Mini – 1320.co.uk

Sussex Road & Race – sussexroadandrace.co.uk

Millys Auto – millsysautos.co.uk

TWG Automotive – twgautomotive.co.uk

MiniWorks – mini-works.co.uk

RSI C6 – rsic6.com

Outmotoring – outmotoring.com

ESC Tuning – ecstuning.com

Detroit Tuned – detroittuned.com

My list is made by own opinions and me speaking to respective companies & other owners across the world, and this is not sponsored post for full transparency.

If you got the modding bug don’t forget to check out JCW Adventures Store or Official eBay Store for some stickers for all generations of MINIs or R56 JCW carbon fibre exhaust tips as seen on my MINI R56 JCW to support the blog & YouTube channel.

All your support over the years and please offer that same support by following my Youtube Channel as well : )

As Always it’s a MINI Adventure try to keep up & Stay Safe!

Support the blog by Sharing, Subscribing or Buying from the stores

JCW Adventures Store

Official eBay Store

JCW Adventures Youtube Channel

Facebook

Instagram

The post Am I Missing Something? – Why MINI should remake Classic & New MINI Parts appeared first on JCW Adventures.

Having been an R56 MINI owner for nearing on 10 years I do look back at the best and worst of times as decade comes to a close. My R56 JCW has love and death of me at times when it repairs bills and maintenance but that has stopped me for loving her the way I do with the smiles, memories and friendship along the way. The R56 has taught me a lot about cars, engines, car upkeep and mechanical sympathy the older she has got with age as the mileage has gone over 125,000 miles which is 5 times around the world.

Let’s get down the business and discuss the common faults with the R56 as it has become a modern classic:

N14 Engine – It has its issues, but it always boils down to how the previous owners to look after with preventative and routine maintenance. Check the oil and filter was changed a minimum of every 8-10,000 miles or every year. If you have tuned/mapped it you will need to more regular oil and filter changes at 5-6,000 miles if you like your pistons ring not to wear out or scoring the bore in the engine’s cylinders. I made a video on how to look after it, which is available on my Youtube Channel

Timing chain – It’s meant to last 100,000 miles but will be needed to be done at around 50 to 80,000 depending again it’s usage and owner maintenance. Signs of it will need to be done is high tapping noise, and rattling sounds like a diesel engine on cold start-up, and lack of go from the offset with the noise disappearing as the engine warms up. It will cost around £700 to £1000 to get this sorted from an independent or dealership

Carbon Build Up – A common issue on direct injection due to the way the fuel doesn’t go over the values to clean them compared to the old port injection. The plus was better fuel economy and power but carbon build up the valves was an annoying by-product. It will need decoking every two to three years to keep running right which set you back around £200 to 250. You might think oil catch can save you from this problem after all the youtube videos but it doesn’t sadly as the PCV system was poorly designed anyway so all it is doing is slowing down the process…

High-Pressure Fuel Pump – Common issue on MINI which is annoying as they seem to last between 50 to 60,000 miles before they fail so its £600 for an OEM one. The same issue plagues BMW’s of this era as the 135i has this issue with HPFP failing on them too

Valve Steam Seals – Common german car issue as the rubber seals perish over time allowing excess oil to enter the combustion chamber. Check for blue or white at idle or full throttle which will show either the turbo is on it’s way out or valve stem seals need to be done both are expensive jobs at £1,000 or £600

Engine Cover Weep – Typical German car problem which happens overage as the rubber gasket perished so its £150 for this job or if it’s the whole cover then another £300. On N18 engine cover melting is a common issue at the corner near the turbo

Turbo Oil Feedline – This issue because the MINI engine runs so hot as it leads to oil feedline to leak or coke up so make sure it has the recall oil feedline heatshield or buy the aftermarket braided oil feedline at £80 and £180 fitting

Water Pump & Thermostat – On an engine that runs quite hot any way you would think they would give it a good cool system but that’s not the case as they regularly fail as they crack or the rubber gasket fails – the joys of the plastic parts on modern cars compared to metal items of yesteryears. The water pump is £35, and the thermostat is £75 which is a bit awkward to replace so another £200 there easy

Bushes – You buy a MINI for it’s handling so expect the bushes will need replacing unless the previous owner has replaced them to poly bushes ones. Bushes are cheap at £40, but it costs four times as much to replace on given the hours of work going into replacing them at £300

Clutch – As MINI are brought to driven so the typical check of seeing how high the biting point or any whine from the front from the dual mass flywheel

Water Ingress – This issues only happens mainly in the boot as the rubber seals lose their seal over time, so do check under the false floor of signs of water in there. Boot seal is around £60, which can do it yourself

Panoramic Roof – They weren’t the best, to begin with, no they fail or leak – FUN Times – Replace £3k or motor £250. Use vaseline to stop water ingress as a temporary measure or WD40 silicone spray to keep the system working for the long run

Windows – They tend to have a mind of their own most of them with squeaky noises which fixed by WD40 silicone spray. The other issues is them not closing and going down before reaching the top of the window due to regulator issues or the more common issue they need resetting. A simple reset is done by holding down both window switches down for 10 seconds for full system reset

Tyres – If it’s still on run-flats do yourself a favour and buy normal tyres and get some tyre sealer – You can thank me later

Gearbox & Fuel Filter – Replace the gearbox oil and fuel filter every 50,000 miles or every 3 years – Often overlooked as we are told they are lifetime (ignore it and just do it) a fluid change is cheaper than a gearbox or new fuel pump

Diesel Engines – They are relatively cheap to run, but DPF Filters and EGR Valves will become an issue like any diesel car as the clog up with dutty diesel gunk

Manual or Auto – Get the manual – It’s a driver’s car, as the auto-box is mehhh and unresponsive a ridiculous amount to replace or fix given everything has to come out

Clubman Barn Doors – Check for signs of rust between the doors as drain points in the doors can get clogged, so water sits causing rust between the seals and door edges

Convertible Roadster & Coupe – They suffer the same issues as everything is shared on the hatchback platform. The coupe boot struts can fail quickly, given how heavy the boot lid is – you will know when you open it for the first time

Countryman & Paceman – They suffer the same issues as everything is shared on this platform minus the chassis

With everything said and done I love my JCW and the older it has got stuff will just break which you have to accept like any car but a lot of the work can be done as preventive measures. A lot of the work you can learn yourself if you want to DIY or find a good specialist or MINI dealer to help you along with your MINI Adventure. I took out the MINI Extended warranty which has saved my ass a lot of times with my turbo replacement, timing chain issues and roadside recovery to a MINI dealer for repairs with a MINI courtesy car given within a few hours – £75 a month looks cheap – link to the MINI Extended Warranty site

If you want to modify it – R56 MINI Modding Bible – Click here for my guide

Hopefully, this guide will give you a stepping stone to find the perfect MINI and look forward to the MINI Adventures.

Here are my recommendations for MINI UK & Overseas specialist to visit for repairs, upgrades or parts:

Lohen – lohen.co.uk

1320 Mini – 1320.co.uk

Sussex Road & Race – sussexroadandrace.co.uk

Millys Auto – millsysautos.co.uk

TWG Automotive – twgautomotive.co.uk

MiniWorks – mini-works.co.uk

RSI C6 – rsic6.com

Outmotoring – outmotoring.com

ESC Tuning – ecstuning.com

Detroit Tuned – detroittuned.com

My list is made by own opinions and me speaking to respective companies & other owners across the world, and this is not sponsored post for full transparency.

If you got the modding bug don’t forget to check out JCW Adventures Store or Official eBay Store for some stickers for all generations of MINIs or R56 JCW carbon fibre exhaust tips as seen on my MINI R56 JCW to support the blog & YouTube channel.

All your support over the years and please offer that same support by following my Youtube Channel as well : )

As Always it’s a MINI Adventure try to keep up & Stay Safe!

Support the blog by Sharing, Subscribing or Buying from the stores

JCW Adventures Store

Official eBay Store

JCW Adventures Youtube Channel

Facebook

Instagram

The post Sorry I Am Not Perfect: Common 2nd Gen R56 MINI Problems appeared first on JCW Adventures.

I am going to break how to upgrade your R56 from the MINI accessories to Aftermarket parts regardless of how deep or empty your pockets in the pursuit of adding to that legendary road-legal go-kart.

Suspension

A key component of what makes a MINI a MINI is it handling. The MINI’s suspension is quite firm from the factory and even firmer if you opted with the sport suspension which came with lower & firmer springs and different dampers. Sadly MINI didn’t provide coilovers or lower ride height option from the factory other than on GP2 which came with Bilstein coilovers for a 20mm ride height drop which actually gives a better ride. You can buy else from MINI, however, they have been prone to leak and cease up on GP2s resulting in them being replaced or repairs needed as they aren’t cheap at £400 a corner.

There are a few options for suspension upgrades depending on budget:

Lowering springs – Eibach Pro-Kit lowering springs work with your existing shocks to give you a 30mm lower ride height if looks are all you’re after. Approx Cost: £170

Upgraded Dampers – It’s not all about ride height as lowering for stance points but they way your MINI controls itself over the road which the dampers take care of. Changing over to Koni FSD sport dampers will improve the way your MINI rides regardless of the surface or how fast you’re going. These ‘FSD’ dampers are frequency selective damping which responds differently to low-frequency movement such as that produced by cornering, braking and accelerating and high-frequency movement generated by driving over the uneven road surface. This means that the damper provides excellent body control through cornering and other manoeuvres but becomes more compliant when a bump or dip is encountered without compromising in ride quality. Cost: £550

Coilovers – The ultimate option for stance queens or track warriors regardless of budget coilovers are the best option to improve on the MINI go-kart handling and lowering ride height to your preference. Coilovers offer better control over stock suspension as it offers adjustability in height, rebound, damping or chamber compared to a fixed damper and spring from the factory. This adjustability allows you to set up your MINI to your liking for looks, ride or handling.

They are often the more expensive option for improving your MINI handling as kits vary from cheap and cheerful to sell your kidney prices.

AP Coilovers on the low end at £450 but I have seen many issues and varied quality problems with these. Remember you get what you pay for…

ST Suspension is just KW under another name offering the reinsurance of quality brand at cheaper price option so you are getting more bang for your buck. Cost: £650 to £1,000

Meister R & BC Racing coilovers are another halfway house of price and performance at £800 to £900

Bilstein coilovers are a well-known brand so quality is there with TUV approval and testing on Nurburgring. I have been told with mix opinions that they are firmer than the KW suspension in regards to ride quality. Cost: £750 to £1,500

KW coilovers arguably the biggest & best name and well know brand regards of the ultimate suspension. KW offer different kits at various price points ranging from the basic V1 setup to full-blown racing suspension with top mounts and external reservoirs. Cost: £800 to £2000

Ohlins coilovers is the alternative option but for the more serious and deep-pocketed buyer as they don’t come cheap. Cost: £2,000

In my opinion, stick to the big well-known brand when buying suspension as there is nothing worse than having to your MINI out of action because you went cheap and it broke. I followed my advice when I went for the ultimate and brought a set of KW Clubsports for my JCW : D

Also for the love of God don’t do something stupid like cut springs for cheap lows as will shorten the life of your shocks and might even completely destroy your whole front suspension and everything with it.

Also worth noting if you live in country with varied climates it’s worth getting Coilover socks as they stop salt/grit from killing your springs in the winter months – £35

For the stance nation peeps WHAT WHAT!!!! air suspension is there but will set you back £4000 for the system then everything else is even more money so choose wisely. Don’t pick right and say goodbye to your front end, oil sump and engine with it with low lows and that goes for static ride low riders as well.

Tyres

Often the most overlooked part when modifying or upgrading your car yet it is most important that keeps your pride & joy on the tarmac and not in a ditch. Tyres are often the most expensive upkeep on your car if you daily drive or drive everywhere like a bat out of hell as they are the fine line of cost per tyre versus all the requirements need from it ranging from tyre width, profile, mileage, dry grip, wet grip, noise, and fuel economy.

One the first things to do on a MINI is to get rid of the run-flat tyres are these ruin a lot of things with most importantly being ride quality and tram lining as they reinforced tyres which have been designed to run on with no air in the tyres. The major benefit is outweighed quite quickly by the key negative of the high cost of replacement tyres is often nearly twice as much the equivalent normal tyre.

Quickest and easiest option to gain more grip when switching to normal tyres would simply get a wider profile tyre of 215/45/17 which will reduce torque steer, give a better ride and more efficient way of transferring power to the asphalt plus they are cheaper than the 205/45/17 tyre! MADNESS!!!!!!

With the wider profile, you will need to increase the PSI in a tyre to 34psi from the standard 32 psi recommendation as a greater amount of air is need to fill the tyre. Me personal I tend to go for higher speed-rated tyres at Y or Z from the standard W rating as I know I will not reach the limit and it is always better to under stress something than overstress anything.

Let’s run through the tyre options available for road use:

Uniroyal Rainsport 5 – Great all-around road bias tyre that is epic in the wet and at the price it is totally unbeatable! – £70

Kumho Ecsta Sport KU39 – All round tyre for fast driving at a great price – £70

Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 – Great performance tyre with all road ability with great wear rate – £90

Continental Sport Contact 6 – Epic tyre whatever you throw at it but they ain’t cheap and they will wear out quicker than rivals -£104

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 – Arguable the best road trip which has the greatest pedigree as given they made the tyres for the Bugatti Veyron & Chiron. Along with this, it is reign champion of EVO magazine’s tyre testing – £104

Track Tyres

Yokohama AD08R Advan Neova – More of road bias tyre but sold more for a track option given it has a B wet rating making it a great choice for driving to and back from the track – £80

Federal 595 RSR – More track orientated than the AD08R as heat is needed for these tyres to work properly – £85

Nankang NS2R – This tyre comes in two forms with medium and hard compound allowing you to choose for road orientated or track the only tyre. The Hard compound will need a lot of heat to get the tyre working on track mean a sightseeing lap then maximum attack. Yet in both cases, they are both road-legal and have a wet rating of B allowing you still attack corners in the wet – £89

Kumho V70A Ecsta – The OEM fitment of the GP2 which is track-focused tyre but it’s not your friend at all in the wet from what I have been told by owners/friends. But for the price, they have been overpriced given the competition are cheaper and don’t wear out after 2,000 miles on the road – £120

Brakes

It is all fantastic doing fast but you will need to stop and it is often overlooked as everyone is chasing more power. Again depending on your budget improvements and overhauls can be made to scrub speed off as easily as heavy right foot can manage.

Brake Calipers

JCW – £800, Copy JCW Budweg £500, GP2 – £1500

Aftermarket – £1200 Brembos or Ap Racing

Brake Discs
Simple upgrade on an S or JCW would be to upgrade to drilled or slotted discs from MINI which will aid cooling or bite plus they look cooler.

OEM Front Plain Discs – £200
OEM Front Grooved & Drilled – £220
But remember the standard JCW Discs are bigger at 316mm and the S are 294mm under normal brake calipers for each model variant.

However, a lot of money can be saved by buying Brembos replacements discs for your MINI.
Brembo Front Plain Discs – £100
Brembo Front Grooved & Drilled – £120

Brake Pads
As per the above, the Brembo replacements are better than the stock in every way with better bite, less brake dust and cost less which is everything you need changing away from OEM.

Brembo Front Pads – £160

OEM Front Pads – £120 (JCW) £80 (Cooper S)

Alternative pads such as MINTEX M1144, Tarox, Ferodo DS2500 or even making Nissan 350Z pads will fit the JCW Brembo. FYI Mintex is the supplier of the pads for the MINI Challenge race car.

If you’re planning some track time then changing your brake fluid to 5.1 dot will reduce brake faded as it has higher boiling temperature than OEM fluid at 4 dot. Along with this going for braided brake lines will give a better brake feel and reduce brake fade as do not expand/stretch under heat like the OEM lines. Both offer improvements and are no more expensive than your standard replacement parts.

Drivetrain & Differential

A limited-slip differential (LSD) allows faster cornering by shuffling torque between the driven wheels. This lets the car use its engine’s output in the most efficient way possible by preventing wheelspin and maximising traction.

There was a great time where MINI offered a limited-slip differential from 2005 to 2010 but it was sadly dropped because of cost, weight and lack of uptake. This was a genuine shame if they just held on or gave it some marketing push people would have brought it at £500. However, the underlining issue was price as they could replicate it using electronic software – Electronic Differential Lock Control (EDLC). EDLC emulates a diff by putting on the brakes or limiting to manage power to the ground without all the complexity, install or warranty issues.

Fear not the aftermarket to the rescue with Quaife with their LSD which is the best name in the business for road and light track action so quality is where you want go especially as installation takes £500 due the gearbox coming out.

Quaife ATB Helical LSD differential – £726

If you’re more of track warrior then Wavetrac is the more track-oriented diff as it has more aggressive locking.

Wavetrac ATB Helical LSD differential – £1152

If you hunting power you will need to change your clutch will the victim as the stock Cooper S/JCW will let go after 230 bhp running through it. Lohen a long time MINI specialist has formulated the right package with clutch experts TTV & Helix for all power levels of MINI either for road or track usage. Go for an organic clutch if your road user and if it’s track then 4 or 6 paddle one will be the correct thing for your application – £200 to £260. Whilst your there if you want your MINI to rev quicker go for a lighten flywheel which will 7kg lighter than stock dual mass one – £450.

Servicing

It’s all fine and well making your car faster in every conceivable way but not looking after it will have drastic effect if do not pick up faults/issues or keep to the service intervals.

MINI UK recommends oil changes every 20,000 miles but I can’t iterate enough how idiotic this is move is as MINI USA recommend oil changes every 10,000 miles. What you have understand is that the oil that feeds the turbo also feeds the engine, therefore, it is imperative that oil is clean and regularly changed to keep the engine & turbo running as it optimum efficiency.  So if you a low mileage user change it every year or 10,000 miles whichever comes first to keep it running smoothly. If you have tuned it then every 8,000 miles as your engine will be running hotter given the extra load/boost it will be at degrading the oil a lot faster every component in your engine is running under greater pressure. Oil change should be £90 and Oil & filter being £120.

The cabin air filter is overlooked filter as people don’t know it exists and the effects it has on the air and heating system within the car. What’s a cabin filter and when should you replace it? It catches dust, pollen and other airborne material from outside the car. It should be replaced between 12-15,000 miles dependent on how often you drive and where heavy traffic city or off-road driving would require annual changes. Telltale signs that you need a new cabin air filter are reduced air flow through your air con/climate control when the fan is on high and you get more noise or persistent bad odours. It will take you a few minutes to change the filter which is located under the glovebox and you just need a flat screwdriver to open the filter housing plus filters are cheap at £10.

The fuel filter is the most forgotten filter on the R56 as it is said to be ‘lifetime’ by MINI but after changing my own at 89,000 miles it was PITCH BLACK and clearly not really filtering anything. I would advise changing the filter at 50-60,000 miles to be on the safe side and this was small cost at £135 with the new filter kit (£53) and fitting from MINI (Part number: 11252754870).

Spark plugs have become less so an issue as modern platinum or iridium spark plugs can last 60,000 miles but if your running more boost then running a colder spark to stop pre-denotation/pinging is advised. If you own a JCW make sure the dealership changes your spark plugs at every service as it recommended per MINI service bulletin and is often missed as Cooper & Cooper S are the motors they normally work on.

Gearbox oil another lifetime item which should be changed but isn’t because of MINI’s advisement that it shouldn’t be. Changing the oil will have a drastic effect on how smooth your gear changes are along with prolonging the life of your gearbox. You might think gearbox oil is an expense but what is more costing than refurbing or replacing one? You will need to 2 litres of oil for a complete change and this oil will set you back about £45 with about £50 for labour.

Carbon build is an issue that has plagued the 2nd Generation MINI engine from its conception as the move to direct injections. Direct injection engines brought about improvements efficiency, power, mpg and emissions but have negative side effects of carbon build up around the intake value and inside the engine. The problem with this is you can only slow it down with an oil catch can but this issue will always be there regardless of what you do. The only way to reset this problem is decoking/walnut blasting or full engine cleaning but again carbon build will return like an unwanted guest. A decoke will set you back around £200-240 while a full engine clean will set you back £1000 minimum.

The timing chain is a known issue on this generation of MINI’s in the S & JCW which diagnosed by a loud rattle aka ‘Death Rattle’ that is particularly prominent from start-up/cold and lack of go/pick up when applying throttle. This happens because of the chain tensioner becoming less efficient or failing which leads to a slacking of the timing time which in turn hits timing chain guide rails and as lead to damage to these guides or damage to the engine internals. The issue affects the N14 engine found in the MINI R56 Cooper S between 2007 and 2009, and JCW’s from 2008-2012. However, the issue has been resolved with the N18 engine in the later MINI Cooper S/JCW/GP models. A MINI specialist can fix this at £600 or MINI will charge you £1200.

The fuel pump is another common issue so they only last between 50 to 80,000 miles before a replacement is needed. Replacements bounce in the price bracket of £220 and keep it going on for a long period do not let the fuel level go below 3 bars. The fuel in the tank acts like a lubricate for the pump and when the fuel is lacking it increases the wear and burns out the pump thus resulting in premature failure.

Valve Stem Seal Set is an annoying german car problem as the wear out and lets oil into the combustion chamber resulting in white smoke into your exhaust and vastly increase oil consumption.

If your MINI is starting to burn oil at a high rate this will likely be the case as it ages – £64 part and £300 install

ECU Remapping & Engine

I have never been an advocate of ECU tuning as I have seen it end in tearless one too many times hence why I have personally avoided it as you asking the engine to work beyond its manufacturer’s state of tune, tolerance and long-term durability. Also tuning boxes and race chips are a no no no no no given what they do by lying to the ECU in tricking it in my more power.

MINI JCW Tuning Kit was available from MINI if you want it for the Cooper S to bump up the power and keep a warranty but we are kind of beyond that now.

I can’t really recommend anyone now given Miniac have folded and the only thing I can say is to go to a MINI specialist like Lohen or 1320 given their long-run history with getting more power of them and racing them.

If power is still on your mind you will need to forge your MINI ‘s engine as they cope will with higher power levels than stock as they weren’t overengineered like old school cars of past years. So dig deep and prepared to the cost to run into the thousands of pounds in parts then labour rates.

Silicone hoses will be a worthy upgrade over the stock rubber pipe which will split over time as rubber degrades. These hoses will not flex under boost or load as they are stiffer giving better airflow from resonator delete pipe or noise maker delete pipe which is not expensive at £80.

JCW turbos are a good upgrade for Cooper S to gain more power the S turbo runs out of puff and Hybrid will be the way to if you want 270bhp upwards power levels – £1200.

A good cheap mod will be the Alta stiffy spring which is stiffer spring which will hold more boost between gear changes so less lag – £20

Don’t bother with fancy diverter values like forge as they leak boost and it will run like crap instead get a genuine GFB DV+ from an official stockist as fake ones are floating around now – £120.

Induction

The sweet noise of the turbo spooling, intake noise and bleed value is the noise of my people so here is how to get more!!!

Panel filter is the best bang for the buck as it gives like 2-3 BHP and more induction noise. However, do not buy an oil-based air filter as these will ruin your MAF airflow sensor but instead get a dry flow air filter.

JCW Airbox is the mid-range option for Cooper S on N14 as it’s a simple plug and play

AEM Induction kit is the ultimate as I have run once since they came out in 2014 and I have zero issues in every weather and over 60,000 miles covered on it – need I say more?

Click this link – Full review on the AEM Cold Air Kit

An extra 15 BHP on a Cooper S or JCW is welcomed along with the induction and blow-off noise but a surprised and welcome extra is increased mpg by 5mpg works a wonder so the kit actually pays for itself over time – £400 Just an FYI the OEM JCW strut brace will not fit after adding in this induction kit so you will have to buy the AEM one as it goes around the box – £280.

The only issues I have seen are numpties removing the OEM heatshield from the catalytic converter which then results in the engine cover melting and damaging everything around. It’s kind of self inflecting problem so just don’t even think about doing it!

For hotter climates, it will be advised to get a turbo blanket to keep engine bay temps down and key the engine cover intact – Forge turbo blanket £125

Exhaust

The sound of the car can make or break it so much so Porsche did a U-turn on the Cayman and brought back the flat-six in the GTS instead of the flat-four turbo. I have listened to all the options to bring the noise at every price point to bolt-on.

Resonator delete is the cheap option which results in chopping out the resonator and welding in a straight piece of stainless steel pipe – £80. In turn, you gain more metallic noise with more pops and bangs but it welcomes in unwanted cabin drone on the motorway so turn up the music.

Sports cat is another way to crank up the volume to 12 whilst keeping it road-legal compared to the decat which will fail MOT/Inspection. The benefits of sports catalytic converter will be the increased noise, more aggressive pops n bangs along with reduced turbo lag while being road-legal.

Decat will reduce turbo lag further but I will make you not road-legal as it will fail MOT/Inspection on emissions. This more oriented for a track car than a daily car as suffer from unwanted attention as the noise levels are too load for road use for you and other people.

Challenge exhaust can be fitted to the road MINI and it will increase noise further than a standard back box MINI but hard it loud enough to set off car alarms – £750 for resonator onwards exhaust system

The Catback exhaust is expensive as it the full exhaust system and will allow a wider 3-inch system the full way down. Honestly not worth the money on an R56 JCW as the stock system is too good from the factory but to a Cooper S it’s a lot better.

JCW back box is worthy addition to an R56 Cooper S as it makes the S sound better than JCW given different compression ratio of the engine. Its will give loud noise with zero compromises and cost is £500.

Cooling

Larger Intercooler is the easiest upgrade to the JCW or Cooper S to reduce inlet temperatures as the stock intercooler is a tiny thing. This will allow colder air into the engine so it will perform better on-road and track with a few bhp increase and nm increase in torque throughout the rev range – £250 to £450 depending on the brand – Airtec, Forge & Wagner

Waterless coolant is innovation within the market from Evan’s waterless coolant has a larger range of temperatures meaning that heat transfer (cooling) is more effective than water-based coolant that would be in gas form at the equivalent temperature. This coolant helps to eliminate premature detonation this reduces head gaskets and other engine failures associated with overheating. This will require a flush of the system and new coolant which will run you £220.

Meth Injection is an expensive way to keep engine temperatures down when increasing power but it has another benefit of cleaning as well so it will perform even better than stock as it stops coking. There are only a hand full of systems on the market but always go the established name like AEM or DevilsOwn. These full kits hover around the price point of £380 and refill methanol tank costs about £40 (needs filling either every 2 to 3 times you put in petrol) but the car will need to be mapped as well so the ECU can understand what is going on for it work correctly.

Aerodynamics

The MINI GP2 brought about some aero goodies with the GP2 Front undertray & GP2 Rear Diffuser which actually create downforce compared to another aftermarket aero parts. These parts can be easily installed on to Cooper S or JCW to gain those benefits of increasing stability and downforce as they just bolt-on. GP2 diffuser will be enough for most as they want the look rather than the full ground effect when combined with the front undertray.

MINI GP2 Front undertray – £350 & MINI GP2 Diffuser – £380

MINI GP2 carbon fibre wing is available but its price point of £1500 is going to put off a lot of people but it has been tested in a wind tunnel compared to aftermarket wings.

Aftermarkets ones are all show and no go as just a bolt-on which increase drag and lift as they have never been tested in a wind tunnel…

Chassis

Bushes – MINIs are epic in the corners for a reason which there complex front suspension but that awesome turn-in fades after a while because the rubber bushes perish over time.

It’s advised to move over to poly bushes as they are put in and forget as they don’t wear down compared to OEM rubber ones which will need replacing multiple times.

Powerflex is the king of the market so get all their bushes which will come to £230 but the kicker will be labour rate which is £360 give the time to the front and rear subframes which are an 8-hour job. Trust me it’s worth as the handle handles on rails even more but once it’s done its done as Powerflex offer a lifetime warranty on all bushes. Only get the purple or yellow Powerflex bushes for road and the black series ones for the track only as the black series are basically solid blocks so the vibration will resonate throughout the car which will get tiring.

Strut Brace – Are the only school way of increase chassis stiffness by adding a strengthening bar aka a strut brace.

You can go the official MINI route and order the JCW strut brace which is £250 or aftermarket around £200. Be wary the GP2 one will not fit on to your JCW or Cooper S due to the different mounting points for the shocks compared the GP2.

The MINI convertible has the under car bracing due to the roof being chopped off causes body flex so it’s possible to buy these underfloor bracing and add to your hardtop MINI.

Roll cage – Like with a track car that is going racing it will need a roll cage which will set you back £500

Interior

Seats – Having a bad or good driving position can make and break a car as it’s where you will be spending your time so make it a nice place. JCW Recaros are the ultimate given they look the business, airbags, heated and they are official MINI part but sadly discounted. They are virtually unattainable as were £1500 each when new and very few people specd them so they pop anywhere they get snapped up so be prepared to have £2000 for a good used set.

Aftermarket versions of the JCW Recaros are available from Recaro without the JCW logo for around £1000 each if you want the ultimate seats. Sparco or Cobra are available at more affordable rates starting from £500 upwards for your booty.

Shifters – JCW gearbox knob is an easy upgrade for any MINI owner as it gives the MINI gearbox through and who does love a bit of carbon and Alcantara – £ 90

Short shifters kit from NM engineering is the next step to reduce the throw length by 20% and is £40 part but the labour to install it will run you £80 given the exhaust has to dropped to gain access to the shifter ball.

If you want to go the extreme then CAE or Coolworx will be the quickest way to shift gears as it’s a stand kit which replaces your gear lever altogether – £750 plus another £50 to relocate your sport, traction and start-stop buttons into the cup holder so you only have one cup holder now

Music – If you didn’t spec the Harmon Kardon sound system I feel bad for you as it £500 option which you should have as it makes the MINI stereo sound soooo good with 1000 watts of all about that BASS BASS.

Fear, not a simple mod can improve the sound quality – Channel swap mod changes were the sound is addressed across the cabin, it transfers the high & bass notes more to the back speakers – £40.

Exterior

I have left this to last a few MINI should be unique as the owner’s personality transcended to their MINI. Please use a local vinyl specialist to get some stripes or head to MINI for bonnet stripes, side stripes, roof numbers etc. The MINI community can offer some more uniqueness to your ride – Stuck On MINIs, Luxewerx or JCW Adventure all have stores and what better way to support a fellow MINI owner and lover.

Get carbonated with MINI’s official mirror caps, boot lid, diffuser & wing or aftermarket like RSI C6 which make anything from door handles to bonnets. I will most like getting their bonnet and rear boot lid soon…

I want to talk about splitters but they are utterly pointless on a road as they will scrap or rip your front end off as I have seen with many mini owners so save your money and your front bumper.

Hopefully, this guide will give you a stepping stone to your MINI build and look forward to seeing them all at shows soon.

Here are my recommendations for MINI UK & Overseas specialist to visit:

Lohen – lohen.co.uk

1320 Mini – 1320.co.uk

Sussex Road & Race – sussexroadandrace.co.uk

Millys Auto – millsysautos.co.uk

TWG Automotive – twgautomotive.co.uk

MiniWorks – mini-works.co.uk

RSI C6 – rsic6.com

Outmotoring – outmotoring.com

ESC Tuning – ecstuning.com

Detroit Tuned – detroittuned.com

My list is made by own opinions and me speaking to respective companies & other owners across the world and this is not sponsored post for full transparency.

If you got the modding bug don’t forget to check out JCW Adventures Store or Official eBay Store for some stickers for all generations of MINIs or R56 JCW carbon fibre exhaust tips as seen on my MINI R56 JCW to support the blog & YouTube channel.

All your support over the years and please offer that same support by following my Youtube Channel as well : )

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The post MINI 2nd Gen Tuning Guide: The Best Mods For The R56 MINI appeared first on JCW Adventures.

Here all the main details you need to know about the MINI GP3:

• Limited to 3,000 units worldwide (UK – 575 units & US – 400-500 units)
• 306 bhp & 450 nm of Torque from the revised 2-litre engine
• 0 to 62 mph in 5.2 seconds with a top speed of 164 mph
• 8-Speed Steptronic Automatic & Torsen Mechanical Differential
• Multistage traction control with GP Mode
• Lightweight wheels with Hankook track-focused tyres
• 20mm wider front track & 10mm reduced ride height from JCW with adaptive suspension
• Rear seats deleted with a rear brace
• Nappa Leather steering wheel with metal 12 o’clock position and GP metal paddle shifters
• Digital & Analogue Dials
• Improved Aerodynamics with Carbon Fibre Arches & Rear wing
• 90mm exhaust tips finished in matte brushed stainless steel
• Darkened LED headlights & rear lights and Black MINI badges
• Exclusive metallic Racing Grey paint with metallic melting silver roof
• Unique GP side stripe with individual numbers on Carbon Blades
• Preorder is now available at your retailers with RRP of £33,895 (US – $44,900)
• GT Touring Pack (£2,000 – Option)- Adds dual-zone air- conditioning, heated front seats and Navigation Plus – which includes Satellite Navigation and wireless charging
• First UK deliveries start in March 2020

Now with the key points outlined will this be ultimate F56 when it comes out?? I still loved R56 GP2 which I test drove for review a while a back which was still raw, and they just turned the R56 up to 12.

I am not gonna lie the F56 series MINI has been a bitter disappointment to me and the only model that I have driven from the range that has made me smile has been the F56 MINI Hatch Cooper and F56 JCW Convertible as they charm to them. The Cooper had all the power you wanted as it was fun extracting it from its peppy engine while the Convertible JCW brought back some of the visceral rawness of what a MINI should be.

I am yet to drive the F55 Clubman JCW with its ALL4 drive with the same engine as the MINI GP3, but in the real world, the clubman will be faster! It’s ALL4 will allow a quicker 0 to 60 dash at 4.9 compared to the GP3s 5.2 plus you can take your mates with you.

The proof will be in the driving when I get a hold of a set of keys from MINI or a JCW clubman owner willing to borrow it me for a while. Probably the car I am most excited to drive along with the MINI Cooper SE.

Now the car has officially unveiled it has grown on me, and I see more details on it which are cooler than first perceived. The Carbon blades don’t look that much out of place, but I can see it being a nightmare in the real world – people trying to clean them and a lot of people touching them when you are away from it. Plus I am annoyed there is no manual option as the torque figure was too high for them to justify so auto won that fight : (

They should have made the mirror caps Red to follow tradition and the lower grille should have been black as that lower grille is something you don’t want to highlight…

GP numbers on the roof again for tradition reasons but the mega disappointment has been the wheels as they are very much lacklustre. The whole 3rd Gen MINI range as it’s like they gave up in that design department. But the person who made the centre caps deserves needs promotion to head of wheel design.

The wing again should have followed tradition with being carbon fibre and my OCD is kicking off with the base being red next to a silver roof!! Just why why why why

The paddles look nice, but the top parts should have been longer as everyone drives differently and they should have looked to supercars for better inspiration.

Alright, enough of the negatives here are my positives – dark line headlights & rear lights, black door handles, black fuel cap and black badges are perfect but that new racing grey paint though really pops under the sun! The upper red bar grill intake is a pleasant update to get more in and go with the GP3 more power theme.

Interior is where they did their best work with the rear seat delete being something to behold than a rush job with the GP logo, flush carpet and new back strut brace design. New seats are a nice touch with the grey and GP logo, but you will be glad for the new digital with GP interface. It will make you feel that much special every time you got in with GP door stills and mats.

The better diffuser is welcomed as well but could have had a more menace to it. My favourite touch of them all is the matte brushed stainless steel trim exhaust tips. They are something very different much a new look, so it caught my eye straight away.

I thought they were titanium when I did walk around the Goodwood festival of speed back in the summer.

Now that we have done everything at face value, let’s dive deeper into the changes under the hood and beyond.

The engine was revamped to achieve the new power levels with the following upgrades:

The post Coming In Hot: All The Details On The F56 MINI GP3 appeared first on JCW Adventures.

The post The BIG MINI Adventure: MINI TAKES THE STATES Part 2 appeared first on JCW Adventures.

The original Mini arrived in 1959 and became an instant Icon to the 60s generation. This love affair lasted until 2000 under MG Rover stopping production. The Mini was meant to an economy car but evolved into a classless motoring icon and a rally legend, showing that power isn’t everything. A quick hop and twist to 2001 the legend was reborn under BMW ownership with the design penned by an American. The second iteration of the new MINI under BMW’s ownership arrived in 2007. For this 3rd generation new MINI, BMW went back to the drawing board to create this new model from the ground up with an all new chassis, engines and components.

Will this new original live up to the hype and legacy of that famous badge?

The automotive industry is still in its infancy but has been rapidly evolving through the years with leaps and bounds with engines, safety, materials and technology. The original Mini was designed to be cheap affordable car to the mass population. The engineering team cleverly designed the front wheel drive layout to utilise the same oil sump for the gearbox and transmission giving a compact design. The new MINI is very far from this ingenuity as that famous badge as it has become a powerful marketing tool in positioning this small car as premium hatchback.

2014 saw the launch of the new original MINI with dealers across the UK officially inviting prospect customers and existing owners to see the new hatch in person. The dealer launches started at 19:59pm with a MINI show reel of MINI through the ages with the video ending at 20:14pm to welcome the new hatch in the UK (clever touch with the times).

Rybrook MINI Shrewsbury provided me with a F56 Cooper S in Thunder Grey, as you all know I only work in black or very very dark grey. This S rode on 18 inch Cone spoke wheels with black roof, mirror caps and bonnet stripes with JCW rear spoiler. The interior was lavished in satellite grey leather on sport seats with black, chrome and satellite grey setting the theme of the cabin. The cabin was tech laden with mini connected, nav and head ups display giving any techno geek a sensory overload with LED headlights illuminating the road ahead.

With the pics taken and a quick walk around and nosed about I climbed in shut the door with the familiar MINI clunk to find a quieter cabin already. I took a moment of silence as wiggled my bum in the Sport seats, which can say are on par with my JCW Recaro bucket seats on the side bolstering. I was in a trance as basked in the plushness of the cabin running my heads on the door panel, dashboard and passenger seat. The sheer quality and feel of the interior set me back to what I would expect in dare I say it a Bentley. Yes there is a BIG difference in a Bentley interior but coming from visiting the factory earlier in the year I was sent back to think. MINI has really stepped up their game! It’s not like the R56 was not a nice place to be but even more so it was somewhere you could call home yet again.

From there on it got a little confusing for a MINI owner, the light switches are not the stalk but on the right side of the dash of the steering wheel and window & door switches on the door. Madness I tell you!!! NO NO NO NO Why would you do that? It felt like MINI caved in and followed a bunch of surveys & focus group just to conform to the mass market. A MINI is meant to be quirky in it’s design and feel! My beloved scaredometer has gone to show my passengers how fast we are going but instead being replaced with a Tron identity disc which changes colour dependent on modes. It is nice touch which complements the mood lighting but the speedo has been moved and moulded in with the rev counter and fuel gauge. This tacho which gives you all the information you will ever need on the running of the car.

My next annoyance was where is the key slot??? Oh there isn’t one Hmmmmmm. Instead there is a pulsating red fighter jet toggle waiting you to awaken the beast. The speedo lights up like fighter jet cockpit with the heads up display raising from the dash to greet me with the road speed limits and navigation information at easy glance (cue the Top Gun music). The central screen brought up the MINI Logo, three lower heater controls lit up and the radio came to life as I buckled up for the test drive ahead.

I slotted her into first with new gear knob which is reminiscent of an 8 ball and dropped the hand brake to see what this new chick on the block was made of. I noticed straight away the clutch was alot lighter and easier to engage to find the biting point and gearbox was silky smooth. As I drove out of the dealership I could noticeable feel that the new generation of runflat tyres gave a better ride comfort as this F56 Cooper S over the R56. This F56 Cooper S was fitted with Dunlop Sport Maxx with a tyre profile of 205/40 R18 86W which seems to be standard fitment at the moment. I hit the dual carriage ways to see what this all new four-cylinder 2.0 litre engine is all about which is happens to be fitted to other BMW models which will give more leeway for tuning and scoop for mods.

I had been reading the specs on this 2.0 litre F56 Cooper S to find it only has 192Bhp & 280Nm which is minor increase from the last generation as the 1.6 litre which had 184Bhp and 240Nm of torque. The extra torque is welcomed but only 8 more bhp??? This is strange given the engine size as theoretically been increased by 25% which is total U-turn in the face of companies downsizing engines for emissions and efficiency. Even with this bigger engine the all new MINI meets all EU6 emission laws and this extra grunt of torque gives engine more of a punch.

As I headed to the test route I noticed the extra grunt from the engine when leaving from standing still and at speed as the new gear knob makes life alot easier than the stock R56 gearknob. But that heads up display is sooo cool!!! God I was like a kid watching it slide up from the dash and it telling me all information I needed for the road ahead. It would warn me if went into a different speed zone and indicate the limit in that area. We all get caught out sometimes wondering ermmm is this a 30 or 40 zone in an area we don’t know? If only you could play tetris on it when in traffic jams…

The lack of any pops and bangs was a big let down for me as a fruity exhaust note is deal breaker for me. I had it sports mode with the windows dropped to get her to play ball but she wasn’t having it. It didn’t even pop once during my hour of play as I tried various methods of letting her warm, changing modes, backing off at various rpms.

Whilst driving on the test route I noticed straight away how much more composed the steering and suspension was with the steering feedback being on par with the GP2 on feel. I got that exact same confidence I got from driving any MINI, how it encourages you to push that bit future is there. But I was left with a strange after taste which wasn’t MINI like at but more BMW as it was like I was driving an 1 series. It was like going to your favourite restaurant, sitting down and ordering the perfect meal and it not tasting the same as your remembered. God how I wanted to love it, as I read how it was an all new platform and built from the ground up but that cheeky grin I get every time I hop into my MINI wasn’t there. I guess they made it too good??

Its like the refinement has killed all the excitement? Is it too good for its own good? The MINI character as been lost! By taking away the rawness/edge of the noise and sense of speed the magic has definitely been engineered out thus making the MINI like any other car (I must sound like a 1st gen owners after they drove the R56). Not once did I smile on this test drive, the F56 S engine it felt like it was held back from its fully potential with no joy from winding her out to the redline.

I couldn’t seem to fault the F56 as a car but as a MINI it lacked the fun factor brought me into the brand with the R56 MINI One (my first car). Given I have driven a cumulative of over 90,000 miles in the R56 I felt disappointed in driving the F56 as I expected a more fun whilst being the better car. But it was the latter, the F56 clearly is better car but at the cost of fun as the feeling of driving the F56 is no way near as any of the 2nd generation MINIs. I have driven the whole 2nd Gen range from the One D to GP2 and even the MINI Clubvan felt better to drive than the F56 S which sounds odd but is true for me. The Clubvan had the Cooper D engine but it felt more involvement from the steering wheel. I giggled on the test route with its Harvey Dent aka Twoface colour scheme (another review for another time).

This is where I would be normally give my conclusion on the F56 but I am not going to but instead take a flight to the US for MINI TAKES THE STATES 2014 (MTTS 2014) and my exclusive drive of the F56 Cooper S with JCW tuning upgrades. I was the first person to spot this sneaky addition to the MINI USA fleet on the MTTS. I spotted the carbon exhaust tips on this F56 hmmmm. Upon closer inspection it was true but there was something different about this F56 as it sat low to the floor than anything other F56 MINI I had ever seen with no wheel gap (wheel gap police fall back).

The F56 Cooper S was fitted the JCW coilovers, JCW tuning kit and a JCW exhaust with carbon fibre exhaust tips. This JCW tuning kit raises power from the 189Bhp to 208Bhp and torque increases by 20Nm to 300Nm all done by MINI with that lovely warranty intact. The JCW exhaust brings a lot more noise but this exhaust isn’t merely a bolt exhaust but a bi-module which has an bluetooth enabled clicker. Once double pressed it bypasses the rear silencer to give a significantly louder exhaust with all the pops, bangs and crackles all at the command of your right foot.

JCW Exhaust

Officially JCW exhaust can not be sold without the JCW tuning kit meaning this will be only a dealer fit option plus the carbon fibre tips are on option on top with pricing of the exhaust at an eye watering 1600 Euros. Carbon exhaust tips at 208 Euros.

JCW Coilovers

Coilovers with red springs are another dealer fitted option which allow 10 to 20mm drop in height is 1300 Euros.

JCW Brakes

Another option I learned about later but wasn’t fitted were the JCW brake kit which are JCW branded 4 piston calipers with 350 x 30mm drilled and slotted discs for that extra rip your face off braking performance. This will be another expensive option at 1650 Euros.

All these additional modifications gives us a real insight into the forthcoming JCW. You can imagine I am dying to drive the F56 JCW as I feel I can’t back to anything under 200 Bhp which mixes driving fun, performance and out of this world cornering speeds all wrapped under that infamous JCW badge.

In this leg of MTTS I would be driving from Memphis to St. Louis which would be about 300 miles and take around 6 hours with stoppage at the half way point for lunch stop at birth place of pink lemonade. The night before I was told I would be handed the keys to this F56 in question to enjoy on the US roads. I presumed I would be accompanied with the head of After sales of MINI USA instead I was met with Andrew Zolper Head of Sales for MINI USA who was a more of local as he lived in Chicago (cool dude, really down to earth guy and strangely has similar taste in cars like me).

We headed out of Memphis from the partying the night before on the infamous Beale Street under police escort who were stopping all traffic en route to the highway. This left the population of Memphis looking at us in disbelief on the colours of the rainbow our MINIs were making. I laid back with my shades on taking pictures as we would be soon be stopping to fill up and to switch seats for me to drive.

Sitting in the passenger seat I could feel the difference in the ride quality as the ride was firmer but better damped as we drove through town and on to higher speeds on the on ramps and highway. There was one thing I forgot the mention this F56 S was fitted with the automatic gearbox NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. This autobox is actually a carry over from the R56 but with some tweaks and better software programming. Yes this is sacrilege to me but this would give me a better view on how the auto MINI felt and whether or not is actually worth premium given the autobox shifts faster, improves mpg and has a lower 0 to 60 dash time.

I did quick walk around video for you guys before once again for my drive in the US I sat on the wrong side but with no manual gearbox so no worries with wobbly shifting with my right hand. I double tapped the Bluetooth remote for the exhaust and slotted the box into D and floored to join the free way towards that lush pink lemonade.

Straight away there was more of rasp from the exhaust and the engine was reeving more freely to the redline. I am not gonna lie the autobox made the F56 very easy to drive, as I wasn’t full comfortable sitting on the other side and the fact you can drive through a red light if your turning right!

We were following the route to St.Louis which was more of the scenic as the route laid out by MINI USA was there for you to enjoy that go karting handling whilst see the sights. We hit some classic country western corn field back roads so we could open the taps on the tight switch backs. She didn’t disappoint as flicked the autobox into Sport for full control as I wanted to dedicate on the gear changes. Change ups were rapid with a tiny amount of power interruption but alot less than a manual with auto blipping on the down shifts as the JCW exhaust crackled, popped and bang (the F56 manual gets auto rev match down shifts too). I cant wait to see how the ZF gearbox will improve over the revised R56 transmission and try out the paddles as this car didn’t have the shift paddles behind the wheel. Rating the autobox as a whole and comparing it the R56 autobox it was vast improvement! It didn’t get confused which switching into manual or on quick down shifts or full throttle gear changes and not once did it pull me away from the fun I was having driving it on the highway, back roads or around town. BIG THUMBS UP!

Going back to the coilovers fitted on this F56 S, I definitely felt more of a road connection which was more of a welcomed addition as I said previously the F56 S felt like a BMW which I didn’t like. These coilovers address this issue of more steering and road feel whilst driving. The coilovers bring back that more MINI go-kart feel as the ride is firmer and balance yet which doesn’t distract from any form of driving around town, highway or back roads.

I was deliberately driving on crack highway roads and rough road to see how well the coilovers soaked up the bumps and uneven roads to fully test this dealer fitted option (don’t worry I did warn my passenger Andrew before doing so). I honestly couldn’t fault it as it felt like normal road compliant suspension going over the potholes which no harsh noise or crashing in the cabin. If you have the money definitely worth cost as it comes with a warranty from MINI if you do have any problems. On a major plus your MINI will have that STANCE straight from the start when you pull that cover off and handed the keys.

The next part of the drive to St.Louis couldn’t make up and should how easy the F56 S is able to change direction. I was cruising in the slow lane doing just under the limit and this Doge Caliber comes blowing past with a blown out tyre front passenger tyre with sparks flying from the rim. I look over to Andrew and say ‘What the hell? Are you seeing this!!???’ as he was down in his phone doing emails. About a few seconds later the tyre completely gives away and as I howl out the words ‘EVASIVE MANOEUVRES’ so immediately check my mirrors and drop the box down two gears and dodge incoming shrapnel of tyre left and right using both lanes. I gently slowed down the F56 S and said you all good? When’s the last time to read a car review like this? I felt like Will Smith dodging car on the highway in Bad Boys 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaLtd0H8G-s.

Moving over to more aesthetics than go faster bits as the F56 S was fitted with John Cooper Works Pro design mirror caps, rear view mirror and side scuttles which are nice additions to add some extra flair. One thing I hate about the side scuttles if you don’t know are the fact they have to be bonded on by glue!!!!! No thank you as I would go to any vinyl design place and get a design done to get my own custom design to go over that area, that way I could change or remove it with ease. Another subtle detail was the JCW rear wing and John Cooper Works Pro LED door stills which touches off the design for the exterior and interior nicely which give you that smerk you get when you look back at your MINI after parking up.

We are all know if you don’t look back after parking your car, you brought the wrong car

Bringing the F56 around for a cool down lap I learned that the F56 is more capable car than R56 by significant difference in levels of chassis, refinement and usability but some of the magic has been lost in that transition. New comers to the MINI world will love it as little querkiness and loveable MINI looks are still there but die-hard fans will miss the 1st gen & 2nd over top cabin, noises and engines which made a big part of the MINI charm. A lot of people forget that having something that is imperfect is better than having something that is perfect.

Let me explain in car terms, do you remember you first car? It wasn’t the fastest, coolest or pulling magnet you hoped it be but you still think back and smile & laugh that’s what the 1st  & 2nd Gens will always be. Yes you have upgraded to bigger and faster cars with nav, heated seats etc but that first car, love or whatever it might be will always have a place in your heart. The all new F56 MINI has addressed every conceivable issue with the R56 and improved on the formula but in order to bring the R56 charm it seems you have to spec wisely for the additional JCW goodies to bring back the old school fun.

Review Score: 4/5

The all new MINI Cooper S is better than it’s predecessor in both refinement usability, ride, interior and build quality. This new generation of MINIs addresses the mass market issues of the MINI such as interior space and is the best car MINI has ever made but at the cost of MINIs quirkiness as some of the ‘MINI Magic’ has been lost in transit.

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The post F56 MINI Cooper S UK & USA Review: Evolution or Revolution? appeared first on JCW Adventures.