Which John Cooper Works F56 MINI Is The Most Fun?

Things may have been quiet on the MotoringFun.com site, but over the past several months, I have been busy doing my homework trying to decide which configuration my next MINI would come in.  For the record, I love my 2006 MINI Cooper S.  It is a GREAT car and I have had a lot of fun memories in that car.  If it was up to me and money was no object, I would get a new MINI and keep my 2006 as well!  I just love the R53 and I do consider it the next classic MINI.  Unfortunately, my wife does not share my desire to keep 3 MINIs in the family at this time and my 2006 will most likely be going to a new home soon :(.

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So what MINI could possibly make we want to part with my 2006?  It turns out that the new F56 MINIs are quite a blast to drive.  I will be the first to admit that visually, the R53 is simply beautiful design, free of European pedestrian regulation.  The F56 is, unfortunately, visually constrained due to newer pedestrian crash standards.  I think BMW has done the best that they could with what they had to work with and, when configured properly, the car can look very attractive as well.

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Visual aesthetics aside, the F56 is a beast of a machine!!  Even the standard Cooper with its 3 cylinder turbo engine is whoot and a half!  The Cooper S has way more torque and power than my 2006 Cooper S and puts a smile on your face each time you stomp on the gas.  The factory John Cooper Works model brings the enjoyment to a new level with even more acceleration power and way more stopping power.  I had pretty much made up my mind to go for the manual transmission 6 speed factory John Cooper Works configuration until this weekend I was given the opportunity to play with the new John Cooper Works Tuning Kit for the F56 MINI Cooper S while visiting a buddy of mine who happens to be the Sales Manager at Tom Bush MINI in Jacksonville, Florida.

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To say I was impressed is an understatement.  The John Cooper Works exhaust and ECU tune that comprise the tuning kit simply bring to life the regular F56 Cooper S and turns it into a MINI that I boldly say is MORE fun than the factory John Cooper Works MINI!!  Why did MINI decide not to make the tuning kit exhaust available on the factory John Cooper Works is beyond my understanding.  I am told you can’t even add it later because the tuning kit is designed to be comprised of the exhaust and ECU tune that is not compatible with the tune that is on the factory John Cooper Works cars.  Unfortunate for MINI, but fortunate for buyers like me who can actually get a more fun car for less money!

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Sure, the factory John Cooper Works has about 24 more horsepower than the Cooper S with the tuning kit (the tuning kit adds 15 horsepower to the standard Cooper S for roughly 204 horsepower).  So what??  As someone I met at the Dragon said very wisely, “you drive TORQUE and sell horsepower”.  Believe me – the tuning kit produces plenty of torque to make your face grin from ear to ear.  Not to mention the sound of the exhaust note that is produced with the tuning kit.  It is FAR superior to that of the factory John Cooper Works MINI.  I am currently uploading a video of our test drive from this weekend which should be posted shortly.