I already covered my brake, wheel and tire upgrades in part one of ìThe MotoringFun Suspension Projectî which shaved off a few pounds and enhanced grip and stopping power, so now it is time to take the next step – reducing the understeer characteristics of the car and improving the stability during high speed cornering.

These goals will remain constant through the remainder of the project. Others may be introduced as we go, but for this installment understeer is the main thing I wanted to correct. For this reason, the ALTA 19mm rear adjustable sway bar was selected.

Continue reading Suspension Project – Part 2: ALTA Sway Bar & SPC Control Arms →

If you saw the Minspeed (formerly MyMini) Dyno Day articles and the Minspeed pulley review, you know that I have made some engine performance upgrades to my 2006 MINI Cooper S. What you may not know is that I have also been working on upgrading the way my MINI handles as well. Over the past few months I have upgraded various parts of the MINI’s suspension (from brakes to coilovers). I plan to cover these upgrades in a series we will call – “The MotoringFun Suspension Project”. For this first article, I will cover the first 3 changes that were made – brakes, wheels and tires.

Continue reading Suspension Project – Part 1: Brakes, Wheels and Tires →

For those who don’t know, last month I pulled the trigger on the next logical step in the search for more power under the bonnet – the Minspeed 15% supercharger pulley. If you recall, back at the Minspeed (MyMini) Winter Dyno Day, my 2006 MINI Cooper S was upgraded from stock status to modded status with the addition of the JCW intake and JCW exhaust with the Minspeed resonator eliminator. Those two mods put a grin on my face from the increased torque and enhanced sound, but nothing can compare to what was to follow next. Enter the pulley…

Continue reading Review: Minspeed 15% Pulley →

I have now been driving around with the JCW exhaust equipped with the MyMini/Minspeed resonator eliminator for a month and feel I can now give a true assessment of this mod. For those that missed it, check out the MyMini Winter Dyno Day posts (see links below) for information on my installation.

The resonator eliminator gives the JCW exhaust a deeper and throatier sound. It is louder than stock, but ONLY when you get on the gas. I find that the burble is much more pronounced and louder. If you are one of those MINI owners that hates the burble (or ìback-firingî as some call it), than this mod (or most any exhaust mod for that matter) is not for you. I have found a way to control the burble, however. If you keep the revs consistent while shifting (ie. matching revs), you can actually suppress the burble for the most part. If you want more burble, simply press the gas a bit and let off completely. It really is quite a bit of fun playing with this aspect of the exhaust and enhances the motoring experience.

Continue reading Review: Minspeed JCW Resonator Eliminator →