Rerun of the race around the track in Mini Cooper and Fab vRS......

The vRS hammered the Mini even with Clarkson driving!

He tried to talk it down throughout saying it rolls in the bends, understeer etc but the proof is in the pudding as they say.

Diesel and petrol car of similar weight and BHP and the diesel will win on torque every time!

Yup, caught that as well, have watched it so many times before, it was nice to see again though nonetheless!

Edited 9 October, 201114 yr by My_Yeti

unfair contest!!

the mini has 118bhp

the Fabia 130bhp which many dyno's actually say is more like 145-150bhp

it's a very unfair contest.

The Mini has skinny 175/60/15 tyres on it compared to whatever is fitted to the vrs standard 195 or 205 /50/16 at a guess and yet it still corners faster, just highlights how well balanced the little mini cooper is.

The cars aren't comparable IMO,

The mini would never be able to comfortable seat 2 let alone 3 adults in the back or fit there stuff in it's tiny boot.

And the Fabia will never deliver the dynamics, fun or poise that the mini chassis delivers.

Edited 10 October, 201114 yr by Sonner

Both "warm" hatches, both same kinda price area, both supermini's. Looks comparable to me. If your going purely on tyre size to compare a car, the mini cooper forum says it has 195 width and 16" wheels.

this again...yawn. the Fabia's got more power and is faster in a straight line, is that a shock? but they're both slow anyway, so big whoop :|

Both "warm" hatches, both same kinda price area, both supermini's. Looks comparable to me. If your going purely on tyre size to compare a car, the mini cooper forum says it has 195 width and 16" wheels.

That was the whole point of the test. Two warm hatches at the same price to see what was better

For me the most notable part of this film

is how frantic Hammond seems steering the mini.

Then, in comparison how relaxed Clarkson looks in the Fabia.

I think he was holding the wheel with one hand for

most of the race. :wonder:

Oh dear. You're not seriously going to use Top Gear as empirical evidence here are you? :p

May have been asked before but what about a petrol Octy vRS v diesel vRs. I have never gotten an answer to this because either one or the other or even both were modded.

Got to admit my "research" was limited to YouTube!!

May have been asked before but what about a petrol Octy vRS v diesel vRs. I have never gotten an answer to this because either one or the other or even both were modded.

Got to admit my "research" was limited to YouTube!!

Very briefly, in the real world about 20mpg and a bit more cabin noise when driven hard. point to point there isn't much in it between the two, though I am more comfortable driving my CR on the limit than swmbo's petrol. the dsg helps as well, seamless acceleration and no hesitations so this makes up for some power deficit. Though no doubt on a track the petrol would post the quicker time.

Both feel broken compared to my project car though