you are correct a standard vrs isn't anywhere near as quick as a MCS. A remapped one is in a straight line.

I used to have the ability to waste Cooper S's in my RICA mapped Fabia. The works models were slightly harder to beat - but still not as quick as the Fabia beast ! All straight line stuff though.

The team Lohen Cooper S inched past me at the Tuner GP at Donnington last year, it would have taken a long straight to get past and that was 260hp. The corners however were quite a different story, as were the brakes - lol.

Hi to All

I am at a bit of a loss as to why everyone finds the Mini so much faster on corners? Sure the mini turns in with more conviction (obvious when following a well driven one), but once loaded up the difference in cornering speed is really not that great. The real problem for the Fabia is the car unloading the outside front if you pitch it in too quickly / harshly, so you get in slower and on the brakes at turn in, then just before the back starts to swing get on the gas, potentially earlier than the Mini driver can. Sorting out rebound damping will cure this (cant wait for my shocks to wear out).

I have had a bit of a play against Cooper and Cooper S on varoius occasions. Corner speed on certain types of corner, particularly where harsh turn in is required, the Mini is a little quicker, but equally, the Fabia can gain past the apex where exit acceleration can favour the torquey easy delivery of the Fabia in some conditions. Reading this thread, one would think the difference is huge. Perhaps it is just easier to extract the handling from the Mini, which is know for flattering the driver.

Driver capability and familiarity with the road will make more difference than which car you are in.

Chris

Hi to All

I am at a bit of a loss as to why everyone finds the Mini so much faster on corners?

Chris

I will enlighten you. A Fabia has a house between the front wheels the mini does not! The power delivery of the fabia is all or nothing, this again is not good for exiting a corner, or gearing down for it.

The most ideal scenario for a track is 50/50 weight distribution and a screamer of an engine with plenty of power.

The most ideal scenario for a track is 50/50 weight distribution and a screamer of an engine with plenty of power.

Motorbike then?

Rant on ...

It really p*sses me off to hear folk praising a car designed by Rover from the ground up, and stolen by BMW.

Lots of my mates would still be picking up good money at Longbridge were it not for this theft ... ok they have jobs now, but £6 an hour as a pool attendant ain't going to compare with skilled labour rates in a car factory.

I'd rather have my eyes poked out than be seen in a BMW Mini ... come to think of it, why would I be in one anyway? I'm straight!

Rant off ...

I will enlighten you. A Fabia has a house between the front wheels the mini does not! The power delivery of the fabia is all or nothing' date=' this again is not good for exiting a corner, or gearing down for it.

The most ideal scenario for a track is 50/50 weight distribution and a screamer of an engine with plenty of power.

[/quote']

Hi Andy

In practice the Mini is just not hugely quicker in the the corners, a little yes, but nowhere near as much as some here seem to think. Chasing a Cooper down the average lanes, it is not getting away. If it is chasing me, I can pull an advantage. In the ideal setup, the rear or all four wheels are driven. The Mini is still very poor at hooking up drive early on in the corner as all front drivers will be.

Not wanting to start a hate campaign, but should it even be called a mini? The Mini is an original design classic, a genius of functionality and packaging. The BMW 1/2 series is rubbish packaging and the looks make me want to blow my breakfast. Good car it is, but you would not catch me in one.

Chris

Not wanting to start a hate campaign, but should it even be called a mini?

Good point - they're reliable (ish), don't leak, don't rot, don't disintegrate in accidents etc...

:rofl: :rofl:

Rant on ...

It really p*sses me off to hear folk praising a car designed by Rover from the ground up, and stolen by BMW.

Lots of my mates would still be picking up good money at Longbridge were it not for this theft ... ok they have jobs now, but

Sorry to say but a Cooper S Works is quicker than a "RICA" remap. How can people honestly claim just a remapped car is quicker in a straight line than this?

My brother owns a 172 cup with about 17k miles on the clock. He has the back seats taken out and a Hillpower Induction kit, nothing else.

On a straight drag from 20 onwards where you would think the initial slowness of a diesel has passed and it's mid range grunt is getting going he went by me quite comfortably.

As Damon Hill once said, "Nothing kills speed like weight" and it's true, a car weighing basically 1000kg with the seats out and has probably 172 bhp (because a 172 when standard is actually 172Kw and most are a few kw less than that) and 140 lb/ft of torque can drive by my car which has supposidly 190 bhp, 323 lb/ft of torque and weighs 1315kg.

It's not my driving style, I know when to change gear, how to switch quickly and to keep my foot planted. My brother if anything is a tad less commited than me and yet he is still able to leave me behind.

Sorry to say but a Cooper S Works is quicker than a "RICA" remap. How can people honestly claim just a remapped car is quicker in a straight line than this?

When you say people, I take it you mean me. Did you attend the Tuner GP ?

There are plenty of people who witnessed my little fabia snapping at the heals of a 260hp Mini Cooper S - and while I was passengering one chap waiting for a caged 172 to get out of my way, he got all excited and out braked himself at the final chicane and went straight on.

I am sure you know more than I do however ?

I am basing my facts on real experience in the correct environment. This also refers to my handling comments. I have pushed a Fabia vRS on -25mm eibachs as far as it will go, teetering on the edge of the cars maximum capabilities in all areas. I did 58 laps around Donnington that day, just to make sure.

Road racing is based on lots of things. BALLS is the main thing, how much someone cars about winning is the other which covers the "do I have mechanical sympathy?" and "do I have any regard for the law"?. The list goes on.

If you want to give chiptuning a call, i am sure they will sort you out with a remap though.

There are plenty of people who witnessed my little fabia snapping at the heals of a 260hp Mini Cooper S - and while I was passengering one chap waiting for a caged 172 to get out of my way' date=' he got all excited and out braked himself at the final chicane and went straight on.

[/quote']

Maybe the drivers are poo?

A Fabia vRS can lap Angelsey in 57sec and a Mini Cooper (not S) in 58sec (both same driver)

Fabia vrs power to weight 98bhp per ton

Cooper power to weight 100bhp per ton

175bhp fabia vrs 133bhp per ton

Cooper S power to weight 139bhp per ton

I would guess a remapped fabia would lap about the same time as a cooper s.

But I could be wrong.

John, a S works would be even quicker though.

Sorry Andy, shouldn't of made that assumption as you say "you've done it I haven't".

But since mine has been indipendantly RR'd at over 190 bhp and I can confirm that in a straight line I struggle to get past a Cooper S (can do it with a long enough straight) that a S Works will be even harder to get by and IMO maybe on a track but not on the road, unless you drive like outside of the limits of the law.

But I thought you were all happy in the knowledge that you're achieving higher MPG figures than MINI drivers?

:popcorn:

John' date=' a S works would be even quicker though.

.[/quote']

I agree. I was trying to say a 260bhp mini would **** all over it just like a works would

But I thought you were all happy in the knowledge that you're achieving higher MPG figures than MINI drivers?

:popcorn:

Thats just a bonus

Makes me laugh. I member posts an interesting thread about how his car performed against car x and it turns into a fabia can beet the fastest car on the planet.

As Damon Hill once said' date=' "Nothing kills speed like weight" and it's true, a car weighing basically 1000kg with the seats out and has probably 172 bhp ([b']because a 172 when standard is actually 172Kw and most are a few kw less than that)[/b] and 140 lb/ft of torque can drive by my car which has supposidly 190 bhp, 323 lb/ft of torque and weighs 1315kg.

Surely you mean bhp, 172kw is 230bhp...... and they don't have 230bhp! :rofl:

Surely you mean bhp, 172kw is 230bhp...... and they don't have 230bhp! :rofl:

oops Think that should say 172ps.

Rant on ...

It really p*sses me off to hear folk praising a car designed by Rover from the ground up, and stolen by BMW.

Lots of my mates would still be picking up good money at Longbridge were it not for this theft ... ok they have jobs now, but

So what you're saying the Mini alone could have supported MG Rover??? As if! The reason they wnet under is all the cars they made were extremely old,(baring 75) poorly built rubbish!

ZS/45 base on 400 based on honda civic. As old as the mk1 106 :eek:

ZS/45 base on 400 based on honda civic. As old as the mk1 106 :eek:

Exactly! Plus all the MG versions they did did nothing for their image! They were mostly bought buy ***** cos they were cheap, but they were cheap for a reason....

Exactly! Plus all the MG versions they did did nothing for their image! They were mostly bought buy ***** cos they were cheap, but they were cheap for a reason....

Wouldn't say they were cheap either. a Basic ZR 105 was around 9k. But it was that. Basic. You had to lower the windows with your hand. :eek: Whats that all about.

Could the new Mini alone have supported Longbridge? In a word? YES !

Just imagine the roll that the designers of an all British success like Mini would have been on - there would have surely been more confidence about the factory to design something else ... instead, with no capital, no future designs and crooked management they ended up building mobile leather armchairs for the customers of God's Waiting Room !

sorry i meant "Ps", been playing too much forza motorsport on the xbox that only quotes "Kw".