Update (7/30/03): I wanted to update this review now that
I’ve both lived with the exhaust for a year and heard numerous other
Cooper aftermarket exhaust in person.

The Remus continues to impress day after day with it’s sound. I’ve
found it to be much more refined sounding than any other Cooper exhaust
out there. It doesn’t have the rasp and highway drone that many of the
others suffer from. For instance when you listen to the Supersprint
(also priced at $400) the difference in 2nd gear with high revs is
startling. For someone who has lived with with the Remus for a while
it was almost shocking to hear how raspy and loud the Supersprint was
in comparison. Someone will definitely know immediately that you have
an aftermarket system with a system like the Supersprint. With the
Remus it’s not obvious from two blocks away yet by the time you get
just down the block you can hear a subtle, yet distinctive difference.
It’s really a matter of personal preference and what you want from an
aftermarket system. For my money however I prefer something that is
very livable and doesn’t scream aftermarket.

Another thing I’ve noticed when comparing the different systems is
that the Remus is also fairly subtle at idle. It’s got a distinctive
low rumble that is at once refined sounding yet still fairly
agressive.

So after a year frankly I feel like I got lucky. I had bought the
Remus without having heard the actual exhaust note. After hearing the
rest of what’s out there it’s simply the perfect system for my
needs.

Original Review

First off I have to say I wasn’t looking to upgrade my exhaust when
I first got my Cooper. It was definately something I would have
welcomed if I came across a great deal but it wasn’t something I was
losing sleep over.

However when my friendly MINI dealer called me about a customer that
had an extra Remus Exhaust he was looking to get rid of I suddenly
became interested. He purchased the Remus just before Borla announced
their exhaust and decided to opt for that instead.

While the OEM exhaust will need to be cut the Remus is essentially a
simple bolt on piece. It would be fairly easy to put the OEM exhaust
back on with a spacer. The installation took about 20-30 minutes at
most. It appears to be made of 100% stainless steel but since the edges
are painted flat black I’m not completely sure. The exhaust was
originally bought from Moss Mini but details about it are scare on
their site. Remus themselves say on their site that only the finest
Stainless, aluminum, titanium and carbon are used in their
mufflers.

After installation the first thing I noticed was the change in pitch
at idle. It’s a sublte low rumble that generally sounds quite
pleasing.

The sound while acclerating is fanstastic. Again it’s a bit lower
with a deep throaty sound to it. One other thing worth noting, while
on the highway the change in sound doesn’t penetrate the cabin anymore
than the stock set-up.

The manufacturer claims a 5-7% increase in power from the system.
Honestly I haven’t driven the car enough to acurately describe the
power Increase, however, I believe I can feel a hint of power added at
the low-end through the mid-range.

Overall it’s a fantastic upgrade for several reasons. First off the
sound is a fantastic deep tone that at the same time is fairly subtle
and doesn’t shout to the world that “I’ve just put on an aftermarket
exhaust”. Secondly, being made from stainless gives this exhaust
longevity that far supasses the stock set-up. And finally, if the
manufacturers numbers are to be believed, a 5-7% increase in power is
always welcome. Especially wih 115hp on tap.

4 (out of 5)