Truth About Cars Drives the 2006 MCS

Jack Oct 13th, 2006 Link

Wow, that guy really does care for the MINI what a shame that he could not see and appreciate the uniqueness of this great car. I wonder what he is driving.

brad Oct 13th, 2006 Link

i do agree that the chrono pack is annoying. sounds like he’s too accustomed to driving RWD cars. i’m still getting used to switching between a BMW and a MINI…two different beasts entirely. you can’t expect to drive a FWD MINI like a RWD go-kart. that’s like saying “this road bicycle sure does ride well on the street, but i just couldn’t get it to work on these mountain trails. must be a poorly designed bicycle.”

iNomis Oct 13th, 2006 Link

Maybe he edited the review but it says “(where’s the boost gauge?)” implying it does not have but needs one. I’m pretty sure he means ‘fatest’ as in big. The go-cartness of a MINI is more a comparision to other cars than real go-carts, especially the high performance ones.

The rest of the review seems to think the car should handle like as if it had RWD.

blalor Oct 13th, 2006 Link

Yes, that mistake regarding the boost gauge was corrected.

I think he’s unfortunately correct about the gear box. It hasn’t made me hate the car, but it could be a lot better than it is…

Vanwall Oct 13th, 2006 Link

“Roadster”? Clueless berk. Not only badly chosen verbiage, but I love it when a guy brags about his competence, then proceeds to throw all that pseudo-cred under a bus by failing to adapt to each different car’s dynamics - fast guys can drive anything fast, poseurs can drive anything and think their going fast. Where’s he been for four years, under a rock? - how hard is it for an auto writer to get a drive in a new-ish car? If he has trouble with certain aspects of a vehicle going in, and can’t do an objective analysis, why take up the profession, anyway. This review is like the old muscle-car days, when cars that actually turned were frowned on in favor of battleship anchors that any ozob could get out of control on a freeway on-ramp and think they were 10/10ths. Sheesh.

         BCNU,
      Rob in Dago

DRC Oct 13th, 2006 Link

Clearly this person is not appreciative of a car that dares to be different. Is the MINI perfect? Absolutely not. I don’t expect everyone to love it, but in today’s cookie-cutter car industry the MINI stands out as a refreshing alternative to bland, “safe” automotive designs. I would take this individual’s opinion with a grain of salt. There are far more credible journalists and “experts” that truly appreciate the capablities of MINIs. Consider that Dale Earnhardt Jr. owned one and I’d say the MINI has had many ringing endorsements that drown out the snobery and anal retentiveness of this particular reviewer.

Wes Anderson Oct 13th, 2006 Link

“Horsepower sucking supercharger”? That’s the only part of this review that has me scratching my head. Maybe we should discuss the definition of ‘back pressure’ cause that’s what usually slows you down when you let up on the throttle, and I’ve never noticed the MINI to have a problem in this regard, unless you’re driving a 20 year old automatic transmission without a lockup in top gear. Sounds like somebdy needs to practice their heel-to-toe…

FrankInMiami Oct 13th, 2006 Link

He also fails to acknowledge that the multi-link rear suspension of the MINI is akin to that of a RWD BMW 3 series (E36) if I am not mistaken.

Agree with all the comments posted so far. Faulting a product for what is not and failing to see the overwhelming positives it brings to the table is nothing but shortsighted attitude.

rj Oct 13th, 2006 Link

I thought the current MINI’s rear suspension was based on the recently retired E46 3-series platform, not the E36 3-series…

FrankInMiami Oct 13th, 2006 Link

Since the R50 MINI was designed in the mid-to late 1990’s, the RWD may have been derived from the E36 3 series of the time. may be Gabe can clarify.

FrankInMiami Oct 13th, 2006 Link

I meant to say the rear suspension setup, not the RWD.

Nathaniel Salzman Oct 13th, 2006 Link

It amazes me the perception “serious car people” have of the MINI sometimes when they don’t actually have any direct experience with the car. When people so vehemently fault the MINI for one thing or another, my question is always “Well what the hell are you driving? What are you comparing this to?” All I know is that after driving my MINI for a week, never before did my Acura Integra feel so much like a Civic. To each their own, but I can’t fathom this “perfect car” they’re comparing.

DRC Oct 13th, 2006 Link

In reference to Nathaniel’s comment, I would also add that if you look at how many other “serious car people” actually drive MINIs, especially those who own or have owned some very impressive exotic sports cars, it says even more about how the MINI is not just a cute trendy car but its recognized as a serious performer.

Seth L Oct 13th, 2006 Link

I love TTACs and Jalopnik, that said, I’ve never cared for Lieberman’s reviews.

I’m guessing he was relishing a chance to skewer a favorite car among their readsership.

allenski Oct 13th, 2006 Link

What an amazing craptacular article, but then again the author proves the point that the MINI is not for everyone. It’s almost refreshing to read something about the MINI that is so far on other end of the opinion spectrum that it’s amusing. Simply put, there are MINI drivers (where’s a picture of Mini Driver when you need one), and there are non-MINI drivers; he’s certainly not going to get a “wave” from me. =)

blalor Oct 13th, 2006 Link

I wave at everyone, even (especially?) if it bugs them. I’ll win them over with my persistence. ;-)

GZ Oct 13th, 2006 Link

Bottom line. MCS(JCW) is the funnest and most unique car I have ever driven at any price. I made an enormous mistake selling mine for a $70,000 Cayman S. When I took the MINI to cruise ins people swarmed around it asking questions and wanting to sit in it. I took the Porsche and it was ignored all night.

I drive my girlfriends MCSC and tell her I’d trade her straight up. I can’t wait until the new convertibles come out so I can come back! No car is everything to everyone and MINI doesn’t try. It succeeds in being like nothing else in the world.

j Oct 13th, 2006 Link

did anyone see this comment? :
“Front wheel drive is for housewives and people with heart problems. “

yeah- ok guy! u definitly know what ur talking about. (btw, that was 100% sarcasm there) does anyone else find it funny that two of the other cars mentioned in that story were said to be the cars to beat- civic si and mazdaspeed3- are also FWD? who writes this stuff? seriously c’mon. im also surprised he didnt say anything about the GTi. he definitly lives in AZ or some place that doesnt see a drop of percipitation a year.
oh yeah! Mazdaspeed3? where did that come from. give an R56 the mazda’s displacement and we’ll talk.
and finally a real automotive journalist would have gotten behind the wheel like 4 or 5 years ago. i saved my motor trend and card and driver with the first reviews. thanks guys, just needed to vent. people on sites like that just annoy me and drive car not even worth a review.

james Oct 14th, 2006 Link

Amazing. A guy drives the Mini and doesn’t like it. The Mini fourms go haywire. Go figure.

I thought my 1979 Honda Civic 1200 was more fun to drive than a Mini. You gonna beat up on me now?

Jon Oct 14th, 2006 Link

I read a review he did on a Convertible orange Mustang, and someone commented about posting reviews of your own cars… so I think thats the car he owns

Craig Oct 14th, 2006 Link

I thought my 1979 Honda Civic 1200 was more fun to drive than a Mini. You gonna beat up on me now?

Why would we do that? That car was a hoot! It’s too bad 95% of those are now piles of red dust.

MINI Fireman Oct 15th, 2006 Link

Amazing. A guy drives the Mini and doesn’t like it. The Mini fourms go haywire. Go figure.

I thought my 1979 Honda Civic 1200 was more fun to drive than a Mini. You gonna beat up on me now?

Well let’s see. Obvious enthusiasts on a site essentially devoted to enthusiasts, take issue with what is clearly a poorly researched and written article. And for this you wish to ridicule us?

Seems to me you have the axe to grind here, james. I think the initial post and many of the comments were well stated and thoughtful. I also didn’t find them particularly venomous as you might expect in response to such a negative review.

GZ Oct 15th, 2006 Link

Yeah, Hondas are so cool. James must have meant to log on to the POS site and got here by accident.

Erik Bruner Oct 16th, 2006 Link

He is entitled to his own opinion and imo even as a mini lover there is at least a few things to think about in his article.

However, as a person with a BA in journalism, his writing is a joke. I’m sure the attempt was to be overly brash which would invoke an emotional reader to read on. But get your facts straight, get your driving straight etc.

Who mashes the gas on a fwd car in the middle of a corner and complains of understeer. Mash the gas in the middle of a corner in freshly prepared m3 and what happens, oversteer.

I’m a realist about my car and know how fast it is and isn’t. That being said to say this car is not an otption for the track just shows glaring ignorance. The car does decently in all classes it competes in. Sure some new cars stand up to be as good or even a better value, ala the mazdaspeed3 but who cares honestly.

If you don’t see that the mini manages to take an age old style and history and mold it into a solid performing, good on gas, well built hatch that can easily be a hoot to drive on the track, you clearly have no grasp of the automotive market.

Rocketboy Oct 16th, 2006 Link

That website was the same dump that had the article about how manual transmissions caused accidents, in a lame attempt to boost readership by conterversy. They could love the MINI or hate it, I couldn’t be bothered to care. Now when Brock Yates loves his MINI, that’s why I start bragging… (and he does, and I do)