So I'd like to know some opinions of people that used to drive r56s on the new Minis, because I wanna know what I can expect. I love my r56 justa but I got it used and although it was in fantastic condition, time/miles is slowing taking its toll. I'd like to know a few things from an r56 owner perspective:
1) I always wanted to upgrade to an S model, but I heard the non-S got a bit faster. Is the difference (between an r56 and f56 justa) noticeable or does the justa still leave you wanting more?
2) How does the steering hold up? In terms of feel, turn in, percision, etc. Does it feel more like a boring, numb car or does it have some life it in?
3) Does it still feel weightless? With my r56 I feel confident going into every turn and braking late, it just feels like, well, a go-kart. I get in a Volvo S60 or Hyundai Sonata and when I try to drive like that and I feel the weight shift heavily and the cars just don't want to have fun. Is the F56 still have that fun, go-kart feel?
4) Does it still feel like you're driving a small car? Has the increased size made it feel more like a normal car or do you still feel like you can fit anywhere?

At the end of the day I'll have to schedule a test drive and find everything out for myself, but I just want to know what I can expect. Thanks in advance!

 

Having never owned a Mini prior to the one I have on order, I can't answer 2/3/4, but as far as question 1, from all of the specs that have been released, the F56 justa is something like 1-2 seconds faster from 0-60 than the R56, depending on transmission. (9.6 vs 7.3 for auto and 8.4 vs 7.4 for manual)

 

We have had 2 R56s in the past and currently have an R55 justa and an F56 justa.

1. The new justa is a LOT more fun than the old justa's. I really don't think you'll need to jump into an S for an F56. The turbo gives it tons and tons of torque so pickup is very good.
2. Steering feel is down compared to the R56. It seems to get less and less engaging with every generation.
3. It does, but less so. They made the suspension softer for more comfort, and with that comes more body roll. It still handles great and is still stiffer than most cars on the road, but less so than the R56.
4. Yes, still feels small.

What you haven't asked about and I feel are important things to mention compared to an R56
1. The fit and feel of the interior is in another league. It is considerably quieter inside and is very premium feeling.
2. Gas mileage is up quite a bit compared to the R56 justa

 

I have come from an R56 MCS so here are my observations.

1 - I tried an F56 Cooper and it is better than the old Cooper but does not have the same get up and go the old R56 S has, it seems to run out of puff quite early in the rev range. The F56 S is even better than the R56 (which is great) especialy from low revs.

2 - The steering still feels fine.

3 - Just as good the R56 but a bit less bouncy.

4 - It seems slightly bigger, but i think thats because i can see the corners of the front end better.

All in all an improvement

 

I have had 4 Mini's. You have probably heard this but this car is all BMW. Compared to the R56 it is.
- So quiet that on the MCS they have to play fake engine noise over the stereo system.
- Bigger and feels it.
- Less connected to the road (mainly because of the lack of road noise).
- IMO the stock suspension is too soft. I am adding a heavy rear sway bar - that should help.
- That being said I just had a countryman loaner for a few days while they replace my standard transmission and I am so happy to have it back.
This car takes some getting used to (see above) but it is a limpet on the road. My R56s was tuned and quick and I'm sure once this car is tuned it will be much quicker.
The handling is pretty great and the lack of road noise grows on you. The interior of course is pretty deluxe (but I hate the fact that they have the round dial in the middle for no reason). I would loved to have had a couple of days with the draughtsman I would have loped of the nose and fixed the dash.
This is a very different car than the R56. Is it a great car? Only time will tell. The body shape will never be a classic that's for sure but it is a pleasure to get into and drive and even the electronics seem to work - they never did properly in my R56!

 

Can't answer honestly, my R56 was an S as well. Dealer claimed the F56 non-S is comparable to the R56/S but I never got behind the wheel. It was S or nothing for me.

Nothing boring about it. Feels a little softer than the R56 but it's still excellent. Hint - Always use sport mode when your not on the highway for long distances.

It's fun alight but I won't lie, the R56 is stiffer. However, the F56 is much quieter, has a better ride/less harsh, and feels better driving that the difference will quickly vanish. I put mine into turns and exit with confidence, almost no body roll and the seats are SO much better you feel in control all the time.

Still feel's 100% MINI to me. It's a small car -- handles and feels small.

You really should -- it's day and night different but in my opinion it's all for the better. The cabin/tech is where this car really shines. It feels like a $30K (with decent options) car finally. Good luck with your decision and test drive.

 

Thanks for the replies everyone! I was kinda disappointed back when the f56 premiered but it's been growing on me. I'm not a huge fan of the new head and tail lights, but after a few months I've gotten used to it. I also was a huge fan of the center speedo, but even more than that having the tach front and center, so seeing the new setup where the tach is almost an afterthought put me off a bit. And if they finally put everything where it "should" be I wish they added a nicer fuel gauge, but again this is stuff I'll get over. It's nice to have that color display in the speedo though so that's a plus. I really like the toys on it though. I'll definitely be getting the fully loaded package and HUD to really get the most out of upgrading (also I can't bring myself to downgrade and not have options I have on my r56 like the sunroof and auto climate). Does anyone have experience with the optional sport suspension? I wouldn't really consider it on the r56 because it's stiff enough for enthusiastic road use, but reading your guys' comments I'm wondering if it would help give the f56 more of an r56 feel. Also considering the adaptive suspension option, so if anyone has an experience to share with either of those options id love to hear it.

I've tried looking around at other cars. I've tried to be sensible and look at Mazdas and Subarus. But life is too short to drive a boring car. Even if the f56 lost some charm it's still got a hell of a lot more character and happiness than anything else on the road (at least under $50k).

 

I had a 2007 R56 Cooper S for about six years before it fell victim to a timing chain failure. I loved that car. It was quick and well balanced stiffly sprung and very fun to drive. I recently started missing the car so I went shopping for a MINI.

I test drove the F56 Cooper S twice. Once manual and another automatic. Both with the std suspension and all-season tires. The seats and the interior are definite a cut above the R56. The car is more comfortable and luxurious for sure. Unfortunately my dealer doesn't stock F56S cars with sport suspension or summer tires.

The F56 is way less enthusiast focused but is way better at being a good daily driving commute car in my opinion. For me it wasn't enough. When I found out JCW R58s were still being built I ordered one of those.

I still would consider owning a. f56 if the JCW is any good performance wise.

 

I too had a 2007 MCS for seven years. Loved it, great car. When the F56 was announced I decided to get one if I liked it in person. Then I test drove a JCW R58 (Coupe). Big mistake! That car was deadly fast. But I waited and drove an F56 AT and liked that too. I don't like the ordering/waiting thing. A Phx dealer was able to hijack an already shipped F56 that had pretty much what I wanted on it. I went to put down a deposit and found somebody else had already hijacked it out from under me. So I went back and took another look at the JCW and lo and behold it was still on the lot. So I bought it at the urging of my wife, who had urged me to buy it in February. I think I'd love the F56, but the JCW won't come out until next year, and the Coupe's looks turns a lot of heads.

 

No idea, as I come from a 2010 MCS with the JCW engine kit. While my car is in the shop for a while, I got a 2014 MCSa as the loaner. It has all the convenience packages inside and a JCW steering wheel too.

The steering still feels great. Still quite sharp, in that you point and it goes.

I am thrilled with how my R56 handles in stock mode - I couldn't imagine having the JCW suspension kit - how much better could it get? The new car though... well, it's softer. The ride is more pliant, I don't feel the road like I do in my car. I'm not sure I would take this car around corners with quite the "damn the torpedoes" elan that I do my car. Some of this might just be hesitation to take the loaner car out to the limits, but... it just feels more like it's made to please the masses (while still delivering a great drive).

It definitely feels like a bigger car. Both from the drivers perspective (sight lines, feel) and from just looking around the cabin. All the little annoyances of my car for fit and finish (those rattles!), however, are absent. The inside of the new model is gorgeous and well put together.

I have spent my first week with the car playing around with the driving modes too. Green mode will seriously dampen the acceleration unless you get on the throttle. Sport mode is suitably jumpy (and the only good sounding way to drive). I'm not a big fan of the new middle console/infotainment system, but that's a personal issue - I like a car to have as few distractions from driving as possible. I did have my brother along to play with the navigation, car diagnostics et al, and they seemed intuitive and easy enough to figure out without a manual.

So to summarize, it's a very good car, but after one week, I wouldn't trade it for my R56 just yet.