It was really interesting this post, soo I start thinking where I read something completely diferent puting the Mini Cooper s in the best car in skid pad performance, I read it on Road and track Mexican publication, thy make an interesting compation bettween PT cruiser turbo, Bettle Turbo S and MINI cooper s, It was interesting but that is not important, what finally Im trying to tell is that when they came in handling on the Mini S, they found that it took the first place from a Porsche GT2, with one more km/h the porsche 112.00km/h and the mini 113.00km/h.

I think this list is completely wrong and I´m not a professional driver but I have driven many sports cars in my life and I can say that the response on the mini and the precision like surgeon bisturi on the steering wheel it is amaizing without comparation with other cars.

Ricardo



>>Interesting article which tested 32 cars including the MCS.......my wife owned a Miata for a few years and I was never really that impressed with it's handling, the transmission was terrific and it was fun, but didn't feel to me like it handled as well as the reg MINI....surprised the MCS didn't even make the finals...
>>
>>In the 26 Aug issue of Autocar there is a big shootout article about choosing the Best Handling Car of 2003:
>>
>>The group of selected best handlers started as:
>>
>>Palmersport JP1
>>Ariel Atom
>>TVR 350C
>>GDT70 (Lola replica)
>>Porsche 911 GT3
>>Noble M12R
>>Caterham R400
>>Elise 135R
>>Vauxhall VX220T Sprint
>>Westfield XTR2
>>Radical SR3 LM
>>Lamborghini Murcielago
>>Pagani Zonda
>>Impreza Type-C
>>Mitsubishi EvoVIII FQ300
>>Alfa 147 GTA
>>Focus RS
>>Audi S4
>>BMW Z4
>>Porsche Boxster
>>Merc E55
>>Mini Cooper S Works
>>Renault Clio V6
>>Mazda RX-8
>>Jag XJR
>>Pug 206 GTi 180
>>Honda Accord 2.4 Type S
>>Volvo S60R
>>Astra GSi
>>Ford Sport Ka
>>Skoda Fabia RS
>>Mazda MX-5 (Miata)
>>
>>
>>From these 32 cars, after the tests/competition 7 cars were selected as finalists:
>>
>>Porsche 911 GT3
>>Noble M12
>>Caterham R400
>>Lamborghini Murcielago
>>Subaru Impreza Spec C
>>BMW Z4
>>Mazda MX-5 (Miata)
>>
>>From these 7, as the best two were selected:
>>
>>Porsche 911 GT3
>>Mazda MX-5 (Miata)
>>
>>The choice of which of the two is the better one has been tough,
>>but in the end the winner The Best Handling Car of 2003:
>>
>>Mazda MX-5 Miata
>>
>>The drivers who tested the cars around the racetrack and selected the winner:
>>
>>Tiff Needell (former F1 driver/broadcaster - ex BBC's Top Gear, Chan 5's 5th gear)
>>Justin Wilson (current Jaguar F1 driver)
>>Takuma Sato (current BAR F1 driver)
>>Michael Bentwood (BMW BTCC driver)
>>Phil Bennett (Proton BTCC works driver)
>>Martin Anderson (Lotus Technical Manager of vehicle dynamics)
>>
>>Here are the words about the winner:
>>
>>"The baby Mazda roadster is already a synonym for handling excellence, already holder of Autocar's best sub-£15k driver's car title. Its sublime flingability and nifty power-to-weight ratio sustain satisfaction like nothing else. It has delicious steering which combines pinpoint accuracy with perfect weighting. It turns in crisply, grips more than amply and has simply the most adjustable cornering balance. The precise gate and short-throw action of its gearchange are a joy, too. The whole MX-5 vibe is consistently engaging. It's the place input and feedback are perfectly synchronised. And it wins."
>>
>>"And out most gifted testers were always amused by it, even if they'd just been extending themselves in the GT3. So the MX-5 wins, repeating the victory it scored after it was first launched in 1990. Britain's best driver's car under £15K is Britain's best handling car, period"

 

Had they tested the MCS with a 22mm rear bar they would have made a different decision. It really transforms the car. Best first mod you can do.

 

>>
________________________-
Sorry but I'd have to say that the Porsche 914 was the least attractive Porsche ever designed. Just my opinion.

 

Interesting article. Thanks for Posting it, Miniblues. I'm currently driving my '91 Miata while I'm waiting on my MCS to be built. I think it's cool how often the MINI and the Miata are compared and written about in the same articles. When I first test drove a MCS I was amazed how much it felt like a Miata in city driving. I've never owned a FWD because of the difference in feel and handling compared to a RWD. After driving the MINI, my concerns about it's FWD handling were completely erased. The fact that the MINI is so good is a real complement to the engineers and designers that worked to get it just right.

I think the comments made by various people in this thread are exactly right. The Miata is at it's best when driven flat out. However, cornering at the limit can be intimidating for less experienced drivers due to trailing throttle oversteer.

I had a great experience in a Miata with one of my friends who is a Spec Miata racer. During one track weekend at Texas World Speedway he took me out in his mildly modified street 1990 Miata (header, intake, exhaust, lowered, street tires, a/c, full interior, etc.) During these club events, the rule is when another car is obviously faster through the road course section of the track, the car in front must pull over on the speedway straight to let the car behind pass. My friend (driving) and I were sharing the track with a full-race Porsche 911 Turbo (completely gutted, full cage, race engine, race tires, etc.) Driving at 10/10ths, my friend was able to catch and follow the 911 through the road course. Imagine the 500+ horsepower Porsche driver's disgust when he had to pull over on that long straight to let a puny little 1.6 liter Miata pass.

DesignIt

 

It sounds like there were a lot of different factors that went into this test that weren't really listed, I love my MINI but check out the video on the Ariel Atom 2, it looks amazing!!(performance wise) And it didn't even make the finals.

http://www.openwheelers.com.au/video...ll_segment.mpg

mike

 

handling is completely subjective... some can claim hair raising drifiting is good handling.. others like it a bit more sublime...

like all FF cars... mini suffers from understeer... as alot of ppl have already stated.. its just the nature of FF cars... you can mask it up with mods and driving skills, but in the end mini's still a FF... basic architechture of the chassis will never defy physics! it will always understeer other than mid-corner lifting.. but when getting back on gas you are still going to get some understeer no matter how good you are, no matter what tires you running.. no matter how fat your rear sway bar maybe

from their finalists... i believe they chose on basis of real-world handling.. not outright handling... catham would've mopped the floor of the miata... yet in the same time.. can a normal person seriously extract the potential of a R400 or a radical the same way he or she can with a miata?

 

ive yet to lose it in my car (keyword YET) it handles like no other. and it beats the crap out of the corvette i drove all last summer!!!

 

Lotuselise.

(I hope my 914-6 and mostly-modded '03 S won't be jealous)

 

P.S. zgokart, the ugliest Porsche ever made is that suppository-shaped 21st-century 914 wannabe, the BOXSTER! Wait, no, dare I say it. . . that would be that $100K Chevy Tahoe, the Cayenne. Wait, no. . . ah forget Porsches. Make mine an Elise.

Take your best shot, Porsche guys (I'm one too). I can take it.

 

You know, I have to say this, and I hope nobody will get too mad:

I am sure the Miata handles great. As good or perhaps better than the MINI. I am sure it is a fun to drive car, in the sense that it provides good response and feel. That said, I would not keep one if it was given to me. The reason being that I don't care for the outward appearance of the car. It just doesn't do anything for me. The MINI, on the other hand, looks the part of a cool, fun to drive car. Again, I apologize, but the Miata just doesn't. And maybe it is just me or people like me, but I will never own a car that doesn't appeal to me visually.