I was listening to the podcast that goes along with this (mostly positive) review and came across something interesting. The guy says that the hood scoop is NOT functional on the 2nd Generation MINIs. Is this true? I thought it helped cool the engine. Right? Wrong?

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-onlin...69888627.shtml

 

Never paid much attention since I don't drive an S, but apparently this is the gospel. You can read about it here if you scroll down: http://www.mini2.com/2006/07/27/mini...eral-overview/, though I'm sure if you searched the 2nd Gen forum here you'd find it talked about, as well.

I am sorry for your perceived loss - but seriously, I am sorry that you're feeling badly. That link I posted seems to say that they feel MINI was , at the least, on the up and up about it being "pointless" - so at least you know that no one was trying to dupe anyone. Hope that helps you feel a bit better.

 

I had no idea! Thanks, Otra. I don't feel that bad, but my husband keeps telling everyone that it's a functional scoop. Oops!

 

Well, as I said - I only know what I've read. I think it can be made somewhat functional...but I really don't know if that is advised or not. It's functionally attractive as a scoop, anyway.

 

Some R56 have holes some have no holes depending on build date. I believe R55 have holes. The old S scoop fed right into the air intake but thats no longer the design.

 

My R55 has a few small holes in the black plastic grill that's in there and the rest are blocked. It clearly has only a styling function.

 

It want intended to origionally to not have a use. But early on, it was found the the turbo heats up so badly that the hood right above the scoop area would get blistering hot after shutting the car off. Yes, you would get a blister if you left your hand on it..trust me. SO... they started putting holes in every couple rows of honeycombs.. this helped vent out the heat. Most of us have removed the black honeycomb piece completly. We did in our O7. In the Clubman, i used a dremel and carved all the sections of the honeycombs. Its cool, on cool nights, steam comes out like a angry bull.

 

Ahhh....so it's not to let air in, it's to let air OUT.

If the scoop is not really "functional", then it just screams for us to give it a purpose. Maybe a squirt gun nozzle to blast people that look too close?

 

Or maybe some Knight Rider lights!

 

Gee, if I thought I could have had a "squirt gun option" I might have gone for the S.

 

The later models have partly opened scoops, and they have a function.

It's there for cooling the turbo.