This family has both and with the automatic at 75mph and flooring it I get thrown back a bit when the car lunges... not so with the manual. Both are S's and yes I know very little about motors so was just wondering if this is normal. The manual also appears to run about 3000 rpm higher at the same speed.

thanks for any assistance.

 

Does your auto downshift when you get thrown back at 75mph?

 

The manual will do it too if you drop it down into 3rd.

 

Pretty sure that automatics routinely post faster acceleration times. Prolly has a lot to do with the launch control you have with a manual.

I can't imagine why you would drive an automatic mini.

 

I felt the same way, but the MINI was going to be my wife's car and she wanted a Clubman S with an auto. I have to admit that driving the auto in the sport mode - manual shift - was a lot more fun than I ever thought it would be. The paddle shifts are fast - both up and down.

 

Thanks folks. Originally we went to purchase her a manual and she had a hard time with it and when we tested an automatic we were blown away with it's performance. I opted to purchase manual and yes as good as I think I might be she kicks my tailpipe when we race... the paddles are fantastic. Hers does not downshift to M5 when floored at 70. Regardless, thrilled with these except for the pillar rattle (which will be addressed in the near future).

Many thanks.

 

It's probably the "kickdown" of the auto transmission, which is described in the owner's manual:That's rather vague, but I suspect it's a combination of downshifting and opening up the throttle or other actions. Does it shift, and what do you see happening with revs? Anyway, it's probably doing something similar to what you might do manually with a stick shift.

 

The Mercedes C250 I had as a loaner for several weeks had this feature, it's pretty cool. You're at full throttle, and you press further through a little resistance, and it downshifts. It didn't seem like the throttle opened any more, it just drops a gear while keeping WOT. Lots of fun.

Honestly the whole experience changed my attitude towards automatic transmissions.

 

We have an auto with paddles and although I haven't driven a manual S I thought having the auto wouldn't be as fun to drive aggressively but I was wrong! Driving by the paddles in sport mode is fun especially when you're in the higher revs with the boost on!

 

i have a cms all4 manual, my dad has a cms all4 auto

there is a kickdown switch at the bottom of the pedal travel in the automatics ... it feels like you are floored, but if you push harder, you push thru the switch and get an instant downshift, sometimes several gears at once, depending on the speed

if you floor the gas pedal with the engine off, you can hear the switch click

scott

 

Sorry to burst the bubble of the Auto drivers, but MINI USA performance specs list the Manual @ 0-60 time of 6.8 secs and the Auto @ 0-60 time of 7.1 secs...

 

Your really going by performance specs?

People should probably go to other websites then I guess to see what others say. For instance I believe MotorTrend has the R56 "S" going 6.6 seconds to 60mph in a manual and another website has the auto doing 6.4 seconds to 60mph. It depends on the driver and how you launch if you care about statistics. But then again, these cars aren't made for 0-60, they're made for corner and fun track days. Just saying.

 

That might be rightfully so with an auto in stock form but for those with automatics and have a few performance mods I'm fairly certain that the autos 0-60 are in the mid 6 sec range same as stock 6spd manual times.

 

These almost imperceptible time advantages for a manual are probably based on perfect shifts by a professional driver. I would wager this translates to almost zero net benefit in acceleration with your average driver in the real world.

 

Could you please explain why the specs would be stated that way then? Last time I checked the auto is $1250 more than a manual. I would think the motivation to maximize profit would have the figures posted to reflect that..&

 

this may be true, but the OP was talking about flooring the gas at 75 MPH

the auto will of course downshift and accelerate accordingly while the manual will just chug along in whatever gear it was in (i assume 6th)
so the automatic seems like a rocket ship compared to the manual if the manual is not downshifted

scott

 

My comment was about the posts saying his wife kicks his butt in acceleration and the other post re: auto acceleration times. They are both fun to drive either way...I just don't understand why Manufacturer's times would be skewed in favor of the Manual when they charge more for an Auto...

 

Manuals are all physical, and a professional driver can row through the gears very quickly. Auto transmissions are more costly to design and produce and are generally more in demand by people like my wife who refuse to learn stick because they're afrad.

Because of the power losses at the torque converter (not substantial in a modern auto), the Auto will see less performance and fuel economy versus a manual driven by someone who makes the aforementioned perfect shifts.

 

Do you mean performance mods to the transmission like a shift kit? Because otherwise, the guy with the manual could just go do those same mods and theoretically gain his advantage back. If he's good at fast shifts and gear selection.

 

That maybe true but I've done my own 0-60 like you posted saying from MINIs site that autos do 0-60 in 7.1 when that's not the case. That's why I laughed at it. Every car expert or company reviewing these cars do it differently and there's ALWAYS a different outcome. So I guess go off of what that site says if it makes you feel better but everyone who understands cars and how they work, numbers will variate from how it's tested.

 

Believe what you choose to as well..I just don't know why MINI would switch the statistics though. No reason for doing that..My butt dyno makes me feel the manual is quicker..No idea about Motor Trend or others and their testing..

 

Don't forget folks also that if the Sport button is engaged, an auto will not enter 6th so it is possible the car describes by the OP was in 5th and downshifted from there - presumably a manual driver would usually be in 6th at a normal cruise at 75...
This might be why the OP saw revs differ.

 

My auto MC enters 6th in sport mode. It takes a steady speed for a distance for it to do it, but it will eventually.

 

Surfink, the statistics that you put out are obviously not true then cause I just told you I had better times when I tested her on an empty road(farm area as those who are anti-speed). My point is your butt dyno may feel that way but in all honesty the JCW is where I truly feel the difference whether if it's manual or the new auto they introduced. And when I said other car review places and I said not just MINI. You obviously didn't do enough homework on the STATISTICS since you didn't want to mention the other positive reviews on autos. That's all I was trying to get across, I could careless if my auto does better than the 7.1 seconds to 60mph and where I've seen a manual "S" do on some car performance website also do 6.1 seconds to 60mph. But like someone said manuals do get a better advantage but don't put up MINIs phony numbers when REAL car experts put out real numbers if we're going to do that.

 

Have fun Rob, but take you blinders off!