I'm coming from an '09 Cooper HT to a 2011 S Clubman. I've got the all-season run-flats as well and am shocked at their level of comfort. Going to an S suspension with the lower profile 17s, I was prepared for a beating and was pleasantly surprised. The overall ride and lack of noise is markedly more refined in the Clubbie S vice the HT. Actually, i think the exhaust and engine noise are too subdued. I read somewhere where MINI upped the engine compartment insulation for '11 - but looking in there, I don't see where.

+1 on the dramatic differences in clutches. the '11 took some getting used to (much less effort), but I now have come to love it.

Brakes feel softer and require signifanctly more force. Not sure if this is an '11 thing, or just coming from a lighter HT to a heaver clubby. In any event, i thought the S brake package would offset the weight difference, but it did not.

HK sound, though certainly improved over the standard, has let me down. Bass is certainly there, but not crisp, and overpowers the midrange, IMO. I realize you can adjust bass and treble levels, but a wider range EQ is needed. I noticed that with a more-forward seat position, things seem more balanced, however (I'm 6'2 and tend to migrate backward where the bass appears more muddy).

The gong frequency (pitch is higher and cycle time is quicker) is different for '11 and I liked '09 better, but this is bug dust.

Don't like the inability to change the digital speed display to something else, but this is pretty much a nit as well.

+1 on ambient lighting improvements - auto cycling colors and color selection range are an improvement

+1 on ease of removing the rear headrest limiter clips

+1 on power button deceleration burble

 

My son has an 09 MCCSa and I have an 11 MCSm. We have both noticed a huge improvement in build quality, ride quality and interior noise. My son opted for the AT on his Clubby because he didn't care for the clutch on the 09 models. He says the self adjusting clutch on my HT is much better. Hopefully that means some of the well documented clutch issues found on the 07-10 model years will no longer be issues on 2011 and forward model years. Regarding the HK sound, I think it's great. My son upgraded his speakers, and even with that the HK is miles ahead.

 

I started really using the Sport button this weekend. I LOVE the pop/burbling it gives you. I find myself revving the engine just to hear it! Its great in parking lots hehe!

 

Does the Sport button really turn on a fake burble ala the R53? Tell me it's true. I've got my sights on a 2012 JCW and I want that sound.

 

Yep. If standing still and you rev it you get a nice couple pops. If you driving then coast you get a pop or two then the burble. If you accelerating pretty good you get a pop when you shift.

 

dont need to break them off just slide the pin out and they slide right off....

 

do you need to go over 4500 rpm to make the pop and burble cause i want to be able to do it during the break in

 

Nope, when you have the sport button on, its fairly easy to get the pop and burble No need to go above 4500RPM

 

yesssss thats the first thing im gonna do

 

I actually find it hard to make it pop/burble above 4,500 rpm. Below that is easy.

 

Yeah I dont really hear it over about 4K RPM. Its really noticable in the 2k-3k range. Also its not very noticable when the car is cold either.

 

Great name for your Spice Orange car! Looks really good with the black headlights and wheels.
I was thinking of getting the orange but went for the red in the end.

 

Yeah my dealer said the pop/burble won't "happen" unless the car is warmed up. I'd love to see a technical breakdown on how this all occurs. If I had to guess, I'd say the engine drops a bit of un burned gas in the chamber, exists out the exhaust valve, and then hits the hot exhaust manifold... which then ignites causing the sound. But I may be way off. (SAMSONITE, I was way off)

 

They are more than likley either advancing or retarding the timing for this. Which one Im not sure.

 

I can't find it now but I remember reading about it. They called it "continous fuel injection" or something like that.

 

+1 on the pop/burble....
+1 on the build quality....
This one is by far a quieter ride, solid feel, looks racier with the brake ducts and blacked out wheels...

My only problem is the name. I can't decide which one

Mach.5 (thats mach point five Cuz the Speed Racer movie was on all weekend)
OR
Mel MINI um Falcon (since pressing the SPORT button is EXACTLY like flipping the Hyperdrive lever)

 

I'd forgotten about Hardware Wars. I love that the odometer is set at 1138.

 

I was wondering if you add and exhausts or intakes does it eliminate the pop and burble made from the factory?

 

Love it!

 

Is the exhaust the same as 09, etc, as in unchanged since 2007?

Looking into a JCW OEM exhaust for my 2011

 

i think so if it did chang it was small changes that wouldnt matter

 

Regarding the rear headrest, my dealer took off those collars in seconds. Take out the headrest then push through the silver pin in the collar with
an ice pick type instrument. The collars come apart and can be reused. I was told they were designed for proper height for car seats. Hope that helps.

 

Yep, I removed the rings on the rear headrests using the little straw from a WD40 can and a pair of needle nose pliers once I got the pin out far enough to grab it. Put all the parts in a ziploc bag and labeled with a sharpie in case I ever need them for some reason.

Annette

 

I've had my Lil Guy now for almost five months now, so I feel like I can comment here.

First off, this is my first Mini, so I have nothing to compare it to but my former Miata MX-5. As for the head rests, shucks I just took them off and they are now some place in my basement. I'm not familiar with the car uprights, so nothing to say about that. Love the H-K sound system. But, being the illiterate guy that I am, I had to go to the dealer, actually today, and ask how to set the Sirrus stations so that I didn't have to go, manually thru the entire system to get to my 50's, 60's, 70's and Sinatra channels. Now I'm happy.

My Lil Guy is a JCW and I love it. The exhaust, just a couple of weeks ago, started the burping. Had it in Sport this morning, and came up next to my wife in her Jeep. I revved it just a bit, maybe to 2500, and you should have seen the look on her face. Tonight she asked me if there was something wrong with the JCW as it popped. Funny.

To me, the Sport button really wakes up the Lil Guy, but as for gas mileage, I see almost no difference between Sport and regular mode. I'm getting 35+ on the interstate, and around 30 in town. Those figures change if I get too aggressive with the throttle, though, but not much.

Just a few things that I've noticed with my JCW, by the way it's Black with the Chili Red roof. Oh yes, I put Michelin ICE tires in 215x45x17 for the Winter and am ordering that same size for my Summer tires. I'm going to just go with a total wheel/tire combination and with the TPM's too. That way all I have to do for Winter, or Summer is just unbolt the old and put on the others.

 

Yeah, I got mine with the Red roof. I'm the only one in our area, as of now. Well, the new dealer did sell one, actually it was the first Mini that was sold out that dealership on Dec. 20th.

I, also got the Chili red dash and door rings and then just for kicks, added the Rooster Red seats with Black cloth.

The one thing that I really like, and actually I have no complaints in five months, is the charcoal dash gauges. They are really cool. That, in the past, along with the gauge/radio ***** ect, I just did not like. Again, the dark charcoal really gets with it. Some say that the dash is too black, but with the red that I added, well I think it's just right.

Finally got the Lil Guy to start popping about two weeks ago. Maybe it was before, but I didn't notice it. Kind of neat.

Performance: Well let's just say that I have been impressed. Race car no, but then again it gets over the 30 mpg all around and one can't say that about most hi performance cars. Best that I've gotten in a 850 mile round trip was 35.6 mpg actual. Actually, the computer was pretty close. Might be the oversized tires. I'm running 215x45's on it instead of the 205's. Takes some of the speedometer error out of it.

Bill