I'm not yet fully conversant on the torque as I am still breaking it in. It is lurking just an inch or two down in the throttle pedal and will respond now if you get to it. It also makes the car far less challenging (more relaxing) to drive. No more downshifting to keep the revs up. It willingly pulls smoothly from quite low revs.

Interior fit and finish: My wife and I are both surprised at the difference. I had wood and leather in the HT vs. JCW cloth and white color line in the Roadster. My wife sat down in it and immediately said "This is nice." I agree. Part of the difference is optional chrome rings on the instruments. The speedo is tilted toward the driver.

Handling: Both cars were equipped with the sport suspension. The HT had 15" and 16" non-rfts. I expected the ride to be worse on 16" ProContact rfts in the Roadster. It isn't. It is better, although it should be noted we don't have potholes here. I actually like the run-flats. I now get the "go-kart handling" mantra. Turn in is awesome and flat. If you push it in the corners it runs wide with immediate understeer. The 16" Dunlop Star Specs will go on later for a comparison.

The Harman Kardon stereo is a significant upgrade and necessary in the Roadster. I now enjoy the radio (top up or down) instead of tolerating it.

Wind buffeting: With the now standard wind deflector there isn't much. I wouldn't wear a loose fitting straw hat though.

The steering and clutch are both lighter with no loss of feel. This is goodness.

Blind spots: Not being a fan of turning my head to see if it is ok to change lanes I don't notice them.

Initial impression: Significantly better than expected.

Mileage: 32 mpg and climbing (per computer) on the first tank.

Oh, I almost forgot. The glove box is horrible looking. I hope the oversized monster is meant to serve as a knee bolster.

 

Congrats on the new ride! Interesting comparison. Enjoy!

 

Just wait until you get on a roadtrip and the freeway hasn't been paved in the last 24 months. My wife *refused* to drive the Roadster because the runflats fight you when you're going over bumps, rough road, or (the worst) freeways that have the wheel ruts worn into them from trucks.

I replaced my RFTs with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 about 2-3 weeks ago and I just can't put into words how much better it is - and the handling has actually improved! I can corner without worrying about going over a tiny piece of gravel and having the shock from hitting that on my RFT breaking my traction :P I'm seriously only slightly exaggerating.

Regarding blindspots: adjust your mirrors outward more. You do not need to see the sides of you car at all. Ever. No. Don't ar- STOP stop arguing with me on this ;-) Anyways, I have my mirror adjusted so that my vision is lined up with the center of the neighboring lanes. I've fine tuned it so that with a glance out the side window and into the mirrors i can confirm clearance for a lane change. MINI really should have given us the lane monitoring system, though.

Last thought: I love the glovebox, but only because that shiny button tempts friends. They can't help but push it. When they do, the lack of springs allows it to heavily drop on their shins and I get to laugh and laugh. I've seriously thought about putting a 5lb weight in it some day.

 

Which run flats did you have that were replaced with the Michelin Pilot Sport? I have been think about doing the same thing.

 

Thanks II Kings.

Zlog,
My mirrors are adjusted to see the adjacent lanes. That's why I don't need to turn my head before changing lanes.

Like I said, we don't have potholes here. I wouldn't want to hit one with a run flat. The 205/50-16 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 is the only tire on my short list for everyday driving.

 

My '14 Roadster S has been a pure joy to drive in the limited time I've owned it. It's unbelievably quick, highly responsive, and easily maneuverable in traffic. I have the chrome line interior as well and love the look. Unlike you, I have the Sirius Radio package, but find the need for an upgrade to the Harmon Kardon system totally unnecessary. My sound is excellent with the ragtop up or down. I must say the Roadster feels exceptionally solid and I have absolutely no wind noise with the top up. No rattles whatsoever. The automatic climate control works fantastic, top up or down. And I'm exceptionally thankful I purchased the JCW exterior package - the look is priceless.

Good luck with your new Roadster S, hsautocrosser!

 

I switched from a '10 MCS HT to a '13 Roadster S. I loved that car, it was a blast. But, I cannot say enough how OBSESSED I am with this car. F****n' A this is one bad beast.

Welcome to the club. Enjoy they hell out of that little thing.

 

I know exactly where you're coming from!

 

That's interesting Dave. Either the standard system has improved dramatically since 2010 or the Serius radio is serious bang for the buck. "Excellent" you say!

I was getting some top up wind noise today and looked down to see I was doing 77 mph per the Garmin. Little bugger wants to run.

 

My switch was from a '11 MCS HT to a '13 MC Roadster. I experienced the same order-of-magnitude increase in obsession. And I can count on one hand the number of times I've missed the turbo...I tend to emphasize aesthetics over brute force, so the absence of boost is more than offset by the beautiful, unbroken lines of the bonnet that I can drool over anytime, even when it's parked.

The R59 community is an exclusive group. Enjoy!

 

Exclusivity is certain. I've seen no other Roadsters but mine on the road. People stop and look at my Roadster on a routine basis.

I can't compare the non-S with an S model from experience, Gil-Galad, but I can say I love the slight difference in appearance and love the immediate response I get when I hit the gas pedal.

 

My radio is awesome. Of course, I've never heard the H-K system, so I can't compare. It works for me.

I have exceeded 75 mph and do not detect any wind noise with the top up. Seems pretty secure. I'm actually stunned at how airtight my Roadster is with the ragtop up.

 

Personally, the HK system is my favorite option next to my interior. I forgot who said it first, but it really just depends on whether or not fidelity is important to you.

I heard the stock system, and works well. For me, I had HK on my last car, and after hearing the improvement on the Roadster, I could not live with out it. (Probably sounds better because the cockpit is that much smaller.)

In the end, the most important thing is...the drive! And that, we can all attest, is AMAZING.

 

I'm not into audio systems, if you know what I mean. So I'm perfectly happy with my Sirius satellite system. I completely understand the sentiments of those who prefer advanced systems like Harmon-Karden. My Roadster performs beautifully on the road and, I agree, that is the most important function of all! And you have to appreciate the looks of the MINI Roadster if you're an automobile aficionado.

 

Welcome to the Roadster obsession!

I came to my 2012 Roadster S via a 2000 A4 Avant, a 2003 R53 S on 17" wheels, a 2007 R56 S on 17" wheels, a mistaken foray through a 2010 Lancer Sportback Ralliart, and my wife's 2012 justa Clubman.

This is the best car I have ever owned by far. For me it has the perfect balance of power and handling for real road driving, even on the 17" run-flats which I don't plan to do anything about until they wear out (and maybe not even then). I had the regular suspension on the 2007 S which was too soft, especially coming after the Super Sport suspension on the 2003 S, and the Sport suspension on the Roadster is perfect.

I love everything about this car (except the rear visibility top-up in parking lots). The engine flexibility and driveability is amazing, you can stay in third gear almost everywhere on the back roads, get great real-world acceleration and have a blast even just going to work and back. I think it is noticeably better that my 2007 S in this respect, and that was a great car, especially from 50mph to 75mph on the highway. It's even relatively economical driven hard. What's not to like?

I can see myself keeping this car for a very long time. Looks like the replacement won't show up until early 2017 and I think I will still have the car then, which is unheard of for me and I might even hang on to it then if it has held up well enough.

I bought it having never seen a Roadster in the flesh, only a Coupe, and I do not regret it one bit. I love the uniqueness, outside MINI events like MINIs on Top or MINIs in the Ozarks I have only seen I think two others in the 18 months I have had it. Also, the folks on this sub-forum are great. We have had so much fun in this car!

 

I'm with you, spiney! I hope to keep my '14 Roadster S for many years to come, notwithstanding the advent of the new MINI 'sports car' in 2017. I've never felt the urge to buy the latest greatest vehicle when I'm 100% satisfied with the present one. I've only driven my Roadster a few weeks, yet find myself totally captivated with it's performance, ride, and unique appearance.

 

I drove several '13 and '14 Roadsters over the course of 8 weeks, both with the base sound system and with the HK. I noticed that on windy days with the top down at freeway speeds, I couldn't get the volume loud enough with the base radio. (Which made me glad I ordered the HK. 480 watts has a way of cutting through all the ambient noise.)

 

Big thumbs up.
I got the JCW because I don't plan on doing any mods under the hood.
exception: a turbo blanket, boost/water guages, GP2 diffuser
I hated convertibles before owning this car (we bought it for my wife, now its mine - or at least I like to pretend it is)
I Will replace these run flats Continental sport 3's at some stage, they are ruff here in Australia (Bad roads) though I am considering waiting until they wear enough to make it worth it. I am becoming proficient in pot hole avoidance.

 

agreed

 

agreed

 

The seats are very different despite each having sport seats. On the '14 the bolsters are firmer and higher. However, it forces me to move the seat back to keep my legs from splaying and causing weight to bear on them on top of the bolsters which becomes irritating in rather short order.

This isn't a big problem for me as I prefer a legs and arms out driving position. However, the tolerable range of adjustments for the steering wheel, seat, and seat back are very small. Also, I miss the adjustable lumbar support. Making that available only with leather is unfortunate as leather in a convertible or roadster can get very hot.

 

After time I found the base six speaker system was lacking big time. I'm not that into audio. But I installed an Integral Audio sound stage and sub. It is worlds better. I always buy the best system you can in any vehicle I own. This time I did not. I am very happy that I didn't as it saved me alot of money going to the Integal Audio system. With the HK most of the money you spend is replaced with the Integral Audio parts anyway. As far as the seats go adding the lumbar support makes a huge differance. And for like $80.00 and one hour of your time it's well worth it.

 

Jkapinos, can you rate the audio fron the IA system on a scale of 1 to 10 for me? I'm really drooling over sub, if not the entire package. The entire kit looks just phenomenal. I really wish I could sample the quality before committing, but I'm not aware of anyone in Portland, OR or Vancouver, WA that has an installed system so I'm left to my imagination.

How well do the lows penetrate the cabin? Does the overall presentation get affected at all by the fact that our trunk is not open to the passenger area?

 

As far as the soundstage goes it would be a 10. It's unbelievable. The Sub is in the trunk and even thou I've had it all the time. It's not something that you really notice. I've talked to Kevin at IA and we made some adjustments to the amp settings. Now if I want, I can dial in as much sub as I like. At the highest settings you can feel the sub pounding you in the back. The sub adjustment dial is down by the switches.

 

An update:
Non-runflat summer performance tires cure the understeer.

The firmer, narrower cloth sport seat (bolsters) bother me some days and not others. It may be related to variable skin sensitivity from a medical condition.

The blind spots are a problem backing out of perpendicular parking spaces. I put the top down.

It is very easy to recover from repeatedly exceeding the handling limits with worn,
overly heat-cycled performance tires while autocrossing with DSC and DTC off. And yes, it is not the fast way around. I was testing me after a long layoff as much as the car, not to mention having an otherwise illegal amount of fun.

Fresh Hankooks are currently fitted and it has now replaced the 2010 Hardtop as the best handling car I have ever owned (including three Lotus Elans). I tell you all the time the sport suspension is brilliantly balanced.

I'm averaging 32.7 mpg by odometer-error corrected mileage divided by pump readings of fuel fill-ups through 3700 miles. I've added 1/4 quart of oil and it is currently down 1/3rd quart.