Shocked by a Mini Cooper!

1405 Views 17 Replies 12 Participants Last post by alan2796, Jun 1, 2008

psg001

Discussion Starter · May 26, 2008

was driving on a dual carriageway this evening, Mini Cooper was ahead of me in the left lane, accelerating (so was a rolling start for both of us). He had a car infront of him so I pulled into the right lane to get past them both.

He was accelerating hard upto about 50-60 but had to slow down for the car infront. He seemed to be accelerating quite well before he had to slow, i went past him and then later we were at a set of traffic lights with a sharpish right turn within 10 metres, then it straightened out into a dual carriageway. I wasnt giving it 100% or concentrating fully, but I have to say his car was doing well upto 50 mph, then either he gave up or I just caned him over 60.

It was a COOPER (mk 1), not an S, I have had an S (mk1) for a couple of yrs and drove a cooper for a few wks and thought the engine was weak and pathetic under acceleration. His looked stock, stock exhaust, stock wheels/brakes. Cheeky bastard had his windows down when we set off from the lights, I gave him a little headstart as I didnt think he would try it again after I beat him on the rolling start.

If it was an S I could have been embarrased. He had a front seat passenger as well, I was alone in a fairly empty R32.

Am bit shocked to be honest... either...

1) his car was tuned
2) I'm a terrible driver!
3) I really do have a 1.8 litre lump under the bonnet!!

Maybe I should grow up and not race people at the lights, or if I do, commit to it and do it properly!! This is the first time I have done it in the R32.

1 - 18 of 18 Posts

G

· #2 · May 26, 2008

these cars seem to attract muppets that wanna race all the time.

had some twat in a 1.8 astra undertake me the other day on a very small dual carriageway heading for a roundabout and then a stupid metro doing the same the following day. all had passengers and all seemed to want me to race........was too knackered from 12 hour shift and just wanted to sleep on the sofa

MAT ED30

· #3 · May 26, 2008

i would have had you in my old cooper s works (215 bhp) little go cart lol

See less See more

psg001

Discussion Starter · #4 · May 26, 2008

was only a COOPER tho, not a COOPER S. And I would say I was trying 80%. The paper figues say that car should be wasted by the R32. Was surprised what a good fight it put up, having driven a cooper before.

I've driven the works Cooper S and wasnt that impressed over the stock car, I think my Cooper S was slightly tuned before I got it, maybe thats why its didnt feel like a big performance increase.

I was always catching him up on the rolling start, and from the lights was always ahead of him. I just cant believe he had any chance and put up such a good fight, with his windows down and a front seat passenger.

Macdaddy©

· #5 · May 26, 2008

Did you try the pedal on the far right ?

Very Cherry

· #6 · May 26, 2008

macdaddy said:
Did you try the pedal on the far right ?

haha

and did you lean forward to assist the aerodynamics? :xD

Rupo

· #7 · May 26, 2008

Iv had races like this, where your slightly unsure whether the other guy ius racing or not so you dont really bother concentrating on whats happening. He was probably caning his and well on for a race getting a good start and snapping through his gear changes and you dont even notice him much so you just poodle off and then have to try and play catch up.
I dont think you can do much to a standard cooper to get the power up much. You sure you werent riding the brake?

psg001

Discussion Starter · #8 · May 26, 2008

ok, have had a think about this now.

Wasn't really concentrating, on the rolling start I was accelerating from about 30 in 5th (not the best accelerating gear at that speed), he looked like he was shifting so was probably in a lower gear. When 5th did get into the groove a bit more at 70, I pulled nicely upto the ton, and he was absolutely nowhere. I sat in cruise at 85 for the next 2 miles and he nervously passed.

Again on the start from the lights, was not really trying or expecting to have a race. He was gunning it, and when I did let 2nd and 3rd do their business he was dispatched easily enough and again I had a massive lead on it by the time I was doing 85 so just chilled and he didnt go for the third strike, he sat behind me for the next 2 miles and turned off somewhere in shame.

Final sin of mine, I was running on normal unleaded as I was desparate for some juice earlier today and couldnt find any super unleaded so filled the tank with the cheap shite.

Good advice Steve, what is the trick with that right pedal again?!!:xD

I have gone up against new impreza turbos on rolling starts from 20-100 and they have always respectfully backed off because they didnt have the steam to get past. Was driving the car 20 mins ago and let 3rd and 4th do their job and they do pull well to the ton. Guess I was in a sort of no-mans land, not 100% commited to the cause and got a little surprise.

See less See more

Macdaddy©

· #9 · May 26, 2008

Must have been lack of concentration cos they aint all that fast.

G

· #10 · May 26, 2008

I could beat the Cooper in my MPV!!!

CraziScot

· #11 · May 26, 2008

In all likelyhood it was a 210BHP "s" spec'd with no badges, 6.4 to 60 and much lighter than our Rs, if he was off the line first then your playing catch up all the time.

I've made this mistake before thinking something else wouldn't have the shift to go toe to toe, although generally I've found I do catch and pass even if a little slowly, well with the exception of a 130i BMW......dont be decieved!!!!

Rich R32

· #12 · May 26, 2008

According to the 'Auto Express Mag' :- Mini Cooper 0-60/62 =9.1 secs and Mini Cooper S 0-60/62 =7.1 secs. It must be a stealth?:xD

Ps there are a few debadged Clio Sports floating about too...:tongue:

Mattchaps

· #13 · May 26, 2008

Hahaha, accelerating from 30mph in 5th!!! If I was going to have a proper race I'd have knocked it down to 2nd and floored it :xD

If you've been up against the new impreza's and they've backed off, I'm surprised you even thought for one moment that a normal Copper could worry you!!!

andysR32

· #14 · May 26, 2008

That's the problem Matt it was a copper in a Cooper so he had to be carefull..lol

Sorry

Gti Fly

· #15 · May 26, 2008

cooper S has exhaust's in the middle, so it's quite easy to spot them apart from a normal Cooper.

Anyway as torquey as an R32 is, you can't expect to win from 5th gear/30mph rolling start, atleast drop it down into 2nd or 3rd gear at those speeds.

Mattchaps

· #16 · May 27, 2008

andysR32 said:
That's the problem Matt it was a copper in a Cooper so he had to be carefull..lol
Sorry

lol, I can never type properly when half asleep!

TwoCollieForThirty

· #17 · May 29, 2008

I've been passed by a modded 53 plate astra turbo at 155mph before. Think how i felt about that one :xD

alan2796

· #18 · Jun 1, 2008

i think it's happened to all of us at one point, didnt really think much of the car next to me so attention was lapsed so with a car full of mates.pulled away from a set of lights up a hill then turning left it was raning and a cobbled road ! unforuinatley I was in the right lane and was just going to easily nip infront of the deisel honda accord taxi I dont really know what happened but the taxi left me sitting was pretty dissapointed and i didnt hear the end of it all night from my mates !

1 - 18 of 18 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.