Current Mini Will Go Out With a Bang

[giant_mtb]

Not one big enough to fit a transmission in.

you fit the tranny at the back

And there goes your rear seat space and cargo room.

i said to take out the rear seats.

Not very plausible/practical.

I just wanna RWD mini as a special edition model, like the Renault Clio V6.

The Renault Clio Sport V6 uses what is basically a FWD drivetrain, it is just put in the backseat. Something like that might work with the Mini, but I am not sure there would be enough space.

I doubt there's enough space in the back of a Mini to put the engine and tranny...

[TBR]

There would be enough room to put the current Cooper S drivetrain in there, but not enough for a bigger, more powerful engine.

[Raghavan]

Not one big enough to fit a transmission in.

you fit the tranny at the back

And there goes your rear seat space and cargo room.

i said to take out the rear seats.

Not very plausible/practical.

I just wanna RWD mini as a special edition model, like the Renault Clio V6.

The Renault Clio Sport V6 uses what is basically a FWD drivetrain, it is just put in the backseat. Something like that might work with the Mini, but I am not sure there would be enough space.

the Clio V6 is RWD.

[giant_mtb]

Not one big enough to fit a transmission in.

you fit the tranny at the back

And there goes your rear seat space and cargo room.

i said to take out the rear seats.

Not very plausible/practical.

I just wanna RWD mini as a special edition model, like the Renault Clio V6.

The Renault Clio Sport V6 uses what is basically a FWD drivetrain, it is just put in the backseat. Something like that might work with the Mini, but I am not sure there would be enough space.

the Clio V6 is RWD.

Yeah...?

[TBR]

Of course, if you move a FWD drivetrain to the back it will make the car RWD.  

[Raghavan]

Of course, if you move a FWD drivetrain to the back it will make the car RWD.

so basically the V6's platform is backwards with rear steer?

[TBR]

No, the transmission is the same one used in a FWD Citreon, meaning that the engine is horizontally opposed while most RWD cars have transversely opposed engines.

[Raza]

The Impala we drove for driver's ed was FWD.  The first thing I noticed when I drove the Grand Marquis was the difference between FWD and RWD.  For around town driving, it really doesn't make a difference, and I'm sure you haven't pushed any of those cars to the limits to really tell.

The Crown Victoria is far from the best example of RWD handling.  

And as for the Mini, I've heard about them moving to a two piece front end to save expenses, which means a loss of structural rigidity that will adversely affect handling.  

[giant_mtb]

The Impala we drove for driver's ed was FWD.  The first thing I noticed when I drove the Grand Marquis was the difference between FWD and RWD.  For around town driving, it really doesn't make a difference, and I'm sure you haven't pushed any of those cars to the limits to really tell.

The Crown Victoria is far from the best example of RWD handling.  

And as for the Mini, I've heard about them moving to a two piece front end to save expenses, which means a loss of structural rigidity that will adversely affect handling.

I understand that...I was just sayin' that the first thing I did notice was the swap from FWD to RWD, regardless of the car in which that swap was performed.

[Raza]

The Impala we drove for driver's ed was FWD.  The first thing I noticed when I drove the Grand Marquis was the difference between FWD and RWD.  For around town driving, it really doesn't make a difference, and I'm sure you haven't pushed any of those cars to the limits to really tell.

The Crown Victoria is far from the best example of RWD handling.  

And as for the Mini, I've heard about them moving to a two piece front end to save expenses, which means a loss of structural rigidity that will adversely affect handling.

I understand that...I was just sayin' that the first thing I did notice was the swap from FWD to RWD, regardless of the car in which that swap was performed.

I've driven numerous front and rear drive cars, as well as a few AWD ones, and I've been in many more of them while they were driven hard, and I've seen some FWD cars that will handle better than some RWD cars--for example, my Passat handles better than my friend's last gen Mustang.  

[giant_mtb]

The Impala we drove for driver's ed was FWD.  The first thing I noticed when I drove the Grand Marquis was the difference between FWD and RWD.  For around town driving, it really doesn't make a difference, and I'm sure you haven't pushed any of those cars to the limits to really tell.

The Crown Victoria is far from the best example of RWD handling.  

And as for the Mini, I've heard about them moving to a two piece front end to save expenses, which means a loss of structural rigidity that will adversely affect handling.

I understand that...I was just sayin' that the first thing I did notice was the swap from FWD to RWD, regardless of the car in which that swap was performed.

I've driven numerous front and rear drive cars, as well as a few AWD ones, and I've been in many more of them while they were driven hard, and I've seen some FWD cars that will handle better than some RWD cars--for example, my Passat handles better than my friend's last gen Mustang.

Why is that?  Does the Stang have a farther forward weight bias that causes more understeer than in your Passat?

[Raza]

The Impala we drove for driver's ed was FWD.  The first thing I noticed when I drove the Grand Marquis was the difference between FWD and RWD.  For around town driving, it really doesn't make a difference, and I'm sure you haven't pushed any of those cars to the limits to really tell.

The Crown Victoria is far from the best example of RWD handling.  

And as for the Mini, I've heard about them moving to a two piece front end to save expenses, which means a loss of structural rigidity that will adversely affect handling.

I understand that...I was just sayin' that the first thing I did notice was the swap from FWD to RWD, regardless of the car in which that swap was performed.

I've driven numerous front and rear drive cars, as well as a few AWD ones, and I've been in many more of them while they were driven hard, and I've seen some FWD cars that will handle better than some RWD cars--for example, my Passat handles better than my friend's last gen Mustang.

Why is that?  Does the Stang have a farther forward weight bias that causes more understeer than in your Passat?

That whole suspension is a mess.  I raced my buddy's GT in my E320 (his car runs a quarter mile nearly 2 seconds faster than mine) and at the end of the road, I had to get out of the car and wait for him.  It goes into turns like a fish out of water.  

[MX793]

The Impala we drove for driver's ed was FWD.  The first thing I noticed when I drove the Grand Marquis was the difference between FWD and RWD.  For around town driving, it really doesn't make a difference, and I'm sure you haven't pushed any of those cars to the limits to really tell.

The Crown Victoria is far from the best example of RWD handling.  

And as for the Mini, I've heard about them moving to a two piece front end to save expenses, which means a loss of structural rigidity that will adversely affect handling.

I understand that...I was just sayin' that the first thing I did notice was the swap from FWD to RWD, regardless of the car in which that swap was performed.

I've driven numerous front and rear drive cars, as well as a few AWD ones, and I've been in many more of them while they were driven hard, and I've seen some FWD cars that will handle better than some RWD cars--for example, my Passat handles better than my friend's last gen Mustang.

Why is that?  Does the Stang have a farther forward weight bias that causes more understeer than in your Passat?

The 1970s based platform might have something to do with it.  Add a live rear axle which is a sub-par design (even for LRAs), a chassis that isn't particularly stiff by today's standards, etc...

That said, with a competent driver they can do pretty well in the turns.  It's not the greatest handling car in the world, but I would actually put it ahead of the Passat with driver's of equal skill.  A guy over at AF has a previous gen Stang (2004 I think) and beats Vettes at the autocross.

[850CSi]

The Impala we drove for driver's ed was FWD.  The first thing I noticed when I drove the Grand Marquis was the difference between FWD and RWD.  For around town driving, it really doesn't make a difference, and I'm sure you haven't pushed any of those cars to the limits to really tell.

That's really the first thing you SHOULD notice, otherwise you shouldn't be driving


Personally speaking, I haven't driven any of the really-good handling FWD cars. However, of the ones I have driven, I just didn't like it. I hopped out of my Audi yesterday and hopped into my friend's Scion tC the other day and stole it just for fun (none of my friends can do that to my car). The Scion's a small car and steering feel and handling is probably better than your average FWD car... I just didn't like it. My Audi has bad weight distribution, but AWD makes it feel balanced. I just don't like the way you feel everything's happening in front of you rather than all around you with AWD or RWD.

[Minpin]

Why shouldnt you be driving if you cant tell if it's RWD or FWD? I bet most people wouldnt tell a difference in normal day driving.

[850CSi]

Why shouldnt you be driving if you cant tell if it's RWD or FWD? I bet most people wouldnt tell a difference in normal day driving.

Because most RWD cars really DO feel MUCH different than most FWD cars. Knowing where your applying the power you control is a key factor in how well you drive and how aware you are.

The tC immediately screamed FWD! when I got going. And the tC is a small car, and it's not dynamically terrible, either. My Audi isn't RWD, either, and it's also a bit nose-heavy... That's the reason I say that one should really pick up on the change right away.

I can pardon someone for getting into a CV out of their civic and not thinking "RWD!" right away, but if you go from a 50/50 RWD 325i to a nose-heavy FWD car like the TL and you don't immediately pick up the difference...

[Minpin]

I see what your saying. I misunderstood I guess :)

[280Z Turbo]

A FWD can never feel the same as a RWD car. However, a good FWD setup certainly doesn't feel bad, just different.

A RWD Mini just wouldn't be a proper Mini.

[Raza]

A FWD can never feel the same as a RWD car. However, a good FWD setup certainly doesn't feel bad, just different.

A RWD Mini just wouldn't be a proper Mini.

I agree completely.  

[850CSi]

A FWD can never feel the same as a RWD car. However, a good FWD setup certainly doesn't feel bad, just different.

A RWD Mini just wouldn't be a proper Mini.

I agree.