Monday 23rd July 2007

Mini tweaking

AC Schnitzer work on the new Mini Cooper S

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AC Schnitzer has been fiddling with the new Mini Cooper S.

They have taken the 173bhp engine and given it an extra 40bhp – meaning you now get 210bhp to hoon around with. Apparently, the exact recipe is still being finalised so we've no details on the engine modifications for now.

AC has also persuaded Manfred Wollgarten, a 'Ring specialist, to set up their new Mini suspension. After testing it on the Nordschleife, they claim it will now run, er, rings around the already well-regarded standard car.

In typical tuner style, they have added a revised body kit to the car. This includes: a new front spoiler, two choices of wheels (17” or 18”), new exhaust and body colour matching wheel arches.

No prices have been released for it yet, but we’ll let you know when they are.

[MK4 Slowride]

Sorry but the R56 Mini Cooper S comes with 175 BHP as standard. The R50 Cooper S had 210 BHP with the JCW tuning kit so there's hardly been any progress. Somethings gotta be wrong.

[MK4 Slowride]

The set of Schnitzit wheels for a BMW will set you back £5000! I thought they're quite bad boy actually.

[MK4 Slowride]

As it goes the BMW - Mini division wouldn't allow for a new car this important, as a design icon, to be inferior to the previous model. Mini, is being transformed from a part of & heavily associated with BMW, in to a brand & league of it's own. The Mini Traveler's out in November.