$30,000 SHOOTOUT: Has The Volkswagen GTI Finally Met It's Match With The New Mini Cooper S?

$30,000 SHOOTOUT: Has The Volkswagen GTI Finally Met It's Match With The New Mini Cooper S?
In our recent $30,000 Cheap Speed Challenge the Volkswagen GTI bested a field of eight contenders to take the win. However, the redesigned Mini Cooper was not part of that test. Things don't always work out the way you want, but getting a new Cooper S with a manual transmission at the same time as a new GTI with a manual transmission seemed like karma telling us we needed to go driving. OK, maybe it was just a really good excuse to get out of the office.
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CarCrazedinCaliCarCrazedinCali - 10/31/2014 3:11:14 PM
+3 Boost
I recently drove the all new GTI and the F56 Hardtop and prefer the smaller MINI and the more interesting "personality" of the MINI over the nice but lacking in excitement GTI. There is no torque steer in the MINI anymore, so they are more buttoned up than the R56 (last generation). Go motor in a MINI people, you will love it!


MDarringerMDarringer - 10/31/2014 6:33:47 PM
0 Boost
$33K is ridiculous for either one. Get a Mustang V6 for 9K less or a GT for the same price...and both will handle better than the Mini or the GTI. The Cooper S and the GTI are nice for $23K...not $33K.


quizzquizz - 11/2/2014 1:55:36 PM
0 Boost
Gotta agree, the all new 2015 Mustang GT is pretty amazing and shocking that Ford has 3 amazing affordable sports car alternatives that are as good as any import for the money:
1. Mustang
2. Focus ST
3. Fiesta ST

All 3 of these cars are something American sports car enthusiasts should be proud because beyond the great track numbers and well reviewed handling, they appear to be no less reliable than the imports (new Mustang reliability to be seen, but it can't be worse than the new GTI). Kudos Ford!


MDarringerMDarringer - 11/2/2014 7:26:58 PM
+1 Boost
The Fords will have better reliability than the VW by far and the Mini is almost as reliable as a Ford based on unscheduled warranty claims.

The Mustang's reliability will be fine because with the exception of the 2.3 ecoboost, the car is a carryover despite what Ford says. They bolted in a slightly modified version of the IRS originally intended for the 2005 Mustang, kept the floorpan and all of the hard points but one. The front suspension is new, but to say the 2015 Mustang is "all new" is a misnomer.


mini22mini22 - 11/3/2014 12:29:53 PM
+1 Boost
From what I read the IRS is a modified version from the Fusion platform.
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