Top Gear: Mini Cooper S vs Ford Fiesta ST

[arless]

Guy at work has a cooper S. He was just quoted $1300 in labor to do the water pump...

I could get an entire engine off the net for that much money. If you buy the beer, I'll put it on and charge you nothing!

 

[arless]

Mini's haven't been Mini's since John Cooper...blame BMW for your woes...he'd puke if he could see what happened to his beautiful, light, great power to weight ratio, fast intended, great handling race car...and I am supposing that is why we have former owners lauding the abilities of the FiST...not supposing, actually, because that is what we have...a great handling, fast car...with tech to boot...it is THE BEST CAR on the road right now...and then add Randy's tune...and you have, without a doubt, THE BEST CAR period.....................................that was a lot of periods for effect..ha ha

It is so good to here post from people like you that are in the know about High performance sub compact's. This last spring, my wife and I was visiting our winter home on big bear lake in highland CA. A friend and I were in his 2014 Fiesta ST we stopped off at the local grocery store to pick up some ribs and steaks for our out door BBQ.

When we pulled out on to the two lane street and running a brisk pace up and down and hair pin turns, "abide" some should be called turns in stead of turns. Anyway we had a late model Camaro tuck real close to my friends rear, he started to get annoyed and reached down to second gear for another hair pin turn, going in really hot but he managed to rotate and settle at mid corner and eased it down to the floor board again, each turn each going in to a turn hot and coming out at full power we pulled further and further a way from the Camaro. Heck after the third curve he was pushing to the point we thought he may wreck and fall over the cleft.

 

[BlueBomber]

I agree with all of this. The price is the worst of it. One thing not mentioned ? And maybe it should not be, since they are not comparing "tuner cars"..... That 2.0L in the mini ? Its a sleeping beast. The same motor in the 328i makes 300whp on E85 with JUST A TUNE. Just saying.... When the mods are bolted on, that mini maybe the first mini ever to me a MONSTER.

Even with modding considered, I'd take the fiesta's 2700lbs curb weight and driving dynamics.

Odd they didn't mention the mini GP also. Although, it will be very rare, and cost $40k...

What is this E85 N20 tuning you speak of

 

[Sourskittle]

Burger motorsports for the 328i with the N20 2.0L dFI turbo motor.
I actually looked at an X1 before the fiesta because its rwd, made in Germany (unlike most BMWs), 8-speed auto ( gearing and mpg ), and it can make sure awesome power with just a tune.

Think is.... The base price is $29k.
The cheapest one on the dealer lot is like $38k.

 

[razorlab]

X1? What is wrong with you. That is probably the furthest away from a FiST as possible.

They drive like a wet couch.

 

[Sourskittle]

Lol. I have 4 kids. I wanted rwd, 4 ganger DFI turbo, 8-speed auto.
And I like the BMWs that everyone hates ( 135i = luv for me ).

I have not had an auto trans since 2003. Jeeps, cars, motorcycles, diesel trucks. All manual trans. I wanted something mostly comfy and sorta sporty. The X1 met all those things. I just couldn't buy one without a warranty ( it is still a junk ass BMW ). And i liked the way it drove too. Just.... $38k ant happening. Built in Germany or not.

The fiesta ST just ensured cheap up-keep. It was a wise choice in my case.

I was so feed up with $320 a piece tires on my G35...

 

[razorlab]

Lol. I have 4 kids. I wanted rwd, 4 ganger DFI turbo, 8-speed auto.
And I like the BMWs that everyone hates ( 135i = luv for me ).

I have not had an auto trans since 2003. Jeeps, cars, motorcycles, diesel trucks. All manual trans. I wanted something mostly comfy and sorta sporty. The X1 met all those things. I just couldn't buy one without a warranty ( it is still a junk ass BMW ). And i liked the way it drove too. Just.... $38k ant happening. Built in Germany or not.

The fiesta ST just ensured cheap up-keep. It was a wise choice in my case.

I was so feed up with $320 a piece tires on my G35...

I get it. I would look at the Golf R if you want AWD and hatch. I loved mine.

 

[Sourskittle]

I wanted rwd because it was one of my fav things about my G35.

 

[roosey]

ex-mini cooper family here....owned three first gen mini cooper s's(04,04 jcw, and a 03) within the past 5 years. traded in the women's problematic headache for a fiST and havent looked back. i have this horrible love hate relationship with my mini...not sure if I'll ever get rid of it. problems wise, minis are nightmares as already stated. mine has 90k miles on it and currently sits with a bad supercharger, water pump and headgaskets shot smh...and that's just the most recent issues.

i hate what bmw is doing with the newer minis. i wish they'd keep the hardtop models smaller the r53's were the perfect size.

 

[don_zielke]

I had an 07 Cooper S and thoroughly enjoyed it. However... it was not a cheap car to maintain. I had the extended warranty /service contract and would not own another mini without it. I bought the car with 55k miles from my sister and at that point the car already had a new top end and clutch. I ultimately got rid of it because it was just too inconvenient for a DD in a family of four (2 teens). Traded it for an 07 e90 BMW which I loved but ruined by taking it to an independent mechanic. BMW is still my dream car, but won't buy anothwr one unless i could afford to have it serviced at a dealership.

I've been looking at the FiST and FoST very closely and really love the way the FiST handles and performs withou beating the living crap out of you like my Mini did on the normal mid-Ohio roads I drive on. Haven't quite decided what i want yet though. Drove a Civic SI and enjoyed it, but it feels heavy and slow in comparison (duh). Nice motor in the Si, loved revving that to redline. Still like the FiST better, I'm just more partial to small cars. And the value is amazing, most bang for the buck of any small car.

 

[Siestarider]

Saw my first BMW Mini at the 2000 F1 race at Indy, they had three riding around on top of Suburbans in a caravan downtown. Bought one in BRG in 2001 with S suspension, loved it, still holds my personal best from home to Lexington Ky, 12.5 hrs in 2003 and 33 mpg. Son ended up with it and still driving with 100K miles on it. Fairly trouble free but expensive to maintain. Also ran a red 2005 JCW for a while. Fun, but too boy racer for me.

Did not even consider one when the FIST came out. Today, you would have to pry my cold dead fingers off the wheel to take my white FIST away.

 

[FiSTicuff]

Mini Cooper/Fiat 500 I've written off to my list of "junk I'd never own".

 

[Vince62]

Who designed the mini dashboard? The big Ben speedo in the middle WTF?Umm where to put the rmp?I know let's pit it on the steering column.Really?And the rest of the dash is what just like the door panel? I can them ugs short for ugly.

 

[hydrix]

I own both, 2015 Mini Cooper S and a 14 FiST. The Cooper S is hers although I do drive it sometimes. It's a pretty fun car, and definitely quick. I don't like that it got bigger but she likes that. I of course prefer the FiSt but after driving both back to back for several months now the Mini isnt that bad of a drivers car.