Previous MCS owner here. Wondering if anyone has ever driven a K20 Fit (220hp) and a MCS (172hp) or JCW MC (210hp).

I was making plans for my after-college life and how I'll be purchasing a MCS again if they're still being made in six or seven years. And this crazy comparison came to mind.

Mainly just for entertainment purposes.

 

pretty sure k20 swaps will stomp jcw mcs

 

The JCW is as close to a race car as about anything sold for street legal use.... You would have to tear out all of the insulation, and the rear seats in the Fit... Gearing will need to be changed and on and on.... There aren't many JCW's in the world to race against and lots of Cooper S models to jump on.... Just get the Kraft Werks 10 PSI kit and go after the S model Mini's.

 

Depends on how you are comparing them. For example, if compare them by cargo space or cost to own (excluding the 4 year/50k mile free services on the MCS) then Fit would come out ahead. But if you are looking at a full on performance, then the Mini would have the advantage.

 

i think it'd be a close race for k20 fit v. jcw mini.......k20 has power and the jcw prolly has a weight advantage it'd be close, but throw a supercharger or a turbo on the k.......and ownage ensues

 

The Coopers are surprisingly heavy for their size; the R56 Cooper JCW actually weighs 2,701 lbs for the 6 speed model. Now if a K20 Fit of either gen ran against a R56 JCW in a straight line, the Fit would have the advantage. However, if you throw in a few corners the added weight of the K20 could negatively affect the Fits handling and the independent suspension of both the Cooper and Clubman JCW would give it an advantage over the Fit.

 

^hmm i googled the weight and it said 2300 pounds.....must have been looking at a base idk i think with some c/o's, sticky tires, and some chassis bracing the fit could hang in the corners too

 

It could have been one of the plain Coopers, I was sourcing the info from a brochure for the 2009 MINIs. I do also think that the Fit with those mods and a LSD could keep up with the MINI especially the GDs (stiffer chassis I heard) but the torsion beam rear give it disadvantage due to not being able to transfer the weight as efficiently as the independent rear. Check out Top Gear's comparison between the EP and FN Civic Type Rs.

While on the subject of comparing the Fit to the MINIs; the MINIs are pricey starting at around 19k for a basic Cooper. For that price all you get is power windows, locks, a 6 speed trans, 118hp/ 114lb~tq, and leather seats from the factory but no alarm or paddle shifters though . One could have gotten a new (at the time) GD Sport or GE Sport non-Navi and would have had the cash left over for a few mods to make it competitive with the R56 Cooper non-S model.

 

The JCW is a torturous car to spend anything over 30 minutes at a time in and cost a fortune if you can find one.... I imagine if a person had the money to spend it would be possible to build a Fit that would be competitive with one and possibly with out having to resort to an engine swap.... What is referred to as an engine swap involves a complete drive train replacement and lots of custom fabrication of parts to make it all possible.... In the long run after factoring in labor cost and all of the other improvements needed to get the Fit to corner and stop, the cost would be far above what a JCW would cost and the car itself would have to be parted out to be sold for a fraction of what the money invested in a JCW would go for...... Don't you know it would be a kick in the ass to drive if it was done right and would stay together...... It is really stimulating to thing about and somewhere there is a trust fund baby with money to burn that will get around to building such a beast.

 

i would personally stay with the MS/JCW instead of the k20 Fit... put it this way the amount of money you will spend on the swap you might as well get the Cooper, and also ive driven a k20/24 Fit and it felt like it was more for the Drag strip not an every day ( IMO) not be able to grip in 1 through 2nd gear is kind of annoying sometimes...

 

Awesome discussion, guys!

I love both of these cars so much, that when it comes to my Fit bein paid off and getting a new MINI, it will definitely be one of those choices where I sacrifice something both ways. With the K20 Fit, you've got a doozy of a grocery-getter than performs as a pocket rocket. Plenty of people would want to challenge the Fit, bu would only know so much about it by judging its cover. With the MINI, you've got a known competitor, that has that zing factor. Everyone knows what it is and most people know what it can do.

I may keep the Fit for the family car (by then it will be around eight years old), and get the JCW (hopefully still being produced by then).

Gotta love the pocket rocket comparisons!