J01 Driving Experiences
- Thread starter Puppethead
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SameGuy
Well-Known Member
chrunck
Well-Known Member
I found this bit interesting:
To keep the Cooper moving and keep the tires from shredding, Mini also developed a new traction control system. It is actually worse at its job than the outgoing one, and intentionally so.
Mini got feedback from drivers that the outgoing SE car was so good at maximizing grip and mitigating wheelspin that drivers sometimes felt underwhelmed by the acceleration. It never spun the wheels so it felt slow. Traction control intervention was imperceptible, so it felt like the car was lacking power, not subtly holding back to maximize pace.
To fix that, Mini engineers added a bit of margin of error, resulting in just a smidge of wheelspin when you get hard on the accelerator, a tactile and auditory signal that your right foot is writing checks the tires can't cash.
"Mini got feedback from drivers that the outgoing SE car was so good at maximizing grip and mitigating wheelspin that drivers sometimes felt underwhelmed by the acceleration. It never spun the wheels so it felt slow."
I have a '23 SE. I have to be careful when I accelerate, or I *will* spin the tires. It has happened often enough that I have to be very careful.
(As an aside, until now I've been driving my SE on city streets, but for the past week I've been driving on the tollway. What a joy this car is to drive on the freeway! )
Rexsio
Well-Known Member
Never spin a wheels on I 3 or SE and I’m hard driver only on Sport mode all the time ,check your setting maybe your traction is disengage this SE is really car to drive hard if you spin wheels is something wrong .
The UK review by F56 SE owner Henry mentions the J01's front wheels "scrabbling" for traction. InsideEVs' non-instrumented (as usual, simply repeating MINI's performance numbers) test drive echoes that experience.
There's one intersection I drive through frequently where the pedestrian crossing is completely painted. When I launch my 2021 SE hard I can get some wheelspin when I hit that slippery paint. That intersection is memorable because that's the only place the traction control has ever allowed wheelspin. I wonder if MINI relaxed the traction control with the 2022 LCI?
I was shocked by this reviewer revealing the J01 SE weighs a full quarter-ton more than the F56 SE. Then trying to make that significant additional poundage seem acceptable by writing the J01 is lighter than a larger Tesla that offers more range didn't work for me. Did that plus-size number come from MINI, too?
I have to agree. There is one junction that I go through often, it is uphill and may be a little slippery, but I have to be careful not to have wheel spin. Basil just loves to get going……fast!
MichaelC
Well-Known Member
I was also intrigued by the confirmation of @insightman's suspicion that MINI intentionally reduced the effectiveness of the J01's traction control system. Between that and the pumped-in sounds, it seems one of their objectives was to make the J01 more engaging to drive. Whether you agree or disagree with their strategy, I'm glad they want to make sure the electric Coopers are fun to drive.
I personally don't need the pumped-in sound...but I know I will enjoy it. (Even more so knowing that I can turn it off.) And with stock-width all-season tires, it's not too difficult for my '21 SE to get a chirp on heavy acceleration; and with the windows down, I can hear the tires break and regain traction fractions of a second at a time while the traction control does its best to keep up. I must admit I do enjoy that, too...
I personally don't need the pumped-in sound...but I know I will enjoy it. (Even more so knowing that I can turn it off.) And with stock-width all-season tires, it's not too difficult for my '21 SE to get a chirp on heavy acceleration; and with the windows down, I can hear the tires break and regain traction fractions of a second at a time while the traction control does its best to keep up. I must admit I do enjoy that, too...
Damn - the site ate my reply 
I'm not going to regurgitate my last post. Summary: the J01 is slower - almost certainly to 60mph/100kph (due to lack of traction and almost identical PWR), and doesn't handle as well. It feels less premium and costs more. It is "fun" to drive thanks to the performance sapping traction(less) control. That about sums it up.
In all this, I am still happy for MINI. Anyone who doesn't have, or has never driven an F56 SE, will probably be blown away with the performance. They will have a big smile when driving, and that is what MINI is about. Will I swap my F56 SE - not ever. That is also OK. Good luck MINI - hopefully a new generation will fall in love with the little beast.
PS. Booting it at the lights in the wet on the white line doesn't induce wheel spin - even in my track tires. The only time I get any spin is around a corner when taking off (uphill). There aren't many systems that will avoid it to be honest.
I'm not going to regurgitate my last post. Summary: the J01 is slower - almost certainly to 60mph/100kph (due to lack of traction and almost identical PWR), and doesn't handle as well. It feels less premium and costs more. It is "fun" to drive thanks to the performance sapping traction(less) control. That about sums it up.In all this, I am still happy for MINI. Anyone who doesn't have, or has never driven an F56 SE, will probably be blown away with the performance. They will have a big smile when driving, and that is what MINI is about. Will I swap my F56 SE - not ever. That is also OK. Good luck MINI - hopefully a new generation will fall in love with the little beast.
PS. Booting it at the lights in the wet on the white line doesn't induce wheel spin - even in my track tires. The only time I get any spin is around a corner when taking off (uphill). There aren't many systems that will avoid it to be honest.
Puppethead
Well-Known Member
That may be especially true compared to the other EVs on the market. I have yet to be in one that even comes close to the handling of the (current) SE, although my F-150 Lightning feels pretty nimble – for a truck. Every other BEV I've been in just feels lumbering, even if it had quick straight-line acceleration.
I was at a light today with a big Ford FX4 sitting next to me. I was in mid mode, but having just left work, I was in get-home-fast mode without breaking the speed limit. When the light turned green, I accelerated quickly forward, as I'm wont to do, and I heard a lot of squealing, more than usual. The thought that went through my head was, I really need to follow Rexsio's advice to check whether my traction is disengaged. Moments later, the FX4 roared past me, still squealing his tires. We were racing and I didn't even know it.
I think I'm going to tone things down a bit for the next few weeks; I don't want to upset any pickup drivers...
You demonstrated your MINI's mettle. The humbled FX4 made noise, burned rubber, and exceeded the speed limit to sooth its damaged pride. Sadly for the poor FX4, it will forever be left wondering what would have happened if you had continued accelerating.
ghost
Well-Known Member
I watched a lotus elise video from the guys in Colorado. One said that the only people who try to race him are in big pickups.
I had a tundra in the left lane at a stop light try to beat me off the line bc his lane was ending after the light due to construction. I didn't know he was going to punch it, but when I realized it I couldn't let him pass me, ha. He probably wasted a gallon of gas in a losing effort.