The boost in low-speed torque was uppermost in my mind as I drove the Cooper S from Digi-Tec's city-bound premises toward open country roads. Around town, the difference in tractability was just discernible in slightly better throttle response, as the blower got into its stride more readily below 3000 rpm. However, it was only when I slipped out of the city that the real differences showed up clearly. The mid-range was much stronger, and after a couple of corners it became abundantly clear you could drive through most medium-speed bends one gear higher than in the stock Cooper S.
Peak torque occurring 500 rpm lower does not seem like a lot on paper, but when you consider the Digi-Tec car equals the standard engine's peak torque 500 rpm lower in relationship to the 1000-rpm drop in revs with the next ratio up, it all makes sense.
When you want to go quickly, there's a ton more power at the top end, making this little bulldog of a car really fly. Overtaking, never really a problem in the standard Cooper S, becomes significantly safer thanks to 20% more power and 18% more torque. Blasting out of corners, the tuned car has a lot more thrust, especially past 4500 rpm, but the bottom line is it's noticeably more fun to drive, with an added sparkle that goes beyond just being faster.
I drove only the base Cooper with all the visual go-faster goodies bolted to it. This was because the Cooper S conversion had just been finished, and the wheels, tires and suspension had yet to arrive from the suppliers.
Lowered and widened with a Digi-Tec spring kit, the Cooper wears 8Jx18-in. Digi-Tec MasItaly wheels with 225/35ZR18 rubber. Inside, the standard seats were replaced with Recaros, trimmed to suit the car's color scheme.
Part of the problem with the normally aspirated MINI Cooper is the tall first and second ratios in the five-speed gearbox. The engine seems to take a long time to get on cam and feels strongest in third gear past 4500 rpm. So far, no conversion, chip tuning or otherwise can compensate for that. Basically, this car needs a 2.0-liter engine to pull such high gearing convincingly.
Digi-Tec claims 128 bhp for its ECU conversion. If you add the optional free-flow air cleaner and the stainless-steel sports exhaust, aft of the catalytic converter, then you have a claimed 132 bhp.
Ultimately, the market decides what sells and what doesn't, so I wasn't surprised when Michael Pollmuller repeated the same story as Mike Cooper. "Nine out of ten MINI owners who come to us own a Cooper S," he said. "The difference in price between the two models is simply not enough to justify the cost of modifying the Cooper for comparatively little gain."