One question that some ask is why bother turbo charging the MINI at all when you can just buy a Cooper S? Well there are a number of answers to that one:-

1. A TURBO IS FAR MORE EFFICIENT THAN A SUPERCHARGER. Because of this factor a Turbo will always get more power on the same engine for the same fuel consumption and with the same boost than a supercharger.

2. There are a lot of Mini Coopers and Ones out there (at far lower prices than the S) that could do with more power.

3. When you Turbo the Cooper S you get a very special car!

4. The Turbo is a more exciting way to achieve the same power, and the optional dump valves just sound so cool.

5. By using the standard high compression Cooper or One engine and Turbo charging to a low level of boost you keep the good low down torque and fuel economy that high compression engines yield. As such accelerate in the Turbo from low revs and you will leave a standard equal power Cooper S well behind.

6. Five gears means less gear changing. Sounds odd I know but we normally find that with powerful 6 speed cars you spend more time changing gear than accelerating!!! This slows you down.

7. You may already have a Cooper or One that you have become attached to, or the cost of an upgrade to Cooper S is just too high.

8. A Turbocharger is a far more efficient way of obtaining boost, as it runs from the wasted energy present in the exhaust. A supercharger (as used on the Cooper S) robs power from the engine to run the supercharger (quite a bit of power).

9. Low boost conversions like this use smaller turbos which generate boost at levels far lower than high boost conversions.

EVEN BMW HAVE NOW COME ROUND TO OUR WAY OF THINKING - NEW COOPER S IS TURBOCHARGED!