If you've seen the 2003 remake of The Italian Job, you know that the star of the movie wasn't Charlize Theron or Mark Wahlberg. It was the MINI Cooper. The MINI handles tight corners, winding roads, and straightaways with equal finesse, and its sleek, distinctive body style is designed for speed. If you love speed, combined with superior handling, a MINI is ideal. But how can you make this high performance machine perform a little better, faster, stronger and meaner? Consider some of these must-have performance upgrades and ideas for speed lovers, thrill junkies and seekers of a more satisfying driving experience.
Turbo Kit. If you are looking for a top-of-the-line performance booster, a turbo kit may be the best answer. It can boost the power of a regular MINI so it is equal to, or more than, the power of the pricier Cooper S. An inclusive kit, like the MINI Cooper 1.6 Turbo Kit with T20 Turbo, can add to your horsepower without decreasing durability, which is always a concern for owners. It will add 5 pounds of boost, which results in a 30 percent increase in HP. These kits can cost $2000 to $4000.
Performance Chips. A performance chip is a more budget-friendly option for those who want to boost power without breaking the bank. This chip signals to the ECU to let more fuel into the injectors while modifying the air-to-fuel ratio. This increases power, combustion efficiency, and can help save fuel. It is possible to boost HP by 15 to 25, improve engine output by up to 10 percent, and optimize throttle response, low end torque, and acceleration. Instead of a few thousand, you are looking at a few hundred for a MINI performance chip.
Short Shifter. This doesn't boost speed, per se, and it can easily be used with other speed upgrades, like performance chips, power programmers, or turbo kits. While they do not make your car go faster, they do help you drive it faster. You can change gears much more quickly, which means you can get up to speed more quickly. This isn't a performance enhancer so much as a driver enhancer. These are relatively inexpensive, typically under $100, though professional installation is recommended.
Sometimes, big things come in small packages, even if they are unassuming. MINIs are made to move; why not unleash their real power and see how much they can give you?
Enid Glasgow is an automotive writer and MINI enthusiast and you can now find MINI parts and accessories online!
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