Mini
by AC Schnitzer
German
aftermarket specialist AC Schnitzer has launch new Minis (F56) at
one of the biggest tuning shows in the world.
Essen
is arguably one of the largest gatherings of modified automobiles in Europe and AC Schnitzer present it with subtly overhauled
Mini Cooper variants. The tuner has shown its strength in the business
countless of times, and now the company plans to play it chill and simple with
a Mini models just went Max – at least according to AC Schnitzer, even though
it’s not the case.
Thanks
to a new front splitter (located under the standard front skirt) the car gains
a little bit of style and aerodynamic enhancement, albeit not much else was
changed visually. In fact, only the paint-matched rear apron and the massive 19
inch rims, developed specifically for the new automobile, are the other
noticeable visual cues.
Even
the engine was treated “on the safe side”, as the tuner focused on increasing
its robustness rather than its maximum power. So, many of the performance
upgrades were designed to increase the mill’s torque because AC Schnitzer says
“torque is what you feel when for example you're pressed back in the seat on
pulling away”.
For
the Cooper S variant the power upgrade bumped the total output from 189 hp and
280 Nm of torque to 233 hp and 350 Nm, while the more powerful JCW went from
228 hp and 320 Nm of torque to 261 hp and 390. Completing the technical spec
sheet is AC Schnitzer’s own take on the Mini’s exhaust system, equipped with
silencer/sound-pipe/racing-pipe and tail-trims.
Of
course, a sport suspension setup couldn’t have missed from the entire project,
as AC Schnitzer fitted the models with an in house suspension spring kit, which
lowers the car by up to 30 mm, for improved agility and increased safety.
