Here at TyrolSport we continually strive to develop the best possible products for discerning enthusiasts of European vehicles. The new R55/R56/R57 Mini Cooper S offers is a car that is true to the origin of the “hot hatch”. Because of that, TyrolSport has decided to focus a large amount of time and resources in developing products for the R55/R56/R57 Mini Cooper S.

Our first test was to take our new 2008 R56 Mini Cooper S to the track to really put it through its paces. We used New Jersey MotorSports Park, our home track. We realized immediately that the R55/R56/R57 is a fantastic platform for driving on the street, autoX, or track. A combination of firm brakes, excellent transient response, and good power made it very fun to drive. However, within 5 laps we began noticing a drop in power…..where was the 170hp that Mini claims? Lost to the laws of physics appeared to be the answer. The stock intercooler couldn’t keep up with a small turbo spinning its heart out. Here is a video of what we found when analyzing the turbo speed:

All kidding aside, after a few cooldown laps, the power would return, only to be lost again after a couple of hot laps. We were not going to let heatsoak ruin our fun…..we wanted all of the power we paid for all of the time! Now we were on a mission. We went back to the shop and measured the size of the stock intercooler. The actual dimensions are 22” length x 3 3/8” height x 2 ½” wide. This gives us a core volume of 185.625in³. Not enough to prevent heatsoak on an R55/R56/R57 with any amount of modifications.

TyrolSport has developed an excellent reputation for developing top quality, easy-to-install intercooler replacements for just about every turbocharged VW and Audi from 1998 on. We set to work on improving the intercooler design using our proven methods. Our main goals when designing a new product are to develop a product that is a premier quality, true performance bolt-on. We do not expect our customers to compromise, and we design our products to be the best available for a given application. Our goals for this project followed our standard guidelines when developing an intercooler:

1. Proven horsepower and torque gains vs. the factory intercooler.
2. Use of premier quality bar and plate intercooler cores.
3. Easy to install with minimal trimming and use of factory mounting points.
4. All research and development, prototyping, and manufacturing in the USA.
5. Strong customer support with a product warranty of 12 months/unlimited mileage

Our traditional approach has been to work within the space constraints offered by the factory. We realized immediately that for the Mini, we would have to work hard if we wanted to create a truly exceptional product. We started by test-fitting various core shapes and sizes to understand the optimum intercooler that would fit. After many months of prototyping, shop fitting, dyno and road testing, we finalized a design which produces excellent power, eliminates heatsoak, and is easily installed with almost no trimming.

The most obvious question that comes to mind is why did we choose to a core with a large face area and thin cross-section? We found that a large face area and thin core worked much better in the Mini versus a smaller, thicker core which would fit in the stock location. We have found that this design not only dissipates heat at an incredible rate but we could not get this intercooler to heat soak. On top of that, the pressure drop is a minute .5@20psi. This intercooler has the perfect volume for an engine which will make anywhere from 220 to 300HP. Another advantage to our intercooler design is that it is a direct bolt-in with extremely minor trimming involved. This intercooler is a true bolt-in design, using the factory mounting points. It can be performed by even a novice enthusiast with basic tools. Some say the “Stigs” fat cousin can install one without leaving the driver’s seat!

The TyrolSport UGFMIC increases core volume by 41.4% over stock and uses a bar and plate intercooler core, for maximum cooling and efficiency. It bolts in place using the stock mounting points

• Core dimensions, stock 22” x 2.5” x 3.375” calculated volume: 185.6 in³
• Core dimensions, TyrolSport UGFMIC 12” x 1.25” x 17.5” calculated volume: 262.5 in³

DYNO TESTING
To start off our testing we went straight to an independent dyno facility. We decided to use Driversport in Mahopac, New York to fulfill our Dyno needs, as they are equipped with a Mustang dyno which allows us to stress any car to the breaking point.

TEST CAR

• 2008 R56 Mini Cooper S
• 6 speed Manual
• Revolution Mini Works Software
• Ragazzon down pipe
• Milltek cat back exhaust
• Alta boost pipes

For the purpose of the intercooler testing, please remember that the absolute numbers shown on the dyno are not relevant. We are looking for, the deltas, or relative changes in performance that result from upgrading the component. While your R55/R56/R57 MCS may dyno higher or lower than our project car at a different dyno facility, you can expect similar relative gains when adding our UGFMIC kit to your car.

At TyrolSport we are firm believers in back-to-back dyno tests, using the same facility on the same day, so that we can eliminate weather and dyno variance. The testing of both the stock and TyrolSport intercoolers was completed in one day under the following conditions:

1. Get car to operating temperature on the dyno, 100C water temp
2. Make 5 dyno pulls on the stock intercooler with one minute of cooldown between runs.
3. Remove stock intercooler, and bolt on TyrolSport UGFMIC with car still strapped to the dyno

1. Get car to operating temperature on the dyno, 100C water temp
2. Make 5 dyno pulls on the TyrolSport UGFMIC with one minute of cooldown between runs
3. Repeat process again for stock intercooler to verify initial runs
4. Repeat process again for TyrolSport UGFMIC to verify initial runs

• Dyno fans were used on all runs.
• The bumper cover was put in place when testing each intercooler.

While on the dyno, we data logged RPM, Intake Air Temp, Timing Advance, Boost pressure and Coolant Temp to verify the performance benefits and differences between the two intercoolers. All of the information provided is from real-world testing, with no alterations, tricks or gimmicks.
Installing the TyrolSport UGFMIC showed immediate and clear results. Upon bolt-on, with absolutely no other changes, power increased by 10 WHP over stock on a cold run. With these results from the start we knew this intercooler would be a true performer.. Let’s take a look at the graphs:

On the first dyno run we can see the HP and Torque Gains from 4500 RPM and up. A peak difference of 10hp can be seen. Again, this is comparing the first run of the stock intercooler with the first run of the TyrolSport UGFMIC. The major gains came after multiple runs…...

After 5 back-to-back runs you can see the huge amount of heat soak that the stock intercooler exhibits throughout the RPM range. Our test car gained a maximum of 16 WHP, and averaged 14.5 WHP/15.6 WTQ from 2000-6000 RPM. During our testing procedures we want to understand the “whys” and not take an improvement on face value. We want to investigate further and verify that we are gaining power in a safe and repeatable manner. This is why we log the cars data blocks. The primary reason to have an intercooler is to lower the temperature of the compressed air entering the engine. To test this we looked at our logs which we recorded with every dyno run. What we found correlated with the dyno runs:

This graph demonstrates the actual air intake temperatures during the dyno runs for each intercooler. You can see how the air intake temperature rose dramatically on the stock intercooler after 5000rpm. The stock intercooler could not return to its baseline temperature even with a one minute cooldown. The TyrolSport UGFMIC, however, is able to stay cooler after four back-to-back runs than the stock intercooler after only one run on the dyno. Here is a graph of the above data averaged:

The average temperature difference is a drastic 25 degrees Celsius, with a maximum difference of 33.5 degree Celsius or anywhere between 77 and 92 degrees Farenheit cooler after four runs.

STREET TESTING
Once our dyno testing was completed, we ran highway data-logging to make sure that the upgraded intercooler exhibited “real-world performance gains”. Again, all of our data was acquired on the same day, in the same exact weather conditions, using the same route of travel. It is always our goal to minimize the variability in testing, to understand the true performance gains (or losses!) of an aftermarket product.

All runs were done in 3rd gear, starting at 2000rpm, and then going full throttle to 6500. The car was allowed to decelerate in gear until 2000rpm, at which point we went full throttle to 6500rpm again. This process was repeated until four full throttle runs were completed for each intercooler. This would represent real-world acceleration from approximately 35mph to approximately 95mph. The runs were conducted in opposite directions to negate wind direction. We eliminated the first run for consistency. Coolant and Intake Air Temperature were monitored so that it would be the same for each unit at the beginning of the testing. Information from our testing was gained using Bavarian Technic diagnostic software.

The two main areas which would confirm our data on the dyno are Intake Air Temp and Ignition Timing Advance. Once we logged our runs we sat down and analyzed our findings.
The first thing we will look at is the Intake Air Temp. Our initial tests show the immediate power gain over the stock FMIC.

When looking at the graphs you can immediately see the increased heat dissipation with the TyrolSport UGFMIC. Also you can see how ignition timing is affected by the intake air temperatures directly. This is where we gained 10 WHP!

The next graph demonstrates how heatsoak affects the power of this car. Immediately the initial punch of the turbo is reduced and the little bit of top end that the car had is also gone. After bolting on the TyrolSport UGFMIC intercooler the power output is not lost after the second third or even fourth run on the car. Here is the graph comparing the fourth “hot” run for each intercooler:

Along with the Intake Air Temps we looked at Ignition timing advance. The Timing Advance is greater across the board, resulting in motor power and efficiency:

Throughout all of our testing, coolant temps remained comparable to having the stock intercooler in place. The TyrolSport UGFMIC is thin enough to allow adequate airflow to the radiator under all operating conditions.

Installation of the TyrolSport UGFMIC is very straightforward. The kit includes the intercooler and two threaded inserts which are installed in factory holes on the radiator support. There is no trimming required other than removing a two-inch long, 1/16” metal edge on the radiator support. This will take less than 10 minutes with a Dremel.

A word on quality and pricing
All TyrolSport products are designed and manufactured in the USA, using domestic materials. Our commitment to you is to provide the best quality, testing, and support for products that provide true performance benefits for your car. We stand by the quality and functionality of our product. We also guarantee our intercoolers against defects for one year with unlimited mileage usage. Our R&D efforts allow us to bring superior products to market which can be appreciated by true enthusiasts. We hope you enjoy your car, and our products. Thank you very much as always for your support, and happy motoring!

Sincerely
TyrolSport