by talking about it and searching the net you won't get REAL information.
i do have friends with a EP3 Type R and with a R53 Mini S JCW (a real one)
and i have driven against them while they were stock and also now since they are tuned.
this is how it is...
fastest as stock:
1) Mini Cooper S JCW (211Hp)
2) Polo GTI (150Hp)
3) Civic Type R EP3 (200Hp)
note: the Civic and the polo are not much in diffrence, i have driven about 5 of these and only lost against 1 of them while both being stock.
so that concludes the polo is the faster one (but if you do have a good R, you will probably win from a polo)
Fastest being tuned:
1) Polo GTI stage II (240Hp)
2) Civic Type R EP3 (248Hp)
3) Mini Cooper S JCW (230Hp)
note: the Type R has the lowest Torque figures, so it's verry sensitive when the weight changes (passanger or not)
if i drive with a passanger and he is alone in the R, we are 100% equally fast,
when the Type R has a passanger and i sit alone in the polo i nail him with 4 carlengths, maybe a bit more.
and my friend with the mini has it only tuned recently, i diddn't run against him yet, but he looses from the Type R.
but you have to realise, when you want to tuned one of the 3 cars, you will be better off with a polo.
it has a turbo so put exhaust, intake, and chiptune it, you will habe a totally new car that is FAST!
specially the torque down low is amazing!
as for tuning the Civic EP3 Type R, it will cost you some... it's more expensive as tuning a polo.
you need, exhaust, intake, Hondata or so to reach about 220-230Hp.
if you want more power you need cams as well and after that it gets really expensive.
a polo with only Chip and 210Hp will nail a Type R with bolt ons etc with 220Hp any day.
The mini JCW is a fun car, as said above, verry heavy, most heavy of all 3.
turns out the polo is the lightest, so that compared to having the most torque of the 3...
but it's a verry fun car, pretty fast with the stock 211Hp also.
it does have enough torgue, specially for a 1.6l engine, but it's powerband is compareable to that of the Type R.
the mini also begins pulling at his best after 4500RPM all the way to 7000-7500.
and tuning a mini R53 (supercharger model) will also cost more, maybe even more as tuning a Civic...? don't know for sure.
but you don't need an exhaust since the JCW is a verry good system.
but you realy need to upgrade the intake! there is a restriction in this, so other airfeed, airbox and filter does the mini good.
also, if you are going to chiptune it, be sure to put a bigger intake valve (is this how you name this part??)
and you also need a lighter pully, because the Charger needs this to rev faster and higher, higher revs means more power.
as for insurance, i think the polo is also the lowest in cost of the 3..
means you can spend more money on tuning... GT28RS - 350Hp/420nM
hope it helps..
