This Mini Cooper S R53 engine build is proven to deliver with exceptional power and reliability

Amazing Mini Cooper S R53 Engine Build

by Nick | Nov 25, 2024

Damico Engines went town on this cylinder head, in parallel with our own proprietary flow bench to help produce the ultimate Mini Cooper S R53 engine build…and it didn’t disappoint on track & dyno!!

We know what you’re thinking: how on earth did we squeeze 283 horsepower out of this Cooper S R53 engine using nothing more than a standard M45 supercharger, no water-meth injection, and just pump fuel? It’s not magic, but it’s pretty close.

That’s just the beginning of the story. What might surprise you even more is that we’re only running an 11% pulley on the supercharger. By keeping the supercharger speed down, we’ve managed to significantly reduce intake temperatures, a crucial factor for this build. Why? Because this car isn’t just a daily…but it could be! It’s a full-on competitor in the Castle Combe race series.

Anyone familiar with Castle Combe knows it’s a true engine circuit. You might have all the horsepower in the world, but if you’re battling massive heat soak by lap two and your 283 BHP drops to 220 BHP, you’re out of the running.

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The owner of this Mini Cooper S R53 knew that to stay competitive and chase a championship win, it wasn’t just about maintaining power, it was about sustaining it.

To achieve this level of power, the secret lies in the cylinder head. The head has been comprehensively overhauled with help from Damico Engines. This includes upgraded exhaust and intake valves, valve springs, seats, guides, and a Newman PH4 camshaft. The result? The engine can breathe. And when we say breathe, we mean a whopping 30% increase in flow on the exhaust side alone, as measured on our own exclusive flow bench.

But it’s not just about high-end power. We’ve managed to keep the engine’s tractability intact in the lower RPM range. That means even if a driver finds himself in the wrong gear coming out of a corner, the torque is still there to pull them through. Above 5000 RPM, though, the real fun begins. With this setup, the engine pulls like a freight train all the way past 7000 RPM, delivering serious power where it’s most needed on track.

We’ve also made a few targeted upgrades to the bottom end of the engine to ensure reliability under the relentless strain of racing. With the RPM regularly climbing to 7000–8000, durability is key. And even if this Mini Cooper S R53 engine were running a standard bottom end, it’s still capable of producing an impressive validated 270 horsepower at 7000 RPM.

For anyone looking to push the Mini Cooper S R53 engine to the next level, this head modification is, in our view, non-negotiable. This setup isn’t just about raw power, it’s about sustainable, race-winning performance. We’re confident that this build will give the customer the edge needed to fight for the top spot in the championship. Thanks to us this is the kind of engineering that turns potential into podiums. Equally if you’re looking for guaranteed power combined with Motorsport reliability for your road car, this is the upgrade for you…just give us a call to discuss. 👍