The lowdown
The disguise is off. No more speculation, spy shots or sneak previews – this is the face of the all-new, faster, bigger, better Mini. No, we haven’t jumbled up the pictures – the car pictured really is the the new Mini, due to hit our streets in October. Not only is it bigger, more advanced and better equipped than the current car but it’s better to drive, too. We know, we’ve driven it. Under the familiar styling, the Mini’s all-new with a fresh platform, new engines, revised packaging and a restyled interior – complete with variable lighting to match your mood. The big news is the radical weight saving under the skin. Despite being bigger, safer and packed with more standard kit the new Cooper S weighs only 1205kg – only 65kg heavier than the outgoing car. For the first time the Mini makes extensive use of ultra-light aluminium and plastic composites to keep it trim. New Mini 2 aims to right the Mini 1’s wrongs, with more room for rear seat passengers and more boot space, while retaining the styling and driving experience that’s made the current car such as success. First deliveries are due to start in October. Launch engines will include the 1.6-litre petrol Cooper and the turbocharged 1.6-litre Cooper S. A 1.4-litre Mini One will follow in 2007. Prices will start around £11,595 for the One, £12,995 for the Cooper and £15,995 for the range-topping Cooper S.
Styling: spot the difference
Spotting the differences between old and new car isn’t easy. But unbelievably, every panel is new. So dig out the magnifying glass and we’ll pick out the subtle differences, on this Cooper. To improve rear passenger and boot space, the new car grows by 60mm in length. The bonnet line is higher to protect pedestrians in an impact, while the rear hatch is reprofiled to boost the cargo bay. The designers have successfully maintained the iconic Mini silhouette. Up front, the expensive one-piece clamshell bonnet that housed the headlamps has been replaced by a traditional lid, which now lifts up between the fixed headlights. The indicators are now incorporated in those lamps, and the lower air dam is slightly larger to improve cooling.
It’s back: new Mini Cooper S
Pictured here is the flagship Cooper S model. The big news is that the coarse, supercharged Chrysler engine is ditched for a new turbocharged 1.6-litre, co-developed with Peugeot. But the recipe of high-revving four-cylinder engine, sharp handling and big fun lives on in the new Cooper S. The front-end styling is dominated by a scoop designed to feed air directly to the intercooler, while the new front bumper incorporates a deeper airdam to help cool the new 175bhp, turbocharged 1.6-litre engine. It looks the business. Two meaty tailpipes, a large rear wing and 195/65 R16 lightweight alloy wheels wrapped in run flat tyres are standard. As with the old car 17-inch wheels are an option.
Cooper S: more performance
It might be bigger but the new Cooper S hasn’t lost its edge. In fact, it’s even more hedonistic. The 175bhp 1.6 turbo has an extra 12bhp and more performance. So 0-62mph flashes up in 7.1secs and 140mph is achievable flat out. But the new car is less thirsty, too. Combined fuel consumption is 40.9mpg – up from 32.8 on the old car. Naturally it emits less CO2: 164g/km. Mated to the new engine is a choice of six-speed manual or paddleshift automatic gearboxes. As with the old car, stability and traction control are available. Both are standard on the S.
At the wheel
The old Mini’s razor sharp hydraulic steering is replaced by an electromechanical system. This means you can adjust the way the steering feels depending on your mood. Up for a blast down a B-road? Hit a button on the dashboard and the steering weighs up to give you more control and more feel. At the same time the electronic throttle (another first on the Mini) is remapped and becomes more sensitive. When you’re not attempting to out-do Mini rally ace Paddy Hopkirk, there’s a default mode that keeps the steering light for parking and less pin-sharp on motorways. At the front is the familiar McPherson strut suspension; the BMW-esque multi-link rear axle is dropped for a simpler, lighter design.
Behind the wheel
Like the exterior, the interior gets a subtle makeover. The centrally mounted speedo, heavy toggle switches and body-coloured dashboard all remain, along with the three-spoke wheel and elliptical door mouldings. Mini is also claiming a production car first with mood lighting. With the optional lighting pack, you can change the colour of the subtle lighting dotted around the roof lining, door panels and dashboard of the car at the flick of a switch. Five colours are offered, from cool blue to deep red. Elsewhere the sat nav has moved up to join the speedo (rather than replacing it) in the centre of the dashboard, and the stereo controls sit much higher to make them easier to use. The sculpted bucket seats have been redesigned to allow more space for rear passengers’ knees.
Mini Cooper: the lowdown
This is the new, mid-range Cooper. It will account for the majority of the 200,000 Minis due to be produced every year at the Oxford plant and sold throughout Europe, Asia and even North America. The Cooper does without the turbo S’ bonnet vent, and it has a shallower front air dam and a more modest rear wing. The high-chrome grille makes a comeback on the new Mini along with the familiar frogeye lights and a pair of new fog lamps set low in the front bumper. The new Cooper is marginally shorter than the S thanks to that more modest bodykit, but it uses the same longer platform and wider stance. At the back the familiar chrome ringed lights make a comeback along with the single chrome exhaust poking out of the rear bumper. The Cooper is fitted with standard 15-inch alloy wheels clothed in high-profile 175/65 rubber.
More power, sharper handling
The new Cooper uses the same 1.6-litre engine found in the S albeit without the turbocharger. It adopts BMW’s sophisticated Valvetronic system (a first for the Mini) which improves throttle response and economy. The Cooper pushes out a modest 120bhp and 118lb ft of torque through a new six-speed gearbox. Performance is marginally up on the outgoing car with 62mph coming up in 9.1secs and a top speed of 125mph. Again fuel consumption is improved. The Cooper returns 48.7mpg (up from 40.9) and emits 139g/km. Both the Cooper and Cooper S can be ordered with sports suspension, which stiffens the anti-roll bars and dampers to sharpen up the handling.
Mini Cooper: the lowdown
This is the new, mid-range Cooper. It will account for the majority of the 200,000 Minis due to be produced every year at the Oxford plant and sold throughout Europe, Asia and even North America. The Cooper does without the turbo S’ bonnet vent, and it has a shallower front air dam and a more modest rear wing. The high-chrome grille makes a comeback on the new Mini along with the familiar frogeye lights and a pair of new fog lamps set low in the front bumper. The new Cooper is marginally shorter than the S thanks to that more modest bodykit, but it uses the same longer platform and wider stance. At the back the familiar chrome ringed lights make a comeback along with the single chrome exhaust poking out of the rear bumper. The Cooper is fitted with standard 15-inch alloy wheels clothed in high-profile 175/65 rubber.
More power, sharper handling
The new Cooper uses the same 1.6-litre engine found in the S albeit without the turbocharger. It adopts BMW’s sophisticated Valvetronic system (a first for the Mini) which improves throttle response and economy. The Cooper pushes out a modest 120bhp and 118lb ft of torque through a new six-speed gearbox. Performance is marginally up on the outgoing car with 62mph coming up in 9.1secs and a top speed of 125mph. Again fuel consumption is improved. The Cooper returns 48.7mpg (up from 40.9) and emits 139g/km. Both the Cooper and Cooper S can be ordered with sports suspension, which stiffens the anti-roll bars and dampers to sharpen up the handling.