What do you do to improve on an iconic and hugely popular car like the MINI? The answer is, not very much. At least not on the outside anyway.
This is the third generation of the MINI Cooper and Cooper S since BMW took it over and released the all new version back in 2000. The design was widely hailed as successfully modernising the brand while still staying true to its roots.
So this latest version has not tried to play around too much with the winning look other than a few minor modifications, the most noticeable of which is the remodelled front end. The nose has become a bit more pointed and the grille a bit wider and more obviously hexagonal. The redesigned headlights offer LED daytime driving lights and are optionally available as full-LED headlights too. The rear lights have also been redesigned and slightly enlarged.
The Cooper S includes an extra air scoop in the hood and two big low-mounted air inlets.
Otherwise, all the other charactistic MINI design cues remain, including the clamshell bonnet, floating roof and continuous chrome band at the base of the glasshouse.
Perhaps not surprisingly given the trend with small cars, the new model has grown slightly, gaining 10cm in length, 4cm in width and 1cm in height, but still small enough to call mini, just.
The real changes are to be found inside the car and under the bonnet, where a number of notable firsts for MINI have been included. This current generation MINI is particularly important as it represents the common future of MINI and BMW, sharing platforms and engines.
While it may not appear so on the outside, the new MINI has been developed from the ground up and sits on an all new, high-strength steel platform, with wider tracks and new MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension. It will share this new chassis with the BMW 1 series.
The engines too are all new and improved. The MINI Cooper moves on from its previous naturally aspirated engine and for the first time gets turbocharging. It’s 1.5 litre three-cylinder Twin Power Turbo unit produces 134hp at 4500rpm and 162 pound feet of torque at just 1250 rpm.
The Cooper S gets a 2.0 litre four cylinder Twin Power Turbo engine that boasts 192hp and 207 pound feet of torque, for what MINI like to describe as ‘unadulterated go-kart fun’.
Both engines are very terrifically responsive and promise an entertaining and engaging driving experience – a must for any MINI enthusiast. A 6-speed automatic transmission is likely to be the standard fit out in Macau, although a manual version is also available.
The Cooper claims 0-60km/h in 7.9 seconds, while the S will get there in 6.8 seconds. Despite being bigger, the new model has actually shed 10 kilos in weight, thus improving its fuel efficiency. MINI estimates an impressive combined economy of 4.7 l/100km for the Cooper and 5.9 l/100km for the Cooper S.
When it comes to performance and handling, there is no disappointment either. All we can say is grip, grip, grip!
Other firsts for the new MINI are the adaptive dampening suspension which automatically adjusts for differing road and driving conditions, and a selection of driving modes: Sport, Mid and Green. The driving modes can be selected using a rotating ring at the base of the gear shifter. The mode is presented on a new 8.8 inch circular display in the centre of the dash, which also features colour coded LED light display: red for Sport, yellow for Mid and green for…well…Green.
Other firsts for the new MINI are the adaptive dampening suspension which automatically adjusts for differing road and driving conditions, and a selection of driving modes: Sport, Mid and Green.
And this brings us to the interior of the car where there are some very notable changes and indeed improvements. The previously centre-mounted oversized speedometer has been downsized and placed directly in front of the driver together with the tacho. The hallmark circular element remains, now called the MINI Centre Instrument, and houses the radio controls or the optional LCD screen which displays the view from the reversing camera and all the infotainment functions. The touch sensitive toggle control is largely based on BMW’s iDrive system.
The LED lighting around the centre instrument even comes into play when you are reversing, turning to a flashing red when you are getting too close. All this dynamic ambiente lighting is part of the funky and fun charactistic of the MINI interior, and those retro toggle switches on the centre stack are still there too. The start/stop control is now a central red toggle switch, and pleasingly the window controls have been moved to the doors where they belong.
Overall the interior has an altogether improved feel with high quality materials and lots of textured, soft touch plastic. The sports seats on the S are also very comfortable and give a nice hugging feel.
As always there are tons of tech and styling options to choose from to personalise your MINI so it’s unlike anyone else’s. These include different trim levels, a dual-plane sunroof, smartphone app integration, climate control, navigation system and a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. There is even a cool headup display that pops up on the dash in front of the driver to show key driving info.
In its third incarnation, MINI is showing signs of more maturity and refinement, in line with its BMW pedigree, yet it is still an extremely fun and unique small car that is sure to please all its fanbase, old and new.
MINI Macau
Shop A&B, Edf. Marbela, 36-58 Rua dos Pescadores, Macau
+853 2833 7255
