National Post: Packed With Punch

The original Mini, penned by Sir Alec Issigonis, earned a solid reputation for its impish personality, delicate handling (this despite of the 10-inch wheels!), a large centrally mounted speedometer and toggle switches galore. Consequently, when the new Mini arrived in 2002, it was greeted like a long lost friend — it picked up on the old’s key styling cues (including the row of toggle switches and large round speedo) while adding a healthy dose of substance.

The base car featured a five-speed manual transmission mated to a 1.6-litre four that pushed 115 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of torque. With a zero-to-100-kilometres-an-hour time of 9.2 seconds, it did not exactly set the world ablaze. It did, however, work very well when scooting around town, challenging a congested urban environment. Likewise, consolation is found in its thirst for fuel. The manual uses 8.3 litres per 100 km in the city and a miserly 5.9 L/100 km on the highway.

In 2003, the Mini Cooper was offered with a CVT (continuously variable transmission) — it is best left to the masochists of the world, as it makes the car really loud unless you are babying the gas. Unfortunately, the power at play means that just moving the front bumper requires a pretty good stab at the gas and putting highway speeds on the clock takes an agonizingly long 10.5 seconds.

The Mini Cooper S earned the power the little car deserved by adding a supercharger and a sixth gear to the manual box.

The 163 hp (168 in the ‘05 and ‘06 models) and 155 pound-feet of torque on tap adds the missing spice. The acceleration time (zero to 100 km) drops to 7.4 seconds and adds some much needed punch to the mid-range. Likewise, the extra gear keeps the engine in its sweet spot for more of its operating life. In 2006, a six-speed automatic was added to the Cooper S.

Where the Mini truly excels is in its handling. Superb is the only way of describing the manner it carves a fast corner — the go-kart-like handling makes it feel as though the car is pivoting around the driver’s posterior, which gives wonderful feedback. Even in base form (with the stock P195/55R16 tires), it gives some supposedly sportier cars a real run for their money. The fact it comes with four-wheel disc brakes (vented at the front), standard anti-lock brakes and BMW’s ASC+T traction control (standard on both models) helps enormously. The brakes allow the car to be driven deeper into corners, the suspension banishes body roll and understeer, while the traction control limits the S’s tendency to spin its inside front tire when powering out of a corner. Sadly, Dynamic Stability Control is optional on both models.

The new Mini not only picked up on the original’s personality, it arrived with considerably larger dimensions — the wheelbase measures a substantial 2,467 millimetres. In spite of this, the Mini remains very much a 2+2 — taller front-seat occupants make the legroom all but disappear. The good news is that the back seat gives the driver somewhere to stash his or her stuff — at 5.3 cubic feet, the trunk does not hold much. Folding the seat-backs flat bumps the capacity to a usable 24 cu. ft.

In terms of content, the Cooper and Cooper S come in myriad versions — credit the ability to customize everything from the roof colour to the lengthy list of options. A quick look finds sport, premium and navigation packages, a harman/kardon sound system, automatic climate control, heated leather seats and a reverse sensing system available at extra cost.

In a move aimed at quelling some of the grumbling about the Mini’s on-road cost, the de-contented Cooper Classic was added in 2004.

There have also been some memorable editions over the years including the John Cooper Works edition. The 210 stallions add some serious performance to an already competent car — it is the consummate point-and-squirt car. Point it into a corner and it squirts out the other side with the driver wearing an enormous smile.

In 2005, a convertible in both Cooper and Cooper S versions joined the lineup. Creating a convertible means much more than merely chopping the roof off a vehicle. Being the second strongest part of the car (next to the floor pan), the roof panel supplies much of the body’s structural integrity. If not done properly, the torsion forces applied to the body means the car and driver both suffer. Without the necessary stiffness, the body shakes and shimmies like some deranged go-go dancer whenever the road deteriorates. This sensation is not only very disconcerting, it upsets the handling characteristics to the point where the car can become difficult to drive quickly. The Mini convertible feels as tight and composed as its roofed sibling, so there is no penalty for the joy of open-air motoring.

Mechanically, the Mini has fared fairly well, although it has not been without its complaints — including everything from a faulty power steering system that could cause an under-hood fire to wonky ABS modules and surging engines. That said, it is reliable enough. It has competed in the Targa Newfoundland road rally for five years (winning a couple of times to boot) without missing a beat.

While not the most practical used car purchase, the Mini rewards the driver by delivering a wonderful driving experience that’s impossible to match for the price. Only the MX-5 comes close.

Graeme Fletcher
National Post
Tuesday, September 18, 2007

THE SPECS:

Type of vehicle Front-wheel-drive compact hatchback/convertible

Engine 1.6L SOHC four/supercharged four

Power 110/163 hp (168 in ‘05 and ‘06), 110/155 lb-ft of torque

Transmission Five-speed manual/six-speed manual

Safety Dual front air bags, side air bags, head air bags, anti-lock brakes, traction control (Cooper S)

Pros 1. Impish styling and personality 2. Supercharged performance 3. Wonderful handling

Cons 1. 2+2 configuration 2. Basic performance 3. Tiny trunk

Tiny car famous for big fun

RECALL HISTORY:

2003: Mini Cooper/Cooper S: The head of the screw securing the rear struts to the chassis may tear off. If left unattended over a long period of time, the stud/shaft may break. If this occurs, the body will lean directly on the tire.

2004: The flat tire monitoring system’s programming could contain a defect. In the event of a flat tire, the audible signal will not sound.

2006: Mini Cooper/Convertible: The connection between the CVT gear selector rod and the lock plate may not have been laser-welded correctly. If the weld were to break, it would no longer be possible to shift the transmission using the selector lever. The potential exists for the vehicle to pull away from stop in the opposite direction to that desired, or if the vehicle was parked on an incline of sufficient grade and the parking brake was not engaged, this could result in a vehicle rollaway situation.