Displaying both an awareness of tradition and talent for innovation, the MINI design team developed the vision of a car that takes up impressively little space on the road but boasts an enviably spacious interior. The MINI Rocketman Concept therefore carries over the classic virtues of the brand into a pathbreaking vehicle concept. It offers a fresh interpretation of unmistakable MINI design features, and uses cutting-edge construction and manufacturing technology to create unique solutions in body and interior design.

The innovative character of the study is defined by the systematic application of lightweight design principles and a pure-bred interior geared to maximum driving fun and unbeatable variability. A carbon spaceframe construction, whose striking surface structure is visible at the front end of the car, around its doors and in the interior, forms the basis for a weight-minimising construction. Indeed, the MINI Rocketman Concept offers the ideal platform for achieving outstanding efficiency. To this end, it is designed to allow the integration of a drive system which combines further enhanced sprinting ability with average fuel consumption of just three litres per 100 kilometres (94 mpg imp).

Wide-opening doors with double-hinge joints and integrated sills facilitate entry into the MINI Rocketman Concept. The lightweight seats are contoured in customary MINI style and can be arranged in a variety of different positions. This allows owners to choose between maximum driving fun two-up, a comfortable amount of room for three occupants, or even an exceptionally efficient division of space accommodating four seats.

The capacity of the luggage compartment can be adapted to passenger requirements just as flexibly. The two-part tailgate consists of one section which is attached to the roof and opens extremely high, and a lower section which extends out of the body in the form of a drawer.

The operating logic of the MINI Rocketman Concept is also geared to the multi-layered demands of a contemporary target group, whose mobility needs are shaped by their desire for driving fun, flexible usage possibilities and extensive connectivity with their lives outside the car. The central control unit can be taken out of the car and configured on a computer before the journey begins to update navigation destinations, the music playlist or contact details for mobile communications.

Body design: hallmark MINI design language in particularly concentrated form.

The MINI Rocketman Concept body is shaped by an avant-garde interpretation of time-honoured brand features. Innovative construction techniques allow the principle used in the classic Mini – of providing the maximum amount of room on the smallest possible footprint – to be carried over to the mobility challenges of urban areas in the 21st century. The MINI Rocketman Concept measures 3.419 metres (approx. 11 ft. 3 in.) in length, adding just a few extra centimetres to the front and rear of the brand’s founding father born in 1959. The new study is 1.907 metres (approx. 6 ft. 3 in.) wide, including the exterior mirrors, and stands 1.398 metres (approx. 4 ft. 7 in) tall. Its proportions also display clear symmetries with both the classic Mini and the brand’s present-day line-up. The brand’s familiar appearance is therefore concentrated into a new set of dimensions, with the concept for a new vehicle segment remaining unmistakably recognisable as a MINI.

The interpretation of the characteristic MINI design language chosen for the study car also exudes a powerful and dynamic allure. Tightly contoured surfaces, large wheels and a basic form dictated by straight lines help give the MINI Rocketman Concept a resoundingly solid structure. In addition to its telltale proportions, a sprinkling of distinctive design features ensure that its brand affiliation is immediately clear. Large, circular headlights and a radiator grille with chrome surround dominate the front end. While the exterior contours of the headlights fit the familiar visual template, their inner structure has been further developed for the new study. The centrally positioned LED units generating full beam are bordered by an eye-catching light ring for dipped-beam mode. Direction indicators integrated into the headlight units are a feature shared with the current range of series-produced MINI models.

The dimensions of the headlights reflect those of the current MINI, which means they come across as particularly large when set against the smaller face of the study car. As stand-out features of MINI design they symbolise the core values of the brand, which remain reassuringly intact in the new vehicle concept represented by the study.

In the area surrounding the headlights and around the front apron and radiator grille, sections of the carbon spaceframe are visible alongside the painted and chromed surfaces. Its striking surface structure serves as a reminder of the study’s innovative construction blueprint.

Powerful silhouette, innovative door concept.

Large wheels and the three-level structural split of body, “wraparound” greenhouse and roof resting on top give the flanks the same appearance as the MINI models already in series production. The windows taper as they extend back towards the rear, emphasising the body’s dynamic wedge shape and offering an immediate hint of the vehicle’s sporty and agile character. The high waistline, accentuated on the MINI by a chrome frame ringing the vehicle, takes the form of a light strip on the MINI Rocketman Concept and throws the study’s powerful silhouette into even sharper focus.

The study’s 18-inch wheels likewise leave no doubt that the sure-footed road-holding and sporty handling properties of a MINI can also play a key role in a car with smaller dimensions. The weight-saving wheels specially developed for the MINI Rocketman Concept have an aerodynamically highly effective, enclosed surface structure. And the carbon wing contour of the directional wheels also helps to reduce drag. An aluminium trim strip on the wheel rim adds an attractive stylistic touch.

Among the car’s key design and functionality-related innovations are the two side doors. Their length and the specially designed arrangement of the door sills allow extremely comfortable access to all the seats in the MINI Rocketman Concept. When opened, the doors pivot outwards complete with their sills, enabling the driver and front passenger to climb in right next to their seats and get settled in comfort. Entry to the rear seats is also made much easier by the car’s unusual door concept. The carbon spaceframe construction, together with the impressively high torsional stiffness of the underbody structure, allows the arrangement of the side sills to be combined with extremely high body rigidity.

In addition, an extremely sophisticated opening mechanism ensures easy access into the car, even in tight parking spaces. The front-hinged doors have a double-hinge joint, which also allows a large opening angle when space is restricted. The innovative character of this construction element is also evident when the doors are closed, the carbon hinges standing out visibly in form and colour from the rest of the body. The MINI Rocketman Concept thus takes a stylistic cue from the classic Mini, whose exterior-mounted door hinges also went on to become an identifying characteristic.

Projector-style rear lights, transparent and illuminated glass for the roof.

The rear lights of the MINI Rocketman Concept have a trapezoidal stirrup design – into which all the light functions are integrated – and work using projector technology. The lamp assembly projects the rear and braking light and the light for the direction indicators onto the car body. The high-output LED units used for the lights ensure that even this indirect illumination concept produces the accustomed intensity of light that is necessary for safety.

The roof of the MINI Rocketman Concept also puts on an extraordinary light show. The full-surface glass roof is segmented by illuminated braces to recreate the look of Britain’s Union Jack flag. When not illuminated, the longitudinal, horizontal and diagonal braces glow a bright Porcelain White. In darkness the integrated optical fibres give the interior of the MINI Rocketman Concept a pleasantly indirect illumination and, as a result, a more effective nocturnal appearance.

The bright colour of the roof and mirror caps – likewise painted Porcelain White – create an attractive contrast to the Bermuda (a warm shade of grey) of the body. The areas of carbon visible at the front end and around the doors add further striking touches.

Split tailgate with drawer and integrated rear cargo carrier.

The MINI Rocketman Concept also uses creative design and innovative technical solutions to open up new layout options for the luggage area. This enhances the versatility of the existing space and means it can be used more efficiently. The split two-part tailgate consists of one section which is attached to the roof and opens extremely high and a lower section which extends out 350 millimetres from the body in the form of a drawer unit. The drawer represents the further development of the downward-opening tailgate seen on the classic Mini. This construction principle allows room to be made for pieces of luggage and travel items even when the car is carrying four occupants. The MINI Rocketman Concept literally grows as a vehicle when it’s time to start loading up the gear.

An intelligent folding mechanism makes it possible to lock the cargo drawer of the MINI Rocketman Concept either higher up or further in towards the passenger compartment, as the loading scenario demands. This allows loads to be transported out of sight and protected from the weather. If required, items can also be loaded through into the passenger compartment. In addition, the open-top cargo drawer can also serve as a rear luggage carrier. Here, purpose-built inserts make it easier to transport snowboards and other bulky items of sports equipment. Added to which, the glass tailgate, which extends well into the roof, helps to enhance loading flexibility. It is connected with the body via a centrally positioned hinge with integrated gas strut system, which also allows it to be opened when the rear carrier is loaded with gear.

Seat concept: the ideal position for every mobility requirement.

The arrangement of the seats and control elements in the passenger compartment of the MINI Rocketman Concept ensures maximum versatility for the widest possible range of mobility needs. The low-weight seats, which are traditional MINI in form, offer a high level of comfort and optimum lateral support even for sporty drivers. The amount of space for the driver and passengers can be varied as required. Three individual seats slide fore and aft, allowing a high level of comfort with generous head, leg and shoulder room. There is also an additional seat in the rear, whose backrest can be folded down fully to serve as a stowage surface.

Three mobility scenarios have been developed to define the real-life usage possibilities offered by the interior of the study. In a layout designed specially to enhance a sporting driving experience, the MINI Rocketman Concept offers just the right amount of space for the driver and front passenger. The front seats are pushed back as far as possible and the instrument cluster also slides fore and aft to provide the ideal position for a full-blooded driving experience.

If an additional passenger joins the two already on board, the front passenger can move his seat forward again to take a position slightly further forward than the driver. In this configuration, the front passenger’s legroom is reduced to standard MINI levels to accommodate an equally generously sized rear seat behind him. The MINI Rocketman Concept also offers a practical solution for travelling with four people. Once the driver has returned both his seat and the instrument cluster to the standard position, a second rear seat allows a fourth person to climb aboard for shorter journeys, at least.

Innovative mix of materials, hallmark MINI design.

The impressive variability of the interior is complemented by a pure-bred design which spotlights both the unmistakable style of the brand and the study car’s pioneering technology. The intention behind the selection of materials and interior trim structure was to create a feeling of contemporary functionality and lightness. To this end, the carbon structure of the body frame has been left exposed in the footwells and around the centre console.

A fresh interpretation of customary MINI design features emphasises the further development of the brand’s characteristic design language inside the study car as well. The door panels house the door pulls and the stowage compartments, which feature trim elements whose elliptical form reaches past the B-pillar into the rear compartment. The surface design therefore offers a stylistic nod to the variable division of space and shared driving experience provided by the MINI Rocketman Concept interior.

Inside the car, leather covers and high-gloss painted surfaces combine with armrests and trim strips made from a special paper that has been pressed and folded into the desired structure. The trim strips are backlit by LED-powered fibre optics. Plus, a light strip that wraps around the interior at waistline height generates a particularly harmonious ambience.

Innovative operating concept: trackball on the steering wheel, 3D-effect graphics in the Centre Speedo.

An operating concept developed for the MINI Rocketman Concept brings together principles from the MINI design handbook, innovative new functions and a pioneering operating system to serve up even greater driving fun over both short and long journeys. A cockpit instrument, positioned above the steering wheel and therefore directly in the driver’s field of view, houses the rev counter and on-board computer display. The large-format Centre Speedo with peripheral speedometer and multifunctional colour display also adheres to the system logic familiar from the current range of series-produced MINI cars as far as display arrangement is concerned. The development of the rigorously applied display/control element separation principle, meanwhile, has been taken to the next level.

In addition to multifunction buttons on the steering wheel, the current MINI also has a joystick on the centre console for operating vehicle-related, navigation, entertainment and communications functions. By contrast, the MINI Rocketman Concept concentrates all the control elements on the steering wheel. This reflects an ongoing commitment to the concept of simple and intuitive operation, and means that the driver can operate more functions than ever while keeping both hands on the steering wheel at all times.

A press of the thumb on the relevant multifunction buttons on the left-hand steering wheel spoke is all that is required to use front-line controls such as the volume for the audio system and the call pick-up function for incoming telephone calls. In addition, a trackball is integrated into the right-hand steering wheel spoke. Inspired by computer operating, this element allows the driver to control an impressively wide range of processes. For example, to navigate through the menu levels the driver turns the trackball horizontally, while vertical movements allow him to scroll up and down lists. The driver then selects the desired function with a press of the trackball. With selected functions such as in-car internet, the driver uses his thumb to move the cursor around the display in any direction.

The graphics in the colour display of the Centre Speedo are more diverse, higher quality and sharper than ever. High-resolution 3-D graphics open up new possibilities in the need-based selection of functions using the trackball and display. According on the driver’s preference and the driving situation, particularly relevant displays and alerts are moved into the foreground, while the remaining status displays remain visible on a display level further back. This makes it significantly easier to move quickly and intuitively between the navigation map display, music programme selection and telephone contacts list.

Flawless connectivity and new ways of personalising the car configuration.

The navigation, communications and entertainment systems in the MINI Rocketman Concept represent the consistent further development of the functions already available through MINI Connected in current series-produced MINI cars. Intelligent connectivity turns the car into a mobile element of the driver’s personal lifestyle. Internet-based services for communications, integrated navigation and an almost limitlessly expandable entertainment programme play a key role in maximising driving fun, comfort and safety. With the control elements developed for the MINI Rocketman Concept, personalised usage of these functions reaches a new level. The removable control unit (for comfort and connectivity functions) integrated into the Centre Speedo can be configured on a computer before the start of a journey, enabling the driver to transfer new music files, a navigation destination and contact details for mobile communications and internet usage into the vehicle with maximum convenience.

These innovative control systems allow driving fun in a MINI to become an integrated component of the driver’s personal lifestyle more than ever. Indeed, information, images, data, contacts and media can be made available in digital form for mobile usage anywhere – at home, at the workplace or while on the move. Known as the MINI Rocketman Concept, the mobile control unit stores telephone numbers and email contacts, as well as navigation data, internet addresses and full websites or messages from online social networks, music files, photos and videos. This provides a direct route into the MINI for additional sources of driving fun in the shape of new destinations, important contacts, up-to-date information, exciting sounds and powerful images. In the opposite direction, this extended connectivity can also enrich everyday life outside the car; for example, new contact details from telephone calls or online connections can also be made available outside the car via the MINI Rocketman Concept.

MINI Rocketman Concept: compact dimensions, new format, the usual driving fun.

The MINI Rocketman Concept once again brings the traditional principles of the classic Mini onto the road through the introduction of innovative ideas. The creativity of the MINI design team enables them to transfer fundamental MINI features and values into a groundbreaking new vehicle concept in
untarnished form. As a vision of the urban mobility of tomorrow, the MINI Rocketman Concept captures the imagination with its unflappable charisma, surprising variability, and lifestyle-oriented functionality, and provides the ideal platform for agile and efficient driving characteristics.

While the study showcases a new format, MINI still remains true to its bloodline. More than 50 years ago the brand’s first car triggered a revolution in the small car segment. The classic Mini met the needs of urban mobility more comprehensively than any other vehicle before it, while at the same time offering the driving fun and individual style that sealed its legendary status. Today MINI continues to fulfil – in its own unique way – the desires of demanding target groups with a sense for the creative use of space, inspiring handling and premium quality. The MINI Rocketman Concept offers a glimpse of how these features may look in the future. Using innovative technology and creative solutions, the study reflects the brand’s unsurpassed expertise in the development of vehicle concepts producing maximum interior versatility within minimal exterior dimensions – and all while delivering unbeatable driving fun.

The 2011Countryman, a somewhat bigger, taller, four-door vehicle, with a bit more ground clearance (thus thename) than the MINI Cooper line, earns top ‘good’ scores in all test categories—including frontal offset, side impact, and seat-based rear-impact tests. It also gets a top ‘good’ rating in the new IIHS roof strength test, as the tested corner of its roof managed to withstand nearly five times its weight—an indicator of strong structural protection.

That’s significantly better than the standard versions of the MINI Cooper, which earn only ‘acceptable’ scores from the IIHS in both side impact and roof strength (with ‘good’ scores in those other categories). And it’s proof that MINI did bolster the Countryman’s structure, even if the vehicle is built on the same BMW-derived X1 underpinnings.

Front, side and curtain airbags; anti-lock brakes, stability and traction control; and tire pressure monitors are all included in the Countryman, as they are for all vehicles in this class. Rear parking sensors are available, but a rearview camera is not. Neither are fancy-tech frills like lane departure warnings, blind-spot monitors and adaptive cruise control. Adaptive headlights can be ordered, though.

It may not appear on Formula 1, but we will have the chance to see the new MINI Countryman WRC model in the World Rally Championship as a car with a rich and successful heritage as Monte Carlo rallye winner returns to the international rally sport starting from next season. The car is developed by Prodrive, in close cooperation with MINI, and is based on the production model. The powerful heart of the racing car is a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbo-charged engine from BMW Motorsport.

The MINI Countryman is the first member of the MINI family with a body measuring more than four meters in length and optional all-wheel drive. With these features, in addition to the Countryman’s raised seating position and optimized riding comfort, the world’s only premium vehicle of its kind crosses the boundaries of urban mobility to take the trademark MINI feeling into new dimensions and win over additional target groups.

The latest generation of petrol and diesel engines has been recruited to power the MINI Countryman. Their brisk power development and optimized smoothness contribute to the Countryman’s agility and excellent long-distance comfort – both MINI trademark traits. Plus, the remarkable ability of all the units to extract maximum benefit from the energy they consume enables the brand’s fourth model to boast a stand-out level of efficiency over its direct competitors. Extensive MINIMALISM measures play a key role in further reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

Optional MINI ALL4 all-wheel drive allows the driving fun you expect from the brand to be experienced off the beaten track as well. The permanent all-wheel-drive system’s quick and precise responses to changing conditions provide a new, traction-led expression of the handling talents for which MINI is famed. An electromagnetic centre differential positioned directly on the final drive varies the distribution of power seamlessly between the front and rear axles. The ALL4 system is available for the MINI Cooper S Countryman and MINI Cooper D Countryman.

The premium price the Cooper S commands is for pace, not space; good sense takes second place to good times; and the person behind the wheel best be an extrovert ’cause everybody looks.

As cars go, it’s a two-door party.

But it’s also a rarity among look-at-me cars in that its thirst for premium fuel is truly modest. A rating of 8.0 litres/100 km for city-area driving qualifies the Mini Cooper S as an EcoDriver subject. And our test driving confirms it as a worthy choice for drivers concerned with limiting gasoline consumption and pollution, because we average 9.6 L/100 km in our usual week’s combination of 250 km in the city, 50 on the 401.

Those with a light foot on the throttle might come closer to the Energuide number, but light-footing is always going to be a challenge in the Cooper S. The marvel is that this very sporty car can be driven with the gusto it invites — and still consume less than 10 L/100 km in the city.

What’s more, in a 600-km drive to and from the Almaguin Highlands — north of Muskoka, in the eastern Parry Sound district, bordering Algonquin Park — the Cooper S averages 7.4 L/100 km.

The Mini line has been a remarkable success since BMW began its production in England in 2001. The trick with that car was capturing the character of the original Mini, as introduced in 1959, in a larger package. Now the trick has been repeated with the second-generation model, officially the Mk II, lengthened by 59 mm in the interest of meeting evolving standards for pedestrian safety.

Some claim it’s not as razor-sharp as the 2001-2006 edition (as traditionalists quibbled that that car wasn’t the equal of the ‘59). What can be said unequivocally is that driving this car is less like driving anything else currently on sale than it is putting on your dancing shoes and finding yourself making moves like Astaire, or Ali.

The steering is so direct that the 90-degree turns of city intersections are executed effortlessly. In so doing, there is no untoward leaning of the sort that sometimes causes passengers alarm. BMW engineers have put together a suspension that delivers taut handling, along with a surprisingly compliant ride.

Ride quality is firm, to be sure, but the damping quality of the shock absorbers is so effective that potholes, speed bumps and frost heaves are taken in stride. BMW took its lumps in criticisms of its first-generation Mini’s rough ride, attributed to the stiff sidewalls of its run-flat tires, but the ride has become quite acceptable with run-flats still specified.

The engine is new as well. Now turbocharged, where the Mk 1 Mini was supercharged, this 1.6-litre four-cylinder generates 172 horsepower, truly amazing output for the displacement.

Our usual acceleration test to 60 km/h yields a time of 4.0 seconds using first gear alone. Other cars capable of sub-10 L/100 km consumption are incapable of such haste.

The six-speed manual transmission is a model of smoothness. Changing gears plays a large part in the pleasure of the daily downtown experience as enjoyed in the Cooper S.

Torque steer often nags at the steering wheel in hard acceleration. Given the on-off nature of the throttle response as well, the one unpleasant aspect of the Cooper S personality is its jerkiness in hard charging. Driving less like a jerk, on the other hand, with a gentler touch, produces smoother progress.

Highway behaviour is impeccable. In the fast lane, it behaves more like a BMW than an economy car, with reassuring stability and hushed sound levels. Only a touch of wind noise from the large sunroof, even when tightly closed, is a cause for complaint in the test car. That, and the shift knob pulling loose.

Most of the car’s negatives relate to the diminutive dimensions. Rear-seat room is not in the same league as that of a Toyota Yaris. With the front seat adjusted for this 5-foot-8 writer’s driving position, the space behind was short of foot room and tight at the knees. Taller people would fare less well.

Trunk? BMW claims it holds 10 bags of instant cement with the rear seats folded, but, with the seats up, one bag of mulch pretty much fills the space.

Putting on your seatbelt can be trying. One needs to master pulling it between the seat and the door because there’s not enough room if the fastener isn’t turned just so.

Space under the bonnet is similarly tight, which may explain the air-conditioning’s marginal performance in plus-30-Celsius weather. A/C components, like everything else, are a tight fit.

Options are more of a factor in Mini showrooms than in those selling more conventional fuel-savers. A Cooper S starts at $30,600. A base Cooper — minus the S, minus the turbocharger, also minus the torque steer — can be had for $25,900. But when you’re buying a car with this much personality, it’s easy to get carried away.

Ours adds a premium package for $1,600 (glass sunroof, heated seats, computer) and a sport package, $1,200 (sport suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels with performance tires, anthracite roof liner). The premium sound system adds $750. No charge for the black roof and mirrors that set off the gorgeous mellow yellow paint.

Beyond this, buyers typically are tempted by such offerings as piano black interior trim, $120, or white or black exterior stripes, $130, or a choice of three different kinds of leather — $1,200 for leather identified as punch or gravity, or $1,900 for lounge leather. A chrome line package, exterior and interior, $390. The Bluetooth package, $750.

Pizzazz, punch, premium fuel. The Mini Cooper S stands alone among fuel-efficient automobiles in personality and function. But our 9.6 L/100 km qualifies it as a genuine alternative to more ordinary, more practical, approaches to fuel efficiency.

2007 MINI COOPER S
TYPE: Two-door hatchback
BASE PRICE: $30,600; as tested $35,745
ENGINE: 1.6-litre, inline-four, DOHC, turbocharged
HORSEPOWER/TORQUE: 172 hp/177 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION: Six-speed manual
DRIVE: Front-drive
FUEL ECONOMY (litres per 100 km): Energuide rating, 8.0 city/6.0 highway; actual city-area driving, 9.6; premium gas
ALTERNATIVES: Volvo C30 T5, Mercedes-Benz B200 Turbo, Honda Civic Coupe Si

DAN PROUDFOOT
From Thursday’s Globe and Mail

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.

Now Mini has brought us an even stranger version of an already eccentric car, a stretched-out model with three doors for people and two doors for cargo. And yet Mini expects the new car to eventually account for more than a quarter of all its sales worldwide.

The crucial question is: Has Mini managed to preserve the qualities that have made its standard model such a hit even as it reaches out to a broader audience with this stretched version of its iconic small car?

The Traveller in Madrid
We drove the new 2008 Mini Cooper S Clubman around the sprawling Spanish capital of Madrid earlier this week. Gert Hildebrand, Mini’s design boss, says the idea for the stretched Mini did not stem from the marketing department but rather his own design team. “When we set about designing the second-generation model we laid down a few sketches on how we thought its appeal could be extended,” Hildebrand says. “We then presented it to the board members of BMW, and they decided it had potential.”

The Clubman got its first public view at the 2005 Frankfurt Auto Show as the Mini Traveller, although by then it was already well on the way to production. While the elongated shape might not ignite wild passions, the detailing and engineering are hugely impressive.

Though the wheelbase has been stretched 3.1 inches, the changes over the standard Mini begin at the trailing edge of the front doors, helping to preserve the car’s flagrantly retro lines. The narrow club door is mounted on the right-hand side. Just like the Honda Element, Toyota FJ Cruiser and various pickup trucks, you have to open the front passenger door and then release a lever to get access.

The Back Door
While the club door provides the Clubman with a modern twist, its rear barn doors are a clear nod to the past, having first appeared on the original 1950s Morris Mini Traveller. A lovely pair of horizontal chrome handles unlatches the doors, and they eagerly spring outward on gas struts.

Hildebrand comments, “We wanted to offer the widest possible opening. After trying many different setups this is the one we finally arrived at. It’s a complex solution. To fulfill all the various legal regulations, the rear lights need to be fixed to the car, not to the door.”

The Mini two-door’s simple hatchback arrangement is far easier to operate and a good deal more practical in everyday use. But there is something special about the Clubman’s barn doors that will draw prospective buyers to the car.

The overall design of the Clubman’s rear end also attempts to mimic the exposed wooden trim of the original Traveller, as the corner panels and rear bumper carry a contrasting color. It’s a nice touch that further gives the Clubman its own unique identity.

Not so Mini
That said, Mini is not really an appropriate name for this car, because plainly it isn’t mini at all. It’s still small, but its overall length of 155.8 inches represents a stretch of 6.3 inches, enough to push the Clubman into an altogether different class. Aside from the 3.1 inches added within the wheelbase, the front overhang has been extended by 0.6 inch and the rear overhang goes up by 3.5 inches.

Get behind the steering wheel and it’s all familiar territory. An almost comically oversize speedometer dominates proceedings from the center of the dashboard, which is otherwise detailed with a mixed assortment of contemporary rotary dials and ye olde world toggle switches.

The real changes are concentrated out back, where that additional wheelbase is used to extend rear-seat legroom, making the rear of the Clubman a more enjoyable place to be than any standard Mini. The rear seat remains reasonably snug, but you no longer need the flexibility of an Olympic gymnast to remain there for any length of time.

The longer rear overhang also sees cargo capacity increase by 3.5 cubic feet to 9.1 cubic feet. With the split-fold rear seats tucked away, overall cargo capacity grows to 33.0 cubic feet.

Let’s Motor
The Clubman will be sold in North America with a choice of the Mini’s two existing four-cylinder engines. The Cooper S we drove in Spain has its direct-injection, turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-4, producing 175 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 177 pound-feet of torque from 1,600 rpm. The Cooper version, meanwhile, gets a naturally aspirated version of the same engine, developing 120 hp and 118 lb-ft of torque.

The Cooper S Clubman’s engine is hugely flexible around town, even at small throttle openings. The electrically operated power steering surprisingly combines light effort with highly direct action. The Clubman’s wheelbase has increased the turning circle slightly over the standard Mini, but we hardly noticed.

Just as you’d expect in a Mini, you can nip in and out of tight spaces in traffic with ease and a great deal of confidence. One downside of the new car’s barn doors, however, is the center pillar running through the middle of the rear windows, which obscures rear vision so much that you have to rely on the exterior rearview mirrors.

On the go, the Cooper S Clubman’s engine impresses with effortless pull. There’s minimal lag from the turbocharger, seamless power delivery through the midrange and then serious punch close to its 6,500-rpm redline. The standard six-speed manual gearbox helps you stir it all up nicely with well-chosen ratios, slick action between the gates and a firm clutch action.

At 2,712 pounds, the Clubman weighs 143 pounds more than the standard Mini Cooper S, but we hardly noticed any dent in its performance profile. Mini claims 100 kph (62 mph) comes up in 7.6 seconds, some 0.5 second slower than the standard Cooper S. The top speed of the Clubman is rated at 139 mph.

No Personality Deficit
At this point in our drive, we learned the reason why our drive through the Spanish countryside favored some magnificent winding roads and avoided long stints on the highway.

Despite the clear emphasis on versatility from its larger footprint, the new Clubman manages to retain all the sporting fun of the standard two-door. Our only real criticism involves the torque steer that’s apparent while accelerating hard from low speeds. Part of the reason can be found in the additional weight at the back of the car. Second, the front wheels now carry a brake-regeneration system to produce electrical power for the battery, so the alternator is disengaged from the engine during acceleration. (This brake-regeneration system will not be available on U.S. models until later next year, however.)

The way the Clubman rides really got our attention. The longer wheelbase not only liberates more space inside, it also provides the Mini Clubman with a smoother and more controlled ride. There’s less flutter in the suspension over rough pavement, and once ruffled by large bumps, the suspension tends to settle faster.

The long wheelbase also enhances high-speed stability. The Mini Clubman tracks with greater authority on the highway and proves far less prone to being thrown off line by nasty camber changes than its standard sibling. Only the car’s occasional sensitivity to crosswinds can be criticized.

For tackling long distances, this is probably the Mini to have. It’s less frenetic than its popular stablemate and the added layer of comfort soothes the miles away, making it surprisingly mature.

Still Unconventional
The 2008 Mini Cooper S Clubman is not a car you can easily pigeonhole. This in itself might be its biggest asset.

The Clubman’s unconventional five-door layout will no doubt appeal to a lot of people who have tired of the familiar hatchback theme served up by just about every small car on the road today. It’s not the roomiest car in its class by any stretch of the imagination, yet the addition of the small club door lifts the Mini’s appeal greatly.

And what the Clubman lacks in space, it more than makes up for in driving enjoyment. That’s the clincher for us.

Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.

While it may seem superfluous, every gauge or light has a story to tell and in virtually every case failure to listen to that tale can have disastrous and expensive repercussions.

Let’s get the obvious ones out of the way first — speedometer and fuel level. No need for explanation here.

Next up in order of significance — the oil pressure gauge or light. Oil is literally the lifeblood or fluid that keeps an engine alive. Not only does it provide the lubrication that allows metal pieces to rub together without damage, it acts as a coolant, drawing heat away from these high-stress locations.

The oil is circulated and squirted in critical areas under pressure, provided by a pump. If the pressure drops, the oil is no longer able to provide its vital lubrication role and the various components will very quickly heat up to dangerous levels where they may seize.

This quickly becomes engine failure — very expensive engine failure. Not only will the vehicle come to a complete stop, it won’t move again until you have lubricated the repair shop with thousands of dollars.

The temperature gauge, whether a dial marked with a range from “c” for cold to “h” for hot, or a warning light, provides another critical piece of information.

The temperature gauge does not tell you the temperature of the engine — directly. It shows the temperature of the fluid flowing through the engine.

This fluid carries heat away from the engine to the radiator where it is cooled by the air flowing through it. It then continues its circuitous route back into the engine, lubricating pumps and things on the way.

When the engine is first started after sitting for a period of time, the fluid is at ambient or outside temperature. A thermostat prevents the fluid from going through the radiator until it reaches operating temperature. Until that point, it simply circulates through the engine gaining heat as the big block of metal is heated by the combustion of fuel within the cylinders. As this happens, the temperature gauge will gradually move off the cold mark.

Until that fluid is warm, no heat can be drawn off it for the “heater,” which warms up the interior. When the fluid reaches the proper temperature, the thermostat opens, allowing it to flow through the radiator and monitors that process, opening and closing as necessary to keep the fluid within the proper temperature range.

If the thermostat should fail, or the level of fluid gets too low, the temperature will escalate and the gauge or a warning light will warn of pending problems. If you fail to heed that warning and the engine is allowed to overheat, it can cause catastrophic failure.

The voltmeter or battery gauge tells us of the condition of the electrical circuit. As the engine draws power form the battery for everything from the spark plugs to the power windows, that power has to be replaced — the battery has to be recharged.

There is a whole system of doing this we won’t get into here, but the driver should most definitely check this gauge to ensure the recharging is taking place.

If a belt were to fail or other problem occur that slowed or stopped the recharging process, the instrument will provide the necessary warning, allowing enough time to safely locate service.

The tachometer tells us the speed of the engine — as opposed to the speedometer, which provides vehicle speed information.

The tachometer is commonly marked in single digits ranging from 1 to 7-10. That is in multiples of one thousand so if the needle is on “5″ the engine is turning over or operating at 5,000 revolutions per minute or rpm.

The tachometer is useful for telling the driver when to shift gears. If the vehicle has an automatic transmission, it is not as important. The important factor with relation to the tachometer is to avoid overrevving the engine.

RICHARD RUSSELL
From Thursday’s Globe and Mail

Whitby, ON – MINI Canada is pleased to announce today that a distinctive new model, the MINI Clubman, will join the MINI lineup in the first quarter of 2008.

The MINI Clubman is poised to expand the MINI brand family with the introduction of two versions of a completely unique configuration based on the legendary “shooting brake” classics, the Morris Mini Traveller, the Austin Mini Countryman, and the Mini Clubman Estate which rounded out the model family of the original Mini, the grandfather of all compact cars, back in the 1960s.

The MINI Cooper S Clubman will be equipped with the new MINI four-cylinder gasoline engine with twin-scroll turbocharger and direct fuel injection, introduced in February of 2007 in the new MINI Cooper S. With a capacity of 1598 cc, maximum output of 172 horsepower at 5500 rpm, and maximum torque of 177 lb-ft at 1600 – 5000 rpm, the MINI Cooper S Clubman inherits performance characteristics fully in keeping with its “S” badge.

The MINI Cooper Clubman will be powered by the new MINI four-cylinder gasoline engine with fully variable valve management based on the BMW Group’s VALVETRONIC technology, which also debuted in February of 2007 in the new MINI Cooper. The MINI Cooper Clubman, with a capacity of 1598 cc, will have a maximum output of 118 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and maximum torque of 114 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm.

Innovative Five-Door body configuration
While instantly recognizable as a new-generation MINI from the front, the MINI Clubman takes on a character all it’s own starting immediately behind the B-pillar. Featuring a lengthened roofline that extends over all three pillars, a significantly longer cabin that integrates smoothly into striking rear quarters and culminating in two rear-opening doors with unique outside hinging mechanisms.

The rear doors pivot from a point in front of the taillights, providing a wide opening aperture for optimum access to the generous cargo compartment. Each rear door is equipped with its own windshield wiper and the entire rear opening is trimmed with an attractive frame colour-matched to a wide range of available roof colours. As an option the MINI Clubman is also available with the roof finished in body colour, in which case only the C-pillars including the upper section of the bumpers are finished in contrasting Silver or Black paintwork, thus maintaining the striking look of the rear door frame on all versions of the MINI Clubman.

With an additional 24 cm in length versus the MINI Cooper & Cooper S, wheelbase and legroom at the rear of the MINI Clubman are increased by 8 cm and boasts a luggage compartment capacity of 260–930 litres (9.1–32.6 cu ft) with the rear-seat backrest folded down.

In conjunction with the “split-door” rear configuration, the Clubdoor, a truly signature design characteristic of the MINI Clubman, adds interest and functionality to the passenger side of the vehicle, turning the MINI Clubman into a very distinct five-door model. The Clubdoor, a second, handle-free door behind the right front door, opens to the rear, facilitating comfortable and convenient access to the rear seats. For safety reasons, the Clubdoor can only be opened when the partnered front door is also open.

More than 30 colour combinations enhance personalization choices
The MINI Clubman offers the enthusiast even greater options in customizing their car and personal style, with more than 30 combinations of exterior paintwork alone. This considerable freedom of expression is further enhanced by a wide range of accessories and a great selection of options and special equipment geared specifically to the MINI Clubman.

Hot Chocolate, a particularly emotional metallic colour, is reserved exclusively to the MINI Clubman. Indeed, this special colour is particularly elegant in combination with the roof in body colour and a silver frame around the rear. In all, the MINI Clubman is available in no less than 12 body colours – the three non-metallic colours of Chili Red, Pepper White and Mellow Yellow, as well as the additional metallic colours of Astro Black, Sparkling Silver, British Racing Green, Pure Silver, Lightning Blue, Nightfire Red, Dark Silver, and Laser Blue over and above Hot Chocolate.

Inheriting all of the latest-generation drivetrain, suspension and brake systems from the MINI Cooper and Cooper S stablemates, the MINI Clubman naturally inherits all the driving and performance virtues of the MINI family, with legendary go-kart feeling inseparably linked to the MINI brand since inception.

“The new MINI Clubman is a thoroughly modern interpretation of an iconic classic. The Clubman paves the way for a brand-new segment in the market, while the MINI family continues to define the premium small car concept and underlines its leadership in technology and design” stated Stephen McDonnell, Director of MINI Canada.

Canadian availability is expected in the first quarter of 2008. Detailed specifications and pricing will be made available closer to market launch.

Thanks to Motorfile for the images

The package has been designed specifically for the 170hp turbo engined Mini Cooper and includes a performance exhaust system with chrome tips, plus an AC Schnitzer lowered suspension kit honed on the Nürburgring.

The body has been enhanced by a new bodykit sporting a front bumper, spoiler and rear skirt with an integrated diffuser, while the interior gets an aluminum handbrake and gear shift knob, as well as aluminum trim for the pedals.

Details regarding this kit are preliminary but the Budds’ Part’s Team will be able to help any customers interested in such a package in the near future!

Click to enlarge