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By
EWAN KENNEDY
26 February 2006
My computer’s spelling checker doesn’t like me calling it the
new new MINI – it thinks my fingers have stuttered and begs me to
delete one of the news – but what other name can you give this car?
Particularly when the MINI’s designers’ fingers also seem to have
stuttered and come up with a car that looks so much like the original?
The new Mini, launched in Australia in 2002, has been a huge
success and, despite predictions that it would be a passing fad
and disappear forever around about now, continues to sell up a
storm. So it made a lot of sense to continue with the strong theme
of the superseded model, but improve on it. Which is exactly what
the MINI company has done. And done in a very intelligent manner.
Styling was undoubtedly the number-one selling feature of the
old new MINI, so it would have been crazy to interfere with it. So
much so that it can be hard to pick the latest car from the
superseded one despite the body being all-new. The bonnet is
longer and more upright at the front and the headlights and
taillights are to a new design. There are, of course, a host of
other changes but it will take trained MINI spotters to list them.
The new MINI is bigger than the old, something that seems
inevitable as designers strive to make the front of the car more
pedestrian friendly in a crash. However, the added 60 mm in
overall length doesn’t translate into any real improvement
inside the car. The rear seat is still tight for legroom unless
the front occupants are willing to move there seats substantially
forward. Regard this as a sporting three-door coupe, instead of a
three-door family hatch and it makes sense.
Where the old MINI did fall down was in engine performance. The
somewhat ancient 1.6-litre powerplant did its best and could, with
plenty of input from the driver by way of the gearbox, manage
performance that was respectable. The supercharged unit installed
in the Cooper S improved things a bit, but it really should have
been better still.
Now the MINI has all-new engines by courtesy of design
co-operation between BMW, which controls MINI these days, and PSA,
the maker of Peugeot and Citroen vehicles. There are quite a few
features that are unique to the MINI to give the engine the
suitable personality. And true believers in the MINI world will be
pleased that the engine is built in Britain.
The new engine is a much more modern unit than the old, with a
capacity of 1.6 litres. In typical BMW fashion it uses variable
valve timing to not only increase power, but also reduce fuel
consumption (by an impressive 16 to 20 per cent during official EU
tests) and exhaust emissions.
Power output is 88 kW with the engine in standard format and
128 kW when it’s turbocharged for the MINI Cooper S application.
Both engines sit alongside six-speed transmissions, with a choice
between a Getrag manual or an Aisin automatic. The latter is now a
conventional unit, not a CVT as in the old new MINI.
On the road the increased power is immediately evident. The
MINI now has plenty of pep, and is willing to rev, response is
almost immediate even on the turbo variant, though it’s on the
dead side until it gets to about 2500 rpm.
Though slightly more refined in its on-road behaviour, the new
MINI still has that lovely lively feel in its steering and
suspension that was such a feature of the old car. Any driver who
doesn’t come away from a spirited drive in this latest car with
a beaming smile on their face simply isn’t trying hard enough.
Rough roads can cause a jiggly ride at times, but on the whole
the MINI is pretty well composed.
Prices are marginally higher than in the old new MINI. The
range starts with the $31,100 MINI Cooper with a manual gearbox.
In Cooper Chilli format, traditionally the biggest seller in
Australia, it is priced at $34,700. The Cooper S with its
turbocharged engine carries an rrp of $39,900, with the Chilli
variant having a tag of $43,500. Automatic transmission adds $2200
in each case.
An astonishing range of accessories is on offer, not to mention
different paint colours and interior trim and panel designs. MINI
can be built tens of thousands of times without two cars being
identical. Call into your local MINI dealer to get some idea of
what’s on offer, there's some top stuff in there.
Only hatchback versions of the new MINI have been introduced at
this stage. The cute MINI cabriolet soldiers on with the old body
– as well as the old engines because the new ones simply can’t
fit under its bonnet. An all-new MINI cab isn’t expected for two
to three years as the current one wasn’t launched until 2004.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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