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By
EWAN KENNEDY
19 June 2006
We’ve just spent a great week punting around a MINI Checkmate Cooper
S. A true fun car if we have ever seen one. A car that’s aimed chiefly
at driving enjoyment, though it can be used as a family car if those in
the back are on the small and tolerant side.
But let's forget about the practicalities and
concentrate on this modern day reincarnation of the iconic Mini of
the 1960s. The new MINI Checkmate is a special version of the
standard car and comes not only with the look-at-me chequered flag
paint scheme overlying bold Space Blue paint, but also sports a
set of ‘flame-spoke’ 17-inch alloy wheels, silver coloured
door mirrors and roof and a powered glass sunroof.
Inside, the creators of the MINI Checkmate have
really gone to town, or should that be to the track? They’ve
installed special leather and cloth sports seats in standout
shades, and added the Chrono sports gauge package that’s
optional on others in the MINI range. There's leather and there's
chrome and buttons and knobs and dials in all direction. If ever a
car was a visual feast inside, this MINI is it.
Checkmate’s price starts at just $34,500 which
is a pretty reasonable ask for a car in this coupe class. It is
also offered in Cooper S format, which seems highly appropriate.
The Cooper S package, with the supercharged engine isn’t cheap
though, adding $9000 to the price.
Externally, you can pick the Cooper S by the
bonnet slot for the intercooler. This gives it plenty of visual
punch, though it’s more subtle than some would like it.
You do get more grunt by courtesy of the blower
mounted on the standard 1.6-litre engine, but it’s not of the
real push-in-the-back variety that you get from cars like the
Subaru WRX. The Cooper S has good torque from the bottom end of
the rev range and it continues in a linear fashion all the way to
the redline. The biggest advantage of a supercharger is that you
get torque that comes in virtually instantly, unlike that of a
turbocharged engine, that usually comes in an annoying half second
or so after you need it.
What you will really enjoy in the MINI Cooper S
is the howl from the blower once you get stuck into the engine. It
simply screams and wails as you work it up and down through the
tacho dial and is sure to bring a smile to the face of anyone who
likes a car with real character. And may we suggest that if you
don’t like what you hear then you had better buy something else
instead?
Fuel consumption is good for a performance
machine, with the six-speed MINI generally using seven to eight
litres per hundred kilometres on motorways. Only hard drivers will
see it rise over 10 litres per hundred in suburban and city use.
These cars excel in their on-road dynamics. The
steering is almost kart-like in its response, some may find it too
quick in its reactions. Stick with it and you get the hang of the
way the MINI darts around in response to your steering wheel
input. This is not a car for a sloppy driver who is more
interested in show than real go and pure driver involvement.
It comes as no surprise that the suspension is
on the firm side. The result is a ride that’s on the harsh side
on rough Aussie bush roads. We’re not talking dirt roads here,
but normal country back tracks that have seen better days.
The front seats of the Checkmate are well shaped
and provide good support, on the proviso that leather is
inherently a slippery material. The rear seat isn’t particularly
easy to get into but provides reasonable space for average sized
adults in an emergency. As is generally the way with a car in this
class there has to be some compromise between front and rear
legroom.
Boot space is good for a smallish coupe and the
rear hatch gives you good access to the area. Large suitcases need
not apply, but two or three soft bags suited to a week in the
country will squeeze into it without any real fuss.
Unlike some of the new MINIs we drove in the
early days, this latest one didn’t have any rattles in the body.
Quality control has obviously improved in the four years the MINI
has been on the market and they seem to be shaping up reasonable
well on the used-car market. The latter was a slight worry in the
early days as there was a feeling that the MINI would turn into a
fad, and fads by their very nature are short lived.
Clever marketing on a product that was good in
the first place has been further enhanced by special models such
as the Checkmate. The MINI guys seem to have a sixth sense of when
their baby car is starting to go off the boil on the market and
introduce something different at just the right moment.
AT A GLANCE
MODEL RANGE
Mini Cooper Checkmate 1.6-litre three-door hatch
- $34,500
Mini Cooper S Checkmate 1.6-litre three-door
hatch - $43,500
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard on all models
Air Conditioning: Standard on all models
Automatic Transmission: $2200 option on all
models
CD Player: Standard on all models
Central Locking: Standard on all models
Cruise Control: $690 option on Cooper, standard
on Cooper S
Driver Airbag: Standard on all models
Passenger Airbag: Standard on all models
Front Side Airbags: Standard on all models
SPECIFICATIONS (Mini Cooper Checkmate 1.6-litre
three-door hatch)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 1.598 litres
Configuration: Four cylinders in line
Head Design: SOHC, four valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 10.6:1
Bore/Stroke: 85.8 x 77.0mm
Maximum Power: 85kW @ 6000rpm
Maximum Torque: 149Nm @ 4500rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: Front
Manual Transmission: Five-speed
Automatic Transmission: Six-speed
Final Drive Ratio: 3.94:1
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 3626mm
Wheelbase: 2467mm
Width: 1688mm
Height: 1408mm
Turning Circle: 10.7 metres
Kerb Mass: 1155kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 50 litres
Towing Ability: 500kg (650kg with braked
trailer)
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: MacPherson struts, anti-roll
bar
Rear Suspension: Multi-arm, anti-roll bar
Front Brakes: Ventilated disc
Rear Brakes: Disc
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 9.7 secs
Standing 400 Metres: 17.2 secs
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Fuel Type: Petrol 95RON
Fuel Consumption - Combined Cycle (ADR 81/01):
6.8 L/100km
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Two years / unlimited km
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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