Mini Cooper 2002 Review

OVERVIEW
A successful 21st century restyle of a 1960s classic, Mini has outstripped every other retro model to emerge in the last five years, including the disappointing Volkswagen Beetle.

Somehow, BMW has managed to capture all the nostalgia surrounding the original Mini and package it full of 21st century design, technology and quality. It's light, it's compact and it handles almost like the original. Rides a lot better, too.

The original Mini was actually built in Australia for 17 years, from 1961 to 1978. In fact, the Mini was still manufactured in the UK in close to original guise up until early 2000 -- almost 41 years after its world introduction in 1959.

Three models make up the Mini range: base model Cooper, supercharged Cooper S and high performance Cooper S Works. All feature the same 1.6-litre, four-cylinder engine in varying states of tune, and with requisite suspension and body-kit enhancements to suit.

And the story doesn't end there. In May 2004 CarPoint flew to France to experience the next chapter in the Mini resurgence: the Cabrio. Australians will get their chance to buy a Mini Cabrio from January 2005, and it'll be offered in both Cooper and Cooper S specification. At the time of writing a price wasn't available, but we're reliably informed that it'll carry a premium of less than $8000 over the hardtop versions.

That leaves precious few Mini derivatives to revive, though we're assured that there's more on the way. According to one BMW group boardmember CarPoint spoke to, a five-door hatch will join the line-up, but not until the next generation, due in 2007. And what about a four-wheel drive version? Or a panel van? Or a Moke? Anything's possible, he said, with enough customer demand.

FEATURES
Though some of the 'new-ness' of the new Mini is starting to wear off, the diminutive hatchback still turns heads. Basically it's a 21st century take on the original, with plenty of design cues carried over, and none of the eccentricities that often tried your patience. Reliability, solidity and safety are bywords of Mini's owner, BMW.

The new Mini is 3.8m long, 1.7m wide and 1.4m tall. This is bigger than the original, and has tangible benefits inside the cabin, and in the rigidity and crash-worthiness of the vehicle's structure.

Equipment levels on the Mini depend on which model you're talking about, but all have electric windows and mirrors, remote central locking, CD player and air conditioning. Alloy wheels, anti-lock brakes and traction control are also standard across the range.

Inside, the massive centrally-mounted instrument dial is present on overseas models, though on Australian models it is be the tachometer, with the speedo mounted on the steering wheel.

The Cooper S is distinguished from its naturally aspirated cousin by a number of external enhancements. That bonnet scoop is the most obvious, feeding air into the intercooler, while a revised bumper with larger airdam feeds air into the engine bay.

Other changes are more cosmetic than purposeful; the chrome grill is replaced with a body coloured version, there's an alloy fuel cap, body coloured tailgate handle and centrally mounted twin chrome exhaust tip. The Cooper S also gains a roof mounted rear spoiler, as much for looks as any real aerodynamic benefit.

Mention 'John Cooper Works' to a hard-core Mini fan and it will probably revive memories of 'flying bricks' racing to victory in the Monte Carlo rallies of the '60s. John Cooper was famous for turning humble Minis into giant-killing racers, scoring numerous victories around the world including a Bathurst win in 1966.

But if you're a Mini nut hoping that the $9600 'Works' tuning kit will turn the Cooper S into a fire-breathing road racer, you might be disappointed. The 'Works' Cooper S is all about providing extra performance without detracting in any way from an already impressive performance package. Hence the tiny 'Works' badge that distinguishes the hot-shoe Mini from its lesser siblings, and the tweaked 1.6-litre supercharged engine that delivers an extra 27kiloWatts, in an understated manner.

Now to the Cabrio: Full points to BMW for rethinking the up-or-down soft top roof. Push a button, mounted above the rear view mirror, and the front half of the roof slides back in its rails, kinda like a sunroof above the front seats. Push that button again and the roof begins the more conventional task of folding away behind the rear seats. Not the cleanest stowage in roof-down position, but the only feasible one given the Mini's diminutive rear end.

COMFORT
There's a surprising amount of interior room for front seat occupants, and it's easy to achieve a good driving position with seat and steering wheel adjustments. Headroom for this 5'10" bloke is fine in both the front and rear seats, though we did find rear seat legroom cramped. The coupe's back seat has enough room for two adults, but is too cosy to make this viable for long trips. And the boot? Well, it will fit the eski for that weekend picnic, but not much else.

The Mini's funky interior is a contemporary mix of soft materials and exposed aluminium. The sports seats, chunky sports steering wheel, aluminium gear lever, dash-mounted toggle switches all recall the original, though the under-dash shelf revealed on the 2001 model disappeared with the 2004 update - replaced by a conventional glovebox.

Another welcome change from 2001 to 2004 model is the new metallic interior finish which replaces the crook ‘unfinished' metal-look on dash front and door braces. No longer looks like the kids attacked it with sandpaper.

The cabin is quiet at speed and all controls are within easy reach. Those fabulous flick switches are carried over from the original, and now feature high tech LED lights on the tip to indicate on or off. The gear lever is centrally mounted, and about half as long, twice as quick and ten times more accurate than the original.

On first glance the Cabrio's boot space seems unfeasibly small, and it is. Just large enough to swallow two overnight bags, it nonetheless can carry more if you fold the rear seats. Oh, it also features a nifty "wide mouth" opening system whereby you can enlarge the boot aperture by raising the lower edge of the roof. Smart thinking, blue.

One other aspect of the Cabrio is its true 2+2 ability. Yes it is possible to slot two adults into the back seat, even with the roof up. Head room's quite amazing in the rear, though legroom and indeed shoulder room is less than ideal. Legroom and under-seat foot-room relies heavily on compromises from the front seat occupant, while two thick side bolsters -- required for the folding roof -- restrict outboard shoulder room, meaning you sit on an angle in the rear and quite close to the other occupant.

SAFETY
Mini comes with a 21st century body designed and built to protect occupants in a crash, unlike the original. In fact, Mini's body is extremely strong, and despite the small car size, is said to perform as well as a BMW 3 Series. All Mini models are equipped with dual front airbags, side airbags, antilock brakes and traction control.

The Mini Cabrio CarPoint drove at the international launch came equipped with EBD electronic brakeforce distribution, CBC corner braking control and DSC dynamic stability control. We're not 100 per cent sure these will be standard on Australian delivered cars, and will know more nearer the January 2005 on-sale date.

Mini's spent considerable time and money insuring that the removal of its roof doesn't adversely impact the Cabrio's crashworthiness. It's a two-edged sword, because a heavily braced car is a safe car, but every extra kilogram affects performance. To that end Mini's engineers have sought innovative ways to keep the strength up and the weight down.

One example is the extra tubing inside existing rails like the A pillar and door sill. Another is the flowing bar which connects the two rear headrests which ensure that, even roof-down, the occupants' heads will not hit the ground in a rollover.

MECHANICAL
The Mini Cooper is powered by a 1.6 litre four cylinder engine, and available with a choice of five-speed manual or CVT automatic transmission. The CVT, which stands for Continuously Variable Transmission, is offered in place of a conventional automatic gearbox, and has been programmed with a five-speed tiptronic manual mode.

The basic Cooper's powered by a perky 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine -- the result of a BMW/Chrysler joint venture -- which delivers 85kW to the front wheels. The CVT model adds $2200 to the asking price. Purists may opt for the manual, but won't find it as rewarding as they'd hope; it's too firm and notchy, and reluctant to accommodate quicker shifts.

The more expensive Cooper S still houses the 1.6-litre, four-cylinder engine under the tiny bonnet, but there are a number of changes to handle the 40kW power boost from the mechanical supercharger. The crankshaft, pistons, valves and radiator all spent time at the gym, bulking up for extra duty. Cooper S is also front wheel drive, though it gets a close ratio six-speed manual gearbox. Auto is not an option.

The suspension has also been modified to enhance the sporting feel of the Cooper S, with bigger anti-roll bars and firmer springs improving handling at surprisingly little cost to ride comfort.

Those looking to justify their purchase of the Mini on a value-for-money level will have a hard time. There are quite a few small hatchbacks with similar equipment levels, more room, and engines of equal power and performance for less money. Think French like Renault and Peugeot, think Japanese like Toyota Corolla, Mazda 323 and Honda Civic, just to name a few.

Add the Mini's incredibly stiff chassis and rorty, sporty handling to the equation and only the Renault Clio RS, Ford Focus ST170 and Astra Turbo would challenge it on a twisty road. The Toyota Corolla Sportivo is another that should be considered, though its five-door body may not have the desired exclusivity.

At $49,500, the Mini Cooper S 'Works' is not the cheapest way to get some pocket rocket thrills. But it will probably prove irresistible to Mini fans wanting to increase the fun while reliving Mini's glorious past.

Major competitors for the Cabrio are wide and varied. In the 2+2 world buyers will consider the Peugeot 206CC and 307CC, the Holden Astra and perhaps the Renault Megane. If the two extra seats aren't important, but sporty handling is, then the Mazda MX-5 swings into view. The MG TF is also an option.

COMPETITORS
Those looking to justify their purchase of the Mini on a value-for-money level will have a hard time. There are quite a few small hatchbacks with similar equipment levels, more room, and engines of equal power and performance for less money. Think French like Renault and Peugeot, think Japanese like Toyota Corolla, Mazda 323 and Honda Civic, just to name a few.

Add the Mini's incredibly stiff chassis and rorty, sporty handling to the equation and only the Renault Clio RS, Ford Focus ST170 and Astra Turbo would challenge it on a twisty road. The Toyota Corolla Sportivo is another that should be considered, though its five-door body may not have the desired exclusivity.

At $49,500, the Mini Cooper S 'Works' is not the cheapest way to get some pocket rocket thrills. But it will probably prove irresistible to Mini fans wanting to increase the fun while reliving Mini's glorious past.

Major competitors for the Cabrio are wide and varied. In the 2+2 world buyers will consider the Peugeot 206CC and 307CC, the Holden Astra and perhaps the Renault Megane. If the two extra seats aren't important, but sporty handling is, then the Mazda MX-5 swings into view. The MG TF is also an option.

ON THE ROAD
Simply put, the Mini Cooper and Cooper S are go karts with manners.

The Mini's relatively light weight and short suspension travel endow it with poise and stability on corners that makes it extremely addictive to drive. However, this lack of bump-soaking suspension travel really thumps home on poor quality roads. Bitumen joins, potholes and those all-too-common road ruts really do bang through.

That's not really a fault, rather a limitation placed on the suspension by the overall design of the vehicle. Speaking personally, we could learn to live with the banging and crashing -- because this minimal suspension travel endows the Mini with handling that's the equal of anything else under $40k.

If there is an Achilles heel on the new Mini it is the base car's engine. The 1.6 litre twin-cam four is a little lacklustre in its power delivery, especially given that the new Mini tips the scales at 1115kg -- that's almost 150kg heavier than the Hyundai Accent. BMW claims a 0-100km/h time of just 9.2 seconds, which feels rather optimistic to us, though that's not really the problem.

The problem is a lack of character. The rest of the Mini is so well executed and so full of character that the uninspiring engine just doesn't make the grade. The Mini Cooper S is a much better choice, and though it's $6000 more expensive, it is significantly better and more enjoyable to drive.

Step up again to the $50k Works model which feels faster than the standard 120kW 'S', as we discovered during back-to-back drives. It will race to 100km/h in 6.7seconds, 0.7 seconds faster than the Cooper S, and has a higher top speed of 226km/h. But the extra grunt is delivered in such a smooth and progressive way that you sometimes forget you're in a 'race-tuned' Mini.

Plant the throttle and after slight hesitation it surges strongly and cleanly to redline -- now at 6950rpm rather than 6000rpm. The extra torque is best felt when punching out of tight hairpins in second gear, or trying to get some extra speed during overtaking. The Works Mini also makes all the right noises. There's a more aggressive exhaust note at higher revs, and the supercharger whine sounds more like a race car than a daily driver.

So, whaddabout the Cabrio? It's a little ripper, really impressive on the road. Sure it's slower and heavier than the hard top, but you expect that. And given it started as a 1115kg coupe, the extra 135kg is acceptable. This extra weight does sap performance in higher gears where a lack of torque is quite noticeable. But the lower gears have been shortened and are fine for getting up to speed and shuffling around town.

Those hankering for a soft top sports car will need to make a few personal compromises if they buy a Mini. It'll do nothing but impress with its tenacious grip, communicative go-kart handling and light footed nimbleness, but the lack of grunt makes speed conservation between corners a must. Drop the revs, lose a few km/h and it takes a while to get them back. The naturally aspirated Cooper we tested certainly makes all the right, sporty sounds, but the incredibly slow sweep of the tacho gives lie to the engine's talk.

Relinquish your need for straight-line speed and the Cooper will only delight. The rather bluff windscreen and finicky rear wind blind deliver an amazingly still cabin roof-down, that allows conversation without extra volume even at 100km/h. That rear wind blind is only useable in concert with an empty rear seat -- engineers wanted to place it behind the rear seats, but wind being wind, tumbled into the cabin closer to the windscreen than they hoped. This dictated its placement, ahead of the rear head rests and across the rear seat.