Australian Car Guide

By Jonathan Plowman

For BMW, the choice to market the Mini Cooper as a stand-alone brand seems to have worked wonders, especially since the Australian release of the mean, lean on-road machine in March 2002.

According to BMW, initial sales of the Cooper S in Australia captured the highest proportion of Mini sales of any world market, with global demand so strong that we are only likely to see 1700 more of them until the end of the year.

After just one drive around the block, there is no doubt that the Cooper S drops more jaws than your average $40,000 small car and - better still - is thrillingly fast to boot.

The six-speed short-shift manual gearbox slingshots you forward so effortlessly that you'll be double checking the manual to see whether a 1.6-litre engine is really under the bonnet.

The trouble is that behind all the bells and whistles, good looks and boundless energy is a tiny car that comes with all the flaws of its four-generation-old father.

Aside from the impracticality issue, the Mini's cabin is too noisy and its suspension is ruthlessly firm (even by sports car standards) across even the smallest of bumps.

An hour of zipping around inner city streets and I was ready to check in to my chiropractor, especially after going over one to many railway crossings.

This you could live with if driving around a 1985 Mazda 323, but not a $40,000 car straight off the assembly line.

Pricing & Fuel Economy

At $39,990 the Cooper S is a lot of cash for something so diminutive - actually, it's a fair bit over double what most motorists pay for the likes of a Mazda 2 or Honda Jazz nowadays. Then again, most small cars aren't capable of screaming to 100km/h in 7.4 seconds and hugging turns like your everyday roadster.

The exorbitant price tag won't offend those after a novelty car that draws this much attention. Case in point - I was stopped three times over the course of a weekend by eager motorists wanting to know how she drove.

The entry model Cooper starts off at $32,650, and while retaining the basic theme of the dearer Cooper S - the same headlights, upright windscreen and interior styling - it's not even close on the road.

The extra $7,000 gives you rally-type sports performance, better steering and suspension and a sharper, sportier look.

The re-designed bonnet features an air intake scoop, the bumpers have been beefed up and the twin tailpipes are centrally mounted. Then there's the black side-sills, extended wheel arches and a distinctive roof spoiler.

Fuel economy is a little over what most small cars run on today, but the mechanically driven supercharger under the bonnet doesn't drink up as much as you'd expect.

Pushed to its maximum it will swallow up an average of about 11 litres per 100 kilomteres but conservative driving should result in figures in the mid 8's.

Performance, Handling & Overall Ride

On its official web site, BMW says that Mini is not just a brand, it's a way of life … With that advice, if accelerating at full throttle, drawing stares and enduring plenty of bumps along the way is your ideal lifestyle, go down to your local Mini dealership and jump on the waiting list.

The new Minis were designed for that go-kart-like feeling, but we feel more should have been done to soften the blow on the short, lumpy bumps.

Sure, BMW has deliberately tuned suspension on the firm side but small potholes, broken surfaces and cobble bluestone roads felt like landmines on Melbourne's inner streets.

Watch out for slight deviations in ground surface as well because as efficiently as the Cooper S grips the road around corners, it can lurch ominously one way or the other if it hits a snag.

In terms of grunt, the base model Cooper is caught napping at the lights compared to the Cooper S. That turbocharged engine is guaranteed to thrill not just petrol heads that know every car backwards, but three-quarter pant-wearing yuppies eager for a new weekend toy.

The six-speed gearbox is a delight to move through and the trip from 0-100km/h takes just 7.4 seconds - a lot of pepper for a 1.6-litre engine. By virtue of its weight (1140kg) and tubocharged engine, speed off the line is immediate, with the Cooper S closing in on high-performance sports territory here.

Reversing is a pain sometimes, with the the shift lever a bit stiff when sliding from neutral to reverse.

Much has been made of the new Mini's sublime handling, which we're happy to say is as near to perfect as any small car in this price range. For a vehicle with this shorter wheelbase (2.47 metres), the go-kart like connectedness to the road is amazing, and the same can be said of the brakes.

Mini recently snagged the celebrity hosting spot for the 2003 Melbourne Grand Prix, so one would hope accidents are down this year in view of her terrific cornering abilities.

Safety & Security

BMW didn't leave safety out of the equation, with the manufacturers beefing up the Cooper S with a heap of features.

For starters, it's fitted with run-flat tyres, which prevent the tyre walls from rubbing together when deflated, or the tyre from jumping off the rim in the event of a puncture.

The driver can continue for 150km at up to 80km/h, with a warning light on the speedometer serving as a warning for any loss of pressure.

Not just that, but the Cooper S comes with six airbags - two head air bags, another two for both front seat occupants as well as two more side air bags.

Fitted as standard is a Automatic Stability Control with Traction Control (ASC + T) system, which can be disabled at the customer's request.

ASC + T ensures that the extra power to the front wheels is safely conveyed, with the system automatically cutting power to any spinning wheel until it grips again.

Top notch marks for Mini here in terms of safety, with central locking and remote control key features rounding out the security department. An alarm system triggered by unauthorised entry through the doors or windows is optional.

Aesthetics & Innovation

Again, full marks to BMW for coming up with one of the smartest and sleekest-looking cars seen for a long time.

Designers have done a superb job constructing a futuristic, eye-catching small car from the foundations of the 60's icon that sporned the Mini brand.

The Cooper S has been dealt all the aggressive, athletic ques that $7,000 gets you nowadays, making the base-model appear rather bare-boned in comparison.

The Cooper S comes with a pronounced bonnet scoop that feeds air into the intercooler, an integrated honeycomb grille in the front spoiler, wider wheel arches, a roof spoiler, a centrally mounted twin chrome exhaust tip and, just for the finishing touch, an alloy fuel cap. Wow.

Inside, a sporty dashboard swiped in a glossy aluminum finish is unique to say the least, while a mammoth centrally mounted tacho is the only feature not in keeping with the styling of the original 1957 Mini.

Initially, it's difficult to get used to the vast number of dash mounted toggle switches on display, which resemble the cockpit of an aeroplane to the unacquainted,, but once you find where the power windows and interior light switches are it all becomes a lot easier.

The sporty seats are comfortable but more so in the rear, while a firm sports steering wheel and aluminium gear stick augment the sporty flavour.

Low-points? No major ones apart from perhaps the tacky Mini fabric labels on both front seats, which scream out "toy car".

Room & Added Features

To be critical of the lack of room in the Mini Cooper is grossly unfair, for prospective buyers already know what they're in for by name alone. Let's put it this way - it's a vast improvement over the old Mini, with enough leg and head room to please those up front.

Although rear seat legroom is a bit squashy, if the driver pulls their seat forward a couple of rungs the ride is comfortable enough in the back. It's those bumps that might take a toll on the body; not the lack of space so much.

The boot is large enough to fit a box of groceries and that's about it, so if carrying a number of bulky items is on the itinerary it's best to travel with just one passenger.

Standard interior equipment on the Cooper S includes six airbags, sixteen-inch light-alloy wheels, remote central locking, air conditioning, electric windows and mirrors, an in-dash CD player with six speakers and a service interval indicator.

Optional equipment includes an electric sunroof, cruise control, an anti-theft alarm system, climate control, Xenon headlights and a satellite navigation system.

ECARS Verdict

Just like VW's novelty car, the new Beetle, the Cooper S has plenty of good points, but finds it difficult to mask its obvious flaws.

Probably best that the German manufacturer chose to make Mini a stand-alone brand, because the Cooper S certainly doesn't live up to BMW's corporate maxim "Sheer Driving Pleasure".

It's not the world's most practical car and its harsh ride makes it the wrong choice for day-to-day commuting or long-winded trips.

However, for many drivers that wish to sacrifice sensibility for fun factor and style, this may be your dream car.

You certainly won't be disappointed by the number of oohs and agghhs the Cooper S attracts, and its mighty turbocharged engine is muscly enough to keep up with most of today's mid-range sports coupes.

Prices
Mini Cooper S $39,900.00 *** (Test car)
Mini Cooper $32,650.00