MINI turns up the heat

Verdict on Cooper S Works 210, plus Seven special

THE MINI Cooper S Works 210 is a new model in the British-built range that bridges the gap between the standard Cooper S and the more hardcore JCW. It costs £2,710 more than the S, and gets a series of tweaks including more power.

It’s a rival for the new Ford Fiesta ST 200, but unlike that car, most of the upgrades are fitted at your local dealer – perhaps more comparable to a Mountune-fettled ST, complete with aftermarket MP215 package.

The Works 210 comes out of the factory as a standard MINI Cooper S, albeit with a JCW bodykit. That means it gets the front and rear bumpers from the hotter model, plus 17-inch alloy wheels and a spoiler. Your dealer fits a new exhaust and ECU upgrade to bring power up from 189bhp to 207bhp, while torque stays at 300Nm.

It’s not just a bigger exhaust, though: it has the same system you get on the racy MINI Challenge, and features a Bluetooth control that lets you open the valves. MINI says it’s for track use only, though, as it’s louder than road regulations allow.

However, even in standard mode, the exhaust sounds great, with pops and crackles on the overrun. Yet in Track Mode it’s something else altogether, with a deep growl at idle, building to a roar at high revs. It adds a new level of fun to the car and you can’t help but love the madness of it. You can feel the extra power on the road, too, especially at the top end. While there’s still a useful lump of mid-range torque that means the engine is flexible, the best of the pull comes as you push towards the limiter.

The Works 210 is not as quick as a full-fat JCW, but the advantage of this car is that it’s easier to live with every day. The suspension set-up is more forgiving, and while it’s not exactly supple, it doesn’t skip over bumps as much as this car’s hotter sibling.

Of course, as it’s a Cooper S, it’s great to drive as well, with well weighted and direct steering, good body control and lots of grip. It darts around tight corners like little else – except the Fiesta ST, which is not only better to drive, but cheaper, too. While the base price for the Cooper S Works 210 appears decent value, you’ll pay through the nose as soon as you look at the options list.

The Fiesta is a thorn in the MINI’S side, then. This Works 210 beats it for style, but isn’t quite such a well rounded package. It’s not as practical as a Fiesta ST, either, with just 211 litres of boot space, trailing the Ford’s 290 litres, plus there’s not as much rear legroom. But this is still a cool car, and the JCW add-ons strike a good balance between the chic look of the basic version and a pumped-up racer.

The interior has a funky design, too; it’s no different from a regular Cooper S, but feels more upmarket than the Ford.