Facial heir
This is the modern Mini MkIII – born back in 2013 and revitalised with yet another facelift for 2021 and beyond. The Cooper S might not be too long for this world, however, because Mini is to be the first brand in the BMW Group to go fully electric.
Anyway, check out the hefty new snout (very BMW) and that odd moustache-like surround. Apparently it offers a wider and more aggressive look, although we’re unsure why that would be necessary. Still, it fits with the piano black vibe that Mini is pushing; there’s also a new Black Pack that de-chromes the entire car. Shame – the Mini hatch is one of the few cars that suits a bit of chintz.
Despite the electrification chatter, the Cooper S resolutely retains its small car, big engine character. The 2.0-litre turbocharged BMW four-pot is still present, sending its 176bhp to the front wheels. A 6spd manual gearbox is standard fit too, although here we’ve got the optional 7spd auto.
There isn’t the drama of a first-gen Cooper S – thank the lack of a supercharger for that – but 207lb ft of torque means it’s a pleasingly brawny powertrain. The £1,700 DCT is seamless when slushing shifts together and improves 0–62mph times by a tenth, but we’d stick with the notchy manual for a proper junior hot hatch feel.
Perhaps the biggest update concerns the dampers. Not something we find ourselves saying often. Mini’s new adaptive suspension actually ditches the electronic damping of old, replacing it with a mechanical set-up that’s firm in normal driving but is far better at dealing with bigger jolts, sending less shudder through the cockpit and making the hatch feel more grown up as a result.
Through the corners it’s as impressive as ever, although there is an artificial heft to the steering weight in Sport mode. Without a configurable individual set-up, you’ll often keep the Mini in ‘Mid’ mode to get the best steering, but that then robs you of the sharper throttle and noisier pop-pop exhaust sound in Sport. A slight catch-22, and a perfect example of why – if you’re looking for out and out driving pleasure – you’ll buy a cheaper, more powerful Fiesta ST.