New Mini still feels playful
Bigger version offers more interior space
HENLEY-ON-THAMES, U.K. — The terrace at Fawley Court, a grand manor built in the 1600s and once occupied by William of Orange, overlooks topiary gardens and a deer park that once stretched all the way to Henley village. It’s easy to picture the lords and ladies who once mingled on the sweeping stairways framed by sculpted balustrades, chamber music floating across the ornamental ponds and formal gardens.
However, the cheeky little cars lined up on the terrace dispatch those romantic ghosts rather quickly. All dressed in Union Jack livery, they span generations of Minis from the 1960s original, to the latest — a five-door version of the Cooper hatch that is the three-millionth “New Mini” to roll off the production line since 2001.
When Sir Alex Issigonis stuffed the first transverse engine between the front wheels of a tiny new British car in 1959, he also turned the automotive world on its axis. The Mini was not only a raging success, it completely revolutionized car engineering conventions. Designers were no longer confined by the traditional long hood, nor to make allowance for transmission tunnels protruding into precious cabin space. Thus, a new generation of small, front-wheel-drive cars was born.
Sir Alec was knighted in recognition of his genius, and lived long enough to see the Mini sell more than five million units.
While the original was born out of necessity, launched during a time of fuel crisis and the need for compact yet efficient transport, its successor, unveiled by BMW in 2001, had a more exclusive appeal. While the new Mini’s characteristic cuteness paid tribute to the original, under its skin it was essentially a BMW.
The new Mini has its passionate devotees, but it has also earned plenty of criticism over the years for sub-par interior quality despite its premium price. While various iterations and sizes of Minis have since appeared, some of which clearly answered customers’ needs, others of which are fading quietly into oblivion, the new Mini Five-Door finally boasts a cockpit worthy of its BMW parentage.
The Cooper hatch has been a fabulous success, but its characteristic three-door configuration has also proved limiting, in a segment dominated by five-door vehicles.
The Countryman, which sells well here in Canada, is not only much larger, but will only be available as an all-wheel-drive crossover in the near future. Buyers craving the Mini’s legendary go-kart-like handling were either forced to endure the cramped confines of the existing hatch or shop elsewhere, opting for a Ford Fiesta or VW Golf.
With the Five-door, Mini hopes to lure back those customers with practicality and extra room. What’s more, while previous incarnations such as the Paceman or Coupe were incongruously awkward, the newest car manages to look like a Mini.
The Mini Five-door is 161 mil- limetres longer than the hatch, which gives it 72 mm of extra legroom, and 15 mm of added headroom. Externally, it’s only marginally wider than the twodoor model, but the engineers have managed to carve out an extra 61 mm of interior elbow width. Cargo space increases by 67 litres to 278 L, or 941 L with the rear seats folded flat.
While the interior still maintains the whimsical playful character of its branding, it’s light years ahead in design and quality. The signature gigantic round graphic interface remains, but the speedo has been relocated to the more ergonomically friendly gauge pod and the window controls are on the arm rests where you’d expect them to be.
Switchgear feels BMW-solid and well crafted, and upholstery in our Cooper S test car is highquality leather, while base models are fabric. There are the fun touches we’d expect from a Mini: selecting Sport mode not only quickens the throttle response, but the speedo’s outer ring glows red, and the graphic display reads Maximum Go-Kart Feel. The infotainment system, controlled by a toggle taken directly from the BMW parts bin, includes all the requisite connectivity apps, including, unfortunately, Twitter and Facebook. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.
It’s a comfortable and relatively roomy environment, although the company’s claims that the rear will seat three is a bit ambitious. Two, certainly, as long as they’re not large people.
While there are six engines available for a variety of markets, Canadian-spec cars will be limited to a pair of twin-scroll turbo-powered gasoline engines: a 1.5-L three-cylinder producing 134 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, and a 2.0-L four-cylinder with 189 hp and 207 lb ft. They’re available with either a six-speed automatic with start/stop technology or a six-speed manual.
On the road, the Five-door Cooper S exhibits the same romping playfulness that’s made the hatch such a favourite. It doesn’t feel small, but gives the impression that it’s a more solid and substantial premium car.
The Five-door Mini arrives here later this year, priced to start at $22,240 for the three-cylinder Cooper Five-door, and $26,740 for the four-cylinder Cooper S.