Mini makes great companion in Windy City journey
Exploring Chicago’s architectural style in new, economical five-door compact
CHICAGO— Say yes to any road trip. That’s my mantra. It could be in our well-aged Jetta, or in a freshly minted Mini Cooper S, our companion for a recent summer spree in Chicago.
I left early to visit relatives near my birthplace in Hammond, Ind. My husband met me there in the Mini. We took the excellent public transit system in to explore Chicago, then enjoyed a summer saunter home, stopping in the craft brew capital of Ann Arbor, the nicely preserved town of Marshall, Mich., and lingering in Detroit to photograph the abandoned Michigan Central Station, where the last train rumbled through in 1988.
The U.S. Midwest is a great destination for road trips — there’s baseball in Detroit and rock ’n’ roll worship in Cleveland, but the cosmic epicentre is Chicago, where architecture, culture and food converge in a lively brew.
A submersion in design and architecture in Chicago set up a perfect context to study what’s right about the style of the all-new Mini Cooper S 5 Door. Base price of the 2015 model is $26,740; with extra packages and options, the price on our test model was $34,330.
The exterior hangs together nicely. What could look like a shoebox with the wrong lid on it instead appears balanced and cheeky. A 161-millimetre longer footprint is countered by an 11 millimetre higher roof. The new measurements keep it from looking like a blow-up toy, and those two back doors don’t take away from the sporty intent.
Inside, I enjoyed one of the best qualities of little cars, the road disappearing right under the windshield, which gives a sensation of speed. Buckled into the front seats, the generoussized windshield and windows give the Mini a tour-bus view of the world whizzing by.
Accompanying the scenery is the audio of the four-cylinder turbo, with its growly baritone barking through the gears of our six-speed manual. With 189 horsepower, the Cooper S is eager to scamper without being squirrelly, and spooning through gear changes is precise and pleasurable. Quick steering response will send you searching for twisty roads, and the longer wheelbase partnered with the optional dynamic damper control helps the Mini dance over rough roads.
Different driving modes are offered from Green to Sport. Sport is where most enthusiasts will linger as all inputs sharpen up for “go-kart” experience, including a stiffer ride that’s either bubbly or bumpy, depending on your tolerance. Swayed by performance excitement, I found myself driving the Mini with the revs spinning on the high side, making the cabin noisy and battering the fuel economy.
Rooted in the contoured driver’s seat, the view of the Mini cabin is a sea of orbs. Gauges, air vents, cup holders, door pulls, the gearshift knob are all around. The interior is sharper than it used to be, less cartoonish, more quality. An eight-inch display with touchscreen control is crisp and easy to work; navigation was a cinch to program, and using the Mini Connected feature, I could even record voice notes (from the passenger seat, of course) on driving impressions.
It wouldn’t be a Mini without mood lighting, including a ring around the central display that glows red when in Sport mode, and a subtle sweep of light in all four-door panels. Optional driver’s aids are plentiful, including park
assist that can be helpful or intrusive. At the U.S. border crossing, an alarm went off because it detected we were too close to the booth. For a small car, the Mini feels roomy and airy, even in the back seat, where two can sit, but three is a stretch. To get there, you must jackknife your body through the small rear doors. The BMW branding iron runs deep through the Mini, so it’s interesting that my U.S. relatives thought an English company was still making it. After a visit and some storytelling, we were off to Chicago.
Vertical, vivacious Chicago reveals it- self like a tumble of kid’s building blocks. The best way to get grounded is to get onto the water. A cruise on the Chicago River run by the Chicago Architecture Foundation immerses a visitor in the beauty and history of the city’s landmark buildings Mail order pioneers Montgomery Ward’s offices and warehouses line the river. The 1930s Merchandise Mart was conceived for Marshall Field, the abandoned Chicago Main Post Office totalled nine floors, 2.5 million square feet, and straddled an expressway. From the Renaissance-inspired 1924 Wrigley Building to the marvellous new Aqua Tower, looking like a spunsugar confection, the view of Chicago from the river is all about sensory splendour.
After the cruise, we drifted in to the River Roast restaurant — a James Beard chef, craft beer, water views and chubby chickens carved at your table. Sprint away from lunch to admire the movable bridges of Chicago. In a 3.2kilometre stretch, 18 of them cross the Chicago River, designed to allow transport from Lake Michigan to the Des Plaines River and beyond. Ornate tender houses fit with lifts to move the bridges are a study in craftsmanship.
We sprint lake-bound on Wacker Drive toward the Art Institute of Chicago — since 1893, it’s been a monument to creativity. We waltzed between modern and contemporary art, gazing at canvases by Matisse and Pi- casso before snacking at the pretty outdoor café. Home base was the crisp new AC Hotel by Marriott, just a block away from Michigan Avenue and a brisk sixminute walk to the splendid Millennium Park. We left the hotel, walked to the Pritzker Pavilion designed by Canadian architect Frank Gehry, and went weak-kneed at the sight of hundreds of people contorting to Zumba, salsa and hip hop. It was a hot sauce exercise class, Chicago-style. To calm down, we strolled through the lavender and daisy swaths of the nearby Lurie Garden.
Then, it was time to leave Chicago. The Mini was pointed toward Ann Arbor, where a street festival showcased craft beer, and we longed to see a football game in the 150,000-seat Michigan Stadium. Overnighting at the quaint town of Marshall, Mich., set us up for a slow roll into Detroit via the Corktown neighbourhood. We spied the massive Michigan Central Station, a monument to rail travel, and idle. Beautiful in its decay, it is one of the most photographed buildings in Detroit. The trip was too short; the Midwest can be mined for so much more, with Chicago as a hub of an industrious spirit that still simmers. Kathy Renwald is a regular contributor to Toronto Star Wheels. This trip, for which the car was provided by the manufacturer, was partially subsidized by Choose Chicago. To reach Wheels Editor Norris McDonald: nmcdonald@thestar.ca