Mini Cooper S car review
Sporty cars usually equals bad fuel mileage, but the iconic Mini Cooper S offers wonderful sports handling for minimal fuel consumption.The original Mini was launched in 1959. It was very compact but used its space brilliantly. The car brought motoring to the masses thanks to its rock bottom price and excellent fuel mileage. It turned into one of the most popular and instantly recognisable cars of all time and was a success all round the globe.
BMW relaunched the Mini in 2001. It retained the original styling but the car had grown up with contemporary features that the spartan original lacked. The cabin was more luxurious, the car drove and felt like a modern car, it was safe in the event of an accident, and overall it offered much more practicality over the original. Even so, the new Mini very definitely retained the character of the orginal car which was very important.
BMW predicted annual sales of 100,000 vehicles but in reality sold twice that figure. The reincarnation of the Mini was an instant hit. The new car is now in its second generation and continues to sell well, sparking rival fuel efficient classics to be produced such as the Fiat 500 and VW Beetle.
True to the original, fuel mileage was a key factor in the second generation Mini. The sporty Cooper S isn't the most economical of the Mini's currently on sale (that accolade goes to the incredible Mini diesel), but it retains links to the Mini's motorsport past while still offering amazing modern day fuel efficiency.
The Mini Cooper S has an economy of 6.9 litres/100km, so it's a real fuel miser. However its 1.6 litre turbocharged 4 cylinder can also take you from 0 - 100 km/h in 7.1 seconds, and produces 128 kW of power. But probably the main design element that makes this car so fun to drive is not its engine but the fact that BMW chose to keep the trademark wheel at each corner stance that the original had. This gives the car its signature go kart handling dynamics that made the original such a success on the track. The steering is just so fun. Its really accurate and you feel like you can really throw this car into corners without getting into trouble. Its such a forgiving car to drive and gives you so much feedback.
The cars suspension is necessarily firm yet still copes well with bumpy road conditions. The Cooper S also has a very slick feeling 6 speed manual gearbox.
Needless to say though the more you put your foot down and the more fun you have, the less fuel efficient the Cooper S will be. In fact you'll get nowhere near the advertised 6.9 l/100km. In order to get this kind of efficiency you've got to drive sedately - a difficult demand in a car as fun as this. On the bright side though, even when putting your foot down you'll still be spending far less on fuel than with other sporty cars, so its ok to go a little crazy once in a while and not feel bad about the environment or your wallet.
Overall the Mini Cooper S is a fun and iconic little car that comes well recommended.
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