What is it?
2007 Mini Cooper
What's special about it?
Fans of the current Mini Cooper prone to worrying that the car would somehow get ruined in the redesign process can breathe a sigh of relief. We got a good, hard look at the 2007 Mini Cooper here in Paris, and even with the "old" model's cabriolet version (which will still be sold for a year or two) sitting not 10 feet away, it was hard to spot differences.
Dr. Michael Ganal, director of sales and marketing for BMW/Mini, said in his unveiling speech, "The car is an icon in people's minds," adding, "A Mini is supposed to look the way it looks."
So instead of changing the look of the car, which customers clearly did not want, the goal of this redesign was to update the mechanicals to be more state-of-the-art, address shortcomings in the current car and meet regulations that have tightened since the last one was penned.
The front overhang and nose were reshaped to meet Europe's stringent pedestrian impact standards, and the remaining body shape changes were primarily crafted to balance the look of the car against the reworked front clip. The car is 2.5 inches longer than its predecessor but the width and height are the same. Its wheelbase is also unchanged, but no body panels are carried over.
That new nose also provides more underhood space, and BMW stepped up with two all-new engines, both displacing 1.6 liters. The twin-scroll turbocharged, direct-injected Cooper S mill puts out 175 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, while the base engine develops 120 hp and 118 lb-ft of torque. A whopping 20-percent increase in fuel economy is also predicted for both.
Inside, the interior adds function to the preexisting fun. You like the toggle switches? This one has a second cluster up by the rearview mirror. Fond of that large central speedo? The new one is even bigger, and now houses the radio's controls and display. The previous tilt-only wheel now telescopes, and the cupholders actually hold cups. Best of all, the seats are comfortable and the controls are easier to reach.
What's Edmunds' take?
The new Mini, which will go on sale in late February, does not seem to be infected with the creeping death-bloat disease that eventually killed off cars like the 240Z and RX-7. Rather, BMW has taken the Porsche 911 approach, in that it intends to keep the timeless look of the Mini, well, timeless, and tweak and evolve the car to make it better without altering the "design language" or scaling it up. So far, so good, but how does it drive? We'll know that in a few days. — Dan Edmunds
2007 Mini Cooper
What's special about it?
Fans of the current Mini Cooper prone to worrying that the car would somehow get ruined in the redesign process can breathe a sigh of relief. We got a good, hard look at the 2007 Mini Cooper here in Paris, and even with the "old" model's cabriolet version (which will still be sold for a year or two) sitting not 10 feet away, it was hard to spot differences.
Dr. Michael Ganal, director of sales and marketing for BMW/Mini, said in his unveiling speech, "The car is an icon in people's minds," adding, "A Mini is supposed to look the way it looks."
So instead of changing the look of the car, which customers clearly did not want, the goal of this redesign was to update the mechanicals to be more state-of-the-art, address shortcomings in the current car and meet regulations that have tightened since the last one was penned.
The front overhang and nose were reshaped to meet Europe's stringent pedestrian impact standards, and the remaining body shape changes were primarily crafted to balance the look of the car against the reworked front clip. The car is 2.5 inches longer than its predecessor but the width and height are the same. Its wheelbase is also unchanged, but no body panels are carried over.
That new nose also provides more underhood space, and BMW stepped up with two all-new engines, both displacing 1.6 liters. The twin-scroll turbocharged, direct-injected Cooper S mill puts out 175 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, while the base engine develops 120 hp and 118 lb-ft of torque. A whopping 20-percent increase in fuel economy is also predicted for both.
Inside, the interior adds function to the preexisting fun. You like the toggle switches? This one has a second cluster up by the rearview mirror. Fond of that large central speedo? The new one is even bigger, and now houses the radio's controls and display. The previous tilt-only wheel now telescopes, and the cupholders actually hold cups. Best of all, the seats are comfortable and the controls are easier to reach.
What's Edmunds' take?
The new Mini, which will go on sale in late February, does not seem to be infected with the creeping death-bloat disease that eventually killed off cars like the 240Z and RX-7. Rather, BMW has taken the Porsche 911 approach, in that it intends to keep the timeless look of the Mini, well, timeless, and tweak and evolve the car to make it better without altering the "design language" or scaling it up. So far, so good, but how does it drive? We'll know that in a few days. — Dan Edmunds
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