There's no point in delaying the inevitable. What you really want to know is this: Yes, the new 2007 Mini drives like a real Mini — full of verve when pushed hard over challenging sections of blacktop. And, yes, it achieves the specific aim set out by parent company BMW by improving on its hugely successful predecessor in just about every conceivable area. There's a sophisticated air about the new car that I'm certain will see it attract an even wider audience than the outgoing model, of which some 800,000 have now rolled from the refurbished Mini factory in England since its introduction in 2001.
Our first impressions of the new Mini, in range-topping Cooper S guise no less, were gained on the Zandvoort race circuit in Holland. It's a challenging circuit, full of undulations, constant-radius corners and short straights set into the sand hills an hour's drive from the bustling city of Amsterdam. Although we were not permitted to test the new car on public roads, we still gained enough of a taste to reveal that it represents a big advance on the outgoing model.
A familiar face
Despite being described as all-new, the second generation of the reborn Mini shares a good deal with the car it replaces. The exterior design, for one, is very familiar. "When we asked customers for their feedback," said Product Manager Detlev Welters, "they told us they didn't want to change the exterior design at all. In fact, they thought it should stay the same."
With that in mind, the Mini's chief designer, Gert Hildbrand, has taken an evolutionary approach to the look of the new car, instilling it with not only the same basic appearance but also similar detailing. One thing's for sure, you won't mistake it for anything but a Mini.
The front-end appearance, as previewed by the Traveller concept first shown at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show, is the biggest departure from old. The hood now incorporates oval cutouts for the headlights, which are bolted directly to the inner structure for easier adjustment and greater stability. The front wheel arches are also fixed rather than forming part of the hood.
The changes not only greatly improve the Mini's pedestrian safety credentials, but are also claimed to make repairs easier and significantly cheaper. It's not all functional change, though. The air duct on the hood of the Cooper S now serves no real purpose other than to distinguish it from the lesser Cooper model.
Measure for measure
Dimensionally, the new model has grown, but only in length, which is up by some 2.4 inches to 145.1 inches — 2.2 inches of that concentrated within the front overhang alone for improved crash protection. Width and height remain the same at 66.5 and 55.5 inches, respectively. One interesting change is a shorter windscreen, although it retains the same upright angle as before. The 97-inch wheelbase is also retained.
Although it shares the same basic exterior styling and proportions as its predecessor, the new Mini does carry some significant underbody modifications. The front end has been redesigned to accept new engines, which are mounted a full 180 degrees from today's units, with the exhaust side facing forward for improved cooling and less heat buildup within the cabin. The front bulkhead and remainder of the floor pan are carried over without any major changes.
A warm, safe place to be
Inside, the new Mini's interior follows a design similar to that of its predecessor, but detailed changes bring about improvements in ergonomics that are aimed at making it an easier car to live with on a day-to-day basis. We've yet to get a proper look at the dashboard — the prototypes all wore disguises — but the centrally mounted speedo is even bigger than before, and the steering-column-mounted tach is mounted farther back to make it easier to read. A new row of toggle switches for interior lighting are set into the roof lining and a similar set for the electric windows remains at the base of the center console. The air vents have also been relocated farther out to each corner of the dashboard.
Cabin space remains the same but some minor changes to the layout have led to slight improvements in overall accommodation. The steering wheel is now adjustable for both rake and reach — previously it was only adjustable in reach — and the pedals are more widely spaced, improving on one of the earlier model's failings.
A narrower center console means the driver's footwell is slightly wider, although the passenger's is a little narrower, owing to additional trim. The seats come from a new supplier, and have been redesigned to provide added support. Meanwhile, a reworking of the interior trim means the trunk now offers 5.7 cubic feet, an increase of nearly 0.4 cubic foot. If that's not enough, you'll have to wait for the Traveller — the upcoming Mini wagon due out in 2008.
For a small car, the new Mini Cooper is big on safety features. Six airbags come as standard, with front and side airbags for the first row, and newly designed curtain airbags that now stretch farther into the rear. Also included are antilock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution, cornering brake control, tire-pressure monitors and, on the Cooper S, Dynamic Stability Control — the latter is also available on the Cooper as an option. With the reworked front end, BMW is confident the new Mini will achieve a maximum five-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash procedure.
Guts and gears
Heading the list of mechanical changes made to the Mini is its new gasoline engine. The advanced 16-valve 1.6-liter inline-four features variable valve timing and BMW's patented Valvetronic system, which helps improve breathing by way of a fully variable throttle butterfly.
In naturally aspirated guise, as fitted to the Mini Cooper, it delivers 120 horsepower at 6000 rpm along with 118 pound-feet of torque at a relatively high 4250 rpm. Good, but hardly class-leading. It's the turbocharged version of the new engine, already making headlines in the Mini Cooper S. It uses a twin-scroll turbocharger and direct injection to deliver an impressive 175 hp at 5500 rpm and 177 lb-ft at just 1600 rpm. An overboost function, triggered when the driver floors the throttle, raises the torque peak to 192 lb-ft for a brief period to ease overtaking. By way of comparison, the current Cooper S offers up 170 hp at 6000 rpm and 162 lb-ft.
Slot the round plastic key into the dashboard, push the engine start-stop button and the action begins. It is immediately clear the Mini is now more refined than ever. The turbocharged engine is smoother — right from its 800-rpm idle all the way to its 6500-rpm cutout. It's also appreciably quieter, the characteristic mechanical whine of the current Cooper S replaced by a velvety hum that is certain to make the new car a much more pleasing proposition over longer journeys.
While the engines are new, the gearboxes are brought over from the outgoing Mini without any significant change. All models now get a six-speed manual as standard — the five-speeder disappears from the lineup completely — along with the option of a six-speed automatic. The unloved continuously variable transmission (CVT) gearbox offered in the first-generation model will no longer be available, BMW coming to the sensible conclusion that its slow response doesn't fit the Mini's sporting image. At the car's preview in Holland, BMW hinted that a new double-clutch gearbox may be added to the options list in the future, although it did not make any claims about when such an arrangement may appear.
Circuit training
The new Mini's steering forgoes the electrohydraulic assistance of the current car for a fully electric arrangement. With 2.7 turns to lock-to-lock, the steering is pleasantly direct, but lacks meaningful weighting, being much lighter in the first quarter-turn than before. This stems from feedback BMW gained from some drivers complaining that the earlier setup was too heavy, especially at low speeds around town.
As a result, the overall assistance has been increased to make the new Mini less demanding from behind the wheel. Enthusiasts may argue that this detracts from the driving experience, but the upshot is added accuracy across a wider range of speeds. The car turns in to corners instantly, changes direction rapidly and, while lacking in ultimate feedback, is wonderfully linear.
It's never easy to judge a car from a quick run around a circuit, but the new Cooper S feels light and agile when hustled, the quick steering allowing you to place it with accuracy and the responsive chassis helping you to edge up to its limits with confidence. Push hard and the nose will initially run wide before the tires bite and the back end tucks neatly into line. The new Mini stays flat, with no unruly pitch or lift under hard acceleration or heavy braking: It feels nimble and superbly balanced by front-wheel-drive standards. It's a car you step out of smiling. In this respect it doesn't seem to have lost anything in terms of outright dynamic prowess and remains an immensely fun car to drive. I must admit, however, that throughout my brief encounter I constantly yearned for some of the old supercharger whine to liven proceedings. If anything, the new car sounds too sterile...too refined.
We've yet to experience the new Mini on public roads, but on the slip roads in and out of the Zandvoort circuit it was clear that BMW has succeeded in improving the previously firm ride. There's greater compliance in the front end thanks to an additional 0.3 inch of wheel travel. This, in combination with the lighter engine, brings added control and a more determined ability to soak up nasty potholes and other irregularities. Despite the longer front overhang, BMW says the geometry of the MacPherson strut system remains unaltered. At the rear, the previous model's steel multilink setup remains in principle, but new aluminum components help contribute to an impressive 17.6-pound reduction in weight. This results in faster reactions and added comfort.
"We had complaints that the Mini was too stiff and uncomfortable," Welters told Inside Line, "especially with the run-flat tires. It was a late decision by BMW to fit the run-flat tires on the earlier Mini, and the chassis tuning was not exactly right. We improved it, but this time, the new tuning has considered the run-flat tires from the start. It is a lot more comfortable."
In conclusion
The question remains: Will the new Cooper S appeal to enthusiast drivers in the same way the current model does? Most certainly, although they'll likely find themselves craving more, if only because the new car has increased in ability. BMW seems to have that area covered already. The German carmaker says that it intends on making its John Cooper Works kit a factory fit option so the new Mini can be hardened up with a 220-hp version of the new turbocharged 1.6-liter. Let's hope it sounds better than the existing unit, because on first impression, something is still lacking from the overall driving experience. It might offer a broader set of abilities, but BMW's second take on the Mini theme feels almost too mature...too grown up. That's more an observation than a criticism, but you can be sure there will be those who will take it to heart.
Our first impressions of the new Mini, in range-topping Cooper S guise no less, were gained on the Zandvoort race circuit in Holland. It's a challenging circuit, full of undulations, constant-radius corners and short straights set into the sand hills an hour's drive from the bustling city of Amsterdam. Although we were not permitted to test the new car on public roads, we still gained enough of a taste to reveal that it represents a big advance on the outgoing model.
A familiar face
Despite being described as all-new, the second generation of the reborn Mini shares a good deal with the car it replaces. The exterior design, for one, is very familiar. "When we asked customers for their feedback," said Product Manager Detlev Welters, "they told us they didn't want to change the exterior design at all. In fact, they thought it should stay the same."
With that in mind, the Mini's chief designer, Gert Hildbrand, has taken an evolutionary approach to the look of the new car, instilling it with not only the same basic appearance but also similar detailing. One thing's for sure, you won't mistake it for anything but a Mini.
The front-end appearance, as previewed by the Traveller concept first shown at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show, is the biggest departure from old. The hood now incorporates oval cutouts for the headlights, which are bolted directly to the inner structure for easier adjustment and greater stability. The front wheel arches are also fixed rather than forming part of the hood.
The changes not only greatly improve the Mini's pedestrian safety credentials, but are also claimed to make repairs easier and significantly cheaper. It's not all functional change, though. The air duct on the hood of the Cooper S now serves no real purpose other than to distinguish it from the lesser Cooper model.
Measure for measure
Dimensionally, the new model has grown, but only in length, which is up by some 2.4 inches to 145.1 inches — 2.2 inches of that concentrated within the front overhang alone for improved crash protection. Width and height remain the same at 66.5 and 55.5 inches, respectively. One interesting change is a shorter windscreen, although it retains the same upright angle as before. The 97-inch wheelbase is also retained.
Although it shares the same basic exterior styling and proportions as its predecessor, the new Mini does carry some significant underbody modifications. The front end has been redesigned to accept new engines, which are mounted a full 180 degrees from today's units, with the exhaust side facing forward for improved cooling and less heat buildup within the cabin. The front bulkhead and remainder of the floor pan are carried over without any major changes.
A warm, safe place to be
Inside, the new Mini's interior follows a design similar to that of its predecessor, but detailed changes bring about improvements in ergonomics that are aimed at making it an easier car to live with on a day-to-day basis. We've yet to get a proper look at the dashboard — the prototypes all wore disguises — but the centrally mounted speedo is even bigger than before, and the steering-column-mounted tach is mounted farther back to make it easier to read. A new row of toggle switches for interior lighting are set into the roof lining and a similar set for the electric windows remains at the base of the center console. The air vents have also been relocated farther out to each corner of the dashboard.
Cabin space remains the same but some minor changes to the layout have led to slight improvements in overall accommodation. The steering wheel is now adjustable for both rake and reach — previously it was only adjustable in reach — and the pedals are more widely spaced, improving on one of the earlier model's failings.
A narrower center console means the driver's footwell is slightly wider, although the passenger's is a little narrower, owing to additional trim. The seats come from a new supplier, and have been redesigned to provide added support. Meanwhile, a reworking of the interior trim means the trunk now offers 5.7 cubic feet, an increase of nearly 0.4 cubic foot. If that's not enough, you'll have to wait for the Traveller — the upcoming Mini wagon due out in 2008.
For a small car, the new Mini Cooper is big on safety features. Six airbags come as standard, with front and side airbags for the first row, and newly designed curtain airbags that now stretch farther into the rear. Also included are antilock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution, cornering brake control, tire-pressure monitors and, on the Cooper S, Dynamic Stability Control — the latter is also available on the Cooper as an option. With the reworked front end, BMW is confident the new Mini will achieve a maximum five-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash procedure.
Guts and gears
Heading the list of mechanical changes made to the Mini is its new gasoline engine. The advanced 16-valve 1.6-liter inline-four features variable valve timing and BMW's patented Valvetronic system, which helps improve breathing by way of a fully variable throttle butterfly.
In naturally aspirated guise, as fitted to the Mini Cooper, it delivers 120 horsepower at 6000 rpm along with 118 pound-feet of torque at a relatively high 4250 rpm. Good, but hardly class-leading. It's the turbocharged version of the new engine, already making headlines in the Mini Cooper S. It uses a twin-scroll turbocharger and direct injection to deliver an impressive 175 hp at 5500 rpm and 177 lb-ft at just 1600 rpm. An overboost function, triggered when the driver floors the throttle, raises the torque peak to 192 lb-ft for a brief period to ease overtaking. By way of comparison, the current Cooper S offers up 170 hp at 6000 rpm and 162 lb-ft.
Slot the round plastic key into the dashboard, push the engine start-stop button and the action begins. It is immediately clear the Mini is now more refined than ever. The turbocharged engine is smoother — right from its 800-rpm idle all the way to its 6500-rpm cutout. It's also appreciably quieter, the characteristic mechanical whine of the current Cooper S replaced by a velvety hum that is certain to make the new car a much more pleasing proposition over longer journeys.
While the engines are new, the gearboxes are brought over from the outgoing Mini without any significant change. All models now get a six-speed manual as standard — the five-speeder disappears from the lineup completely — along with the option of a six-speed automatic. The unloved continuously variable transmission (CVT) gearbox offered in the first-generation model will no longer be available, BMW coming to the sensible conclusion that its slow response doesn't fit the Mini's sporting image. At the car's preview in Holland, BMW hinted that a new double-clutch gearbox may be added to the options list in the future, although it did not make any claims about when such an arrangement may appear.
Circuit training
The new Mini's steering forgoes the electrohydraulic assistance of the current car for a fully electric arrangement. With 2.7 turns to lock-to-lock, the steering is pleasantly direct, but lacks meaningful weighting, being much lighter in the first quarter-turn than before. This stems from feedback BMW gained from some drivers complaining that the earlier setup was too heavy, especially at low speeds around town.
As a result, the overall assistance has been increased to make the new Mini less demanding from behind the wheel. Enthusiasts may argue that this detracts from the driving experience, but the upshot is added accuracy across a wider range of speeds. The car turns in to corners instantly, changes direction rapidly and, while lacking in ultimate feedback, is wonderfully linear.
It's never easy to judge a car from a quick run around a circuit, but the new Cooper S feels light and agile when hustled, the quick steering allowing you to place it with accuracy and the responsive chassis helping you to edge up to its limits with confidence. Push hard and the nose will initially run wide before the tires bite and the back end tucks neatly into line. The new Mini stays flat, with no unruly pitch or lift under hard acceleration or heavy braking: It feels nimble and superbly balanced by front-wheel-drive standards. It's a car you step out of smiling. In this respect it doesn't seem to have lost anything in terms of outright dynamic prowess and remains an immensely fun car to drive. I must admit, however, that throughout my brief encounter I constantly yearned for some of the old supercharger whine to liven proceedings. If anything, the new car sounds too sterile...too refined.
We've yet to experience the new Mini on public roads, but on the slip roads in and out of the Zandvoort circuit it was clear that BMW has succeeded in improving the previously firm ride. There's greater compliance in the front end thanks to an additional 0.3 inch of wheel travel. This, in combination with the lighter engine, brings added control and a more determined ability to soak up nasty potholes and other irregularities. Despite the longer front overhang, BMW says the geometry of the MacPherson strut system remains unaltered. At the rear, the previous model's steel multilink setup remains in principle, but new aluminum components help contribute to an impressive 17.6-pound reduction in weight. This results in faster reactions and added comfort.
"We had complaints that the Mini was too stiff and uncomfortable," Welters told Inside Line, "especially with the run-flat tires. It was a late decision by BMW to fit the run-flat tires on the earlier Mini, and the chassis tuning was not exactly right. We improved it, but this time, the new tuning has considered the run-flat tires from the start. It is a lot more comfortable."
In conclusion
The question remains: Will the new Cooper S appeal to enthusiast drivers in the same way the current model does? Most certainly, although they'll likely find themselves craving more, if only because the new car has increased in ability. BMW seems to have that area covered already. The German carmaker says that it intends on making its John Cooper Works kit a factory fit option so the new Mini can be hardened up with a 220-hp version of the new turbocharged 1.6-liter. Let's hope it sounds better than the existing unit, because on first impression, something is still lacking from the overall driving experience. It might offer a broader set of abilities, but BMW's second take on the Mini theme feels almost too mature...too grown up. That's more an observation than a criticism, but you can be sure there will be those who will take it to heart.
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