Mini Coupe JCW 2013 review

The fast new Coupe won't be loved by everyone and doesn't care.

German car-lovers have a strange affliction that contradicts national stereotypes: they like old British cars. I was in Germany for the Frankfurt motor show recently and confirmed the diagnosis.

On the autobahn the only cars travelling under 120km/h were 1960s Triumphs. In fact, aside from an old Porsche 911 here or there, British cars were the only ones that didn't seem new.

Design

It's the fifth model in the Mini range since the hatch was reborn a decade ago, but it looks unlike any other. The flat roof has gone in favour of a skullcap which, thanks to a winglet on the trailing edge, could be a baseball cap on backwards. It's unusual and doesn't immediately inspire affection.

Of course, the original spawned a bewildering variety of body styles, including a ute, the Moke and sedans. That has been the route map for the reborn car. The modern Clubman, for example, is based on the old Mini Traveller.

However, there's no prior model for Coupe and the executives needed to employ some fancy historical footwork. They say it was inspired by British sports cars from the 1960s and 70s because it is the first Mini with only two seats and there's also a convertible version.

But it couldn't look less like an old MG or Triumph. One of the biggest downsides to any Mini, including this one, is the lacklustre interior. Use of soft plastics is miserly; most are unyieldingly hard and unpleasant.

The seats are good, but you'll lose fingers trying to find the adjusters. Aircon and radio controls are set too low and the absurd central speedo needs to be consigned to history. It's pointless.

Headroom is respectable thanks to recesses in the roof and the car connects to the internet via an iPhone, making web radio possible. The boot -- it opens like a hatchback, despite the profile -- has a bit more cargo space than usual and there's some storage behind the seats.

Technology

His design comes with engineering tweaks. The starting point is the Cabriolet, so it already has a reinforced body, but the Coupe is another 10-15 per cent stiffer on top. This, and an active rear spoiler that deploys from the boot at 80km/h, delighted the chassis engineers, who say it helped deliver better ride and handling than the standard car.

Spec for spec, engines carry over and Australia will see the John Cooper Works driven at the event plus the 135kW Cooper S. Although the Coupe is 25kg heavier than other Minis, thanks to improved aerodynamics the JCW gets to 100km/h in 6.4 seconds: one-tenth better than the equivalent hatch. It's also fairly efficient, with a stop-at-idle system and electric power steering, among other features, helping it achieve 7.1 litres per 100km.

Driving

On the road, the Coupe will feel familiar to Mini drivers, but sharper and tauter. It steers well, with good turn-in and only a hint of torque steer -- the tendency for power to twist the wheel in your hands -- despite putting 155kW through the front rubber. On autobahns its high-speed stability is good for something only 3.7m long.

This engine sounds great on-song and responds with enthusiasm. It has the driver-pleasing trait of echoing throttle inputs in little movements of the chassis, so the engine and suspension feel as if they're working in harmony.

There's a bit more roll through corners than expected but the Coupe isn't lacking body discipline. The ride is firm to crashy, and just on the right side of acceptable, although that was on smooth German bitumen.

The drawbacks include engine drone at constant highway speeds, when the turbocharged unit sounds monotone and industrial. The tiny rear window means vision is restricted to a tiny portion of the road immediately behind or even less when the spoiler deploys. That means cars can seem to suddenly appear from nowhere.