Mini Cooper Video Reviews

The Mini Cooper is back, but this time in two very different versions, starting with a restyled petrol range. But only the all-electric 3dr hatch is truly all-new. Redesigned from the ground up, it sits on a fresh architecture, bringing a larger yet crisper body and a more minimal, intuitive and stylish interior. But has the Mini lost any of the fun athleticism the British brand is famous for?

I’ve never been in a Mini and didn’t know what to expect - besides the fact that I knew it was going to be small. I certainly wasn’t expecting to love the exterior so much, and I sure didn’t know how utterly cool the interior was. The whole week was full of nice surprises.I was in the Mini Cooper five door hatch, in the automatic. It’s the base level Mini and is in a similar category to the Audi A1 and Fiat 500. And sure, it’s not the first thing you think of when you talk family car, but my friend is considering buying one because her family consists of her and her teenage son.So the family thing is relative. And as a second, runaround car, the Mini is hard to beat. But it is pricey for a small car, this one starts at $31,150 with the auto version at $33,650 - and that’s before on-road costs.I put it to the test for a whole week with my family of four.

he Cooper S grade sits in the middle of the Mini Hatch (three-door) and Convertible ranges.

Craig Jamieson road tests and reviews the new Mini Convertible with specs, fuel consumption and verdict at its Australian launch.

A slightly squarer nose and new headlights and LED taillights are the main exterior styling to the 2014 Mini Cooper, but looking inside the cabin will give trainspotters clues, with the speedo and tacho moving from the massive 8.8-inch circular gauge in the middle of the dash to a more normal position in the instrument cluster behind the steering wheel (with heads-up displays for upper spec variants).The Mini Cooper is powered by a turbo 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine with outputs of 100kW of power between 4500-600rpm and 220Nm of torque at a low 1250rpm, with Mini claiming a 0-100kmh time of 7.56 seconds (auto) and 7.66 (manual) and fuel economy of 4.5L/100km.The Cooper S gets a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder, developing 141kW of power between 4700-6000rpm and 300Nm of torque at 1250rpm, with 0-100kmh times of 6.62 (auto) and 6.73 (manual)  and fuel economy of 5.7L/100km. The diesel Cooper D's 1.6-litre is gone in favour of a new 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbodiesel delivering 84kW and 270Nm, with claimed fuel economy of a frugal 3.5L/100km -- a saving of 0.3L. Transmissions for all variants are a standard six-speed manual transmission or optional six-speed auto. 

The Paceman is built on the same platform as the more practical Countryman, but has a distinctive wedge-like shape, runs on sports suspension and is aimed mainly at young up-and-coming city slickers. It also lays claim to being the world's first SAC, or sports activity vehicle.THE RANGEPaceman come in two models, the Cooper and more powerful Cooper S, both running a BMW-built 1.6 litre four cylinder motor linked to a six-speed manual gearbox. A six-speed auto with paddle-shift is an option.THE WORKINGSThe Cooper has a 90kW/160Nm output compared to the 135/240 of the turbocharged S, which also has an overboost button that frees up an extra 20Nm of torque for a short burst. The bulldog-stanced car can get to 100km/h in 10.4 seconds with the 90kW engine while the S is three seconds quicker, but at 7.5litres/100km, it's a trifle thirstier. The non-turbo model averages 6.5litres/100km.PRICEParked in the premium compact nook of the market, the Cooper is $35,900 with the standard manual gearbox and the Cooper S is from $44,100.Mini expects most urbanites to opt for the auto shifter, which adds $2350. There's an extensive options list, from a glass roof and auto climate control to Sat nav, a 10-speaker Harman-Kardon audio and park distance control, plus a variety of alloy wheels, to customise the Paceman and adjust the price northwards.FIT-OUT AND EQUIPMENTLike others in the now seven-model range, the Paceman gets the dinner-plate sized central speedo with a rev counter in front of the driver, ambient lighting via switches above the windscreen and the full suite of electronics such as traction and stability control, hill start, brake assist and ABS. There's also an optional electronic diff lock that works when the stability control is switched off.The steering wheel is a multi-function delight and Bluetooth and a USB interface are also standard. Likewise front and rear fog lights auto-on headlights and wipers. The twin back seats can be folded nearly flat to expand cargo space from 330 to 1080litres. And that low sports suspension can be swapped for the regular set-up and ride height as a no-cost option.Seating is great, likewise visibility, and the sloping roofline is a bit of an optical illusion. The rear seats, which may appear to be squishy, can comfortably accommodate a couple of really big blokes.THE DRIVEWe spent time in a Cooper S manual and a Cooper automatic in the twisty terrain of Queensland's D'Aguilar range and on the freeways near Brisbane.The S is a potent beast, though the standard Cooper is hardly a slouch. Both have a razor-sharp electro-power steering, serious stopping power and provide a ride that's great for zipping along smooth roads, but fidgety on corrugations. The engine of Cooper auto, super-quiet inside at low speeds, howls at higher revs, whereas the twin-tailpiped turbo S provides much better music.VERDICTNeither sports coupe, nor SUV, the Paceman is more a fun package that separates the individual from the sheep.Mini Paceman/Cooper SPrice: $35,900, $44,100 (Cooper S)Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmService interval: 12 months/25,000kmSafety: 6 airbags, ABS with TC, ESC, EBD and hill assistCrash tested: Not testedEngine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl, 90kW/160Nm; 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo, 135kW/240Nm (Cooper S)Transmission: 6-speed manual; FWDDimensions: 4.12m (L), 1.79m (W), 1.52m (H)Weight: 1380kgSpare: Tyre inflation kitThirst: 6.5/7.6L/100km, 152/175g/km CO2 (manual/auto); 6.6/7.5L/100km, 154/177g/km CO2 (Cooper S)

Rain is sluicing across the road and the roof as the Mini Cooper S Coupe snorts its way up the mountain. The turbo 1.6-litre engine is appreciating the cold, dense air and the suspension and tyres are clinging tighter than the moss that’s made its home on the edge of the road.Welcome to the Mini Cooper S Coupe, the brand’s sexiest styling effort yet and a car which at $43,000 is as quick and surefooted a vehicle as you can hope for this side of an all-wheel drive Subaru WRX.VALUEEurope will offer four variants of the helmet-headed Mini Coupe but in Australia we’re only getting the good stuff. That means the Cooper S will start proceedings at $42,990 when it goes on sale in late February, with the John Cooper Works version another $8000-$9000 above that (BMW won’t announce the JCW price until closer to launch).The money buys a great-looking two-seater with a huge boot - 280 litres - along with 16-inch alloys, airconditioning and reverse parking sensors.TECHNOLOGYThe Mini Coupe doesn’t break new ground, it just covers it quicker than any Mini before it.Brake energy regeneration helps drive the ancillaries, which kick in only when needed and there’s an auto stop/start system, shift display and low rolling resistance tyres.The smarts are in the way this car has been set up to sit on the road, irrespective of the conditions or speed.A rear spoiler pops up at 80km/h and folds back when speeds drop below 60km/h. It’s there to aid the aerodynamics but there’s a switch if you insist on having it up when cruising past the shops.STYLINGCoupe designer Anders Warming said at the international launch of the car that the look was intended to mirror a ``backwards baseball cap''. Every iPod-enabled teenage rapper now wears their cap at some obscure angle other than front-on and are generally ignored for it.Not so the Coupe. People in passing cars and pedestrians stare when this Mini rolls past. Inside is the standard Mini switchgear - a huge central speedo with displays on the bottom for stereo position.Chrome toggle switches control the likes of the interior lights and windows. It’s based on the “three box” structure - engine, passenger cell and boot - common on most cars but new to this former British brand.SAFETYThe Coupe hasn’t been crashed in the lab yet, but its siblings have earned a five-star rating and the extra work in the chassis should ensure this car is also a top performer. A “tyre defect” indicator warns if the run-flat rubber has a problem. There are only four airbags, but with no back seat passengers, there’s no need for more. DRIVINGThe only car that comes close to the Mini for chassis and suspension balance is the Audi TT - and it costs another $20,000. The on-paper figures of 135kW and 260Nm are backed by an official 0-100km/h time of 6.9 seconds, but those numbers don’t do justice to how well this car goes around corners.It’s more a case of how hard do you dare to go - and on wet roads, that’s amazingly hard. The ventilated brakes bleed speed faster than tossing out an anchor and it is as close as a road-going car can come to go-kart performance.The suspension is biased to ride rather than comfort but is still not horrible on city streets and it’s a trade-off I’d happily accept for its ability to make your smile on tight roads. The front and back screens are intentionally small  to focus attention on the road ahead and the vehicle’s you’ve just passed.VERDICTI take my cap off to the Mini Coupe - this helmet-headed car is a masochist’s dream. The nastier the road and the harder you flog it, the better it responds. The two-seat layout is offset by a respectable luggage area and the build quality is up there with cars that cost a lot more.And then there’s the ability to personalise it so no one mistakes your car from what will be an ever-expanding Coupe pack.Mini Cooper S CoupePrice: $42,990Warranty: Three years/100,000kmResale: (no previous model)Service Intervals: Determined by driving conditionsEngine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo, 135kW/240NmBody: Three-door coupeTransmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel driveThirst: 6.3 litres/100km, 146g/km CO2Dimensions: 3734mm (L), 1683mm (W), 1384mm (H), 2467mm (WB) 1459mm/1467mm tracks front/rearSuspension: MacPherson strut front, multi-link rearBrakes: 294mm vented front discs, 259mm vented rear discs