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Old 07-25-2006, 06:22 AM   #1
TT
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Default Mini Cooper S

Mini Cooper S


More pics :arrow: http://www.motorworld.net/forum/show...=682931#682931

Specifications

Engine - 4 cyl / 1'600cc
Power - 170 hp / 6'000 rpm
Torque - 220 Nm / 4'000
Weight - 1215 kg
Fuel Tank - 50 l
Max Speed (declared) - 222 km/h
Acceleration (declared), 0-100 km/h - 7,2 s
Fuel economy (out of town / town / mixed) - 6,8 / 11,8 / 8,6 l/100 km
Tranny - 6 gears manual

Seats - 4
Doors - 3
Lenght / width - 3'655 / 1'925 mm
Height - 1'416 mm
Boot - 150 / 670 l

Exterior

It's a cracking car the mini, isn't it? It can be girlish when needed or manly enough for you and me not to be ashamed to be seen driving it. The D or One versions are a bit boring afterall, but when you come to the S, it always mean business. I am not a big stripes fan usually, but blue with white striped, mirrors or roof is quite spot on for this car.
Again, the exterior look was ruined by winter wheels, smaller and ugly, but can't help about it.
But despite that, I think the Cooper S is probably the most appealing car of its class loowise. There are faster ones by now, and yet, I am sorry for them, to have a Mini in your driveway is so much cooler
It's one of those cars you want to learn to know by

Interior

Inside, you know it, it's very weird at first, but very original. Seems almost sketched at times, and some details tacky or overdone. But there is some coesion afterall, and again, it feels special and much less german than what really is in fact. So its definitely a plus! even the gear lever when you first grasp it, seems like a toy and you could bet money on the fact it will be hard to throw it in the correct gear's slot. In reality, the Mini's gearbox is superbly sweet and precise.
The Mini despite the name or origins is not a big car and when parked beside a Golf, it's not THAT much smaller. Yet, inside even if not cramped, it's not very roomy neither. Especially at the back: leg space is quite limited.



How does it drive?

Turn the key, prod the throttle, finalise your seat setting and off you are. At slow speed the car feels firm but comfortable enough to be used in town. The soundtrack is not totally muted and you find out you are already smiling. It's hard to resist the first minutes to be sure the elements are at perfect temperature, or at least close to it. The here I am: a 300 or 400 meters straightaway followed by a pretty wide 4th gear S and another straight ending in a small roundabout. You must be crazy to resist the calling. I drop two gears, I am in second, engine already on boil when I floor it. The supercharger whine is finally here, and even if not that sexy IMO, it is quite special. Second gear is quickly dispatched and up I shift to third with the quickest feet and arm work I can produce. Brillant, no hesitation at all, the gearstick comes home in a perfect way and the revs needle is climbing again. Same goes for 4th. The S is probably too wide to be really challenging at anythig slower than 200 mph, and I a doing some 120 kmh when I enter it, but it's still pretty obvious that the Mini is glued to the road. Tarmac isn't perectly flat but the chassis and suspensions cope with it with no prob, I don't dare to push even more when exiting it because radars can be anywhere. Of course at the roundabout is mandatory to do a full lap around it and propel the Mini again down toward the same S I cross my fingers not to end up on the roof when trying to lift the inside wheel and although I left the roundabout without rolling over, I have no idea if the wheel lifted or not. But again, it's really impressive how quick you can give your steering input and how poised the Mini stays. It wasn't very cold and modern winter tires have some impressive grip in midly cold conditions if I am not wrong, but well, tires can't be fully responsible for such great handling.
I ended up pushing those 2nd and 3rd gear conuntless times because the supercharger whine and the thrust that comes with it are quite addictive!
Brakes are up to the tast, nothing to say about it, direction as said is as direct as it can be in 2006.

What are the most positive features of the car?

It still has some "sexy" factor
Never overwelmed by the road
Direct and honest
Faster than the spec sheet could let you guess

What are the most negative features of the car?

Assholes only loving macho cars will call you pussy
Interior is not to everybody's taste I suppose

How do you think this car compares to its direct competition?

Uhm. the direct competition lately was renewed quite a lot, especially if we think about the new Clio RS, so the Mini starts to feel a bit dated. But if it really has at least 1% of the original Mini in its blood, it will never really age or feel outdated

Conclusion

I knew what to expect, I knew the Mini is a star and a shiny one. And that's what I found. An appealing car that makes you want to drive drive and drive even more, looking a new mountain pass or deserted road. If I should buy a small hatch, it would be a Cooper S, hands down! Full black please!

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Old 07-25-2006, 06:59 AM   #2
davide
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I've always loved the little mini... but as they say, you gotta be a man to drive a girl's car
I've would get one easily, or maybe Volvo's new C30...
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Old 07-25-2006, 08:54 AM   #3
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Nice review, sounds like the car entertained you like it does everyone else. I regard the mini highly since it was the car I passed my test in, and even in the basic model, the gearbox is precise and it turned well and all that stuff. So I would love to see just how much better the "S" is. Did you alway end up looking at the rev counter instead of the speedo?
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Old 07-25-2006, 09:32 AM   #4
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Why the speedo question? I am not sure but maybe in the first Minis the speedo was placed in the center console? Because in this one they were placed normally.
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Old 07-25-2006, 09:47 AM   #5
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Its a "pussy" car, I'm sure its fun but not something I'd ever consider buying. :bah:

As for the tacho, proper cars have them in the middle (like a WRX (04 onwards) for example ) - a proper racer looks at revs and not speed to determine when to change gear.
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Old 07-26-2006, 06:06 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by dingo
As for the tacho, proper cars have them in the middle (like a WRX (04 onwards) for example ) - a proper racer looks at revs and not speed to determine when to change gear.
The rev counter IS mounted on top of the steering wheel, do you want it better than that???

The speedometer, that, is on the middle of the car on some versions, and next to the rev counter on the wheel on recent versions.


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Old 07-26-2006, 06:10 AM   #7
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In my testcar they were placed in a classic way, left and right of the center of the steering column:
http://swisscarsightings.com/various...%20S%20015.jpg
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