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2007 Mini Cooper Road Test

Since the mid '90s, I have fervently traced the long and laborious path of the

Despite being brand new, the Mini looks very much the same. It's still very small, very cute, and very retro. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

“new” Mini from idea to reality. I had always been a fan of the original car's design, not to mention the backwards, sideways and upside down thinking that went into creating it from its rubber cone suspension to its transverse-mounted A-Series engine. I also have a particular attachment to the first generation of the new, reinvented Mini, it being the first vehicle I tested in my automotive journalism career. Since then, I've driven seven different models. Therefore, the new, new Mini has some fairly high standards to meet in my books.

The whole concept of the modern Mini is pure genius. Here is a car that appeals to all types, blue collar and white collar, it isn't looked down upon by the green party and is about as much fun as can be had on four wheels. Since the start, the new Mini has been an icon of perpetual coolness; it hasn't gone stale despite the passing of retro-inspired styling thanks to an ever-changing variety of colors, trims and features. There's no case of the beige Corolla; buy a Mini and there's an immediate sense that it is yours due to the sheer number of permutations of options,

The hood is a bit bulgier and the headlamps don't go with it either. Bi-xenons are very, very bright. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

colors, interior trims and roof decals. As a special added bonus, Mini sells the only British car in the North American market place that's well under the $40,000 stratum. This is beside the obvious points that it's very cute, is very small, and that it handles very well.

It is therefore no surprise that BMW did not want to change the look of the new Mini, which itself had become an icon in a very short amount of time. The new car looks very much like the old car without sharing a single body panel. Yes, it appears that the new car is a bit over-inflated due to pedestrian protection rules, but it's instantly recognizable as a Mini, which is indeed a good thing. For quite some time, I had difficulty picking out the new ones from the old ones, but it's the details such as the much larger rear fog lamp, or the rising beltline that are the telltale signs.

For North Americans, the Mini has been one of the strongest flavors of the premium hatchback segment, and the new car one-ups the old one in many ways. BMW isn't shy about letting the world know that it's the rightful owner of the Mini brand name and has done it in a rather clever way. The control stalks around the steering wheel might look the same as they did in the old Mini, but the optical beams inside

Output stats look nearly the same, but it's a very different engine. It's nearly 20-percent more efficient than the outgoing engine! (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

them and their operation are just like that of a 3-Series, as is the trip computer's functions and the display for the stereo system. There's even the slightly annoying but nevertheless cool docking key and starter button, and for the first time the Mini can be had with Comfort Access perimeter sensing keyless ignition.

At 1.6 liters in displacement and with a 118 horsepower output, it's almost too easy to overlook the Mini's engine as its stats on paper are nearly identical, but it's brand new and is one of the car's most significant changes. Coarse, buzzy and generally weak, the old Mini's Brazilian-built engine was one of the only things I didn't really like about the car, but such complaints can now be put to rest thanks to its all-new and very refined powerplant. Besides swapping engine partners from Chrysler to France's PSA group, the motor is also built in Britain, which incidentally makes the new Mini more British than ever before. It's an all-aluminum block with dual overhead camshafts, dual variable valve timing and industry-exclusive butterfly valve-less Valvetronic. Qualitatively, the engine is smoother, sweeter sounding and feels stronger no matter the revs, though it can get a little rowdy as it approaches redline, an area you might find yourself encountering a little more than you'd

Automatic's much better than the previous CVT, but I'd still rather have a manual. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

like if you're out to extract the most from this engine. It also happens to be vastly more efficient than before, due to these technologies. Fuel economy has improved significantly, too.

This also happens to be the first regular automatic Mini I've driven. The automatic is fairly smooth if not reluctant to upshift when cruising, and the manual mode is acceptably quick shifting if you get used to the backwards nature of the gearshift mounted lever. The combination thumb button and paddles are a stroke of genius; with hands on three and nine, they're always in the right spot at the right time, and the fact that both up and down shifts can be conducted on each paddle, there's never any mix-ups. Most importantly is that the automatic is thousands upon thousands of times better than the old “automatic” Cooper, which wasn't at all an automatic, but a dreadful CVT that was most effective at converting gasoline into noise, not speed. One thing that the automatic does is slow it down, enough so to sap its official 0-60 mph time from 8.9 seconds to almost 10.5.

Toggle through its six speeds via the combination paddle-thumb-switch. Push to drop a gear, tug to go up. Very user friendly. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

It's good, however, that in the week I had it my average didn't drop below 35 mpg in pure city driving, which is still fine by me.

One reoccurring comment that I've heard with the new Mini is that it's just not the same now that it's grown up. The original Mini was wonderful in its purity and inherent rawness; while the new car maintains much of the go-kart feel and almost all of the character, it has given up the little things, the vibrations, the noises and the roughness around the edges. Where the die-hard enthusiast must give up an inch, the everyday driver gains a winding mile. The new Mini is a much kinder, much more tolerable soul which you can enjoy driving day in and day out without the need to rely on your sense of sympathy for its cute looks or cool factor. I hate to say it, but as much as I am an enthusiast of the original, I think I'm in favor of this new car's upgrades. Besides, how many cars in the past thirty years haven't gained a few pounds between generations?

It's not as if in its growth spurt the Cooper has become ponderous, or has slacked off its performance in any way, as the Mini is still the definition of point 'n squirt motoring, as you just aim, steer, and depress

Long wheelbase, wide track and heftily weighted steering makes every on-ramp, off-ramp and parking garage a personal playground. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

the throttle. The electric power steering, while much lighter than before, is speed sensitive and weights up delightfully at regular road speeds. Push the “Sport” button, and it'll get even heavier. The ride, even with the stiffened up sports package and run-flat 17-inch tires is more compliant, if not still very firm by subcompact car standards. And while it's one of the most neutral front-wheel drive cars I know, push hard and you'll run into a bit of understeer, all of which can be avoided by smooth driving.

The Mini, for its toyish appearances inside and out, feels more substantial, and more like a real car when you're not in the zone. You don't need to crank the stereo up to drown out the wind noise or the rush of water under the wheel wells in the rain because there's less of it. As a matter of fact, if you check the wheel wells, you'll find that they're lined with felt, the same technique used on the top of the line BMW 7-Series. Thanks to six-speed gearboxes for both manual and automatic, the engine hums in a laid back manner rather than reminding all inside at every moment that there are thousands of contained explosions going on just inches away from your feet.

A new sense of quality has also been imparted into the

Just like before, but only more cartoonish, and built with better quality. What you can't tell is how much quieter and more refined it is. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Mini's interior. Its materials are of a better grade with greater use of soft-touch plastics, and although not available on the regular Cooper, you can get real brushed aluminum and hand stitched leather seats on the S. Greater visual attention is grabbed by the even larger speedometer, with integrated stereo controls, or the climate control which has been cleverly arranged in the shape of the corporate logo. The retro tribute continues with greater use of toggle switches for overhead controls, while ambient lighting in various shades, from blue to pink, adds a modern touch. Seats of a better design sprout more bolstering, while the ergonomically unsound reclining/tilt mechanism has been replaced by one that actually works properly.

There's also more room in the back than before. The long bench and the under-seat foot room are better to the point that I can fit without too much discomfort, but I still wouldn't willfully recommend it for anyone for a long trip. Trunk room is also improved ever so slightly to 5.6 cubic feet, which believe it or not is good enough for most people, most of the time, and there's more useful storage around the cabin including a

Two thumbs up (way up) for the new Mini. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

little bin hidden behind the dashboard trim. Folded, you get nearly 24.0 cubic feet of cargo space, and if that's not enough, wait for the Clubman wagon which should be along next year.

For all of its improvements, the new Mini doesn't cost much more than the old one does, and BMW has selectively grouped the options packages together which further brings pricing down. If you must, you can order the Cooper with navigation, which, strangely enough, I never encountered on any of my previous Minis. This is not much of a surprise as it had a fairly low take rate due to the price sensitive nature of Cooper buyers. And, we are lucky in that we can order mildly de-contented Minis at a fairly good price. Ditch the bi-xenons, headlight washer jets, and restrict your choice of options, colors and what not, and you can easily save yourself a few grand.

So what's my final verdict of the new Mini? It's hard not to like, impossible not to love.

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