Ready or not, here comes this year’s hottest automotive event, the arrival of 
the new Mini Cooper. For auto enthusiasts, the advent of the new Mini is 
tantamount to the second coming. Those with only moderate interest in 
automobiles may wonder what all the fuss is about.

Except for car nuts, the original Mini did not have much impact in the US,
although it sold bazillions in other markets. The Mini was launched in 1959 as
a complete rethinking of the small car with a transverse-mounted engine, 
front-wheel-drive and wheels that were pushed out to the four corners of 
the vehicle to maximize interior space, stability and handling. The Mini was 
both a leading British fashion statement in the fabulous London scene of
the 1960s with a host of notable owners including comedian Peter Sellers, 
model Twiggy and Paul Harrison, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney of the 
Beatles. The little mite was also a winner in international rally racing. The
name Cooper was added to the Mini brand to honor John Cooper, who 
exploited the racing potential of the small car.

The Mini pretty much motored along unchanged for decades with a brief 
entry into the US market in the 1960s. BMW bought Mini’s British parent
company a few years ago and even when it dumped the rest of the operation 
and its many brands, kept Mini. The goal was to take the basic Mini concept
and update it using the most modern engineering design techniques and
component technology.

BMW’s intention is to build a hot performance car and develop a new 
category, the small luxury car. You can have your Mini with almost all of 
the extras you can find in the current BMW 5-Series, including heated
leather seats, heated windshield washer jets, rain-sensor wipers, GPS 
navigation system, and Xenon headlamps to name a few. On the other
hand, the base Mini at $17,000 delivers the goods for fun, practical
transportation.

However, performance is the main emphasis on the rebirth of the Mini. 
Even the standard Mini with its miserly 115 horsepower engine is fun
to drive. There will also be a pumped up version of the car called the
Mini Cooper S, which will deliver 163 horsepower. This is a performance
car that might even be a hit with environmentalists. The car obviously 
doesn’t use much material to manufacture and the mileage is outstanding
with its efficient four-cylinder engine.

Mini Cooper’s handling is excellent, coming into its own on narrow, twisting 
country roads. The car’s stability is also excellent at fast highway speeds.
While it took a little while to get used to the short overhand and front 
wheel drive, I liked it a lot. This is one car that just aches to get back on
twisting country roads.

I have one reservation about the Mini that will prevent me from giving it a
blanket recommendation. The mini has a surprisingly stiff ride, which 
combined with its very short wheelbase means that driver and passengers 
are subject to a lot of jostling around. Was it really necessary to screw 
the suspension down to the degree that the present Mini exhibits? The
Mini is great for short haul driving, but a day spent as a driver or passenger
may be exhausting.

Although there will be a significantly more powerful version of the Mini due 
out later, the 115-horsepower version does quite well, thanks to the car’s
modest weight and snappy five-speed manual transmission. Once you are
up to speed, the car moves along quite nicely and even has extra zip for
passing on two-lane country roads. In addition, it can cruise along at about 
any speed you’d care to drive. Nevertheless, be forewarned. The spunky little
Mini, particularly in bright primary colors seems to be a magnet for the law 
enforcement officers, so the Mini’s cruising ability has its liability as well. 
Alternatively, order your mini in a non-descript silver color.

Ultimately, BMW hopes it will have the next automotive icon on its hands, 
something along the lines of the new Volkswagen Beetle or the Chrysler
PT Cruiser. However, what is hot today does not necessarily last. BMW will
have to provide not only a cute product, but will have to offer quality up to
the standards of its main brand as well as exceptional service at the dealer level. 
 

Vehicle: Mini Cooper
Price as tested: $16,850
Engine:
 Type: 1.6-liter inline 4
 Horsepower: 115 @ 6,000 rpm 
 Torque: 110 ft. lbs. @ 4,500 rpm
Fuel economy, manual transmission 
 City - 26 mpg
 Highway - 43 mpg
Curb Weight: 2,524 lbs.