Although originally manufactured as a small car to be used by the masses for basic economical transportation, the Mini Cooper has, over time, evolved into an icon of high automobile fashion.
Launched in India in completely-built-up (CBU) form and hence subject to full import duty, the Mini range starts at Rs 25.8 lakh for the Cooper hatchback and Rs 28.6 lakh for the souped-up Cooper S featured here. Although the Indian buyer traditionally associates steeper prices with size, things are slowly changing. With growing appreciation and understanding of luxury products and BMW (Mini’s owner) well-established in India, Mini isn’t starting its Indian innings from scratch.
So what makes the Cooper S special? Does it have the go to match the show? Does it have a practical side? We had to drive it on our favourite, and not-so-favourite, roads to find out.
The latest Mini is comparable in length to a Maruti Ritz. And while the new Mini may be separated from the original car by nearly five decades, it can’t be mistaken for anything else. The DNA is clearly present in the frowning grille, bug-eyed headlights and simple tail. The wheels are pushed to the car’s extremities, leaving minimal overhangs. The squat stance and low roof make the Cooper S look a world away from the ‘tall-boy’ hatchbacks of today.
Other interesting touches include a chrome band that rings around the base of the wraparound glasshouse to smartly contrast with the blacked-out A, B and C-pillars. Elsewhere, the mesh grille, bonnet scoop, chrome fuel-filler cap, rear spoiler and twin central exhausts announce that the ‘S’ is the sportier version of the Mini Cooper hatchback. See the small intakes on either end of the lower grille? They are not just cosmetic add-ons, but serve to channel cool air to the front brakes. Our test car came with the optional bonnet stripes and larger 17-inch wheels, but you can customise your Cooper S even further than that.
Under the skin, the new Mini Cooper S stays true to the original car’s transverse engine and front-wheel-drive setup. Like the original Mini, this one has equal-length driveshafts to minimise torque steer. Suspension is a combination of MacPherson struts up front and a lightweight, aluminum-intensive multi-link at the rear. The Mini’s monocoque body is reinforced at various places for improved torsional rigidity, while six airbags, a collapsible steering column, stability control, cornering brake control, ABS and EBD constitute the safety kit. You even get an electronic differential lock.
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