Mini Cooper S 2007 Road Test (Source: Honest John)

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Has BMW taken the fun out of the MINI?

First reports from ?first drives? a month ago tended to end with that conclusion, And seemed to be worrying MINI Project Leader Horst Radibojevic as he cross-examined us after our own first drive.

Second and third in BMW?s list of ?What?s the same? about the new MINI are ?the kart-like handling? and ?the wheel-at-each-corner control?. And from our experience that patently was not true.

The thing about the original Mini, Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S on their tiny 10? wheels was that they did feel exactly like go-karts. The steering wheel connected you directly to the road with no sponge pudding in between. It informed you exactly what each wheel was doing and fed every ripple, pebble and grain of sand to your hands. At lower speeds you could change direction so alarmingly quickly that your passenger wasn?t firmly strapped down she could land on your lap.

Despite 15?, 16? and 17? wheels, BMW managed to hang onto the fun factor with its rejuvenated MINI. A fully loaded supercharged MINI Cooper S convertible on 17? wheels could sometimes feel exactly like an original MINI 1275S.

But the new MINI Cooper S turbo we had been driving just didn?t.

It was very refined, like no MINI ever has been before, and an excellent Motorway cruiser. It had very good ride quality; enough to shame an SLK, a 350Z or the new Audi TT. The seats were very comfortable. But the handling was as much like a go-kart as Del Boy?s Reliant van.

To me the steering felt no more connected to the road than it does driving an arcade game. It was direct, but didn?t tell me anything. So I could see which way I was going through the windscreen but couldn't feel what any of the wheels are doing. Added to that our car was twitchy and unstable under braking on the straight bits before the corners. The only way I could keep it under proper control was to brace my left hand against the steering wheel with my knee. Pressing the ?sport? button in front of the gearlever sharpened it up, but stiffened it, and that emphasised the deficiencies even more.

True we had been knocking on a bit. The Cooper S turbo is fairly quick with a 0-60 under 7 seconds and a top end of 140. We saw 130 several times and found ourselves cruising at 110 in places where 100 would have been fast.

But it was work, not fun. And that worried Herr Radibojevic.

I suggested it might have been a quirk of that particular car. A bad set of tyres, and a faulty brake compensator valve, for example. Because others had been having bundles of fun in Cooper S turbos on 16? wheels.

The thing is, you can order a MINI Cooper on 15?, 16? or 17? wheels and standard or ?sports? suspension. Or you can order the Cooper S on 16? or 17? wheels with or without sports suspension and with the option to delete sports suspension if you go for the Chili pack. So we tried a non-turbo Cooper on 16? wheels with sports suspension and it was fine. Not quite as much fun as the original MINI Cooper, but a natural, refined successor to it that will find more friends than enemies.

I also drove a MINI Cooper on 15? wheels with standard suspension. Less grip. More understeer. But a good little car with handling nearly as sweet as a base model Peugeot 207. To round it off I even drove another Cooper S on 17s and that was vastly better than the Cooper S we?d had earlier.

So when you order your MINI Cooper or Cooper S, I?d suggest you go for either 16? wheels and sport suspension or 17? wheels and non sport suspension, but not full-house 17s with sport because you might be very disappointed.

Other features of the car all work fine. I reckon it?s better looking than its predecessor, and just as cheeky. It?s a bit roomier inside with more leg-space for rear passengers and a bigger boot. BMW has gone back to the central speedometer and made that huge so everyone in the car and can see what speed you?re doing. The steering wheel adjusts in and out as well as up and down, and takes the rev counter with it. There are thoughtful touches like a side sunvisor for the driver. Some great new colours including an ochre yellow. The new engines are both more fuel-efficient and emit less CO2, dropping them two places in the VED bands. So a new MINI Cooper owner can park in Richmond for ?90 a year instead of ?130. And you can still buy a five-year servicing package for ?150, which 95% of MINI buyers do.

Remember, however, that the must-have aircon isn?t standard, even on the Cooper S. It?s an extra ?660. And if you go for the Chili Pack, on the Cooper S that brings with it 17? wheels which you may not want. As before you need to spec your car up very carefully from the options list and that can bump up the price substantially.

The hugely improved ride and refinement will make the new MINI an even hotter seller than the old one and will hang onto its value in exactly the same way.

But if you want ?kart-like handling? and ?wheel-at-each-corner control?, choose your wheels, tyres and suspension settings very carefully.

Link to road test of MINI Cooper diesel, 9-5-2007 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
PRICE/AVAILABILITY
MINI One 1.4 from ?11,595
MINI One Diesel TBA
MINI Cooper 1.6 from ?12,995
MINI Cooper S 1.6 from ?15,995

MINI Convertibles to continue as is.

Cooper and Cooper S available in the UK from November 2006.
One and One Diesel available first half of 2007

Discount Contract Hire and New Car Leasing offers from You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login at 18-1-2007. MINI business and personal contract deals priced from ?149.99 (+VAT) a month. For more info call 08707 875418.

24 Month Business Contract Hire (6+23 Payments, 10kpa)

MINI Cooper Hatchback 1.6 ?149.99 + VAT
MINI Cooper Hatchback 1.6 Steptronic ?169.99 + VAT
MINI Cooper S Hatchback 1.6 ?189.99 + VAT
MINI Cooper S Hatchback 1.6 Steptronic ?209.99 + VAT

24 Month Business Contract Hire (3+23 Payments, 10kpa)

MINI Cooper Hatchback 1.6 ?169.99 + VAT
MINI Cooper Hatchback 1.6 Steptronic ?189.99 + VAT
MINI Cooper S Hatchback 1.6 ?214.99 + VAT
MINI Cooper S Hatchback 1.6 Steptronic ?234.99 + VAT

24 Month Personal Contract Hire (6+23 Payments, 10kpa)

MINI Cooper Hatchback 1.6 ?176.99 Inc VAT
MINI Cooper Hatchback 1.6 Steptronic ?199.99 Inc VAT
MINI Cooper S Hatchback 1.6 ?224.99 Inc VAT
MINI Cooper S Hatchback 1.6 Steptronic ?246.99 Inc VAT

24 Month Personal Contract Hire (3+23 Payments, 10kpa)

MINI Cooper Hatchback 1.6 ?199.99 Inc VAT
MINI Cooper Hatchback 1.6 Steptronic ?224.99 Inc VAT
MINI Cooper S Hatchback 1.6 ?252.99 Inc VAT
MINI Cooper S Hatchback 1.6 Steptronic ?2276.99 Inc VAT
Standard Specification MINI Cooper:

15? alloy 5 Star Spooler alloy wheels
MINI Mobility System (tyrefix kit)
ABS
Central locking (automatic at 10mph)
Corner Braking Control
Crash sensor
All round disc brakes, vented at front
Electronic Braking Distribution
NINI Mobility System (MINI MS)
All disc brakes with ABS
Passenger airbag deactivation
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
Driver and front passenger Smart airbags
Curtain head airbags
Three-point safety belts with pretensioners
6-speed manual gearbox
Automated rear wash-wiper
Chrome-plated door handles
Electric door mirrors
Heated rear window
Front and rear bumpers in body colour
White or black contrasting roof and door mirrors
Roof spoiler in roof colour
Chrome-plated grille
Chrome-plated tailgate handle
Third brake light
Tinted glass
Black side air inlets with integrated orange indicator
50/50 split folding rear seats
CD changer preparation
Auxiliary MP3/iPod 3.5mm socket
COSMOS cloth
Front and rear cupholders
Digital clock
Easy entry function
Start/Stop button
Electric front windows
Electronic Power Assisted Steering (EPAS)
Height-adjustable driver?s seat
Height and reach adjustable steering wheel
Thatcham CAT 1 alarm
ISOFIX child seat attachments on rear seats
Radio BOOST with single CD player
Remote central locking
Glovebox
Rev Counter with outside temperature display

Additional on MINI Cooper S:

16? S Winder light alloy wheels with 195/55 R16V Runflat tyres
Twin scroll turbocharger
Sport button
Automatic Stability Control + Traction (ASC + T)
Engine scoop in body colour
Honeycombe radiator grille
Tailgate handle in body colour
Chrome plated fuel filler cap
Chrome-plated side indicator grilles with ?S? logo
CHEQUERED cloth
Specific Cooper S roof spoiler in roof colour
Leather steering wheel and gearknob
Stainless steel pedal and footrest covers
Sport front and rear bumpers
Front sport seats
Twin chrome exhaust pipes
White indicators

OPTIONS

Pepper Pack: (MINI Cooper only) Leather steering wheel, chrome line exterior, velour floor mats, passenger seat height adjustment, front fog lights, manual air conditioning, on-board computer, interior lights pack. ?940

Chili Pack: (MINI Cooper) Cloth/leather upholstery, 3-spoke sports leather steering wheel, velour floor mats, passenger seat height adjustment, front fog lights, manual air conditioning, on-board computer, interior lights pack, 16? 5-Star Blaster light alloy wheels, rear roof spoiler, chrome line exterior, sports seats. ?1,875

Chili Pack: (MINI Cooper S) Cloth/leather upholstery, 3-spoke sports leather steering wheel, velour floor mats, passenger seat height adjustment, front fog lights, manual air conditioning, on-board computer, interior lights pack, (optional sports suspension) 17? Crown spoke light alloy wheels, Bi-xenon headlights ?1,875

TLC 5-year Servicing Package ?150

Metallic paint ?280
Cloth/Leather seats ?380
Full leather ?930
Dynamic Stability Control ?350 Cooper; ?240 Cooper S
Automatic Stability Control + Traction ?110 Cooper
Sports suspension ?130
Multifunction steering wheel ?170
16? Bridge Spoke alloy wheels ?460 Cooper ?70 Cooper S
17? Flame Spoke alloy wheels ?850 Cooper ?390 Cooper S
Comfort Access System ?350
Bonnet stripes ?60
Chrome Line Exterior ??90 Cooper, ?80 Cooper S
Driver + front passenger Sports Seats ?210 Cooper
Storage Compartment Pack ?90
Heated front seats ?200
Park distance control ?210
Bi-Xenon headlights ?460
Manual air-conditioning ?660
Interior Lights Pack ?110
TV function for navigation system ?710
Satellite Navigation ?1,500
Bluetooth Telephone preparation ?870 Cooper, ?770 Cooper S
DAB radio tuner ?280
6-Disc CD Changer ?290