Mighty Mouse

Today’s Minis are a very different kettle of fish. More compact-luxury than compact-economy,BMW relaunched the Mini brand in 2000; and the British icon hasn’t looked back since. Dishing up a desirable mix of retro chic and fun to drive,with enough build quality to embarrass a luxury car,Mini today is even more of a global icon.

BMW’s compact luxury brand has however taken its time in coming to India,and understandably so. Ours is a market where size and value are directly proportional,and that’s a big problem

The line-up for India includes a convertible and a crossover,but it’s this Cooper S that is the most exciting. With its 181bhp engine and sporty underpinnings,this sub-four meter rally replica promises to take on other outwardly sporty cars,and give them a good thrashing.

The first surprise when you see this car is that this car isn’t all that ‘mini’ — frowning grille,bug-eyed headlights and compact tail give it the feel of the original.

Under the skin,the new Mini Cooper S stays true to the original with the car’s transverse engine and front-wheel drive setup.

The big question,of course,as far as the insides are concerned,is if this car is big enough to be comfortable. There really is a decent amount of space for front occupants,the cabin feels nice and wide and the high quality retro dasher is stunning. You will particularly like the rich leather finish on the dashboard and door pads.

The engine under the hood might only displace 1600 odd cc,but Cooper S’s direct injection,aluminium alloy motor on this car features a twin-scroll turbocharger that bumps power output up to a solid 181bhp. Torque is a substantial 24.5kgm (26.5kgm on overboost) and the Cooper S has an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 146bhp per ton.

Flatten the throttle and the Cooper S charges to a 100,front wheels spinning,in a surprisingly rapid 7.32 seconds. That’s only around a second slower than Mercedes’s SLK,which is powered by a hulking 3500cc,305bhp V6.

These numbers however fail to convey the sheer manic nature with which the Cooper S gathers speeds. You don’t feel detached,but part of the action,the motor changes from a brassy rasp to a snarl as you keep your right foot pinned,and you also get a delightful popping sound on deceleration. The compactness of the cabin amplifies the sensation of speed and there’s almost no turbo lag from the motor. Mini and engine partner Peugeot seem to have done a stellar job here.

Cooper tuned Minis in the ’60s were famous for their leech-like grip and sheer flexibility,and the new Cooper S more than lives up to these ideals. The car seems like it is made for winding roads,and the levels of grip and confidence you get are staggering. Few front-wheel drive cars can corner this well. The front wheels just grip and grip,there’s almost no body roll and the Cooper S puts its power down really well,even coming out of a corner. And can there be something more fun than flicking a Cooper S from apex to apex?

Yes,the Cooper S tends to follow road camber on occasion and loose surfaces do induce some torque steer,but despite its diminutive size and comparative low power output,the Cooper S is incredible fun. The best bit however is that you can continue to power through and keep the nose pointing in the right direction.

Ride comfort,however,has been compromised. The sport-oriented Cooper S comes with stiffer springs and the ride is quite jiggly over poorly paved bits of the road.

The Mini Cooper S is stiffly sprung,has a cramped rear seat,no rear doors,the fuel economy isn’t great and at Rs 28.6 lakh (ex-showroom,Delhi),it’s really expensive. Try and rationalise the Mini Cooper S,however,and you’re missing the point entirely. This car isn’t about being practical,it’s about being fast,fun to drive and an object of desire. And in this role,the go-kart like Cooper S excels. It gets as much attention as cars thrice its price,the quality of the interiors is up there with 50 lakh luxury cars and the best part is,like that Chanel or Dior black cocktail dress,it will never go out of style.

The writer is deputy editor,Autocar India.