New Car Review: Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S (2002)

2003 Mini Cooper S

 CLICK4Video Mini Cooper S North American Introduction(20 minutes)(223kps)at LA Auto Show 2002 

 CLICK4Video Mini Introduction(16 minutes)(100kps)at Detroit Auto Show 2001

 CLICK4Video Mini Introduction(16 minutes)(300kps)at Detroit Auto Show 2001

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS


    The specifications sound familiar, today: transverse engine 
driving the front wheels, and a unit-construction chassis with four-
wheel independent suspension, with the wheels pushed out toward 
the corners of the car for maximum space efficiency. But when the 
Austin Seven and Morris Mini Minor debuted in 1959, no 
production car had ever been built that way. British designer Alec 
Issigonis started a revolution.

    The Austin and Morris versions were virtually identical. But the 
cheeky little cars soon were known as Minis no matter what the 
make, and became more than immensely popular in England. They 
were a cultural phenomenon - the mini skirt of 1960s fame was 
allegedly named after the Mini - and people of all walks of life, 
from commoners to royalty, racing drivers, and rock stars, drove 
them. Formula One constructor John Cooper was called upon to 
hop up the Mini in the early 1960s, and the Mini Cooper was born. 
Despite multiple changes of ownership by merger, from British 
Motor Corporation (BMC) to British Leyland to Rover Group to 
BMW (which bought Rover Group in the mid 1990s), Minis were 
produced in more or less their original form until 2000. The second 
generation debuted here early in 2002. Mini is the brand, Cooper is 
now the model name.

    The Mini comes in two models, the Cooper and Cooper S. Both 
use a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, with the S's being 
supercharged. With 115 hp for the Cooper and 163, power doesn't 
seem excessive on paper. But on the road, as I discovered during 
time with both, it's another story. Relatively light weight is the 
secret, as it was originally. Don't be fooled by the small size, either. 
The interior is not so mini, and it is one of the more comfortable 
small cars on the road today. At the time of this writing, Mini 
Coopers are desirable and fashionable, but there is more than 
trendiness to recommend one. For starters, Minis are eminently 
functional, economical, comfortable, and way, way too much fun. 

APPEARANCE: The basic functional ``flying shoe box'' lives. The 
new Mini follows the design concept of the original, albeit with 
considerably more styling, and in 4/3 scale. At just under 12 feet in 
length, it's small, but the original was an even 10 feet long. The 
original had an upright arched grille and projecting sealed-beam 
headlamps; the new Mini's grill pays homage to the old, and its 
rounded nose gives it a bulldog look, appropriate for a British car. 
The hood scoop found on the S is functional, as it feeds the 
intercooler. If the proportions of the new Mini are not quite those 
of its ancestor, they're close. The wheels are still at the corners, and 
fill the flared arches well. At 15 to 17 inches, depending on options, 
they are a little larger than the 10s of the original. The vent grilles in 
the front fenders subtly say ``BMW'' (M3, Z8, and 507), but the 
rest is pure Mini.

COMFORT: As was the case with the original Mini, the new 
version seems to have more inside than can be possible given its 
diminutive exterior dimensions. No magic, just exemplary space 
utilization. Six-foot-plus people fit easily in the superbly 
comfortable and supportive front buckets, with room for two real 
humans in the rear as well. The design is contemporary, with the 
main nod to Mini nostalgia being the placement of the speedometer 
in the center of the instrument panel, as it was in the old Mini. The 
steering wheel tilts, but not to the 45-degree tilt of the original, and 
standard power windows are an improvement over the 1959 Mini's 
sliding plastic side windows. Trunk space is limited, but the rear 
seat folds 50/50 and hatchback access is far superior to the 
original's bottom-hinged trunk compartment. Despite its small size, 
the Mini Cooper is a fully-functional car.

SAFETY: The new Mini has a rigid central structure with front and 
rear crumple zones, front, front side, and side head air bags, and a 
bevy of contemporary electronic safety devices.

ROADABILITY: Ever wonder what a front-wheel drive BMW 
would be like? Look no further. In regular or S trim, the Mini 
Cooper is one of the best-handling front-wheel drive cars ever 
made. As proven by the original, a rigid chassis, good weight 
distribution, and well-tuned independent suspension add up to 
nimble handling, flat cornering, and big-time fun. My Cooper had 
the sports suspension, and the S had its firmer variant. Both were 
firm but not harsh, and, no surprise, not all that far removed from a 
BMW sports suspension tuning in feel and comfort. In any form, a 
Mini is usefully small around town, and works surprisingly well for 
distance as well.

PERFORMANCE: Because of its small size, a Mini feels quick. 
That's no illusion. Thank you, light weight. In either regular or 
supercharged S trim, it is quick enough to be thoroughly enjoyable. 
No surprise there for the Cooper S, with 163 supercharged 
horsepower and 155 lb-ft of torque. What is surprising is the 
regular Cooper. Its' 115 hp and 100 lb-ft don't sound like much on 
paper, but on the road it doesn't feel all that much slower than the 
S. Its naturally-aspirated version of the 1.6-liter Mini engine doesn't 
have as much go as the S, but that is no problem. Just keep the revs 
up, shift more (the wonderful shift linkage makes this a pleasure, 
anyway!) and, as the saying goes, drive it like you just stole it. The 
Cooper is available with a five-speed manual gearbox or a 
continuously-variable transmission with six manual-mode ratios. 
The S has a six-speed Getrag manual gearbox. 

CONCLUSIONS: The Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S are maxi 
fun on four wheels.

SPECIFICATIONS
2002 Mini Cooper and (Mini Cooper S)

Base Price			$ 16,850 (19,850 S)
 including 550 destination
Price As Tested		        $ varies
Engine Type			inline single overhead cam 16-valve 
                                 4-cylinder (S: supercharged)
Engine Size			1.6 liters / 97 cu. in.
Horsepower			115 @ 6000 rpm  (163 @ 6000)
Torque (lb-ft)			110 @ 4500 rpm  (155 @ 4000)
Transmission			5-speed manual (6-speed manual)
Wheelbase / Length		97.1 in. / 142.8 (143.9) in.
Curb Weight			2524 (2678)  lbs. unladen
Pounds Per Horsepower	        22 (16.4)
Fuel Capacity			13.2 gal.
Fuel Requirement		87 octane unleaded gasoline minimum
Tires				varies
Brakes, front/rear		vented disc / disc, antilock standard
Suspension, front/rear		independent MacPherson strut / 
                                  independent multilink
Drivetrain			front engine, front-wheel drive

PERFORMANCE
EPA Fuel Economy - miles per gallon
    city / highway / observed		28 / 37 / 32 (24 / 33 / 27)
0 to 60 mph				8.5 (6.9) sec - mfg.
Coefficient of Drag (cd)		0.36

OPTIONS AND CHARGES
Because neither car came with option information, this is hard to 
tell. There are many, many possibilities, with choices of suspension 
tuning, interior appointment (leatherette or cloth standard, leather 
available), color (including flag roof schemes), and even fitted 
luggage - not a bad idea considering the trunk size and shape. 
Whether you're looking for 60s retro fashion or a contemporary 
pocket rocket, a Mini can be outfitted to fit your needs.