Thursday, December 3, 2009

Mini Cooper

After purchasing the Mini brand, BMW quickly went to work in recreating the Mini car, and history was remade in 2001 with the introduction of the new Mini, only this time it had a distinctly German flavour.
The new mini appeared with a larger body than the original, a result of today's stringent crash standards, but the spirit of the original was noticeably kept intact, thanks to the overall shape, compactness and face of the new car. It was truly a Mini for modern times.
The base engine was a 1.6 litre SOHC inline-4 that produce 89 BHP and 140.1 Nm of torque. A sportier version cranked out 113 BHP and 148.9 Nm. The choice for enthusiasts was the cooper S, whose powerplant provided 113 BHP and 148.9 Nm of torque to the front tires. The base grades received a 5-speed manual transmision and a CVT, while the Cooper S came equipped with a 6-Speed manual.
Whichever combination you ordered, the car's on-road character was delightful as it demonstrated an excellent combination of handling, power and comfort, BMW style! Of note was the cornering character of the Cooper S, which felt like an oversized go-kart, thanks to its razor sharp reflexes and excellent power coming out of corners. For those who preferred driving with their hair in the wind, BMW offered the Mini Convertible in 2004.


3 comments: