02 MINI COOPER S JCW SPORT
THE COOPER S DOESN’T JUST SUBTLY LEAN ON NOSTALGIA, IT WHACKS YOU IN THE FACE WITH IT
ENGINE 1998cc inline-4, DOHC, 16v, turbo
POWER 141kW @5000rpm
TORQUE 280Nm @1250-4750rpm
0-100KM/H 6.7sec (claimed)
WEIGHT 1225kg • PRICE $53,200
LIKE: Nails its style brief; upmarket feel inside the cabin; improved ride quality
DISLIKE: Getting very expensive; dynamics need fun injection; missing tech
YOU HAVE hand it to BMW; the Bavarian giant really knows its target market when it comes to the Mini. And it plays hardball to get those sales, offering multiple modernised versions of the traditionally British hatch. Compared to that other retro remake, the now departed Volkswagen Beetle, it’s hard to argue that the new Mini hasn’t been a plus-sized success.
