The Redline

Tag: MINI

  • 2020 Mini Countryman PHEV Review

    2020 Mini Countryman PHEV Review

    The 2020 Mini Countryman PHEV is – I think – the only plug-in hybrid compact SUV on the market today and certainly the most fun.

    The Countryman – heck, the whole Mini range – cops a lot of stick for being too big or too this or too that. Nobody is ever happy. And I bet when the purists discovered that not only was there going to be a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Mini, it was the Countryman.

    And – shock horror – it was to be rear-wheel drive. Okay, only some of the time, but a rear-wheel drive Mini is the sort of thing you see in Youtube videos with people wearing backwards baseball caps who start by saying, “What’s up Youtube?”

    Naturally, I’m classier than that. Not very much more, but I am.

    How much is a 2020 Mini Countryman PHEV and what do I get?

    Mini Countryman Cooper S E All 4: $57,200 +ORC

    Ah, yes, nearly sixty large for a Mini. You do get some stuff, though.

    You get 18-inch alloys, a six-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control, ambient lighting, reversing camera, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, active cruise control, sat nav, auto LED headlights with auto high beam, auto wipers, partial leather (ie some fake, some real) trim, auto parking, power tailgate and run-flat tyres.

    The Mini media system is basically iDrive (not the latest OS 7.0) and also has DAB+ radio and Apple CarPlay. It also has the stupid armrest-mounted wireless charging pad that doesn’t fit larger phones. That’s really annoying, but seems to be on the way to being fixed in other BMW Group cars.

    The Mini Countryman PHEV is available in seven colours – Midnight Black, Island Blue, British Racing Green, Moonwalk Grey, Thunder Grey, Melting Silver and the only freebie, Light White. The rest are another thousand bucks.

    Options and Packages

    Being a Mini, there are plenty to choose from. You can choose a different 18-inch wheel for no money or 19s for $1200.

    Climate Package ($2400): Includes sunroof, tinted windows and heated front seats.

    Convenience Package ($2500): adds an alarm (?!), electric front seats with lumbar support, electrochromatic rear-vision mirror, dipping door mirrors for parking. That last thing should be on all cars and not optional. Yes, I will die on this hill.

    Media Plus Package ($2000): This one adds a premium 12-speaker stereo and a head-up display. You should get this for reasons I will mention later and the HUD should be standard for those same reasons.

    There is a bunch of other stuff like headlining and leather options for hundreds each that are down to taste rather than utility, so go nuts.

    Safety – 5 stars (ANCAP, May 2017)

    The Mini Countryman D scored the five stars and ANCAP wants you to know that.

    The Countryman PHEV ships with six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, forward low-speed AEB with pedestrian avoidance, forward collision warning, speed zone recognition and pedestrian alert for when it’s running in electric mode.

    Warranty and Servicing

    Like parent company BMW, Mini still only offers 3 years/unlimited km with roadside assist thrown in.

    The dealer will try and flog you pre-paid servicing for five years/80,000km and it’s not a bad deal. From what I can tell, the Countryman PHEV costs $1495 for Basic and $4031 for Plus which covers brake discs and pads and clutches (if required).

    You can buy servicing for up to ten years or 200,000km, but that’s POA.

    Look and Feel

    Yeah it’s big for a Mini, but it does have a really big COUNTRYMAN across the back so you don’t have to explain it to people. I don’t mind the Countryman but I’m not sure about it in BRG. I had the great privilege of attending the Countryman launch in the UK a few years back. It looks good in blue.

    The PHEV is festooned with those big yellow E badges that look – and in the case of the plug-in cap – feel flimsy, which is a shame. Plastichrome is better than this. Apart from that, it looks good and not too self-consciously rugged if the usual Mini self-conscious retro-ness.

    For the biggest Mini, you get plenty of space. From the B-pillar forward it’s the same Mini as any other with a few small tweaks (taller air-con vents) but behind you get good space for rear seat dwellers on comfy-looking seats. The sunroof does steal a bit of headroom, but you won’t be carrying tall people regularly back there. Will you?

    The boot is a decent size at 405 litres. You lose a spare, though, as the batteries are under the boot floor, along with a well where the portable charger goes. Push down the rear seats and you get up 1275 litres, which again isn’t bad going.

    I also didn’t hate the white leather, which I probably should have.

    Drivetrain and Chassis

    Being a Countryman, it’s all-wheel drive. And front-wheel drive. And rear-wheel drive. Not all at the same time, of course.

    Under the bonnet is BMW’s normally punchy B38 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo serving up 100kW and 220Nm. The engine drives the front wheels through a six-speed automatic.

    Connected only by clever software, the rear wheels have a 65kW/165Nm electric motor juiced by a 7.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

    Mini says the combined power figure is 165kW and 385Nm, pushing the 1700kg machine to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds. As quick as a normal Cooper S, then.

    There’s nothing cute about the chassis – being a Mini it runs on UKL2. The 18s are shod with Continental Premium Contact 6 SSR tyres measuring 225/50.

    Range and charging

    Mini says you can drive up to 40km on a single full charge in EV mode. Which, incidentally, is when it’s in rear-wheel drive.

    Charging to 80 percent takes three hours on a normal domestic socket, dropping by 40 percent if you go for a wall box. There is no DC charge capability, but really, that would be silly.

    The city range isn’t far off but the highway range is nothing like 40km, so stick in Battery Save mode when you’re on the open road.

    Fuel Economy

    The ADR fuel figure on the combined cycle is a very silly 2.5L/100km and the NEDC is just as silly. I didn’t really have the car long enough to give you a real world figure (it’s in high demand this thing), so I’ll go with the consensus and say that in mixed mode it will managed somewhere between 5.5 and 7.0L/100km.

    Driving

    Fundamentally, it’s a Countryman. It does retain the basic Mini feel of taut suspension and responsive steering, the extra height does dial back the hot hatch feel.

    There is a bit of body roll through the corners – well controlled and not even approaching what you might see in other compact SUVs – but the grip is addictive.

    I went in thinking I would really notice the difference in all-wheel drive that’s electric at the back and “trad” at the front, but it was pretty good. In full EV mode, the electric motor is responsive and fun, near-perfect around town. It’s kind of like a fat i3.

    Where it isn’t like an i3 is the regenerative braking. It’s nowhere near as aggressive and I couldn’t find anywhere to up the aggro. I think that probably goes back to the fact that the rear brakes probably don’t have that much recovering ability compared to other EVs.

    Thing is, though, the brake pedal is really soft at the top as the transition between the limited recovery and actual braking is a bit awkward. You get used to it, but it took a while.

    The dash is largely unchanged, which is not great. The speedo is too tightly-packed and a pain to read. Normally that’s easy fixed by cycling through the dash display to get a digital speed reading.

    Not in the Countryman, so get yourself the HUD in the Media Plus package.

    Redline Recommendation

    All Minis are a good laugh. The Countryman PHEV’s biggest problem is the price. While it’s cheaper than the JCW version, it’s really not that from the price of the full EV Kona Electric.

    But you might want a quick-ish Mini Countryman and have the ability to run around town on electrons. That’s not as niche as it sounds and absent any real competition, this is the compact SUV PHEV to have.

    What’s great about it is that it feels like a Mini Countryman without being a jerk about having electric power.

  • 2020 Mini Electric Hatch Australian Pricing and Spec

    Mini Electric will shortly arrive in Australia with a driveaway price and some extra goodies for the early adopters.

    You wouldn’t know it, but this isn’t the first Mini in the country that can move under its own electric power. The Mini Countryman PHEV holds that distinction. The second one, however, is a fully electric brick so you can commit to the concept in some style.

    How much is a 2020 Mini Electric and what do I get?

    $59,990 driveway (Australia)

    Mini is expecting the Mini Electric First Edition to arrive in Australian showrooms from August, so you might be allowed into the dealership for them to throw you the keys. Literally.

    The three-door hatch comes with a 17-inch wheels in two designs, adaptive LED headlights, leather sport seats, head up display, a distinctive digital dash and a harmon kardon stereo system.

    No doubt you’ll get a few extras too like wireless Apple CarPlay. Well, we hope so for that kind of money.

    Look and feel

    It’s a proper Mini, right down to the Union Jack taillights. I really like it when normal cars with normal looks (as normal as a Mini ever can be) have a fully electric option. To distinguish the externals, there are those funky alloys, the yellow mirrors and grill finish and a few badges and bits and pieces.

    The interior has the usual changes, including a digital dash and a modified centre console, which still has a shifter. I bet there were heaps of arguments about that.

    Drivetrain

    The Mini Electric packs 135kW and 270Nm to send to the front wheels. Being electric, the torque is available from zero revs. Mini reckons it will crack 100km/h in 7.3 seconds (Mini Cooper S pace, if I recall correctly) and is front-wheel drive.

    The battery is a 32.6kWh lithium-ion unit, delivering a 233km range (WLTP, so it should be reasonably accurate). If you can get your hands on a 50kW DC charger (“in this pandemic?”/”in this backwards country?”) you can get an 80 percent charge in a spankingly quick 35 minutes.

    Redline Recommendation

    I gotta say, I’m a bit disappointed at the price. For a little bit more money you can get yourself a Hyundai Kona Electric with twice the real world range. No, it’s not a Mini, but boy is it good.

    Setting that aside, the price makes it a no-brainer against something like the perky but pricey Renault ZOE and Nissan’s dull Leaf. And apart from the cracking BMW i3, it’s the best-looking electric car. Yes, I said something earlier about normal-looking cars being electric, shut up.

    It will be interesting to see how the Mini Electric goes. I think it’s the kind of car that wakes people up to EVs the way cars like the Leaf and underrated ZOE can’t. And because it’s not $120,000 but is a premium brand, I’ll be very keen to see what’s what.

    And let’s face it, the world is going to be quite different on the other side of all this.

  • 2020 Mini Clubman JCW Review

    Mini has done a Clubman JCW before, but it hasn’t done one with 225kW and 450Nm. We drive it here in Australia and we’ve got the juicy details.

    The Mini update that started 2018 is just about done, with the Clubman finally getting the mid-life tweak.

    How much is the Mini Clubman and what do I get?

    For 2020 the Clubman John Cooper Works comes in two specs – Pure for $57,900 and Exclusive for $62,900, both before on-roads.

    2020 Mini Clubman JCW Pure

    Clubman JCW…with a Countryman lurking

    The Pure rolls on 18-inch alloys and has sat nav, auto LED headlights, keyless entry and start, active cruise, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera, dual-zone climate control with rear vents, auto high beam, semi-automatic parking, electric folding and dipping mirrors, standard adaptive dampers and bits of cool lighting.

    The 8.8-inch screen is still set in the giant LED-ringed ring in the centre of the dash and powers a 6-speaker stereo. You get two USB ports (one USB-A and one USB-C) and a 12-volt charge point as well.

    You also get wireless Apple CarPlay, which is great. Less great is the wireless charging pad if you have a larger phone (iPhone XS Mac or 11 Pro Max, for instance). The Qi pad is in the armrest and like the X2’s, doesn’t fit a the bigger phones. At the time of writing Mini hadn’t changed its official policy on charging for CarPlay after the initial three years subscription runs out.

    The only option available on the Pure is the Climate Package which adds heated seats darker tinted windows and massive sunroof for $2400.

    Mini says the Pure is about making the purchase easy – limiting choice means it’s easier to keep in stock. I reckon this is the one most people will buy, partly because the seats but also the adaptive damoing.

    2020 Mini Clubman JCW Exclusive

    If you spend the extra $5000 to get to the Exclusive, you can add full leather seats with “cross-punch” patterning, 12-speaker Harmon Kardon set, electric and heated front seats and an electro-chromatic rear vision mirror to go with the folding and dipping external mirrors.

    Because the Exclusive has 19-inch alloys, you lose the adaptive dampers. More on that later.

    You can also get the $300 Media package which adds a head-up display with JCW additions. As with the Pure, you can specify the climate package which which is $2000 because you already have heated seats.

    A third option pack, Convenience, adds through loading with 40:20:40 rear seat split, rear armrest, alarm system, tyre pressure monitoring and adaptive LED matrix headlights with LED driving lights. That’s a hefty $2900.

    They should all really have a centre rear armrest and who uses an alarm anymore?

    Warranty and servicing

    The warranty is a three-year/unlimited kilometre offer, same as the parent company, as is the condition-based servicing where the car tells you when to take it in. You can also pre-pay up to five years of servicing with two levels of cover.

    I say it all the time, but three years is looking thin in this day and age, but then again, neither Merc or Audi’s are any longer.

    Safety

    Like the Cooper S, the JCW comes with six airbags, forward AEB with pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchors.

    The Clubman doesn’t have an ANCAP safety score because I don’t know why. EuroNCAP gave it four stars in 2015 and I suspect it had something to do with a couple of missing advanced safety features like lane keep assist and blind spot warning.

    Look and Feel

    As with the mild update to the Cooper S Clubman, the JCW scores a new grille but with a red strut bar. The new front bumper has extra ducting for the updated cooling package. The front and rear bumpers also make the car a little slipperier through the air.

    The colour choice varies depending on whether you choose the Pure or the Exclusive.

    The Clubman JCW Pure comes in four colours – red, white, blue and black and you can choose between one design of 18-inch wheels in silver or black.

    Mini Clubman JCW Pure Interior / 8.8-inch screen / Chunky wheel

    You also get just one interior colour choice with the Recaro seats in a mix of leather and Dinamica, which is like Alcantara. It’s a bit dark in there but apart from that, perfectly fine.

    Your choice of exterior colours in the Exclusive expands to British Racing Green (back after a short absence), Starlight Blue (first time on a Clubman), Midnight Black, Indian Summer (very pretty), Melting Silver, Thunder Grey, White Silver and Chili Red. They’re all $1000 extra.

    Moonwalk Grey and Pepper White are the only freebies.

    On top of that you can choose from three roof colours and matching stripes (although the silver strips won’t be here till later in 2020).

    Inside you get a few new bits and pieces including the new optional Mini Yours Frozen Blue. About the biggest change is that in the leather lounge option, the Union Jack embossing is on the forward side of headrest. The list of interior options goes on forever.

    It’s a pretty good interior that makes the most of its modest dimensions. Obviously, the Clubman is bigger and feels ligther and airier than the hatch, which is obvious with lots more glass. The optional sunroof (part of the $2400 Climate Package) has those annoying perforated blinds. It’s too sunny here for those.

    What is the interior space like?

    Rear seat passengers get the best deal of the Mini range, except maybe for the Countryman. Half-decent space, good headroom and you don’t feel like you’ll bounce your head on the rear glass.

    Front seat dwellers score a pair of cupholders and a tiny storage space in the armrest (the Exclusive has wireless charging in there) and the front doors both have bottle holders and door pockets. In the back, the

    The boot 360 litres is much bigger than the Hatch and when you put all the seats down, you fill it with 1250 litres of stuff. Front seat passengers get two cupholders and those in the rear not only get them too, but also get their own air-con vents. Fancy! Except in the Pure, where there’s no rear armrest, you just get the vents.

    Drivetrain

    The big news for the 2020 Clubman JCW is the power jump – it’s up 55kW to 225kW and now has 450Nm. Kablamo. If that sounds familiar, it should – it’s the same engine as the X2 M35i.

    Like its Beemer brother, you get a front TORSEN diff with 39% traction and 26% thrust settings. Mini says it means you get more power through the fronts more of the time. The All4 all-wheel drive system is onboard for when the front runs out of grip. Which it will if driven as intended.

    An eight-speed Aisin automatic looks after getting the power and torque to the AWD system.

    Hidden behind those big ducts either side of the radiators are two extra small radiators to help deal with the extra heat from the B48. It’s a lot of cooling for a lot of power.

    Chassis

    For the most part, the cars are mechanically identical – huge 360mm front brakes and 330mm at the rear. They’re both 10mm lower and sport new steering knuckles on the front axle to help tame torque steer.

    The Torsen LSD also means that the full whack of torque is available in first and second gear, meaning vivid launch control starts.

    So here’s where it’s weird, but expected. As the Mini Clubman runs on the same UKL2 platform as the BMW X2 (and X2 etc. etc.), adaptive damping is only available in cars with 18-inch wheels. So the Pure gets it, the Exclusive with its 19s does not.

    Driving the Clubman JCW Exclusive

    Unfortunately, I only got to drive the Exclusive, so the Pure review will be along soon.

    I’ve driven a few quick Minis in my time. I’ve also driven the X3 M35i. They’re all hilarious, but for different reasons. This new Clubman JCW is way more powerful than the pre-update machine and it’s absolutely worth every single extra cent over the older car.

    Basically, it’s mental. The All4 set up is nice and progressive and gets the Clubman off the line super-fast, cracking the ton in 4.9 seconds. That’s only part of the story, though.

    As with most Minis, it has fantastic steering and here in the JCW, it’s almost completely unflappable and perfectly weighted when in it sportiest setting. It pounds into corners really hard, the huge brakes pulling it up nicely as you turn-in. And the turn-in is fantastic as is the ability to stamp on the throttle pretty much whenever you like (okay, within reason).

    What’s also quite heartening is the fact that the ride has survived the loss of the adaptive damping.

    The engine’s power delivery is for the most part very smooth, once you’re over the initial lag. That lag is fairly small given the twin-scroll turbo but once it’s gone, you’ve got a bit of a weapon on your hands. In -gear acceleration is absolutely scorching for this kind of car, zapping from 100 to *inaudible* in no time at all. Overtaking is easy and licence-shredding if you’re not careful. The eight-speed automatic is excellent and seems to know which gear it needs to be in without drama.

    Redline Recommendation

    Four point nine seconds is quick. Yes, you can do that an in AMG A45 (okay, quicker) but it’s a lot more expensive and doesn’t drive like a Mini, or look like one. The JCW Exclusive is great to drive and a Mini you can live with. Is it worth over $62,000? I don’t know yet – I need to drive the Pure and see if the $5000 saving, different seats and adaptive damping is worth foregoing the the extra bits and bobs.

    But setting aside value-for-money, the Mini is an awesome cousin for the X2 M35i or the new M135i – completely different looks, similar price and a practical form factor.

  • Superfast Mini John Cooper Works GP for 2020

    Want something fast and small? The 2020 Mini John Cooper Works GP might just be for you.

    Some things are just meant to be. The new BMW X2 M35i rolls on the same UKL2 platform as the Mini and has the B48 turbo four. No doubt Mini’s engineers and product planners took one look at that engine and said, “We’re having that.”

    The press release is scant on details, the JCW GP will likely also roll with the X2’s all-wheel drive system. With 225kW (306PS) and 450Nm, the front wheels are going to be in a fair bit of trouble from the get-go.

    The old JCW GP made do with 160kW (218PS), front-wheel drive and a 1.6.

    The production car is based on the 2017 Mini JCW Concept which showcased various lightweight materials. And some pretty whacky aerodynamics, let’s be honest. Expect a toned-down version of the lower aero, but that wing will no doubt survive.

    The previous JCW GPs were pretty gosh-darn amazing (I drove one in 2013). To heave weight, that car was missing the rear seats and, in its place, was a whopping brace. Given Mini’s constant push upwards, it will probably be carbon fibre in this one.

    At the time of writing, the 2020 Mini John Cooper Works was supposedly about to start final “whole of vehicle” testing.

    When and how much?

    As ever, it’s a limited edition, with just 3000 available worldwide. Australia will probably get their hands on about 50 or 60 of them (the last one saw just 55), so either way, it will be a collectible machine, just like the last lot.

  • Mini outs special edition Hatch: 60 Years Edition

    Mini Australia has released yet another special edition model, this time celebrating its sixtieth anniversary with four limited-run 60 Years Edition variants based on the Cooper and Cooper S Hatch range.

    Although the 60 Years Edition variant commands a $4000 premium over the models upon which they are based, Mini says the special edition adds $8500 of value with its unique badging, upholstery, interior trim and 17-inch alloys.

    From standard, the 60 Years Edition is coated in a British Racing Green metallic paint with a Pepper White roof and exterior mirror colour, and the interior is shod in Dark Cacao upholstery.

    Buyers can also opt for an alternative appearance package, which swaps out the aforementioned for Midnight Black Lapis Luxury Blue paint, Jet Black roof and mirrors and Carbon Black cabin features.

    Heritage has been the name of the game for Mini since the British marque was taken over by BMW in 2000, and according to Mini Australia general manager Brett Waudby, the 60 Years Edition continues that philosophy.

    “This year we are celebrating an exceptional brand milestone, and what better way to commemorate this than with a special edition model,” said Mr Waudby.

    “The Mini 60 Years Edition offers excellent customer value with specific design details that encompass the Mini legacy, such as iconic exterior finishes and timeless interior elements.”

    Powering the Cooper variants is a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine, which generates 100kW and 220Nm.

    The Cooper S ups the ante with a more spritely 2.0-litre turbo four-pot producing 141kW and 220Nm.

    PRICING

    Pricing kicks off at $33,900 plus on-road costs for the base Cooper three-door hatch, while the sharper and faster Cooper S three-door starts at $43,900.

    The five-door is priced at $31,150 in Cooper form, while the Cooper S five-door tops the range at $45,150.

  • Mini Cooper S 2019 Review

    It’s too big, blah, blah, blah. Minis are supposed to small blah blah blah. The Cooper S is nothing like the original.

    All of these things are true or based in truth. The new Mini is big car, monstering our Volkswagen up! and the Suzuki Swift Sport we had a few weeks ago. It’s also nothing like the original which is a great thing – having an accident in a Mini now is much safer, even when you take into account over five decades of safety innovation. Crashing a new Mini is not the death sentence of an old one, a car that survived into the 1990s.

    The third generation New Mini, know as the F55, has been around since 2014, which comes as somewhat of a shock to me. It is kind of hard to tell things are changing because the three generations of BMW-owned Mini look so similar.

    As it has been around for a while, it’s time for a freshen-up which has meant a new interior, a few fix-ups and a general tweaking to make things a bit faster and, hopefully, more fun.

    Look and Feel

    Mini Cooper S 2019
    Mini Cooper S 2019
    Mini Cooper S 2019
    Mini Cooper S 2019
    Mini Cooper S 2019
    Mini Cooper S 2019

    As you can see, it’s…quite familiar. The facelift meant a few things, but the most obvious are those Union Jack taillights. I got into trouble on Instagram when I took a photo of them and said they were naff. Torrents of mild and amusing abuse followed and for once, people weren’t laying into the Mini’s funky looks.

    I quite like the wheels on this Cooper S. I reckon they look really cool and reinvent the Minilites a little bit. The self-conscious retro-ism of the old wheels was getting annoying. This BRG-style colour is pretty much perfect and goes with those rear lights.

    The centrally-mounted twin exhausts look stupid, though – tiny pea-shooters.

    Drivetrain

    Looks like a fish with the bonnet up…
    Mini Cooper S 2019
    Seven-speed twin-clutch

    The Cooper S still has the 2.0-litre modular four-cylinder turbo, one-upping the three-cylinder turbo of the standard Cooper. Codenamed B48, it’s scattered through the BMW range as well in various states of tune.

    Here in the Cooper S you have 141kW (PS) and a very handy 280Nm. That’s good for a half-decent 0-100km/h (0-62mph) time of 6.8 seconds, which will slay things like the Fiesta ST. As it should given how much more it costs.

    The front wheels get their power from a seven-speed twin-clutch or, as you’re more likely to choose, a six-speed manual. Most buyers choose the seven-speed, which is why I drove that one.

    Chassis

    Mini Cooper S 2019
    Mini Cooper S 2019

    The Cooper S rolls on those very handsome 17-inch alloys wrapped in 205/45 Michelin Primacy tyres.

    Obviously, the S is a bit lower and stiffer than the standard Cooper, but not by much. It also scores adaptive suspension, which is quite impressive in a car this small and goes some way to justifying its higher pricing. Here in Australia, the Mini Cooper S costs the same as a Golf GTI or Hyundai i30 N.

    Driving

    Mini Cooper S 2019

    Minis are great. They’ve got this little bounce in their roll, the way they get about is cheerful and fun. I’m quite happy in a 1.5-litre base model, particularly if it’s a manual, because it’s a great car to get around in.

    I love the driving position. Low and with those massive side windows, the pushed-forward A-pillars widen your field-of-view. You can see where the front wheels are going to go and the view ahead is not the postbox slot of a racy front windscreen.

    The current Mini is the basis of a whole new run of BMWs and, obviously Minis. With the recent Life Cycle Impulse (LCI) update, the Mini seems to have calmed slightly. I can speculate as to why – with more money being spent on the UKL2 platform and with Mini’s burgeoning range and BMW’s move to a transverse-engined architecture, lots of cash has gone to making it ride well.

    As I’ve already said, I liked the way the Mini bounced around. My wife, however, did not. She really hated what we came to call “the Mini bounce” (super-creative, I know) and felt that the car wasn’t tied down.

    The 2019 Mini Cooper S feels much more tied down than before. Firing through the bends – tight or long – the front end sticks and digs in as you lean on it. But now, it feels more like it’s holding the road rather than riding over it a bit. It’s a great feeling and helps you push on.

    And that’s a good thing. It still feels like a Mini – short wheelbase, pointy front end and in the S, lots of power. The seven-speed twin clutch is deceptively good – I had to check it wasn’t the ZF auto. Fast, positive shifts, no dithering like the old one and no lurching in reverse. It’s clever and lets you get on with the job of going fast.

    And again, you can go fast because while the chassis is a little more settled, the brakes are always there for you. Great pedal feel means you can hammer them has you hook the car into the turn and have the confidence that you’re going to get the stopping performance you need.

    Redline Recommendation

    The Mini has always been fun. And this Cooper S is a blast. I had the JCW Millbrook a few weeks after the Mini and thought that in some ways (apart from cost) the Cooper S is really close. Yeah, it doesn’t have the huge power, adaptive damping and LSD but it’s got all the things that make a Mini good.

    And that’s one of the reasons I like the Mini – they’re fun to drive, even a Countryman is good fun. The Cooper S might just be the sweet spot.

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