04:18AM - 27.06.'14
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News Source: autoblog.com
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One of the big challenges as an automotive journalist is reviewing cars that you have a personal connection to. I have a strong passion for Minis. My first new car was a 2004 Cooper S, and I still own a 2006 model. It's this affinity that's left me with a general disdain of the 2007 to 2013 model relative to my first-gen. The last-generation cars, with their turbocharged engines, softer suspensions, duller steering and homelier looks are, in my mind, inferior to their 2002 to 2006 predecessors. As a car reviewer, though, I couldn't in good conscience argue the same point. The R56, as the last-gen cars were known internally and by enthusiasts, was a better-balanced vehicle that retained the lion's share of the abilities and character of the first-generation, R53 Cooper S, but they were better thought out, better designed, more livable, and felt like more complete products. Before the third-generation of the reborn Mini Cooper S landed in my driveway, I couldn't help but wonder whether the model would continue its slide towards mass appeal, or if it would re-embrace the enthusiast realm with a stronger driver-focused mission. As I found out during my week with the car, it was a bit of both. An immediate point of contention with this latest design is this car's appearance. I didn't much care for the F56, as this latest-generation is called, when it debuted ahead of the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show. As Senior Editor Ewing eloquently put it, the latest Mini looked like a "frightened goldfish." I'm still not crazy about its looks now that I've been so exposed to it. The front fascia, the design's most polarizing design aspect, does look better in Moonwalk Gray, but it still looks a bit startled. What I can't get over, though, is this Mini's newly enlarged front overhang in combination with its slightly longer wheelbase, which has grown from 97.1 inches in 2013 to 98.2 for 2014. Despite this small increase, the vehicle's overall length has jumped from 146.8 inches to 151.1 inches. With most of that increase ahead of the front axle, the overall effect is of an out-of-proportion and nose-heavy look. There are plenty of other design aspects that work, though. The overlarge taillights contribute to the tail's tidy looks. The center-exit exhaust is still standard on the Cooper S, but it highlights a cleaner rear-bumper treatment. The side grilles have been given a minimalist makeover that works out nicely, providing a bit of brightwork to the car's profile. A Mini's cabin is always going to be an interesting place, but few models before this one have felt so well built. While the cabin is predominantly plastic as you'd expect, it feels solid and durable. I enjoyed my tester's off-white trim pieces, which helped brighten up the overall look of the black interior, as they contrasted nicely with the chrome and piano black pieces. The upholstery, meanwhile, received near universal acclaim from anyone that came into contact with it. Called Black Pearl, it's a combination of black leather with an extremely high-quality gray fabric. White contrast stitching ties in nicely with the matching pieces of interior trim, complementing the entire affair. One of Mini's best tricks as a brand has been its ability to fit huge interiors into small footprints. There's a lot going on in this cabin, though, and much of it happens at the expense of the interior's sense of vastness. It's like Mini has upped the size of all the cabin's styling elements without actually increasing the amount of space. In a way, that's true, thanks to the larger instrument cluster, which is attached to the steering column, the oversized air vents and the dominant central display. This reality is compounded by poor sight-lines all around, an affliction that makes it less of a sure-footed proposition in tight spaces. Perhaps that's why my tester was fitted with a rearview camera and fore and aft parking sensors. Visibility issues aside, this is still a nippy little handler with a tight turning circle. The standard sport seats of the Cooper S are really excellent, with significant bolsters that cosset without constricting. My tester arrived fitted with the optional John Cooper Works steering wheel, which is finished in nice leather and sports contrasting red stitching. It's thick and significant, and is really a great item to interact with. The optional paddle shifters of this auto-equipped (more on that in a minute) Cooper S are sizable, and despite being crafted from plastic, they have a nice action and generally add to the driving experience. I did observe a small problem while working the paddles, though, and it relates to the tachometer. The new tach, which has been seemingly added to the column-mounted speedo as an afterthought, is wholly useless. I know Mini caught a lot of flack for the central speedo and the column-mounted tach in past cars, but for the business of driving, it was still better than this subpar setup. One of the new Mini's big selling points is the amount of tech that can be shoehorned into its little cabin. I already mentioned the park-distance control and rearview camera, but I also need to mention Mini Connected (Mini's version of BMW's iDrive), which is back and better than ever for 2014. LED headlamps, LED taillights, LED foglights, a head-up display, dual-zone climate control, panoramic sunroof, a BMW-derived display in the instrument cluster, adaptive dampers and heated, auto-dimming side mirrors round out the list of optional goodies. Mini really went clean-sheet when designing the F56, making dramatic changes inside, outside and yes, underneath the skin. For the first time since it was reborn as a 2002 model, the Mini is without a 1.6-liter engine. In its place sits a gem of a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, complete with a twin-scroll turbocharger. The result is 189 horsepower, a figure that matches up nicely with the 1.6-liter turbo from 2013. The BMW mill, which is becoming more common across the German manufacturer's range, trumps the old 1.6T on torque, though, with 207 pound-feet available from just 1,250 rpm. That number can increase to 221 lb-ft in short spurts via an overboost mode. |
