2012 Mini Cooper S Coupe: Original shape and a rock hard suspension

At the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show, MINI unveiled two concept cars: a coupe and a roadster. They stood out with their plunging lines that broke away from the brand’s traditional square mould. Most people at the event figured that these were just concept cars and that the production models, if ever they were made, would surely be very different.
However, the coupe, the first of the two models to arrive on our market, looks a lot like the concept introduced two years ago. There’s the same plunging roof equipped with a rear deflector that makes it look like a baseball cap turned backwards. Be that as it may, not everyone is a fan of its physique. Some, such as my colleague Marc Lachapelle, don’t really like the look of the car. But to his great surprise, some of his family members really liked it. Personally, I find it different, but not necessarily nice. But, when you drive a car, the outside doesn’t really matter.

A two-seater!

Your suspicions are true: with the plunging roofline and the model’s relatively abbreviated length, backseats would have been practically useless. So this coupe is a two-seater. At least you can adjust your seat without worrying about the person behind you.

At first glance, the passenger compartment has the same general presentation as the other models. Thus, the front central part of the dashboard houses a row of stick-shaped switches that serve to control, among other things, the cabin light and the rear spoiler (which can be raised or lowered as needed). This same spoiler deploys automatically at high speeds to keep the car stable. I have my doubts about how effective this aerodynamic accessory is, but it gives this MINI a very nice, sporty cachet.

Behind the wheel, you’re confronted with a rev counter mounted directly on the steering column, which means that it rises and lowers as you adjust the steering column. As with all MINI models, a gigantic speedometer is smack dab in the middle of the dashboard. If ever you’re pulled over for speeding, you’ll have a tough time convincing the police officer that you didn’t know how fast you were going! Of course, as with all models from this brand, you’ll need some time to figure out these controls, which feature very original shapes, positioning and functions.

The front seats are comfortable and the headroom is excellent. However, some people may feel claustrophobic inside, so I recommend taking a little test drive before signing anything.

While the storage space behind the seats isn’t particularly generous, there’s a large opening to access the trunk. It’s a good size, especially for such a small car, but the hatch is very heavy due to the spoiler.

Variable power

With this coupe, the brand’s intention was obvious: to make this the sportiest model in the Mini line up. That’s why the John Cooper Works model is powered by a turbocharged version of the 1.6-litre engine producing 208 horses. Considering that it costs nearly $40,000, don’t expect it to be very popular. In my opinion, the most coveted model will be the Cooper S that comes with the same engine as the previous model, but producing 181 horses. It goes from 0-100 km/h in 8.6 seconds and finishes a quarter-mile in 16.6 seconds. Our test model was equipped with a Getrag six-speed manual gearbox, but it can be ordered with a six-speed automatic transmission too.

Note that the least expensive version, the Cooper, comes with a naturally-aspirated version of this same four-cylinder engine, but it features only 121 horsepower.

“A real bumpy ride”

One of my friends was all hot and bothered at the sight of this British car, so I invited him along for a little test drive. At first, he was impressed by this model’s extremely dynamic accelerations. I pointed out that the torque effect in the steering wheel is practically imperceptible because the drive shafts are the same length. At the same time, I mentioned that the power steering wasn’t bad for a sports car and that the steering wheel was easy to grip.

Right near my home, we headed straight for the new surfaces of some winding roads, which helped me test the efficiency of the suspension and the quality of the handling. Until then, my friend was still impressed. Then, a few seconds later, I turned onto a somewhat bumpy road, which was very representative of the majority of our roads in Québec.

We’d been driving for less than a kilometre when we noticed how much we were being shaken about. The harsh suspension couldn’t manage the road conditions. What’s more, the plastic pieces that normally block off the trunk were doing some kind of jig and making all kinds of noise. And all that before I even pushed the “Sport” mode button, which accentuates the firmness of the suspension even more.

And I wasn’t driving at breakneck speed either. The speed limit posted on this back road was 70 km/h, and I followed it to the letter. In any case, going faster would have shaken us up even more. Basically, my friend eventually turned to me and said “Wow, is it ever bumpy!” (He used somewhat more colourful language, mind you!)

So there you have this uncommon English car in a nutshell. Its unorthodox silhouette helps it pass for a sports car.  The Cooper S and John Cooper Works models are sufficiently fast and their handling on the pavement is both impeccable and impressive. Push the “Sport” button and the fun of driving is kicked up a notch, even though the difference isn’t spectacular.

But since Canadian roads are rarely flawless, I don’t know how many people will be prepared to be violently shaken around twelve months a year just to have a car that, every now and then, is fun to drive but whose suspension is not calibrated for our roads.

One thing is certain: this little British car stands out from the pack. And with the cabriolet version on the way, this is only the beginning.