The MINI, Again.

Yes, The mini again. This time, the new ones. Taken over from the Rover Group by BMW, the MINI is now a subsidiary of BMW at April 2001. Redesigned by Frank Stephenson, the designer that worked on the BMW X5, the Maserati MC12, the Ferrari F430, and coincidentally born in 1959, the birth year of the very first Mini.

The new MINIs are assembled in an old Morris car plant in Cowley, Oxford, United Kingdom. Based on the original MINIs, the 2006 MINI models are called the Mk I Minis. The BMW MINIs are larger in dimensions compared to the classic Minis by approximately 0.60m (3.05m to 3.63m) in length, 0.30m (1.40m to 1.69m) in width and 0.06m (1.35m to 1.41m) in height. The wheelbase of the car had also grown from 2.04m to 2.47m, a 0.43m increment.

With the increment in size and all the technology equipped e.g. air bags, air conditioning, leather seats etc., the BMW MINI had often been criticised for having a larger dimension, larger weight but a smaller interior. Certain characteristics of the classic Minis were kept i.e. the engine is still 4 cylinders and transversely mounted, the four wheels are still pushed to the side of the car.

Colour coding of the new MINIs still follows the classic Minis, with contrasting colours for the roof and the body with optional bonnet stripes. Interior of the New MINIs were redesigned with a stylish touch here and there. Run flat tyres are standard for the MINI Cooper S as the supercharger requires the relocation of the battery to the trunk, hence, no space for spare tyres.

Mk I MINI 2001-2007:

Models:

-MINI One (1.4L)
-MINI One/D (1.4L Diesel)
-MINI Cooper (1.6L Petrol)
-MINI Cooper Convertible (1.6L Petrol)
-MINI Cooper S (1.6L Supercharged)
-MINI Cooper S Convertible (1.6L Supercharged)

Other than the MINI One/D which is powered by a 1.4L Toyota diesel engine, all the MINIs were powered by Tritec engines made in Brazil until 2006 when BMW announced that the new MINIs will be fitted with British built engines, making the MINI an essentially British built car again. The new MINIs were again the star of the new Italian Job (remake) in year 2003

MkI MINI Cooper S

Interior of a MkI MINI Cooper S

John Cooper Works Mini Cooper S with GP bodykit Source

Mk II MINI 2007:

All the petrol engines had been replaced by Prince (BMW and PSA Peugeot Citroen) engines while the 1.4 diesel engine remains Toyota and the 1.6L diesel engines are from Peugeot. The newer MINIs are also larger in length due to the new safety requirements. Repositioned headlights means the headlights will not be raised up together with the bonnet when opened like the older MINIs. The new 1.6 turbocharged engine is taken from a Peugeot 207 GTi

Models:
-MINI One (95bhp, 140Nm @ 4000rpm, 0-100 km/h: 10.9s)
-MINI One Seven
-MINI Cooper (120bhp, 160Nm @ 4250rpm, 0-100km/h: 9.1s)
-MINI Cooper D (110bhp, 260Nm @ 2000rpm 0-100km/h: 9.9s)
-MINI Cooper Park Lane
-MINI Cooper S (175bhp, 240Nm @ 1600rpm, 0-100km/h: 7.1s)
-MINI Cooper S Checkmate
-MINI One Convertible (90bhp, 140Nm @ 3000rpm, 0-100km/h: 11.8s)
-MINI Cooper Convertible (115bhp, 150Nm @ 4500rpm, 0-100km/h: 9.8s)
-MINI Cooper S Convertible (170 hp, 220Nm @ 4000rpm, 0-100km/h: 7.4s)
-MINI Sidewalk
-MINI Cooper S JCW

MINI Cooper S Checkmate


John Cooper Works S source

Various tuned versions of the MINI Cooper S was introduced by several tuning companies but the John Cooper Works MINI was the fastest around Top Gear’s test track with its staggering 220 hp power plant. The newer Cooper S is now fitted with turbochargers rather than superchargers. Personally, the superchargers as gives a more superior feeling over the turbochargers but according the BMW, the switch is to make the Cooper S more appealing to the younger generation, oh well, maybe I’m getting old then. The new MINIs though bigger, claim to still have the go-kart characteristics of the classic Minis. Positive reviews had been made by car magazines and it seems that the MINIs still has what it takes to survive in this competitive world of Automobiles. Hence, making someone (you know who you are) still overly crazy over it.

PS: A little something something for you. Happy valentines day. =)

-00:00 M'sian time 14/2/2007-