Mini Cooper 2001 test drive - 2006 hatchback

Continuation of my own "I"

It is not only pleasant to drive this to control this by a nimble car, but also surprisingly safe.
My new friend is a broken and whitened
The longer you look at this cheerful, big -eyed miracle, the more it likes it. Squinting from the morning sun in the courtyard of a village hotel, I constantly catch myself that my mouth is blurred to my ears in an involuntary smile: what a pretty one, what a broken! With this car, I want to get acquainted as soon as possible, make friends. Its bully appearance is so suitable for the riot of spring greenery, the endless blue of the Atlantic Ocean, white houses under the bright red tiled roofs of the Portuguese hinterland on the western outskirts of Europe. And most importantly, the barely restrained fun aggression, which breaks through by chance only in huge wheeled discs, a sharp red stroke of the letter S on the wings, the stubborn wrinkle of the air intake on the roll of the hood, and asks, we rush along these winding narrow paths! You'll like it!
Such a big mini
For all the attractiveness of the idea to create a modern interpretation of the original mini 1959, is not at all an easy task. It is hardly a car with a length of 3.04 m, 1.44 width, and 1.35 high (these were the size of this mini) to squeeze into the current passive safety standards. And the driver’s landing in that car is unlikely to cause the current motorists a storm of delight. Firstly, because even with modest growth there had to be pretty much to bend its legs, and secondly, because over 40 years humanity has pretty grown, and before the high gentleman turned out to be tall with the current eighth-grader.
So the new mini only seems small. It grew 615 mm long, 250 width and 70 high, although the road clearance has decreased. But the wheels have grown most of all. If the first mini wore 10-inch tires, then their descendant requires at least 15-inch shoes. Mini-Cuper-S is not at all equipped with tires less than 16 inches, and in the version of the sport with standard steel tires 205/45 R17.
However, not any tires are suitable for mini-cuper-S-the fact is that it does not provide a place for a spare wheel. Therefore, special tires are used, on which in the case of a puncture you can drive another 150 km at a speed of up to 80 km/h.
Standard for kids
Widely opening doors begged to get behind the wheel faster. But the first thing I found in surprise - despite the modest dimensions, is not for close parking lots. With open doors, the width of the machine exceeds the length. However, Down with all these boring matters, look better what beauty awaits you inside! As noted by the chief designer Herth Hildebrand, to whom the German leadership instructed to bring to perfection the English project, from the inside the mini-Cooper-S is as unique as the outside. The most high -quality materials, an organic combination of shape and color will make its interior a new standard for all small cars.
Maybe a little solemn, but being true. A rich leather seat with dense side support was made a little softer than German traditions require. Perhaps thanks to this, there is a feeling that you are not just sitting in mini-copper-s, but as if you put it on yourself. The size of the cabin does not cause claustrophobia, and there is enough space for tall drivers at the wheel - the average has at least 10 centimeters over the head. To the only feature of the landing, you will have to get used to - a long steering column makes you bend your hands a little stronger than usual. But as a result, a characteristic modern racing landing is obtained.
I am ready to argue for anything, a speedometer located in the middle of the front panel, you will never forget! It’s just that he can’t catch the eye - about a dessert plate.
 
Huge hatch in the roof can be obtained for surcharge
 
Tamer of plush bears
And now - rather, rather! - Turn the key, click on the gas, and go, along the very winding Portuguese paths! And then I find that despite the gigantic size of the speedometer, all the attention here is the tachometer. It is necessary to carefully monitor that the arrow does not fall below the mark 3 - the only way powerful acceleration is guaranteed with the slightest press on the gas pedal. Below the motor, in principle, goes, but not that great.
Therefore, it is quite common to wield a short lever of gearboxes (6-speed!). But to say that this is a difficult duty will be unfair: short moves and clear fixation make the process as pleasant as possible. Exactly the same emotions are also caused by a thick steering wheel of the steering wheel: convenient, impeccably sensitive and at the same time a little heavy. It does not strain at maximum speed, allows you to feel good in the bend and at the same time has only 2.5 turns from the stop to the stop.
But wait, the main thing ahead. It is no secret that many powerful front -wheel drive cars simply cannot realize their forces on a winding highway. The suspension, clamped for the sake of controllability, leads to hanging the internal in turn of the wheel, and the differential is happy to redistribute the torque in favor of the suspended. As a result of a lot of screeching, smoke and jerks on the steering wheel with more or less intense acceleration. Mini-Cuper-S is a completely different matter: here at first it seems that the engine does not have power. Even with the disconnected anti -wings system, the car flatly refuses to whistle and smoke with tires on the asphalt - only the catapulting acceleration at the exit from the turn reminds of the fact that under a short rounded hood a considerable herd of 163 horses.
Went over at the speed at the entrance to the turn? Do not be afraid, slow down right on the arc of turn. Suspend, ABS with differentiated braking in the bend will correct. The car itself will figure out what to do next. Even the intervention of the electronic stability control system is felt not by a strict shout to stand where you go!, But it will be better unnecessary .... You can admire the chassis setting up for a long time or argue that it is better - the ease and neutrality of 16 -inch tires or confidence and a powerful one The way out of the turn of 17-inch, but both resembles the science discussion of aesthetic technocrats. You do not need to argue with this car. He just is a continuation of your own Self.
Do not think that mini-cons-s is not powerful or sports. It’s just that the control of this by a nimble car is as safe as the taming of plush bears.
   Originally from Oxford
The most difficult problem we encountered after the start of production in April 2001, ”Herbert DiSes, director of the BMW plant in Oxford, was proudly, where all three modifications of the mini are collected in the early increase in production volumes.
The company is equipped with the latest equipment - only for the manufacture of the body 229 industrial robots are used. In two shifts, four and a half thousand workers can produce 500 cars a day, but last winter the plant has switched to work in three shifts, so the planned level of 100 thousand cars per year can be exceeded.
 
Cooper and super
The younger models of the mini-1 and the mini-corporal from their most sports brother differ, in addition to external details and configuration, the engine power of 90 liters. With. and 115 l. With. respectively. With an equal working volume and identical device, the difference is expressed in the setting of injection and gas distribution. In the first case, this is a painful and economical motor, in the second - clearly with sports ambitions.
If the engine compartment mini, clamped between the huge wheel niches and covered with a low convex hood, does not allow to squeeze a more voluminous engine, you need to squeeze all the juices from the existing one. A drive compressor came to the rescue. Why drive, not turbo? Because for the mini-cuper-S, the main thing is not the numbers in the technical characteristic, but the pleasure of driving. Of course, turbocharged allows you to get great power, but the ability of the machine to clearly follow the slightest movement goes away. Instead of obedient and easy to drive a car, a racing monster is obtained, not forgiving errors with the choice of transmission and gas operation.
Nevertheless, it was not possible to completely tamp the motor under the hood-for the radiator of cooling the airblood air, a special air intake had to be made, which became the main distinguishing feature of the mini-cum-S.
  Little miracle of a big mini
There are no eternal cars. Any legend will sooner or later go into the past, and a miracle of technology decades after decades has a fate of the museum exhibit. The descendants of its creators will be surprised at the unusual solutions, archaic technology and the unique qualities of a machine created many decades ago. And perhaps one of them will regret that he did not find the time when the designers created cars, focusing on their ideas, and not on carefully sorted data of marketers. Alas, it is impossible to return time. But it is realistic to create a technically perfect illusion of the past. Such, for example, as mini-cons.
This car has many other trump cards: from an amazing chassis to a stylish and expensive finish. Do not think that the English designer Jeff Yupex and BMW engineers returned us the former mini. This is a completely different car, not a Spartan and cheap vehicle for four, but the mini that they want to see today is a car for selective buyers with a high level of income and ambition. Although modern mini is by no means cheap, it is not at all an indicator of security or social status of its owner. And he is designed to express his non -standard way of thinking and an independent character. This disorder has everything - and a light raid of a fashionable retro, and the most perfect mechanics, and an all -pervasive care of security, and a sports vein, which is also very fashionable and relevant today, in the era of fitness clubs and a general passion for own health. Perhaps he, like his modest predecessor, will live a long life and will become the present for the current generation. And it will be a small miracle of a large mini.
   
On the back sofa with a separate folding back is surprisingly a lot of space

     
Mini Cooper S.
common data
 
Equipped mass, kg
1065
 
Length x width x height, mm
3655x1688x1416
 
Base, mm
2467
 
Front/back, mm track
1453/1460
 
Maximum speed, km/h
217
 
Acceleration time 0100 km/h, with
7.4
 
Engine

 
Location
Front transversely
 
Design
4-cylinder, in row
 
The number of valves per cylinder
four
 
Working volume, SMZ
1598
 
Power, L.S. (kW) at rpm
163 (120) / 6000
 
Torque, kgsm (nm) at rpm
21.4 (210) / 4000
 
Chassis

 
 

Source: Magazine "Limousine" [07-08/02]