Mini Cooper 2001 test drive - 2006 hatchback

May the sun always be

In Russia, more and more people appear who are ready to pay for a short seasonal pleasure, which consists in driving by car without a roof. Among the shallow PEUGEOT 206 CC and Citroen C3 Pluriel added a spectacular upstart Mini Cooper Cabrio.

It is impossible to take life seriously, without a smile, sitting behind the wheel of such a machine. You get into the salon, and all problems become stupid and insignificant. I want to smile, and it seems that you can do everything. The feeling intensifies when, after pressing the magic button, the roof of the car folds in just 15 seconds. This time is enough to turn the driver and passengers of the convertible into a center of universal attention.

Everything in this machine looks toy, but is made with amazing accuracy and quality. A small chubby steering wheel with key control keys and cruise control, toggle switches instead of keys on the central console and an amazing sound from Harmann/Kardon create a unique atmosphere of comfort. Beautiful leather chairs with many adjustments provide a convenient planting for people with any physique. The inserts on the front panel and doors in the color of the body revive the interior, adding a touch of sports.

Separate attention deserves overview. Rather, her absence. The wide rear racks of the tarpaulin roof and the tiny embrasure of the rear window make it impossible to observe everything that happens behind a small luggage compartment with a volume of 125 liters. Partly facilitate the situation of parking sensors and large rear view mirrors.

Although the dimensions of the machine are not very large (length 3640 mm, width 1930), two adults are placed behind. True, a strong tilt of the back of the front seat is unlikely to be safe for their knees. Yes, and Mini Cabrio is not intended for four. In the place of the rear passengers, you need to put an aerodynamic screen, fold a cloth top and, enjoying the bright sun, rush along the highway. It should be noted that even at speeds for 100 km/h the wind does not annoy the inhabitants of the cabin, allowing you to talk without tension of the vocal ligaments.

Of course, you can hardly name Mini with the 1.6 engine engine in dynamics. But even in tandem with the variator, he adequately holds in the city stream and does not give himself offense on the highway. Only for this should not be lowered below three thousand. I am glad that since 2000 min-1, the motor provides confident traction. And if you go to the simulation mode of manual gear shift, the character of the machine becomes sports.

The highlight, of course, is the chassis. It is immediately noticeable that Bavarian engineers put their hand to him. A hard suspension, honed reactions on the steering wheel and the absence of rolls in corners are pushed to an active driving style. On a winding road, Mini swallows turns one by one without any problems, demonstrating excessive rotation. At the same time, the convertible does not allow itself to start uncontrolled sliding. In other words, Cooper is an amazing combination of external playfulness and sports in behavior.

Surprised the level of equipping the baby. If you are not surprised by the systems of course stability and parking, then on machines of this class you rarely find heating windshield, an electric rear -view mirror and a tire pressure sensor. The list of equipment can be read for a long time. No wonder! The minimum cost of the car is 30,200 euros. For this money, the buyer receives an original style, a good setting, a great mood for every day and a minimum of functionality, which few people think about, choosing such a machine. After all, mini is a real vitamin of joy, and good medicines are expensive.

In the end, I want to add that our Cabrio did not impress an exclusively female car. It is quite suitable for any youth company gathered on the beach, to a club or cinema.

Female opinion
Leona Zabrodskaya

Between us girls, there is an opinion that, they say, Mini is a great machine. My girlfriend has one. From the inside, of course, fantasy, but on the outside I don’t like it, and that’s it. Personally, I think that one look at Mini Cabrio can convince everyone. The first argument will be a daring red color, diluting a classic red-blue combination, and a soft green roof will put the final point. In this outfit, the mini looks so implausible elegantly that it immediately wants to be at least only to see how this roof opens.

When you go on the Mini Cabrio on the road get ready for the worst. Of course, not from the side of the car to her no complaints, except at first unusually tough. By nature, the convertible is clearly about the male sex. This is evidenced by assertiveness, light and dynamic acceleration. But, I would say that the frankly boyish character is not an obstacle to the fact that the winner of Mini Cabrio becomes a woman. Just like a convertible does not contradict masculinity. In a word, the perfect unisex, or, as it is now fashionable to say, metrosexual. Young, well -groomed, beautiful, charming. This machine is unique in that it has nothing in it, absolutely nothing can spoil the mood of you a kind of orange antidepressant.

Text: Maxim Pastushenko
 

Source: Magazine 5 wheel [07/2005]