Mini Cooper test drive since 2006 hatchback

Legend to order

Unlike a television series, you can’t attach a continuation to a real legend, even if you fill up with requests. But the temptation is too large when the name of the legend is mini.

Created in 1959 by the outstanding British designer Alec Issigonis, the car was ahead of the time just so that, barely born, to become a celebrity. He brought his creator not only universal recognition, but also a knightly title. Ever since the Queen of Great Britain has produced Issigonis in the knights, it is customary to call the creator of the mini, Sir Alec Issigonis. But Mini would not have become a legend, John Cooper did not put his hand to him. It was he who made a unique sports and racing car out of a pretty and original small-leaf, which won many prizes at the stages of the World Rally Championship in the 60s.
 
It is now difficult to imagine how small the then mini was: the length is 3.04m, the width is 1.44, the height is 1.35, the wheelbase is 2.04m. Even an eye with a length of 3.2m against its background looks large. It was necessary to be a brilliant componor and have outstanding courage in order to place four riders, baggage and all the necessary units in this volume. Of course, according to modern standards, planting in the Mini leaves much to be desired, especially if your height is more than 180cm, but the fact is evident - the car of such a miniature size really contained four and drove very well. In the end, it was Sir Alec Issigonis who made the first mass car with front drive wheels and a transverse engine according to a scheme that later became the most popular.
 
Perhaps that is why, when five years ago the concept of the new mini was shown on the salon in Frankfurt, the warm welcome provided to him forced to speed up the creation of a serial machine that was born last year. The debut was successful in two versions at once - mini -uan and mini Cooper (Mini Cooper), which are distinguished by external and internal trim and engine modification. The basic mini-uan received a painful 90-horsepower 1.6-liter motor, and a high-speed mini-sized sports mini-sized sports mini. But even a more powerful option was not dynamic enough for an outstanding chassis of a new mini.
 
Bitted Pentagon
No one deceived the American military. Just the engine installed under the hood of the mini-uan and the mini kuper, developed jointly by BMW and Chrysler specialists, bears the code name similar to the pentagon of the American military department (or the emblem of Chrysler?). And for the most prestigious modification of the mini kuper-S, the unit was equipped with a drive compressor like RUTS, thanks to which the power increased to 120 kW/163 hp. The volume of the motor has not changed - 1.6l. The drive supercharger, unlike a turbocharger, is deprived of inertiality: its performance is directly dependent on the number of revolutions of the crankshaft. As a result, the car reacts much better to the slightest movement of the gas pedal. It sounds good in theory, but in practice?
 
On the edge of Europe
The test drive mini Cooper-S was held in Portugal, near the western point of the European continent. It is difficult to say what made his organizers choose exactly this area: magnificent spring landscapes, the greatness of the Atlantic Ocean, excellent weather or intricate narrow paths winding among the surrounding hills.
I would venture to assume the latter. Local highways are what the doctor prescribed for Mini Cooper -S: turns here are no worse than in the mountains. It seems that it is worth adding a little more, and you will see your own rear number around the bend.
 
Why Mini Cooper-S deservedly claims to be royal regalia on a mountain road, it is not difficult to understand. One look at the car spread on the ground, the powerful 16- or 17-inch wheels placed in the corners of the body convinces of this. The bass roar is not too large and the short moves of the lever of the six -speed gearbox lecture the picture. There is no doubt that BMW, which belongs to Mini Mini, can be taught to drive not only rear -wheel drive cars - it can be brought as an example of Rover 75. However, Mini Cooper -S is a completely different matter. The center of gravity of this machine is located so low that it is almost not fired in corners, and a rigid suspension and a sharp steering wheel, making 2.5 turns from the stop to the stop, allow it to follow the driver’s orders with amazing speed.
 
By the way, here a considerable merit belongs to the tires. Mini, shod in 16-inch tires Danlop 195/55R16, demonstrates an incredible reaction speed, but requires equally accurate and quick actions from the driver. With Dunlop -SP8000 tires 205/45R17, the car passes the turns faster and calmer, but a characteristic severity occurs on the steering wheel, and the control balance is slightly shifted - from almost neutral to slight insufficient rotation. However, the car only wins on the road from this - the management becomes more reliable.
 
Knowing the groovy character of the mini Cooper-S, its creators took care of electronic assistance to the driver. In addition to ABS, capable of slowing down in corners and taking into account the redistribution of the load on the wheels, the typical version of the mini has a dynamic stability control system (DSC) and an anti -boom. If the interventions of the latter can be avoided and, having turned off the toggle switch, sly with tires, then the DSC insures the driver, regardless of his desire. However, it does not interfere with the passage of turns with a skid - her task is to ensure that the car does not promote. In other words, DSC reacts to a greater extent not to the angle of drift, but to the angular speed of rotation. On dry asphalt, help becomes noticeable only with gross errors: for example, when, having not calculated the speed at the entrance to the turn, the driver sharply discards the gas and begins to slow down on the most curved section of the trajectory. Without the help of DSC, such a maneuver will end at best on the side of the road.
 
One way or another, but the mini does not require serious training from the driver - enjoying the speed in turns is available to anyone who is able to measure their actions and the capabilities of the machine with road conditions. And the mini has much more opportunities than the size suggest. So, for example, only after several tens of kilometers behind the wheel of mini Cooper-S it becomes obvious that even with the anti-wings system turned off, the car almost fully realizes the entire power of the motor on the asphalt. That's what the right duet of tires and pendants mean! If the mini -minute compartment had a more sparkle, a two -hundredth engine could easily get up there - the chassis capabilities allow.
 
The secrets of the layout
The new mini is not so small at all. Compared to its predecessor, it has become 600mm longer, 250 and higher by 70 mm. Like it or not, the modern requirements of passive security could not be fulfilled. There is nothing left with the saving length of the landing machine with very bent legs - the current mini is convenient even for a two -meter driver. However, there is something intriguing in the landing: a long steering column makes you bend your hands a little more than usual in your elbows, as is now customary in racing cars. It is believed that this allows you to more accurately work as a steering wheel. But the impressive range of adjusting the driver's seat in height is unlikely to be in demand - in the mini I want to sit as low as possible in order to feel the car better (though the rear passengers have nowhere to put their feet).
 
If you set the goal of turning the sports shell of the mini Cooper-S into a conventional vehicle, then in the cabin, in addition to the driver, three more of the not even sky passenger will be placed without problems. The shape and size of the body does not leave hope for an acceptable trunk in volume, although the folding backs of the rear seats can save the position. Stock? Do not look for it either under the hood or in the trunk - a wheel of this size cannot be hidden in a compact car. Mini Cooper-S tires are not afraid of punctures and are equipped with a pressure control system.
 
What does s mean?
The letter S in the designation of mini kuper -S is from Sport, Special or Super? Even John Cooper himself would not give an answer. One of the most elegant explanations is a symbol of a winding road on which the car feels so confident.
 
Do not look for practicality, convenience or super -high indicators in it. This is just an example of a machine created to deliver the maximum pleasure sitting at the wheel. Mini Cooper-S copes with this task easily. And therefore, the estimated price of a car in Russia will be at least 27 thousand dollars - because you have to pay for pleasure ... Mini Cooper -S will appear only by the fall, and its calmer relatives are available now.
The diameter of the speedometer (it in the center of the panel) exceeds 200 mm.
Mini Cooper S.
General data: number of places - 4; Equipped mass - 1140 kg; full weight - 1570 kg; maximum speed - 218 km/h; acceleration time from a place to 100 km/h - 7.4 s; fuel consumption in conditional suburban and city cycles - 6.6; 11.6 l/100 km; fuel supply - 50 liters; Fuel-AI-91-98 gasoline. Dimensions, mm: length - 3655; width - 1688; height - 1416; base - 2467; The track in front/back - 1453/1460; Road clearance - N.D.; trunk volume - 150/670 l; The radius of rotation is 5.3 m. The engine: gasoline, in order, four -cylinder, with a drive supercharger and cooling of the boost air; working volume - 1598 cm; cylinder diameter and piston stroke - 85.8x77.0 mm; compression degree - 8.3; Power - 120 kW/163 hp at 6000 rpm; The maximum torque is 210 N.M at 4000 rpm. Transmission: front wheel drive; gearbox - mechanical six -speed; Transporting numbers: I - 3.22; II - 2.02; III - 1.52; IV - 1.24; V - 1.03; VI - 0.84; Z.Kh. - 3.14; The main program is 3.55. Suspension: independent with stabilizers of anti -resistance stability; In front - like McExeson, from behind - multi -link. Brakes: disk with an amplifier, ABS and a differential CBS braking system, and ventilated in front. Steering: rheck with an electro -hydraulic power. Tire size: 195/ 55R16 (205/ 45R17).
Text / Anatoly Fomin
Photo / Anatoly Fomin and BMW
 

Source: The magazine "Driving"