Mini Cooper test drive since 2006 hatchback

Tushchik

There are cars that look strange in daily traffic jams, but they feel great in spacious night streets. Anatoly Fomin met with the shell of the clubs. Photo: Alexander Batyr.
 
Mini
The German concern BMW released mini based on the legendary model of the 1960s in 2001. In 2004, a light restyling followed. In 2007, the car was modernized.
Engines: gasoline 1.41.6 liters (95175 hp). The turbodiesel 1.6 liters (110 hp) are not supplied to Russia.
Gearboxes: 6-speed, mechanical and automatic.
Completions: Mini One, Mini One Pepper, Mini Cooper Pepper, Mini Cooper Chili, Mini Cooper S Drive, Mini Cooper S Chili.
Price: 696 5001 081 500 rub.
($ 27 30042 400).
Test car: 1.6 liters, 120 hp, automatic, equipment Mini Cooper Pepper, options, $ 39,000.
We already talked in the fall three years ago (ZR, 2004, No. 12). The memories of that meeting are still alive. What is the difference between the new mini-corpuscular and the previous one? The engine is a little more powerful. The place of the variator was taken by a six -speed hydromechanical box. And the appearance changed exactly so that only the initiates could distinguish this mini from the previous one. The community of fans of the brand is akin to the closed club for outsiders is allowed to look only at the sign.
The city burns
In the second half of the summer, the intensity of movement in the capital falls, but not so much that all the traffic jams are resolved. They simply move to the bright car that are closest to Moscow, not to work, on a weekend. But how to transfer the environment to Friday? Wait for the offices empty and clubs open.
The mini-accurate is the most popular in the family, so to say about the car, the sales of which in Russia last year are less than 300 copies. However, it seems that they only tried the delicacy for half 2007 sold more than a mini than for the whole of 2006. Mini-uan is the least popular in force modesty, charged with mini-blade S is expensive even for your favorite toy, and a mini-blade personifies the unity of shape and content. Compact, urban, perky and expensive in his size class, he confidently holds the highest price bar. For its price, it is easy to purchase a thoroughbred car larger. Or not very thoroughbred in two.
In the salon, the mini, of course, can accommodate four, and not even a small stature. But for this, the driver will have to abandon low landing, otherwise the rear passengers have nowhere to put their feet. And I really do not want to do this: the upper traffic lights (as if putting on a baseball cap). The main thing is to sit down low because the sensation of the card leaves exactly what is most like in mini.
For long trips, the car is strictly contraindicated. Its temperament completely rejects a thousand -kilometer races in one sitting. A couple of hours driving a sufficient dose for the most notorious fans of unity with the car.
The card has no suspension, the mini has. The car can come to terms with small cracks and chips on the asphalt, but the longitudinal relief of the road, without hesitation, reports to the seats. At the same time, the supply of energy intensity allows you to not be afraid of the waves on the asphalt even at a very impressive speed.
Although for a sharp change in the row the steering wheel, the mini must be pumped literally for the width of the palm, the ruts of the left row of the Moscow Ring Road do not force to strain. Combine the severity of the steering and the non -straightening zero sign of the highest qualification of the chassis closers. Despite the hard suspensions, the mini is noticeably heated in corners, but this only helps to better understand how the car accepts the maneuver. A quick steering wheel and a clear response allow in a matter of moments to achieve what the clock hours go to other cars. Mini himself sets the driver of the border in which you can make a safe maneuver. In extreme cases, the electronic stabilization system will help out, but its operation indicates a very rough driver's mistake.
There are many cars that are nice to drive quickly along winding roads. The difference between the mini is that with a fairly moderate acceleration dynamics, it is enormous with classmates in the ability to change direction. However, acceleration is not at all bad, given that under the hood an atmosphere with a volume of only 1.6 liters and a rather moderate power. The fact that the place of the variator was taken by the hydromechanical automatic machine, an undoubted plus. It seems that the machine was brought the same team that worked with the BMW-335i gearbox, they are painfully similar in nature. No chewing at the moment by the hydrotransformer is a clear, quick switching on the border of a comfortable perception, if necessary, by two, or even three steps down.
Clothing spring
Where is the hidden corner of the mini? In the rod of the engine, in a sharp but obedient steering wheel, in the aggressive pressure of the machine or in an impeccably tuned chassis? It seems to me that she is much deeper. Why is the UK consider patriarchal, British stiff and arrogant, English humor strict and impeccable, English fans are the most untied? Apparently, the creators of the current mini managed more than simply combining the legend of the mini with the solid work of German engineers and designers. And it is better to be a ripe yellow mini-cuper can only be charged even more tightly by a mini-cuper of the color of red chili.
Why, say, is not Honda Sivic Tip R? Because she does not have the color of green Basabi!
Mini Cooper is not just a small nimble car: it is a piece of impeccable English style and the life of a large night city.
+ Excellent chassis, a painful motor, a fast hydromechanical automatic, acute steering, excellent stability on the trajectory
- A hard suspension, a small road clearance, little space in the back seat.
For the same money
Honda Civic
$ 25 80029 800
Ultramodern appearance and moderately sports character. A sample of avant -garde design and Japanese quality. In addition, a spacious car.
ZR, 2006, No. 8
BMW 118i
From є22 200 (from $ 29 750)
The most compact and affordable BMW is quite frisky even with a minimum motor. Rear -wheel drive and sports in standard configuration. Two more doors for a surcharge.
ZR, 2005, No. 3
 
 

Source: The magazine "Driving"