Introduction

The Mini Cooper captured the imagination of car enthusiasts when BMW redesigned it as a 2002 model. Measured by dollars to the pound this diminutive car seems a bit expensive, but measured by dollars to the grin it is a bargain. The Mini Cooper is ball, a hoot, a blast on wheels. The Mini Cooper S is even more fun with its higher levels of performance, but you're hardly settling if you buy the base model. That's because regardless of model, the Mini Cooper delivers sports car handling and acceleration. It offers the cargo convenience of a hatchback and decent passenger seating for four, all stuffed into the shortest footprint on the road. It's a high-quality piece with BMW engineering, as solid as any German sedan. Its retro styling is chic, cute as a bulldog and cheeky as a mod London nightclub. And it's safe, with a multitude of passive and active safety systems working to protect you if the unforeseen should happen. All this starts at just $16,449. That's if you can find one. Little has changed in the Mini since its introduction. For 2004, both the Cooper and Cooper S offer an optional three-spoke leather steering wheel, as well as Cordoba Beige leather sport seats. They also add digital speedometer readout under the tachometer and a real-time fuel-consumption meter to the on-board computer. A standard rear power point has been reintroduced, and Pepper White paint is now available on the Mini Cooper S. A new limited-edition model has been introduced to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Paddy Hopkirk's legendary win of the famed Monte Carlo Rally in 1964 in a Mini Cooper S.

Walkaround

The bulldog stance of the Mini Cooper is distinctive and appealing. The Mini is low, wide, and short, with short overhangs. The wheels are set as far out to the four corners as possible, enhancing stability in turns and on bumpy straights. The wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels) measures 97.1 inches, longer than some small cars, yet the Mini is shorter overall than any other car sold in the U.S., at 142.8 inches (less than 12 feet). The current Mini Cooper shares some of its basic design tenets with the original, but with one-third more width, length and height. The hood is wide, but short in depth, the product of unique design and manufacturing techniques. That, along with the big round doe-eyed headlights (which go up with the hood), are largely responsible for the common "Oh-h-h, isn't it CUTE!" reaction. Mini designers also threw in what they consider to be some voluptuous feminine curves and some masculine muscular bulges to cover all the visceral reactions. Thus the Mini is neither Guy Wheels nor a Chick Car. It is an engaging automotive device with an appeal that stretches across gender, age and economic status. Its horizontal roof, giving it that toaster shape, is functional: It provides adult headroom to anyone riding in either the back or front seats, something that arch-shaped body designs (such as the Beetle) cannot do. The rear is trimmed with an elegant fascia, while the front fascia has body-colored bumpers. The Mini Cooper has one exhaust tip exiting below the sleek rear bumper on the right side. BMW now owns and build the Mini, and BMW's attention to detail is everywhere. A small reflector on door jam alerts other drivers when you open the door at the side of a busy street. Big oval mirrors afford a good view behind, where all those slower cars are located. The Cooper S is distinguished by its hood scoop, sport bumpers, lower intake grille, aggressive side sills, wider wheel arches, and twin exhaust tips that exit from the middle. A rear spoiler trails off the roof, chrome brightens the fuel-filler flap, and an S logo shaped like a curvy road spices up the rear badge. Numerous other styling cues, including big eight-spoke wheels reminiscent of the classic Minilights, ensure that everyone who's anyone knows you sprung for the hot version. The Mini Cooper S MC40 comes with 17-inch multi-spoke two-piece alloy wheels finished in anthracite gray with a polished aluminum lip. It features driving lights with chrome bezels, a chrome grille, mirror caps and rear boot handle. A tasteful GB insignia adorns the rear boot lid, paying tribute to the car's place-of-origin in Oxford, England. It's finished in red paint with a white roof, "33-EJB" on the bonnet and a special 40th anniversary rally graphic on both the bonnet and rear quarters. The car proudly wears special magnetic door plaques with the unmistakable white and black No. 37.

Interior Features

The Mini Cooper is roomy, luxurious, and convenient. Even tall drivers find it comfortable. The standard seats are firm and supportive. The sport seats are longer in seat bottom with higher bolsters. If you prefer seats that you sit in rather than on, opt for the sport seats. Leatherette is standard and it is superb. Cloth is available at no extra cost. Leather ($1300) is optional for both models. The front seats slide and lift out of the way to allow rear passengers into the back of this two-door hatchback, and then they return to the original position. That makes loading rear passengers quick and easy. The seats have recliner levers on both sides for convenience. The rear seats are surprisingly roomy. Legroom is tight, but with a little cooperation from those in front two adults can travel short distances in comfort. There's plenty of headroom and the rear seats are scooped out to provide good support. They split and fold down for cargo versatility. Mini's interior is stylish and modern, and exudes quality. Prominent circles set the interior design statement. That large circle in the center of the dash, visible to anyone in the car, is the speedometer. A racy round tachometer is perched like an aftermarket muscle car unit immediately before the driver's eyes and tilts with the adjustable steering column. Toggle switches with little guards are arranged in a row near the bottom of the center stack. They operate power windows, power locks, front and rear fog lamps, and the anti-skid system. A pair of cup holders immediately in front of the shifter will hold a pair of grande cappuccinos if you squeeze them gently past the bottom edge of the dash. The Mini interior is full of clever details. The optional automatic climate controls are shaped like the Mini logo, for example. The standard HVAC (heater) controls are attractive and work well, though the mode selector knob lacks the nice feel of the fan knob. Radio buttons are small, but easy to understand and operate. The dash is neat and firm and has a high-quality leather feel to it. We like the trim on the front of the dash of the standard Cooper, but we're not sure we like the finish on the plastic trim that adorns the dash and doors of the S model. It's designed to look like brushed aluminum, but it looks more like smudged plastic, like a young girl put her sneakers all over it. The low roofline means you have to stoop to see traffic lights overhead. (Traffic signals are mounted on poles in jolly old England.) Sunroof lovers should love the dual-pane panoramic sunroof ($850). Maybe we're not sunroof lovers. Only mesh covers the glass panels on the inside, letting the sun come streaming in even when you don't want it. Besides, the metal roof makes a better background for the Union Jack.