2002 Mini Cooper - The Brits meet BMW

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The sight of Minis populates my memory of that year. Minis were everywhere, barely bigger than the motorcycles vying for space on the tight streets. They sped past me as I pedaled my bike, performance exhaust pipes snarling insolently in my face. But when I returned to the U.S., they were nowhere to be seen.

Now comes the news that those super little Mini Coopers will be darting around the streets of America beginning in 2002. Of all the car companies to pick up this iconic design, BMW seems best equipped to preserve the historic feel while smoothly integrating innovations developed since the first Minis appeared in 1959.

"The Mini Cooper is not a retro design car, but an evolution of the original," says Frank Stephenson, the Mini's chief designer. "It has the genes and many of the key characteristics of its predecessor, but is larger, more powerful, more muscular and more exciting."

More exciting? John Cooper, the racing and rally car expert -- and the namesake of the Mini Cooper since it's introduction in 1961 -- might take umbrage with that remark. The hot little Mini Cooper instantly touched a chord with driving enthusiasts worldwide and has lasted decades without a major redesign. But still, we get the point: New is exciting.

Unlike the PT Cruiser, whose retro design morphed the lines of 40s panel trucks with street rods, the Mini still looks like, well, a Mini. BMW has retained the jutting, stubby hood (excuse me, bonnet), the distinctive wheels-at-the-corners construction, and its chopped-off hatchback. "Glued to the road" is a term often applied to its overall look. Pugnacious would be another way to describe the impression it makes, like a scrappy little soccer hooligan spoiling for a fight.

This new brand of Mini, to be available in the U.S. in two trim levels (the Mini Cooper and the Mini Cooper S), will also preserve the frugal intentions of the original British Minis. While pricing hasn't been officially set, the base price of about $18,000 has been mentioned. Not bad for a little road hugger with a 115- or 160-horsepower, four-cylinder 1.6-liter, 16-valve engine. A five-speed manual transmission will be standard with an automatic as an option. Like the original, it will be putting power to the road through its front wheels.

Some much for similarities to the original Mini. To get an idea of what has changed, open the door and step inside. The first difference is you don't need to use a shoehorn to get into this car. The new Mini has much more interior space. Furthermore, the 50/50 split folding rear seats make better use of the available space. And the seats will be clad in leather or a variety of fabrics.

The sleek dash is broken up by a series of different-sized circular gauges, dials and vents. Buttons, gizmos and widgets are kept to a minimum. Most striking is the way the tach stares you in the face above the small steering wheel while the large speedometer is smack in the middle of the dash. It's like the designer thought your passenger should see how fast you're going, too. The layout is simple, clean and (so we're told) user friendly. Tunes are provided by a hi-fi CD player with Harman Kardon speaker system as an option. In keeping with the feel of the car, it will probably play vintage Beatles and Stones.

While the Mini crouches so low it's hard to see daylight underneath it, press materials indicate it has an advanced suspension with a multi-link design in the rear. Disc brakes are attached to all wheels (ABS is standard) and BMW brags that the body is two to three times stiffer than other cars of its size. And remember those tiny wheels on the original Minis? They've been replaced with standard 15-inch, or optional 16- or 17-inch, aluminum wheels finished in a rather startling white or a more refined silver. The Mini can be dressed in a choice of 14 colors with either a black or white roof and exterior mirrors.

But what are the Mini's safety features? After all, it was safety concerns, along with emissions problems, that drove these little Brits out of the colonies in 1967. BMW indicates that an exceptionally strong passenger cell is combined with front and rear crumple zones and impact door beams. A "full array of airbags" shields the driver and passenger from front and side impacts; a head protection airbag is also standard. Dynamic Stability Control traction system and xenon headlights are options, along with a navigation system.

BMW is calling the Mini a unique, independent brand within the BMW Group. The car will be sold at select BMW dealerships, and those dealerships will have their own independent Mini floor space and sales staff to support the car. Full production of 100,000 units per year (20,000 of those are allotted to the United States) will begin in 2001 at BMW's Oxford plant in the U.K -- right up the street from where Mr. Stopp lives. He'll probably be waiting in line to buy one, along with Mini lovers worldwide, when they roll out the door. You can expect to see Minis at U.S. BMW dealerships in the spring of 2002.

Philip Reed. Edmunds.com
Article Date: Jan 12, 2001
Car Accociations: NEW_MINI
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