All-New Mini: Subtly But Substantially Improved

So says the eccentric folks at The Truth About Cars.

For those non-car readers, while the Mini looks almost exactly the same it has a brand new engine (a Peugeot replaces a Chrysler-sourced engine) and a new suspension. I think the overlords at BMW know that to change too much would be to disruptive to the iconic hatchback. I want one of my good friends to buy one of these and let me watch it when they go out of town. Any takers?

The biggest change from old MINI to new: a Peugeot-sourced, BMW-fettled, 1.6-liter turbo four. The new engine’s a more powerful lump than the old supercharged Brazilian mill (172 horsepower and 177 pound feet of torque vs. 168/162). As a result, the zero to 60 time is slightly quicker (6.7 versus 7.2 seconds) with better fuel economy (29/36).

new-engine.jpgWhile the new MINI has a wider (i.e. more useful) power band and will now cruise at triple digits without threatening to rattle itself to pieces, it doesn’t feel quite as eager out of the blocks as the old car. There’s a nasty lag between depressing the go pedal and the onset of acceleration. It feels… dumbed down. Until, that is, you press the Sport button.

In many sports cars, even some of the more expensive models, activating the Sport button creates little more than a psychological effect. In the new MINI, it’s undeniably transformative. In an instant, both the MINI Cooper’s electric steering system and its fly-by-wire throttle tighten up. Like a dull pencil thrust into an electric sharpener, the MINI is suddenly ready to draw the finest of racing lines.