The new Coupé is the first two-seater in the current line-up, although British manufacturer Marcos managed to transform Minis into race cars in the 1960s with surprising success. In fact, the Marcos Mini was the only British car to finish the 1966 LeMans.
And, like the Marcos (which was once called "ugly as hell" by one racing journalist), the MINI Coupé's appearance has met with mixed reaction. MINI has revised its initial description of the roof as a "backward baseball cap" (an unwelcome association for anyone who'd consider themselves a driver) and now refers to its design as a "helmet".
Either way, it's a rather ungainly look, as though it's peering out from beneath a turtle.
It's a case of form following function, however, as the emphasis is on aerodynamics and downforce. The Coupé is actually based on the convertible, to which steel reinforcements have been added to trunk and sills. The windshield has a 13% greater rake, and the roofline's integrated spoiler (or hat brim) directs the air down the rear glass.
An active rear spoiler rises from the decklid at around 80 km/h, creating more downforce. The result is an agile car that sticks flat to the road.
The lower roofline (by one inch) and steeply raked front and rear windshield add to an overall feeling of reduced interior space, but thanks to the hatch and pass-through, the load capacity is actually 280 litres.
Still, head space feels slightly claustrophobic despite headliner "bubble" cutouts, particularly for my lofty driving partner who was constantly peering around the rear view mirror (which was practically useless whenever the rear spoiler deployed anyway).
The cabin is typical MINI, with the giant speedometer resembling a grain scale, toggle switches on the centre console and comfortable, nicely bolstered seats in the standard Cooper models. Potent John Cooper Works models feature beautifully bolstered, racing-style seats that keep the butt well-planted during tight cornering manoeuvres. There's barely enough room behind the seat backs for our camera bags, which we opt to throw in the more generously proportioned trunk.
During the presentation, in keeping with the company's youthful, fun ideology, the marketing types proudly pointed out the myriad ways iPhone-toting drivers could explore their MINI's connectivity – including 20,000 web radio stations, Google search, Twitter and Facebook.
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| The new Coupé is the first two-seater in the current line-up. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com) |
And, like the Marcos (which was once called "ugly as hell" by one racing journalist), the MINI Coupé's appearance has met with mixed reaction. MINI has revised its initial description of the roof as a "backward baseball cap" (an unwelcome association for anyone who'd consider themselves a driver) and now refers to its design as a "helmet".
Either way, it's a rather ungainly look, as though it's peering out from beneath a turtle.
It's a case of form following function, however, as the emphasis is on aerodynamics and downforce. The Coupé is actually based on the convertible, to which steel reinforcements have been added to trunk and sills. The windshield has a 13% greater rake, and the roofline's integrated spoiler (or hat brim) directs the air down the rear glass.
An active rear spoiler rises from the decklid at around 80 km/h, creating more downforce. The result is an agile car that sticks flat to the road.
The lower roofline (by one inch) and steeply raked front and rear windshield add to an overall feeling of reduced interior space, but thanks to the hatch and pass-through, the load capacity is actually 280 litres.
Still, head space feels slightly claustrophobic despite headliner "bubble" cutouts, particularly for my lofty driving partner who was constantly peering around the rear view mirror (which was practically useless whenever the rear spoiler deployed anyway).
The cabin is typical MINI, with the giant speedometer resembling a grain scale, toggle switches on the centre console and comfortable, nicely bolstered seats in the standard Cooper models. Potent John Cooper Works models feature beautifully bolstered, racing-style seats that keep the butt well-planted during tight cornering manoeuvres. There's barely enough room behind the seat backs for our camera bags, which we opt to throw in the more generously proportioned trunk.
During the presentation, in keeping with the company's youthful, fun ideology, the marketing types proudly pointed out the myriad ways iPhone-toting drivers could explore their MINI's connectivity – including 20,000 web radio stations, Google search, Twitter and Facebook.
 |
| The cabin is typical MINI, with the giant speedometer resembling a grain scale. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com) |