2005 MINI Cooper Road Test

Now with a successful well-established product, BMW felt that it was time to run over the MINI with a fine-toothed

BMW felt that it was time to run over the MINI with a fine-toothed comb, addressing complaints from the first batch of 500,000 or so owners. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

comb, addressing complaints from the first batch of 500,000 or so owners. In addition to adding the all-new Convertible model, a host of minor changes to the exterior and interior were made for 2005 model year MINIs. However hard these alterations are to pick out to the non-MINI enthusiast, they are nevertheless relevant in being proof of the brand's commitment to constant improvement.

It will take a sharp eye to locate the visual differences between the new MINI Cooper and last year's model. Both have the same cheeky, happy, 'MINI face', but up front the newer model features revised headlamps and bumpers. The Cooper's powerful xenon headlamps take on a Gatling gun appearance with miniature beams surrounding a large center beam at each corner. The cold blue glow of the main units are accompanied by regular halogen twin-beam lamps, which fill in the lower half of the MINI's

Although hard to spot, the newer model features revised headlamps and bumpers. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

oversized bezels. The retro-inspired rub strips on the front bumper were ditched in favor of a cleaner lower valance featuring integrated fog lamps and a thin chrome strip that runs across the main intake.

At the back, similar changes can be found: new tail lamps feature integrated reverse lights while the bezel features a different, cleaner look. The rear bumper has also changed, with repositioned rub strips and a low-mounted hexagonal rear fog lamp. A single, subtle chromed exhaust tip pokes out on the far right hand side under the matted black wraparound plastic skirt. Other than these changes, MINI styling has remained the same, its character perpetually cheeky, and cute.