Granted, people don't buy a MINI Cooper S to move furniture. No, they buy it because, well, it moves! Its turbocharged four-pot cranks out 181 horsepower – nine more than in 2010 and 60 more than the base model – sending the ultra-lightweight runabout from 0 to 100 km/h in seven short seconds. Below 1,500 rpm, the engine feels asleep, but beyond that point, it positively wakes up and delivers power in linear fashion.
Don't expect your neck to snap upon takeoff, but the available output is more than adequate for sporty driving given the superb athleticism of the Cooper S.
Power is managed by a six-speed manual (standard) or automatic (optional) transmission. I tested the former and it felt nicely calibrated, with the short-throw shifter acting like a joystick... and the panoramic windshield serving as a wide gaming screen!
There is one caveat, though. For lack of a firm spring, distracted drivers could actually engage reverse when they think they are dropping the shifter into first gear. But that's all part of the fun, owners will argue. You'll love the 2011 MINI Cooper S for its qualities AND irritants.
Could you say the same thing about the GTI?
Don't expect your neck to snap upon takeoff, but the available output is more than adequate for sporty driving given the superb athleticism of the Cooper S.
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| The manual gearbox felt nicely calibrated and its short-throw shifter, very precise. However, drivers can accidentally engage reverse when they proceed to drop the shifter into first gear. (Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com) |
Power is managed by a six-speed manual (standard) or automatic (optional) transmission. I tested the former and it felt nicely calibrated, with the short-throw shifter acting like a joystick... and the panoramic windshield serving as a wide gaming screen!
There is one caveat, though. For lack of a firm spring, distracted drivers could actually engage reverse when they think they are dropping the shifter into first gear. But that's all part of the fun, owners will argue. You'll love the 2011 MINI Cooper S for its qualities AND irritants.
Could you say the same thing about the GTI?
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