All this was relayed to me in no uncertain terms by two teenagers and their mother as I packed them off for a day trip to Cameron Highlands using the Tapah route up.
Cameron, with its cooler climes and delectable jagung susu (milk corn), was a good enough excuse to get away from the heat of the Klang Valley one recent sweltering Saturday.
“By the way, I’m staying home tomorrow. One day in this MINI is quite enough,” said the missus as she struggled to clamber out of the back seat during a pitstop.
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So there you have it. One no-holds barred opinion of the latest MINI Cooper S.
There’s truth in those words but they do not account for why those with RM240,000 to throw about would still opt for such a small car, one that has been elevated into a luxury runabout in this part of the world.
But first, let’s dwell on the less polarising features of the car itself.
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The facelifted MINI, launched locally in November last year, looks refreshing and has gone even more techy in tune with BMW’s penchant for loading its cars to the gills with technology.
Internet connectivity is available as an option.
The Cooper S also gets more “poke” with less “smoke”. It is equipped for the first time with a twin-scroll turbocharger, direct petrol injection and fully variable valve control.
The variable valve control is based on BMW’s familiar Valvetronic system that adjusts valve lift and opening times in direct relation to the driver’s command on the throttle pedal.
The result is what MINI declares as the most efficient hot hatch in its class: the 1.6 litre unit produces 9hp more peak power at 184hp while peak torque is 240Nm, delivered from as low as 1,600rpm through to 5,000rpm. CO² emissions is rated at 155g/km.
It has been half a century since the first MINI rolled off the line in Britain, but the designers have clearly paid homage to the brand’s iconic styling, while at the same time moving with the times.
Visually, there’s the usual tweaks here and there in a typical facelift. Front and rear bumpers and side indicators have been modified.
The glass covers over the indicators now have a very structured form of concentric circles while a combination of shiny and matt black surfaces give the MINI a contemporary and trendy image.
The borders of the positioning light units and fog lamps have also been made more pronounced with three-dimensional contours.
In addition, more body colours are now offered. The test unit was in what MINI calls Spice Orange, a vibrant colour that looks attractive with the go-fast race stripes across the bonnet. There’s also Eclipse Grey, White Silver and yes, British Racing Green, if one feels nostalgic at the point of purchase.
The MINI Cooper S is differentiated from its naturally aspirated siblings by a bonnet-mounted air intake and twin exhaust pipes. Both these elements are also entirely functional and necessary to the car’s performance.
The cabin has a semi-retro look infused with modern materials. Much of the surfaces inside are soft touch with a premium look.
A number of other functions are stuffed into the classic MINI oversized speedometer these days, such as the radio dial and fuel gauge. Right in front of the driver is the smaller tachometer.
MINI aims to stand out so even the key fob is stylishly different but it isn’t a keyless start setup. You still need to slide it into a recess and hit the start button.
Ambient lighting, available in various colours, cast a soft glow in the cabin especially at night, and caters to the lifestyle-conscious crowd who buy into the MINI theme of performance customisation and coolness.
On the performance front, power is not lacking in the Cooper S, what with its 1.6-litre engine that dishes up the power with silky smooth delivery, making the car easy to drive, even in traffic. There’s none of the lag one may expect from a twin scroll turbocharger.
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| Ambient lighting sets the mood in the cabin. You have a variety of colours to choose from. |
Push the accelerator all the way and the “overboost” function is triggered, producing up to 260Nm. This is particularly useful when you need to overtake slower cars.
You hear the words “fun” and “go-kart feeling” being used a lot when it comes to driving the MINI. It’s more so with the Cooper S which has sports seats and a stiff suspension to handle whatever challenges that may come its way.
Cameron Highlands has one of the best twisty roads around with a variety of corners – some sweeping and some very tight – and you really need to throttle down quickly in some places as blind corners and oncoming traffic are real dangers to watch out for.
The Cooper S is in its element in such a setting, especially with Sport mode on.
It provides keen feedback through the steering wheel, and feels responsive and sharp.
Body roll? Naah, there’s none of that. And 17-inch run-flat tyres help the car stick to the road like a leech.
Because of the hard suspension, the car does not have the best ride on bad roads, but its owner will forgive this flaw as he will be swayed by a handling that’s top-notch. Such sentiments, however, may not necessarily be shared by the passengers on board.
It is quite the bend-meister, allowing for confident driving through any type of corner, aided by a steering that’s dead centre.
Highway driving is uneventful and one could say a waste of the Cooper S talents. Thank goodness for meandering roads.
Front-wheel drive performance hatches tend to have torque steer when accelerating hard off the line, but BMW has done well to reduce this tendency to a MINImum in this MINI.
There’s a slew of active and passive safety kit on board, including six airbags, ABS, front belt-force limiters and seatbelt tensioners and Dynamic Stability Control as standard.
For comfortable, long haul family rides, look elsewhere.
The Cooper S will appeal to the young and the young at heart who relish the occasional hooliganism that the car is all too willing to deliver.
For the family man who loves an enthusiastic drive in a small package, this will in all likelihood be a spare car with which to indulge in a bit of a romp.
