2011 MINI Coupe review
New MINI Coupe
By Allan Harryman, 22nd September 2011
Ireland has always had a soft spot for the MINI.
It was made famous locally in the Sixties with its giant-slaying victories on the Circuit of Ireland Rally, at the hands of Paddy Hopkirk and Ronnie McCartney.
Even its more recent WRC guise, the Countryman, which also sports an Ulsterman behind the wheel, Kris Meeke, has been setting top three stage times in its WRC debut year. Admittedly it took a Spanish driver to grab the team's first WRC points a few weeks ago in Germany.
New 2011 MINI Coupe
Ten years ago the MINI model range consisted of just 3 cars, but now after a decade of diversification, there are 5 different chassis set-ups with petrol, petrol turbo and diesel engines, making a total of 51 variants, including the new 'halo' model, the MINI Coupe.
The MINI brand has witnessed a 14% sales increase over the last year, making it one of the fastest growing-premium brands in the UK. The hatchback is the big seller, but with the entry into the WRC the brand needed a sporty model; enter the Coupe. The body is based on the hatch, with dimensions similar to within a few millimetres, apart from the rake of the windscreen and roofline, which is lower by 30mm.
It comes in 4 variants, Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper SD and the John Cooper Works Edition. They all have engine specs similar to their counterparts in the hatch range and the Coupe models feature upgraded suspension settings which include stiffer damper and spring ratings plus slightly larger diameter anti-roll bars.
2011 MINI Coupe
My latest MINI advenure began in Innsbruck, a city that was a famous starting point for the Monte Carlo Rally, (the setting for another famous MINI victory).
The Coupe is an unusual shape but strikes me as one that the market will grow to love. The John Cooper Works Edition was to be the first of the two models on test I was to drive, and I was instantly impressed by the fit, finish and general build quality of the 2-seater cabin.
The 2-seater cabin makes the new car what is known in the industry as a 'lifestyle choice' car. It does however feature a large boot, 280 litre capacity, which makes it a touch more practical than some other cars in the segment.
New MINI Coupe
The aforementioned suspension tweaks instantly made themselves known on the streets of Innsbruck, but the ride wasn't as harsh as it could have been and had a decent damping ability working with superb roll control. This was more apparent on the snow lined hairpins of the Brenner Pass which our route would later take us on.
With the engine in Sport mode, it produces plenty of turbocharged power and the appropriate whooshing sounds, even at the high altitude, giving effortless overtakes of the various slow moving vehicles encountered and also producing a satisfying WRC-style crackle on the over-run!
MINI Coupe interior
All of the driving aids are unobtrusive, unless you are being very heavy-footed in less than perfect conditions. The Continental tyres gave excellent grip on the cold Alpine passes and great feel on the lower, faster roads. The gearing ratios have been well thought out, matching the engine's eagerness to rev. The more involved driver will be rewarded by the burbling exhaust note and the fantastic kart-like chassis feedback.
Also available at the launch, was the Coupe Cooper SD. Very closely specced to the JCW but with the diesel engine. It produces more torque than the JCW but delivers it smoothly and evenly.
Allan Harryman with the new MINI Coupe
Unfortunately it seems like a 'compromise car' to me, I am sure many people will aspire to own one; it has the looks and the features of the other Coupe and is capable of over 60mpg but the heavier engine upsets the fine handling balance, the power delivery is uninspiring and it misses out on the cacophony of sporty engine sounds that the JCW produces.
This is a car to compete with any the current coupes or roadsters: full of fun, character and plenty of performance.
