Tough Crowd Comparison Test: Mini Cooper S

It's tempting to dismiss the Mini Cooper as just another attempt to turn nostalgia into cash flow. It's that, but the supercharged Cooper S is also a blast to drive. Our test car was heavily optioned, coming with a huge, two-panel sunroof, self-adjusting HID headlights, and hefty 17-inch wheels with run-flat tires. (Run flats are standard, because the S has no room for a spare.) So much luxury had been piled onto this poor little car, it crushed the scales to the tune of 2,710 lb. It was still the lightest car of the test, but by only 10 lb--not what we expected from such a tiny package.

The Cooper S had locked itself solidly into fourth place until we happened to drive another S with the standard 16-inch wheels. It was so much faster, the Mini ended up tied with the SVT Focus.

Forget the supercharger, the unique packaging, the surprising grip. It's the steering that's most striking in the Mini. It's incredibly precise, very solid, and full of feedback. The trick is the total absence of rubber. Most cars mount their steering racks in rubber, but the Mini's is bolted directly to the front crossmember, which is bolted directly to the chassis. Even the front lower control arm bushing, which can also add slop to the steering, isn't rubber. It's a ball joint. The result is steering that gives incredible confidence.

The Cooper S suspension is nearly on par with the Mazdaspeed Protegé, but less performance-oriented tires and the absence of a limited slip make the Mini harder to drive fast. The brakes, while strong enough, have a disconcertingly soft pedal, which only adds to the frustration of a cramped pedal box. Supercharged power delivery is delightfully linear, and strong enough for the Cooper S to post the second fastest quarter-mile time. Considering there are six ratios to choose from, the gearing feels too tall around town, but the upside is comfortable, high-speed cruising. This would make a surprisingly good autobahn car.

The Mini's throttle is annoyingly laggy, making stop-and-go traffic frustrating and erasing some confidence at the limit.

The little Mini is actually a normal height and width. And its wheelbase is less than 2 inches shorter than the GTI's, so it's the Cooper's complete lack of overhang that makes it small. These proportions keep weight nearer the center of the car, reducing its polar moment and leading to a nimble feeling you can't get with a longer car.

As dramatic as the difference was between the 16- and 17-inch wheeled Minis we drove, a stripped, lightweight Cooper S should be a blast. It may take a special order to get one, but a 16-inch wheeled Cooper S with no sunroof should be a very rewarding performance car. n

Best Feature: We would say the styling, but that would belittle the Mini's true capabilities and make us look like a bunch of superficial sissies. No, instead we'll go with the impressive handling, sharp steering, and nimbleness only a car this size can have.

Worst Feature: Tall gearing, sluggish throttle response and an intercooler prone to heat-soak combine to make the simple act of pulling away from a stoplight a challenge.

First three things we'd modify

1: 15-inch wheels and a AAA card
The 17-inch wheels on our test car are stupid. They look silly, weigh a ton, and slow the car remarkably. The brakes are small enough for 15-inch wheels, which, with well-chosen rubber, could save close to 100 lb. Without the run-flats, however, bring a cell phone.

2: Intercooler sprayer and water injection
The stock intercooler is small, sees limited airflow, and is surrounded by hot engine parts. We'd suggest a front-mount if the bumper wasn't so jam-packed already. Instead, a re-purposed windshield washer system could be used to spray the intercooler, and an Aquamist water injection system could cool things from the inside.

3: Limited-slip differential
Quaife should have a diff for the Mini's Getrag six-speed by the time you read this.

Base price: $19,300
Measured horsepower at the wheels: 157 hp @ 6800 rpm
Curb weight as tested: 2,720 lb