I'm in Oxford, England, half-awake, wearing a MINI lab coat and eye protection. I'm being ushered through spotless hallways with a tour guide talking through my earpiece. It's a scene so unusual I can't tell if I'm dreaming.
I've never been to an assembly line before and it really is easy to see how far we've come. Huge robotic arms swing over nascent chassis, precisely placing steel chunks and welding them into place before the cars scoot over to the next station. Laser-equipped robots then check each unit to within 0.05mm for dimensional precision. I'm not sure if every assembly line is so clean-rumor has it you couldn't exactly eat off the floors here before BMW took over.
It's here I learn what makes the new MINI better than the old one. There are obvious (intentional) similarities in appearance, but they're saying the new car is a ground-up redesign.
The new 1.6-liter, 175bhp engine is twin-scroll turbocharged, not supercharged. It'll be made in England, alongside all BMW four-cylinder engines. An impressive 177lb-ft of torque is available from 1600rpm to 5000rpm, and there's an overboost function during hard acceleration which allows a temporary 192lb-ft. The broad torque curve is made possible by a a previously unthinkable combination of compression ratio and boost pressure. The MINI has a high 10.5:1 compression ratio and ingests 11.6psi of boost.
Credit the above to direct fuel injection technology and lighter, cooler components, such as sodium-filled valves and composite camshafts. A thin intercooler sits in the front bumper, rendering the once-functional hood scoop useless for anything but differentiating the S from the plain old Cooper.
MINI has made a concerted effort to infuse the car with a more sporting character this time around. The power steering is still electromechanical and speed-sensitive, but an optional Sports switch tightens it up further, and an optional mechanical LSD increases traction (and what feels like torque steer) launching out of corners.
Out back, the suspension has been given a reworking, with aluminum arms shaving 13 pounds from the rear axle. The tires are now run-flat, allowing the car to go as far as 90 miles before the driver has to get out and do something about it.
You just know BMW is involved when you have a look at the gizmo list: ABS, EBFD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution), CBC (Cornering Brake Control), ASC+T (Automatic Stability Control + Traction) and DSC (Dynamic Stability Control), to name a few. Hill Assist start-off will even apply the rear brakes until you've got the clutch right, stopping the car from rolling backwards on steep inclines.
The first thing I notice is that, despite the plateau-flat torque curve, it's clear the new Mini makes its power up high on the tachometer Sometimes it feels as if there's a slight delay, as though the car is thinking about something-stammering a bit like our project WRX does-before really applying the turbo's boost.
When the car is done deciding about the full throttle you've asked for, it really comes alive, with no hint of power dying out with increased revs, as most turbo engines do. The onset of urgency is accompanied by an impressive rasp from the tailpipe-a rarity in four-cylinder cars-something that impels you to keep the pedal down.
By James Tate
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