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New Models
DRIVEN: ‘Works’ Mini Coupe Hot, Funky
Performance edition of the new two seater is fast and fun to drive, but a harsh ride and controversial styling mar the package.
The Mini John Cooper Works Coupe is a performance model that provides quick response and edgy handling. (Photo: Bob Golfen)
Mini continues to pile on the new models with the addition of its first two-seater, the Cooper Coupe, which adds a sports-car aspect to BMW’s Mini brand, along with an upcoming two-seater convertible.
Yet unlike the almost universally appreciated Mini hatchback that revived the groundbreaking British micro car, the Coupe’s styling is not finding so much love among the onlookers.
In other words, it’s proving controversial. People either love it or really, really hate it. One detractor said it looked like a little kid wearing a beanie. Others said it looked squished.
I fall on the side of the critics; to my eye the miniscule Coupe appears too toylike, stubby and contrived. The “helmet” roof looks like it was stuck on as an afterthought. The very short rear deck is unappealing, even with the spoiler that rises according to speed or on demand. Compared with the attractive form of the original hatchback, the Coupe falls short.
Also, outward vision is lousy.
On the other hand, there were plenty of unsolicited positive comments from the approvers, who seemed to find the design likably quirky. Auto executive John Lutz once famously said that it takes just a small percentage of people who love the styling of a vehicle for it to be a hit.
But whatever its appearance, the John Cooper Works enhancements on the test Mini turn this little critter into a powerfully enjoyable street machine, quite fast with its 208-horsepower, 1.6-liter turbo four and close-ratio six-speed that shifted with precision.
The optional Sport Suspension on the JCW Coupe provides super-responsive handling, but the tradeoff is a harsh ride that too often turned unacceptably rough, possibly exasperated by its low-profile run-flat tires (no room for a spare in here). On some fairly unremarkable bumps in the road, the rear suspension thumped so noisily that I thought something mechanical had gone wrong with the car.
And one note about the shifter: the reverse-gear placement – up and to the left with minimal lockout– can too easily by confused with first gear. A couple of times I caught myself in reverse by mistake.
The very-quick steering and powerful Brembo brakes are excellent, however, making this Mini feel like it’s ready for the track. Mini made its bones on its acclaimed “go-kart handling,” and this tiny coupe just loves to swivel into a turn. A fast tour on a back road that snakes through the desert near Phoenix was an absolute blast. The JCW was certainly in its element.
As expected, the JCW Mini includes a host of electronic bits to improve handling and traction, such as Dynamic Stability Control and Dynamic Traction Control with Electronic Differential Lock Control.
John Cooper, by the way, was an innovative racing Brit who during the 1960s took the original simple-box Austin Minis and made them into giant-killer race cars that won three of the grueling Monte Carlo rallies, and became favorite club racers around the world for competitors on a budget.
Cooper also changed forever people’s impression of the teeny front-wheel-drive people mover, imbuing it with an image of sportiness that today’s Mini strives to emulate. So naturally, the performance folk at Mini decided to evoke his name for their quickest models.
Yet unlike the almost universally appreciated Mini hatchback that revived the groundbreaking British micro car, the Coupe’s styling is not finding so much love among the onlookers.
In other words, it’s proving controversial. People either love it or really, really hate it. One detractor said it looked like a little kid wearing a beanie. Others said it looked squished.
I fall on the side of the critics; to my eye the miniscule Coupe appears too toylike, stubby and contrived. The “helmet” roof looks like it was stuck on as an afterthought. The very short rear deck is unappealing, even with the spoiler that rises according to speed or on demand. Compared with the attractive form of the original hatchback, the Coupe falls short.
Also, outward vision is lousy.
On the other hand, there were plenty of unsolicited positive comments from the approvers, who seemed to find the design likably quirky. Auto executive John Lutz once famously said that it takes just a small percentage of people who love the styling of a vehicle for it to be a hit.
But whatever its appearance, the John Cooper Works enhancements on the test Mini turn this little critter into a powerfully enjoyable street machine, quite fast with its 208-horsepower, 1.6-liter turbo four and close-ratio six-speed that shifted with precision.
The optional Sport Suspension on the JCW Coupe provides super-responsive handling, but the tradeoff is a harsh ride that too often turned unacceptably rough, possibly exasperated by its low-profile run-flat tires (no room for a spare in here). On some fairly unremarkable bumps in the road, the rear suspension thumped so noisily that I thought something mechanical had gone wrong with the car.
And one note about the shifter: the reverse-gear placement – up and to the left with minimal lockout– can too easily by confused with first gear. A couple of times I caught myself in reverse by mistake.
The very-quick steering and powerful Brembo brakes are excellent, however, making this Mini feel like it’s ready for the track. Mini made its bones on its acclaimed “go-kart handling,” and this tiny coupe just loves to swivel into a turn. A fast tour on a back road that snakes through the desert near Phoenix was an absolute blast. The JCW was certainly in its element.
As expected, the JCW Mini includes a host of electronic bits to improve handling and traction, such as Dynamic Stability Control and Dynamic Traction Control with Electronic Differential Lock Control.
John Cooper, by the way, was an innovative racing Brit who during the 1960s took the original simple-box Austin Minis and made them into giant-killer race cars that won three of the grueling Monte Carlo rallies, and became favorite club racers around the world for competitors on a budget.
Cooper also changed forever people’s impression of the teeny front-wheel-drive people mover, imbuing it with an image of sportiness that today’s Mini strives to emulate. So naturally, the performance folk at Mini decided to evoke his name for their quickest models.
The Lyonheart K
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