SPECIFICATIONS |
| 1. Adding a turbocharger to the base Cooper’s 1.6L 4-cylinder, the Cooper S makes 181 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque.
2. MINI claims a 6.7 second 0-60 time.
3. Fuel economy is 26 MPG city and 35 MPG highway.
4. Starting at $25,550 for the Cooper, the Cooper S begins at $28,550.
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PREVIEW
The appeal of a two-seat roadster goes way back in car history. Just about every company has offered one at some point in their existence, although the current market is depressingly devoid of much action. Looking to inject a little life into things comes MINI, with production versions of its Coupe and Roadster concepts from a few years back now rolling into driveways in North America.
We sampled a mid-level Cooper S version to judge whether this all-new drop-top had what it takes to reinvigorate a slumbering segment.
INTERIOR
The rest of the interior is standard MINI Cooper fare, which means pretty cheap plastics, questionable ergonomics and that enormous speedometer dominating the dashboard.
Our tester’s cabin was livened up with things like leather-covered sport seats, but otherwise it’s pretty plain. The sole bright spot is the upgraded Harman Kardon audio system, which is part of a package that also includes a center armrest and Bluetooth hands-free.
MINI Roadsters start at $25,550 while the Cooper S is a more serious $28,550. With all the extras, ‘our’ tester topped out at $34,845. But as with any MINI, that’s without any of the dozens of personalization options that can send the price tag skyrocketing very easily.
UNDER THE HOOD
Power comes from the familiar 1.6-liter direct-injection four-cylinder that uses a twin-scroll turbocharger to deliver 181 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. Thankfully, there isn’t much turbo lag to speak of, and although its overall torque figure isn’t especially high, it is available from just 1,600 rpm all the way to 5,000 rpm. One added bonus is that the wee beastie can deliver an extra 15 lb-ft of torque – or overboost as MINI calls it – for quicker overtaking when needed.
The six-speed manual transmission is great to use even though the shift-knob feels like it’s the size of a grapefruit. The nicely weighted clutch helps the Cooper S Roadster hit 60 mph from rest in 6.7 seconds and it feels plenty fast no matter the situation thanks to that turbo. Fuel mileage is pretty good given its performance with estimates of 26 MPG in the city and 35 on the highway.
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