MINI CVT RANGE
Unless youve been stuck in a cultural vacuum for the last couple of years, you should by now be very familiar with the MINI range. Starts with the One, graduates to Cooper and is topped off by supercharged Cooper S, you know the routine. Then there are the hardtop and convertible bodystyles as well as the diesel engine in the One D. Whats less well known is that the One and The Cooper are available with an innovative Steptronic CVT transmission.
Get ready for the science bit.
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This changed the effective gearing and meant that the little DAF could do away with a conventional gearbox. It had, in effect, an infinite number of gears. So far, so complicated. The problem with these gearboxes was the so-called rubber band effect.
When you pressed the throttle pedal, the engine automatically revved to its maximum power output, the engine noise rising instantly with the cars actual acceleration slowly catching up. This gave a nasty slipping clutch effect which proved very unpopular with most drivers who preferred to equate their road speed with the noise their engine was making.
"You can knock the selector to the right and nudge the car between any of the six-ratios in true touring car style."
Another significant problem with this system was that in cars with any useful torque, the elastic band would blow its brains out so for years CVTs were only available on shopping trolleys like the Fiat Uno Selecta or the Subaru Justy. It was only with the advent of steel belts instead of rubber ones that CVT gearboxes could make the big leap forward. Audis Multitronic gearbox mated a CVT to big power and MG Rovers Steptronic was similarly effective. Stump up a premium of £1,050 over the sticker price of a manual MINI One or Cooper and you can get a version of the Steptronic box fitted.
This gearbox gets around the dreaded elastic band effect by having six artificially mandated gears rather than one continuous ratio. The gearstick that sprouts from the floor can be left in an automatic mode, where it replicates the actions of a normal torque converter-equipped automatic gearbox quite well, or you can knock the selector to the right and nudge the car between any of the six-ratios in true touring car style sequential and forward for downchanges, backward for upshifts. Its still amazing how many manufacturers get this system round the wrong way! Steptronic steering wheel paddles represent an affordable option at £50. Two different driving modes are offered, normal and sport.
When in sport mode, the engine hangs on to each gear a little longer, but the electronics dont do anything particularly fancy to the stability control system or the damping. Fuel economy for both cars is quoted a 7.7 litres per 100km travelled which in old money translates as an average of 37 miles per gallon. Carbon dioxide emissions are quoted as 187 grammes per kilometre.
The MINI One with the CVT gearbox will accelerate to 60mph in 12.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 106mph while the 115bhp Cooper will cover the sprint in 10.2 seconds and hit a terminal velocity of 115mph. The CVT gearchange in many ways typifies the MINI an old idea brought resolutely up to date.
Everywhere you look about the car the same theme continues. Clamber underneath the retro body and youll spot BMWs Z-axle multi-link rear suspension. Theres a wrap-around glasshouse with glazed in side pillars featuring fully flush panes. This creates a floating-roof effect which can be emphasised by the Coopers options of having the roof painted in black or white.
Like the original, the interior of the MINI is still somewhat cramped, and retro themes abound, from the chrome detailing to the cavernous door bins. The centrally mounted speedometer, winged MINI badging and honeycomb mesh grille on the Cooper all act as visual throwbacks to the Fifties. Other changes have a distinctly modern touch. The laughable boot of the original Mini has been replaced by a more practical hatchback arrangement.
Some rather cheap silver-painted plastics are used in the interior, as the original aluminium fittings were ditched on the grounds of cost. Other proposed touches such as the sixties-style starter button and stalk-mounted hazard lights also got the chop due to pricing concerns, showing how tight profit margins are even in this potentially lucrative market sector. Certain items are must-haves, such as airbags and ABS-equipped disc brakes all round. In certain respects, the Cooper shoots wide of the mark regarding voguish Citycars.
At a time when tall and narrow represents the state of the art, the MINI is more state of the ark unashamedly squat, with bulging rear wheelarch extensions and a raking, low roofline. Many will feel that the Steptronic CVT gearbox doesnt ring true with authentic historical resonance. The MINI always was a manual car and theres an argument that says it always should be. Its only when you realise how user friendly the system is that its qualities shine through.
Perhaps its biggest bugbear is the price. In making the MINIs price so aggressive, the money asked for the Steptronic box and multifunction steering wheel suddenly looks a significant slice of the pie for debatable benefits. Whilst Id stick with a stick shift, those who subscribe to the history is bunk philosophy might quite fancy the CVT gearbox.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: MINI CVT range
PRICE: £12,045 - £13,445 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 5-8
CO2 EMISSIONS: 187g/km
PERFORMANCE: [Cooper] Max Speed 115mph / 0-60mph 10.2s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [One] 37mpg (combined)
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 3626/1925/1396mm WHO TO SEE: July 4th 2005
